Direct and Indirect Peer Socialization of Adolescent Nonsuicidal Self-Injury

PubMed Central

Giletta, Matteo; Burk, William J.; Scholte, Ron H. J.; Engels, Rutger C. M. E.; Prinstein, Mitchell J.

2015-01-01

This study examined direct and indirect forms of peer socialization of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescent friendship networks. Data were collected among 348 adolescents (55% females; Mage = 15.02 years; SD = 0.53) at 4 assessment waves. Stochastic actor-based models revealed no evidence for direct socialization of NSSI: adolescents whose friends reported higher NSSI did not increase their NSSI over time. However, indirect forms of socialization were found. After controlling for direct socialization and selection effects, friends’ depressive symptoms predicted changes in male and female adolescents’ NSSI and friends’ impulsivity predicted changes in male adolescents’ NSSI. Findings highlight the importance of extending peer influence research beyond the classical “modeling” paradigm by providing evidence that peers may indirectly socialize adolescents’ NSSI. PMID:26412955

Longitudinal Evidence Linking Processing Speed to the Development of Reasoning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kail, Robert V.; Lervåg, Arne; Hulme, Charles

2016-01-01

Age-related change in processing speed has been linked directly to increases in reasoning as well as indirectly via increases in the capacity of working memory (WM). Most of the evidence linking change in speed to reasoning has come from cross-sectional research; in this article we present the findings from a 2½-year longitudinal study of 277 6-…

Direct evidence of hybodont shark predation on Late Jurassic ammonites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vullo, Romain

2011-06-01

Sharks are known to have been ammonoid predators, as indicated by analysis of bite marks or coprolite contents. However, body fossil associations attesting to this predator-prey relationship have never been described so far. Here, I report a unique finding from the Late Jurassic of western France: a complete specimen of the Kimmeridgian ammonite Orthaspidoceras bearing one tooth of the hybodont shark Planohybodus. Some possible tooth puncture marks are also observed. This is the first direct evidence of such a trophic link between these two major Mesozoic groups, allowing an accurate identification of both organisms. Although Planohybodus displays a tearing-type dentition generally assumed to have been especially adapted for large unshelled prey, our discovery clearly shows that this shark was also able to attack robust ammonites such as aspidoceratids. The direct evidence presented here provides new insights into the Mesozoic marine ecosystem food webs.

Does Education Affect Happiness? Evidence for Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunado, Juncal; de Gracia, Fernando Perez

2012-01-01

In this paper we study the impact of education on happiness in Spain using individual-level data from the European Social Survey, by means of estimating Ordinal Logit Models. We find both direct and indirect effects of education on happiness. First, we find an indirect effect of education on happiness through income and labour status. That is, we…

Tax Increment Financing and Education Expenditures: The Case of Iowa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen-Hoang, Phuong

2014-01-01

This is the first study to directly examine the relationship between tax increment financing (TIF) and education expenditures, using the state of Iowa as a case study. I find that greater use of TIF is associated with reduced education expenditures. I also find little evidence to support the commonly held proposition that school spending increases…

Adapting a Multiple-Baseline Design Rationale for Evaluating Instructional Interventions: Implications for the Adoption of Direct Instruction Reading Curricula for Evidence-Based Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vitale, Michael R.; Kaniuka, Theodore S.

2012-01-01

Present national methodological standards for evaluating the credibility of the design of individual research studies have resulted in findings reporting the pre-­post effectiveness of Direct Instruction programs to be eliminated from consideration by educational leaders involved in making curricular decisions intended to advance local school…

Direct and conceptual replications of the taxometric analysis of type a behavior.

PubMed

Wilmot, Michael P; Haslam, Nick; Tian, Jingyuan; Ones, Deniz S

2018-05-17

We present direct and conceptual replications of the influential taxometric analysis of Type A Behavior (TAB; Strube, 1989), which reported evidence for the latent typology of the construct. Study 1, the direct replication (N = 2,373), duplicated sampling and methodological procedures of the original study, but results showed that the item indicators used in the original study lacked sufficient validity to unambiguously determine latent structure. Using improved factorial subscale indicators to further test the question, multiple taxometric procedures, in combination with parallel analyses of simulated data, failed to replicate the original typological finding. Study 2, the conceptual replication, tested the latent structure of the wider construct of TAB using the sample from the Caerphilly Prospective Study (N = 2,254), which contains responses to the three most widely used self-report measures of TAB: the Jenkins Activity Survey, Bortner scale, and Framingham scale. Factorial subscale indicators were derived from the measures and submitted to multiple taxometric procedures. Results of Study 2 converged with those of Study 1, providing clear evidence of latent dimensional structure. Overall, results suggest there is no evidence for the type in TAB. Findings imply that theoretical models of TAB, assessment practices, and data analytic procedures that assume a typology should be replaced by dimensional models, factorial subscale measures, and corresponding statistical approaches. Specific subscale measures that tap multiple Big Five trait domains, and show evidence of predictive utility, are also recommended. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Systematic Reviews of Mechanisms for Financing Family Planning: Findings, Implications, and Future Agenda.

PubMed

Lissner, Craig L; Ali, Moazzam

2016-12-01

The article describes an international collaboration that systematically reviewed the evidence on financing mechanisms for family planning/contraception, assessed the strength of and summarized the evidence, identified research gaps, and proposed a new research agenda to address the gaps. The review found that the evidence base is weak owing to the paucity of studies, diversity in findings, and variations in intervention, study design, and outcome measures. Of more than 17,000 papers reviewed only 38 met the eligibility criteria. A number of general recommendations on the directions and areas of future research can be drawn. There is a strong need for more robust study designs on the effectiveness of financial incentives in family planning. © 2016 The Population Council, Inc.

The spread of a novel behavior in wild chimpanzees: New insights into the ape cultural mind.

PubMed

Gruber, Thibaud; Poisot, Timothée; Zuberbühler, Klaus; Hoppitt, William; Hobaiter, Catherine

2015-01-01

For years, the animal culture debate has been dominated by the puzzling absence of direct evidence for social transmission of behavioral innovations in the flagship species of animal culture, the common chimpanzee. Although social learning of novel behaviors has been documented in captivity, critics argue that these findings lack ecological validity and therefore may not be relevant for understanding the evolution of culture. For the wild, it is possible that group-specific behavioral differences emerge because group members respond individually to unspecified environmental differences, rather than learning from each other. In a recent paper, we used social network analyses in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) to provide direct evidence for social transmission of a behavioral innovation, moss-sponging, to extract water from a tree hole. Here, we discuss the implications of our findings and how our new methodological approach could help future studies of social learning and culture in wild apes.

Human cortical–hippocampal dialogue in wake and slow-wave sleep

PubMed Central

Mitra, Anish; Hacker, Carl D.; Pahwa, Mrinal; Tagliazucchi, Enzo; Laufs, Helmut; Leuthardt, Eric C.; Raichle, Marcus E.

2016-01-01

Declarative memory consolidation is hypothesized to require a two-stage, reciprocal cortical–hippocampal dialogue. According to this model, higher frequency signals convey information from the cortex to hippocampus during wakefulness, but in the reverse direction during slow-wave sleep (SWS). Conversely, lower-frequency activity propagates from the information “receiver” to the “sender” to coordinate the timing of information transfer. Reversal of sender/receiver roles across wake and SWS implies that higher- and lower-frequency signaling should reverse direction between the cortex and hippocampus. However, direct evidence of such a reversal has been lacking in humans. Here, we use human resting-state fMRI and electrocorticography to demonstrate that δ-band activity and infraslow activity propagate in opposite directions between the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Moreover, both δ activity and infraslow activity reverse propagation directions between the hippocampus and cerebral cortex across wake and SWS. These findings provide direct evidence for state-dependent reversals in human cortical–hippocampal communication. PMID:27791089

Economic growth, CO2 emissions, renewable waste and FDI relation in Pakistan: New evidences from 3SLS.

PubMed

Bakhsh, Khuda; Rose, Sobia; Ali, Muhammad Faisal; Ahmad, Najid; Shahbaz, Muhammad

2017-07-01

First attempt has been made to find the effects of foreign direct investment on environmental pollution and economic growth, in addition to finding the determinants of foreign direct investment inflows in Pakistan using the annual data set for the period of 1980-2014. Simultaneous equation model has been used to find relation between the variables of concern. Results from technique and composition effects show that increase in economic growth leads towards more pollution emissions. Scale effect shows stock of capital and labor have positive effect on the economic growth of Pakistan while pollution has negative effect on growth. In case of capital accumulation effect, economic growth and foreign direct investment have positive and significant effect on stock of capital. Although increase in economic growth increases pollution, however, economic growth declines as pollution crosses a certain limit. Foreign direct investment is also found positively related with pollution. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Grandparents' resources and grandchildren's schooling: Does grandparental involvement moderate the grandparent effect?

PubMed

Bol, Thijs; Kalmijn, Matthijs

2016-01-01

Recent studies have argued that grandparents have a direct effect on grandchildren's achievements, net of parental resources. However, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. One explanation is that grandchildren can benefit from the cultural resources that grandparents transmit to their grandchildren. If this is the case, one would expect strong effects in families where grandparents are highly involved in the lives of their grandchildren and weak or no effects in other families. Using new nationally representative survey data on three generations in the Netherlands, we examine if and how grandchildren's educational attainment is affected by three grandparental resources: education, occupational status, and cultural resources. We explore how these effects vary by the strength of the tie between grandparent and grandchild. We find no evidence for a main direct grandparental effect, nor do we find interactions with the strength of the tie between grandparent and grandchild. These null-findings are discussed in light of the mixed body of evidence that has been accumulated in the literature and contemporary theorizing on grandparenting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The first direct evidence of a Late Devonian coelacanth fish feeding on conodont animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zatoń, Michał; Broda, Krzysztof; Qvarnström, Martin; Niedźwiedzki, Grzegorz; Ahlberg, Per Erik

2017-04-01

We describe the first known occurrence of a Devonian coelacanth specimen from the lower Famennian of the Holy Cross Mountains, Poland, with a conodont element preserved in its digestive tract. A small spiral and phosphatic coprolite (fossil excrement) containing numerous conodont elements and other unrecognized remains was also found in the same deposits. The coprolite is tentatively attributed to the coelacanth. Although it is unclear whether the Late Devonian coelacanth from Poland was an active predator or a scavenger, these finds provide the first direct evidence of feeding on conodont animals by early coelacanth fish, and one of the few evidences of feeding on these animals known to date. It also expands our knowledge about the diet and trophic relations between the Paleozoic marine animals in general.

Evidence for breathing modes in direct current, pulsed, and high power impulse magnetron sputtering plasmas

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

Yang, Yuchen; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, California 94720; Zhou, Xue

2016-01-18

We present evidence for breathing modes in magnetron sputtering plasmas: periodic axial variations of plasma parameters with characteristic frequencies between 10 and 100 kHz. A set of azimuthally distributed probes shows synchronous oscillations of the floating potential. They appear most clearly when considering the intermediate current regime in which the direction of azimuthal spoke motion changes. Breathing oscillations were found to be superimposed on azimuthal spoke motion. Depending on pressure and current, one can also find a regime of chaotic fluctuations and one of stable discharges, the latter at high current. A pressure-current phase diagram for the different situations is proposed.

Educational Research for Professional Practice: More than Providing Evidence for Doing "x Rather than y" or Finding the "Size of the Effect of A on B"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Bev

2003-01-01

Educational research has been criticised by governments and practitioners. For some politicians and policy makers, there is a tendency to look for direct links between research and successful, effective and efficient practice. Research is needed to inform their evidence-based practice as policy makers, and to provide the kind of research teachers…

Incorporating uncertainty regarding applicability of evidence from meta-analyses into clinical decision making.

PubMed

Kriston, Levente; Meister, Ramona

2014-03-01

Judging applicability (relevance) of meta-analytical findings to particular clinical decision-making situations remains challenging. We aimed to describe an evidence synthesis method that accounts for possible uncertainty regarding applicability of the evidence. We conceptualized uncertainty regarding applicability of the meta-analytical estimates to a decision-making situation as the result of uncertainty regarding applicability of the findings of the trials that were included in the meta-analysis. This trial-level applicability uncertainty can be directly assessed by the decision maker and allows for the definition of trial inclusion probabilities, which can be used to perform a probabilistic meta-analysis with unequal probability resampling of trials (adaptive meta-analysis). A case study with several fictitious decision-making scenarios was performed to demonstrate the method in practice. We present options to elicit trial inclusion probabilities and perform the calculations. The result of an adaptive meta-analysis is a frequency distribution of the estimated parameters from traditional meta-analysis that provides individually tailored information according to the specific needs and uncertainty of the decision maker. The proposed method offers a direct and formalized combination of research evidence with individual clinical expertise and may aid clinicians in specific decision-making situations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

British English infants segment words only with exaggerated infant-directed speech stimuli.

PubMed

Floccia, Caroline; Keren-Portnoy, Tamar; DePaolis, Rory; Duffy, Hester; Delle Luche, Claire; Durrant, Samantha; White, Laurence; Goslin, Jeremy; Vihman, Marilyn

2016-03-01

The word segmentation paradigm originally designed by Jusczyk and Aslin (1995) has been widely used to examine how infants from the age of 7.5 months can extract novel words from continuous speech. Here we report a series of 13 studies conducted independently in two British laboratories, showing that British English-learning infants aged 8-10.5 months fail to show evidence of word segmentation when tested in this paradigm. In only one study did we find evidence of word segmentation at 10.5 months, when we used an exaggerated infant-directed speech style. We discuss the impact of variations in infant-directed style within and across languages in the course of language acquisition. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of a Driver Cellphone Ban on Overall, Handheld, and Hands-Free Cellphone Use While Driving: New Evidence from Canada.

PubMed

Carpenter, Christopher S; Nguyen, Hai V

2015-11-01

We provide new evidence on the effects of increasingly common driver cellphone bans on self-reported overall, handheld, and hands-free cellphone use while driving by studying Ontario, Canada, which instituted a 3-month education campaign in November 2009 followed by a binding driver cellphone ban in February 2010. Using residents of Alberta as a control group in a difference-in-differences framework, we find visual and regression-based evidence that Ontario's cellphone ban significantly reduced overall and handheld cellphone use. We also find that the policies significantly increased hands-free cellphone use. The reductions in overall and handheld use are driven exclusively by women, whereas the increases in hands-free use are much larger for men. Our results provide the first direct evidence that cellphone bans have the unintended effect of inducing substitution to hands-free devices. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Possible Neurolinguistic Breakdown in Autistic Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wetherby, Amy Miller

1984-01-01

The article reviews research on direct and indirect evidence of neurological dysfunction associated with autism (including brainstem and cortical dysfunction). Issues of reorganization of language functions are discussed. Clinical implications of findings, including the value of gestural sign systems, are noted. (CL)

Directional Cluster Analysis on a Sphere: Retrieval of Archean Magnetic Directions from Data with High Dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bono, R. K.; Dare, M. S.; Tarduno, J. A.; Cottrell, R. D.

2016-12-01

Magnetic directions from coarse clastic rocks are typically highly scattered, to the point that the null hypothesis that they are drawn from a random distribution, using the iconic test of Watson (1956), cannot be rejected at a high confidence level (e.g. 95%). Here, we use an alternative approach of searching for directional clusters on a sphere. When applied to a new data set of directions from quartzites from the Jack Hills of Western Australia, we find evidence for distinct and meaningful magnetic directions at low (200 to 300 degrees C) and intermediate ( 350 to 450 degrees C) unblocking temperatures, whereas the test of Watson (1956) fails to draw a distinction from random distributions for the ensemble of directions at these unblocking temperature ranges. The robustness of the directional groups identified by the cluster analysis is confirmed by non-parametric resampling tests. The lowest unblocking temperature directional mode appears related to the present day field, perhaps contaminated by viscous magnetizations. The intermediate temperature magnetization matches an overprint recorded by the secondary mineral fuchsite (Cottrell et al., 2016) acquired at ca. 2.65 Ga. These data thus indicate that the Jack Hills carry an overprint at intermediate unblocking temperatures of Archean age. We find no evidence for a 1 Ga remagnetization. In general, the application of cluster analysis on a sphere, with directions confirmed by nonparametric tests, represents a new approach that should be applied when evaluating data with high dispersion, such as those that typically come from weak coarse-grained clastic sedimentary rocks, and/or rocks that have seen several tectonic events that could have imparted multiple magnetic overprints.

Direct access compared with referred physical therapy episodes of care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Ojha, Heidi A; Snyder, Rachel S; Davenport, Todd E

2014-01-01

Evidence suggests that physical therapy through direct access may help decrease costs and improve patient outcomes compared with physical therapy by physician referral. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on patients with musculoskeletal injuries and compare health care costs and patient outcomes in episodes of physical therapy by direct access compared with referred physical therapy. Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL (EBSCO), Web of Science, and PEDro were searched using terms related to physical therapy and direct access. Included articles were hand searched for additional references. Included studies compared data from physical therapy by direct access with physical therapy by physician referral, studying cost, outcomes, or harm. The studies were appraised using the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) levels of evidence criteria and assigned a methodological score. Of the 1,501 articles that were screened, 8 articles at levels 3 to 4 on the CEBM scale were included. There were statistically significant and clinically meaningful findings across studies that satisfaction and outcomes were superior, and numbers of physical therapy visits, imaging ordered, medications prescribed, and additional non-physical therapy appointments were less in cohorts receiving physical therapy by direct access compared with referred episodes of care. There was no evidence for harm. There is evidence across level 3 and 4 studies (grade B to C CEBM level of recommendation) that physical therapy by direct access compared with referred episodes of care is associated with improved patient outcomes and decreased costs. Primary limitations were lack of group randomization, potential for selection bias, and limited generalizability. Physical therapy by way of direct access may contain health care costs and promote high-quality health care. Third-party payers should consider paying for physical therapy by direct access to decrease health care costs and incentivize optimal patient outcomes.

The Eyes Are the Windows to the Mind: Direct Eye Gaze Triggers the Ascription of Others' Minds.

PubMed

Khalid, Saara; Deska, Jason C; Hugenberg, Kurt

2016-12-01

Eye gaze is a potent source of social information with direct eye gaze signaling the desire to approach and averted eye gaze signaling avoidance. In the current work, we proposed that eye gaze signals whether or not to impute minds into others. Across four studies, we manipulated targets' eye gaze (i.e., direct vs. averted eye gaze) and measured explicit mind ascriptions (Study 1a, Study 1b, and Study 2) and beliefs about the likelihood of targets having mind (Study 3). In all four studies, we find novel evidence that the ascription of sophisticated humanlike minds to others is signaled by the display of direct eye gaze relative to averted eye gaze. Moreover, we provide evidence suggesting that this differential mentalization is due, at least in part, to beliefs that direct gaze targets are more likely to instigate social interaction. In short, eye contact triggers mind perception. © 2016 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

BRCA1 interacts directly with the Fanconi anemia protein FANCA.

PubMed

Folias, Alexandra; Matkovic, Mara; Bruun, Donald; Reid, Sonja; Hejna, James; Grompe, Markus; D'Andrea, Alan; Moses, Robb

2002-10-01

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare autosomal recessive disease characterized by skeletal defects, anemia, chromosomal instability and increased risk of leukemia. At the cellular level FA is characterized by increased sensitivity to agents forming interstrand crosslinks (ICL) in DNA. Six FA genes have been cloned and interactions among individual FANC proteins have been found. The FANCD2 protein co-localizes in nuclear foci with the BRCA1 protein following DNA damage and during S-phase, requiring the FANCA, C, E and G proteins to do so. This finding may reflect a direct role for the BRCA1 protein in double strand break (DSB) repair and interaction with the FANC proteins. Therefore interactions between BRCA1 and the FANC proteins were investigated. Among the known FANC proteins, we find evidence for direct interaction only between the FANCA protein and BRCA1. The evidence rests on three different tests: yeast two-hybrid analysis, coimmunoprecipitation from in vitro synthesis, and coimmunoprecipitation from cell extracts. The amino terminal portion of FANCA and the central part (aa 740-1083) of BRCA1 contain the sites of interaction. The interaction does not depend on DNA damage, thus FANCA and BRCA1 are constitutively interacting. The demonstrated interaction directly connects BRCA1 to the FA pathway of DNA repair.

Cooperative Science Lesson Plans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooperative Learning, 1991

1991-01-01

Offers several elementary level cooperative science lesson plans. The article includes a recipe for cooperative class learning, instructions for making a compost pile, directions for finding evidence of energy, experiments in math and science using oranges to test density, and discussions of buoyancy using eggs. (SM)

Misconceptions about Psychological Science: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Sean; Lyddy, Fiona; Lambe, Sinead

2013-01-01

This article provides an overview of the available evidence on psychological misconceptions, including key findings, current directions and emerging issues for investigation. We begin by defining misconceptions and then examine their prevalence and persistence, discuss their implications for student learning and highlight potential strategies to…

Are Survey Respondents Lying about Their Support for Same-Sex Marriage? Lessons from a List Experiment.

PubMed

Lax, Jeffrey R; Phillips, Justin H; Stollwerk, Alissa F

2016-01-01

Public opinion polls consistently show that a growing majority of Americans support same-sex marriage. Critics, however, raise the possibility that these polls are plagued by social desirability bias, and thereby may overstate public support for gay and lesbian rights. We test this proposition using a list experiment embedded in the 2013 Cooperative Congressional Election Study. List experiments afford respondents an anonymity that allows them to provide more truthful answers to potentially sensitive survey items. Our experiment finds no evidence that social desirability is affecting overall survey results. If there is social desirability in polling on same-sex marriage, it pushes in both directions. Indeed, our efforts provide new evidence that a national opinion majority favors same-sex marriage. To evaluate the robustness of our findings, we analyze a second list experiment, this one focusing on the inclusion of sexual orientation in employment nondiscrimination laws. Again, we find no overall evidence of bias.

Are Survey Respondents Lying about Their Support for Same-Sex Marriage? Lessons from a List Experiment

PubMed Central

Lax, Jeffrey R.; Phillips, Justin H.; Stollwerk, Alissa F.

2016-01-01

Public opinion polls consistently show that a growing majority of Americans support same-sex marriage. Critics, however, raise the possibility that these polls are plagued by social desirability bias, and thereby may overstate public support for gay and lesbian rights. We test this proposition using a list experiment embedded in the 2013 Cooperative Congressional Election Study. List experiments afford respondents an anonymity that allows them to provide more truthful answers to potentially sensitive survey items. Our experiment finds no evidence that social desirability is affecting overall survey results. If there is social desirability in polling on same-sex marriage, it pushes in both directions. Indeed, our efforts provide new evidence that a national opinion majority favors same-sex marriage. To evaluate the robustness of our findings, we analyze a second list experiment, this one focusing on the inclusion of sexual orientation in employment nondiscrimination laws. Again, we find no overall evidence of bias. PMID:27274575

DETECTION OF WHITE DWARF COMPANIONS TO BLUE STRAGGLERS IN THE OPEN CLUSTER NGC 188: DIRECT EVIDENCE FOR RECENT MASS TRANSFER

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

Gosnell, Natalie M.; Mathieu, Robert D.; Geller, Aaron M.

2014-03-01

Several possible formation pathways for blue straggler stars have been developed recently, but no one pathway has yet been observationally confirmed for a specific blue straggler. Here we report the first findings from a Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys/Solar Blind Channel far-UV photometric program to search for white dwarf companions to blue straggler stars. We find three hot and young white dwarf companions to blue straggler stars in the 7 Gyr open cluster NGC 188, indicating that mass transfer in these systems ended less than 300 Myr ago. These companions are direct and secure observational evidence that these blue straggler starsmore » were formed through mass transfer in binary stars. Their existence in a well-studied cluster environment allows for observational constraints of both the current binary system and the progenitor binary system, mapping the entire mass transfer history.« less

Evidence-Based Practice in Forensic Mental Health Nursing: A Critical Review.

PubMed

Byrt, Richard; Spencer-Stiles, Theresa A; Ismail, Ismail

2018-06-15

Literature searches of databases, particularly CINAHL, using key phrases were undertaken. Some authors argue that there is a lack of evidence in forensic mental health (FMH) nursing, with few randomized controlled trials and other methods providing definitive, generalizable evidence. However, literature searches revealed randomized controlled trials of relevance to FMH nursing, many qualitative studies by FMH nurses, and arguments for clinical experience and knowledge of service users, and the latter's views, as sources of evidence. Research findings can be applied to practice, both directly and indirectly. Examples are given of ways that evidence can be used to inform FMH nursing interventions related to therapeutic ward environments, including communication, therapeutic relationships, preventing retraumatization, and enabling physical health. The complex nature of "evidence" is considered in relation to risk assessment and management. FMH nursing can be based on a wide range of sources of evidence. The types of evidence used in practice depend on individual service users' needs and views. In evaluating evidence, it is necessary to be aware of its complex, diverse nature. A distinction can be made between definitive, widely generalizable research findings and evidence with limited generalizability, requiring FMH nurses' judgments about whether it is applicable to their own area of practice. Recommendations for related education and research are made.

New Evidence on Causal Relationship between Approximate Number System (ANS) Acuity and Arithmetic Ability in Elementary-School Students: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis.

PubMed

He, Yunfeng; Zhou, Xinlin; Shi, Dexin; Song, Hairong; Zhang, Hui; Shi, Jiannong

2016-01-01

Approximate number system (ANS) acuity and mathematical ability have been found to be closely associated in recent studies. However, whether and how these two measures are causally related still remain less addressed. There are two hypotheses about the possible causal relationship: ANS acuity influences mathematical performances, or access to math education sharpens ANS acuity. Evidences in support of both hypotheses have been reported, but these two hypotheses have never been tested simultaneously. Therefore, questions still remain whether only one-direction or reciprocal causal relationships existed in the association. In this work, we provided a new evidence on the causal relationship between ANS acuity and arithmetic ability. ANS acuity and mathematical ability of elementary-school students were measured sequentially at three time points within one year, and all possible causal directions were evaluated simultaneously using cross-lagged regression analysis. The results show that ANS acuity influences later arithmetic ability while the reverse causal direction was not supported. Our finding adds a strong evidence to the causal association between ANS acuity and mathematical ability, and also has important implications for educational intervention designed to train ANS acuity and thereby promote mathematical ability.

New Evidence on Causal Relationship between Approximate Number System (ANS) Acuity and Arithmetic Ability in Elementary-School Students: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis

PubMed Central

He, Yunfeng; Zhou, Xinlin; Shi, Dexin; Song, Hairong; Zhang, Hui; Shi, Jiannong

2016-01-01

Approximate number system (ANS) acuity and mathematical ability have been found to be closely associated in recent studies. However, whether and how these two measures are causally related still remain less addressed. There are two hypotheses about the possible causal relationship: ANS acuity influences mathematical performances, or access to math education sharpens ANS acuity. Evidences in support of both hypotheses have been reported, but these two hypotheses have never been tested simultaneously. Therefore, questions still remain whether only one-direction or reciprocal causal relationships existed in the association. In this work, we provided a new evidence on the causal relationship between ANS acuity and arithmetic ability. ANS acuity and mathematical ability of elementary-school students were measured sequentially at three time points within one year, and all possible causal directions were evaluated simultaneously using cross-lagged regression analysis. The results show that ANS acuity influences later arithmetic ability while the reverse causal direction was not supported. Our finding adds a strong evidence to the causal association between ANS acuity and mathematical ability, and also has important implications for educational intervention designed to train ANS acuity and thereby promote mathematical ability. PMID:27462291

Microstructural evidence for northeastward movement on the Chocolate Mountains fault zone, southeastern California

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

Simpson, C.

1990-01-10

Microstructural analysis of rocks from the Chocolate Mountains fault zone, Gavilan Hills area, southeastern California, show unequivocal evidence for northeast directed transport of the upper plate gneisses over lower plate Orocopia schists. Samples were taken from transects through the fault zone. Prefaulting fabrics in upper plate gneisses show a strong component of northeast directed rotational deformation under lower amphibolite facies conditions. In contrast, prefaulting lower plate Orocopia schists show strongly coaxial fabrics (minimum stretch value of 2.2) formed at greenschist grade. Mylonitic fabrics associated with the Chocolate Mountains fault are predominantly northeast directed shear bands that are unidirectional (northeastward) inmore » the gneisses but bi-directional in the schists, suggesting a significant component of nonrotational deformation occurred in the Orocopia schists during and after emplacement of the upper plate. The kinematic findings are in agreement with Dillon et al. (1989), who found that the vergence of asymmetrical folds within the fault zone indicates overthrusting to the northeast, toward the craton, in this region. The available evidence favors a single protracted northeastward movement on the Chocolate Mountains fault zone with temperatures waning as deformation proceeded.« less

Variable directionality of gene expression changes across generations does not constitute negative evidence of epigenetic inheritance.

PubMed

Sharma, Abhay

2015-01-01

Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mammals has been controversial due to inherent difficulties in its experimental demonstration. A recent report has, however, opened a new front in the ongoing debate by claiming that endocrine disrupting chemicals, contrary to previous findings, do not cause effects across generations. This claim is based on the observation that gene expression changes induced by these chemicals in the exposed and unexposed generations are mainly in the opposite direction. This analysis shows that the pattern of gene expression reported in the two generations is not expected by chance and is suggestive of transmission across generations. A meta-analysis of diverse data sets related to endocrine disruptor-induced transgenerational gene expression alterations, including the data provided in the said report, further suggests that effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals persist in unexposed generations. Based on the prior evidence of phenotypic variability and gene expression alterations in opposite direction between generations, it is argued here that calling evidence of mismatched directionality in gene expression in experiments testing potential of environmental agents in inducing epigenetic inheritance of phenotypic traits as negative is untenable. This is expected to settle the newly raised doubts over epigenetic inheritance in mammals.

The Convoy Model: Explaining Social Relations From a Multidisciplinary Perspective

PubMed Central

Antonucci, Toni C.

2014-01-01

Purpose of the Study: Social relations are a key aspect of aging and the life course. In this paper, we trace the scientific origins of the study of social relations, focusing in particular on research grounded in the convoy model. Design and Methods: We first briefly review and critique influential historical studies to illustrate how the scientific study of social relations developed. Next, we highlight early and current findings grounded in the convoy model that have provided key insights into theory, method, policy, and practice in the study of aging. Results: Early social relations research, while influential, lacked the combined approach of theoretical grounding and methodological rigor. Nevertheless, previous research findings, especially from anthropology, suggested the importance of social relations in the achievement of positive outcomes. Considering both life span and life course perspectives and grounded in a multidisciplinary perspective, the convoy model was developed to unify and consolidate scattered evidence while at the same time directing future empirical and applied research. Early findings are summarized, current evidence presented, and future directions projected. Implications: The convoy model has provided a useful framework in the study of aging, especially for understanding predictors and consequences of social relations across the life course. PMID:24142914

Why a geoeffective CME was missed by SOHO LASCO?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Y.; Zhang, J.; Shen, C.; Hess, P.; Feng, L.; Wang, Y.; Mishra, W.

2017-12-01

During 2011 May 25, two Earth directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were recorded by STEREO COR2 as limb CMEs, when the separation between twin STEREO spacecraft and Earth was approximately 90°. At the same time, SOHO LASCO did not record corresponding halo or partial halo CME. These CMEs provided an opportunity to study why SOHO LASCO may miss Earth direction CME. According to GCS model, we find the two CMEs both have small half angle and aspect ratio. Most part of CMEs are behind the occulter of SOHO LASCO C2. We also estimated the two CMEs' mass and find the both CMEs' mass is small. The expected CME brightness according to the CME's mass is in the same order of the noise of SOHO LASCO. In the HI1 Fov, We have found evidence of interaction between the two CMEs. Combining with the WIND in situ observations, we find the CMEs are adjacent to each other. The duration of the two flux rope structure are 7 and 6.6 hours, respectively. This may provide an evidence that small flux structure without corresponding CME is also the solar erupted structure.

Direct evidence for homologous recombination in mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) mitochondrial DNA.

PubMed

Ladoukakis, E D; Zouros, E

2001-07-01

The assumption that animal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) does not undergo homologous recombination is based on indirect evidence, yet it has had an important influence on our understanding of mtDNA repair and mutation accumulation (and thus mitochondrial disease and aging) and on biohistorical inferences made from population data. Recently, several studies have suggested recombination in primate mtDNA on the basis of patterns of frequency distribution and linkage associations of mtDNA mutations in human populations, but others have failed to produce similar evidence. Here, we provide direct evidence for homologous mtDNA recombination in mussels, where heteroplasmy is the rule in males. Our results indicate a high rate of mtDNA recombination. Coupled with the observation that mammalian mitochondria contain the enzymes needed for the catalysis of homologous recombination, these findings suggest that animal mtDNA molecules may recombine regularly and that the extent to which this generates new haplotypes may depend only on the frequency of biparental inheritance of the mitochondrial genome. This generalization must, however, await evidence from animal species with typical maternal mtDNA inheritance.

Biomolecular Evidence of Silk from 8,500 Years Ago

PubMed Central

Gong, Yuxuan; Li, Li; Gong, Decai; Yin, Hao; Zhang, Juzhong

2016-01-01

Pottery, bone implements, and stone tools are routinely found at Neolithic sites. However, the integrity of textiles or silk is susceptible to degradation, and it is therefore very difficult for such materials to be preserved for 8,000 years. Although previous studies have provided important evidence of the emergence of weaving skills and tools, such as figuline spinning wheels and osseous lamellas with traces of filament winding, there is a lack of direct evidence proving the existence of silk. In this paper, we explored evidence of prehistoric silk fibroin through the analysis of soil samples collected from three tombs at the Neolithic site of Jiahu. Mass spectrometry was employed and integrated with proteomics to characterize the key peptides of silk fibroin. The direct biomolecular evidence reported here showed the existence of prehistoric silk fibroin, which was found in 8,500-year-old tombs. Rough weaving tools and bone needles were also excavated, indicating the possibility that the Jiahu residents may possess the basic weaving and sewing skills in making textile. This finding may advance the study of the history of silk, and the civilization of the Neolithic Age. PMID:27941996

Learning from Animation Enabled by Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rebetez, Cyril; Betrancourt, Mireille; Sangin, Mirweis; Dillenbourg, Pierre

2010-01-01

Animated graphics are extensively used in multimedia instructions explaining how natural or artificial dynamic systems work. As animation directly depicts spatial changes over time, it is legitimate to believe that animated graphics will improve comprehension over static graphics. However, the research failed to find clear evidence in favour of…

Engaging patients and consumers in research evidence: Applying the conceptual model of patient and family engagement.

PubMed

Carman, Kristin L; Workman, Thomas A

2017-01-01

This essay discusses applying the Conceptual Framework for Patient and Family Engagement to partnerships with patients and consumers to increase their use of research evidence in healthcare decisions. The framework's foundational principles hold that engagement occurs on a continuum across all levels of healthcare-from direct care to policymaking-with patients and healthcare professionals working in full partnership and sharing responsibility for achieving a safe, high-quality, efficient, and patient-centered healthcare system. Research evidence can serve as a critical decision-making tool in partnerships between patients and health professionals. However, as the framework suggests, without patient and consumer engagement in the design, planning, interpretation, and dissemination of research findings, it is unlikely that the broader consumer population will find research evidence useful, much less use it, to guide their healthcare decisions. Understanding what factors influence patient and consumer engagement can lead to effective strategies that enable meaningful partnerships between patients and researchers. Understanding patient and consumer perspectives of research evidence is critical to engaging them in meaningful partnerships that produce actionable research findings that they can in turn use in partnership with health professionals to improve their own health and the healthcare system as a whole. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Direct and indirect measures of Level-2 perspective-taking in children and adults.

PubMed

Surtees, Andrew D R; Butterfill, Stephen A; Apperly, Ian A

2012-03-01

Studies with infants show divergence between performance on theory of mind tasks depending on whether direct or indirect measures are used. It has been suggested that direct measures assess a flexible but cognitively demanding ability to reason about the minds of others, whereas indirect measures assess distinct processes which afford more efficient but less flexible theory of mind abilities (Apperly & Butterfill, 2009). This leads to the prediction that performance on indirect measures should be subject to signature limits. The current study tested whether the Level-1/Level-2 distinction might constitute one such limit. The study adapted a task that has shown evidence of Level-1 perspective-taking on both direct and indirect measures (Samson, Apperly, Braithwaite, Andrews, & Bodley-Scott, 2010). The aim was to test Level-2 perspective-taking in a sample of 6- to 11-year-olds (N = 80) and adults (N = 20). Participants were able to make Level-2 judgements on the direct measure. In contrast with the findings from Level-1 perspective-taking, there was no evidence of automatic processing of Level-2 perspectives on the indirect measure. This finding is consistent with the view that theory of mind abilities assessed by indirect measures are subject to signature limits. The Level-1/Level-2 distinction, suitably refined, marks one way in which efficient but inflexible theory of mind abilities are limited. © 2011 The British Psychological Society.

The science behind pre-Columbian evidence of syphilis in Europe: research by documentary.

PubMed

Armelagos, George J; Zuckerman, Molly K; Harper, Kristin N

2012-03-01

This article discusses the presentation of scientific findings by documentary, without the process of peer review. We use, as an example, PBS's "The Syphilis Enigma," in which researchers presented novel evidence concerning the origin of syphilis that had never been reviewed by other scientists. These "findings" then entered the world of peer-reviewed literature through citations of the documentary itself or material associated with it. Here, we demonstrate that the case for pre-Columbian syphilis in Europe that was made in the documentary does not withstand scientific scrutiny. We also situate this example from paleopathology within a larger trend of "science by documentary" or "science by press conference," in which researchers seek to bypass the peer review process by presenting unvetted findings directly to the public. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reliance on habits at the expense of goal-directed control following dopamine precursor depletion.

PubMed

de Wit, Sanne; Standing, Holly R; Devito, Elise E; Robinson, Oliver J; Ridderinkhof, K Richard; Robbins, Trevor W; Sahakian, Barbara J

2012-01-01

Dopamine is well known to play an important role in learning and motivation. Recent animal studies have implicated dopamine in the reinforcement of stimulus-response habits, as well as in flexible, goal-directed action. However, the role of dopamine in human action control is still not well understood. We present the first investigation of the effect of reducing dopamine function in healthy volunteers on the balance between habitual and goal-directed action control. The dietary intervention of acute dietary phenylalanine and tyrosine depletion (APTD) was adopted to study the effects of reduced global dopamine function on action control. Participants were randomly assigned to either the APTD or placebo group (ns = 14) to allow for a between-subjects comparison of performance on a novel three-stage experimental paradigm. In the initial learning phase, participants learned to respond to different stimuli in order to gain rewarding outcomes. Subsequently, an outcome-devaluation test and a slips-of-action test were conducted to assess whether participants were able to flexibly adjust their behaviour to changes in the desirability of the outcomes. APTD did not prevent stimulus-response learning, nor did we find evidence for impaired response-outcome learning in the subsequent outcome-devaluation test. However, when goal-directed and habitual systems competed for control in the slips-of-action test, APTD tipped the balance towards habitual control. These findings were restricted to female volunteers. We provide direct evidence that the balance between goal-directed and habitual control in humans is dopamine dependent. The results are discussed in light of gender differences in dopamine function and psychopathologies.

A case study: planning a statewide information resource for health professionals: an evidence-based approach.

PubMed

Aspinall, Erinn E; Chew, Katherine; Watson, Linda; Parker, Mary

2009-10-01

What is the best approach for implementing a statewide electronic health library (eHL) to serve all health professionals in Minnesota? The research took place at the University of Minnesota Health Sciences Libraries. In January 2008, the authors began planning a statewide eHL for health professionals following the five-step process for evidence-based librarianship: formulating the question, finding the best evidence, appraising the evidence, assessing costs and benefits, and evaluating the effectiveness of resulting actions. The authors identified best practices for developing a statewide eHL for health professionals relating to audience or population served, information resources, technology and access, funding model, and implementation and sustainability. They were compared to the mission of the eHL project to drive strategic directions by developing recommendations. EBL can guide the planning process for a statewide eHL, but findings must be tailored to the local environment to address information needs and ensure long-term sustainability.

A case study: planning a statewide information resource for health professionals: an evidence-based approach

PubMed Central

Chew, Katherine; Watson, Linda; Parker, Mary

2009-01-01

Question: What is the best approach for implementing a statewide electronic health library (eHL) to serve all health professionals in Minnesota? Setting: The research took place at the University of Minnesota Health Sciences Libraries. Methods: In January 2008, the authors began planning a statewide eHL for health professionals following the five-step process for evidence-based librarianship: formulating the question, finding the best evidence, appraising the evidence, assessing costs and benefits, and evaluating the effectiveness of resulting actions. Main Results: The authors identified best practices for developing a statewide eHL for health professionals relating to audience or population served, information resources, technology and access, funding model, and implementation and sustainability. They were compared to the mission of the eHL project to drive strategic directions by developing recommendations. Conclusion: EBL can guide the planning process for a statewide eHL, but findings must be tailored to the local environment to address information needs and ensure long-term sustainability. PMID:19851487

Inferring causes during speech perception.

PubMed

Liu, Linda; Jaeger, T Florian

2018-05-01

One of the central challenges in speech perception is the lack of invariance: talkers differ in how they map words onto the speech signal. Previous work has shown that one mechanism by which listeners overcome this variability is adaptation. However, talkers differ in how they pronounce words for a number of reasons, ranging from more permanent, characteristic factors such as having a foreign accent, to more temporary, incidental factors, such as speaking with a pen in the mouth. One challenge for listeners is that the true cause underlying atypical pronunciations is never directly known, and instead must be inferred from (often causally ambiguous) evidence. In three experiments, we investigate whether these inferences underlie speech perception, and how the speech perception system deals with uncertainty about competing causes for atypical pronunciations. We find that adaptation to atypical pronunciations is affected by whether the atypical pronunciations are seen as characteristic or incidental. Furthermore, we find that listeners are able to maintain information about previous causally ambiguous pronunciations that they experience, and use this previously experienced evidence to drive their adaptation after additional evidence has disambiguated the cause. Our findings revise previous proposals that causally ambiguous evidence is ignored during speech adaptation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interventions for preventing voice disorders in adults.

PubMed

Ruotsalainen, J H; Sellman, J; Lehto, L; Jauhiainen, M; Verbeek, J H

2007-10-17

Poor voice quality due to a voice disorder can lead to a reduced quality of life. In occupations where voice use is substantial it can lead to periods of absence from work. To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to prevent voice disorders in adults. We searched MEDLINE (PubMed, 1950 to 2006), EMBASE (1974 to 2006), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library, Issue 2 2006), CINAHL (1983 to 2006), PsychINFO (1967 to 2006), Science Citation Index (1986 to 2006) and the Occupational Health databases OSH-ROM (to 2006). The date of the last search was 05/04/06. Randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of interventions evaluating the effectiveness of treatments to prevent voice disorders in adults. For work-directed interventions interrupted time series and prospective cohort studies were also eligible. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed trial quality. Meta-analysis was performed where appropriate. We identified two randomised controlled trials including a total of 53 participants in intervention groups and 43 controls. One study was conducted with teachers and the other with student teachers. Both trials were poor quality. Interventions were grouped into 1) direct voice training, 2) indirect voice training and 3) direct and indirect voice training combined.1) Direct voice training: One study did not find a significant decrease of the Voice Handicap Index for direct voice training compared to no intervention.2) Indirect voice training: One study did not find a significant decrease of the Voice Handicap Index for indirect voice training when compared to no intervention.3) Direct and indirect voice training combined: One study did not find a decrease of the Voice Handicap Index for direct and indirect voice training combined when compared to no intervention. The same study did however find an improvement in maximum phonation time (Mean Difference -3.18 sec; 95 % CI -4.43 to -1.93) for direct and indirect voice training combined when compared to no intervention. No work-directed studies were found. None of the studies found evaluated the effectiveness of prevention in terms of sick leave or number of diagnosed voice disorders. We found no evidence that either direct or indirect voice training or the two combined are effective in improving self-reported vocal functioning when compared to no intervention. The current practice of giving training to at-risk populations for preventing the development of voice disorders is therefore not supported by definitive evidence of effectiveness. Larger and methodologically better trials are needed with outcome measures that better reflect the aims of interventions.

The first direct evidence of pre-columbian sources of palygorskite for Maya Blue

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arnold, Dean E.; Bohor, Bruce F.; Neff, Hector; Feinman, Gary M.; Williams, Patrick Ryan; Dussubieux, Laure; Bishop, Ronald

2012-01-01

Maya Blue, a nano-structured clay–organic complex of palygorskite and indigo, was used predominantly before the Spanish Conquest. It has fascinated chemists, material scientists, archaeologists and art historians for decades because it is resistant to the effect of acids, alkalis, and other reagents, and its rich color has persisted for centuries in the harsh tropical climate of southern Mesoamerica. One of its components, palygorskite, is part of modern Maya indigenous knowledge, and ethnohistoric and archaeological data suggest that its modern sources were probably utilized in Prehispanic times. Yet no direct evidence verifies that palygorskite was actually mined from these sources to make Maya Blue. Here we characterize these sources compositionally, and compare our analyses to those of Maya Blue from Chichén Itzá and Palenque. We demonstrate that the palygorskite in most of these samples came from modern mines, providing the first direct evidence for the use of these sources for making Maya Blue. These findings reveal that modern Maya indigenous knowledge about palygorskite, its mining, and its source locations, is at least seven centuries old.

The Use of Test Accommodations as a Gaming Strategy: A State-Level Exploration of Potential Gaming Tendencies in the 2007-2009 Period and Implications for Re-Directing Research on Gaming through Test Accommodations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saatcioglu, Argun; Skrtic, Thomas M.; DeLuca, Thomas A.

2016-01-01

The overuse of test accommodations (e.g., test readers, extra time, and calculators) for students with disabilities is a potential means of gaming the accountability system because it can inflate proficiency gains. However, no direct evidence on this problem exists, and findings on whether or not test accommodations improve test scores are…

Radiographic features of cardiogenic pulmonary edema in dogs with mitral regurgitation: 61 cases (1998-2007).

PubMed

Diana, Alessia; Guglielmini, Carlo; Pivetta, Mauro; Sanacore, Antonina; Di Tommaso, Morena; Lord, Peter F; Cipone, Mario

2009-11-01

To evaluate radiographic distribution of pulmonary edema (PE) in dogs with mitral regurgitation (MR) and investigate the association between location of radiographic findings and direction of the mitral regurgitant jet (MRJ). Retrospective case series. 61 dogs with cardiogenic PE and MR resulting from mitral valve disease (MVD; 51 dogs), dilated cardiomyopathy (9), and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (1). Thoracic radiographs of dogs with Doppler echocardiographic evidence of MR were reviewed for location (diffuse, perihilar, or focal) of PE. Also, direction (central or eccentric) of the MRJ, as evaluated by Doppler color flow mapping (DCFM), and distribution (symmetric or asymmetric) of radiographic findings were evaluated. Diffuse, perihilar, and focal increases in pulmonary opacity were observed in 11 (18.0%), 7 (11.5%), and 43 (70.5%) of 61 dogs, respectively. Radiographic evidence of asymmetric PE in a single lung lobe or 2 ipsilateral lobes was found in 21 dogs, with involvement of only the right caudal lung lobe in 17 dogs. Doppler color flow mapping of the MRJ was available for 46 dogs. Of 31 dogs with a central MRJ, 28 had radiographic findings indicative of symmetric PE. Of 15 dogs with eccentric MRJ, 11 had radiographic evidence of asymmetric PE, and all of these dogs had MVD. In dogs with cardiogenic PE, a symmetric radiographic distribution of increased pulmonary opacity was predominantly associated with a central MRJ, whereas an asymmetric radiographic distribution was usually associated with eccentric MRJ, especially in dogs with MVD.

Bayesian analysis of multiple direct detection experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arina, Chiara

2014-12-01

Bayesian methods offer a coherent and efficient framework for implementing uncertainties into induction problems. In this article, we review how this approach applies to the analysis of dark matter direct detection experiments. In particular we discuss the exclusion limit of XENON100 and the debated hints of detection under the hypothesis of a WIMP signal. Within parameter inference, marginalizing consistently over uncertainties to extract robust posterior probability distributions, we find that the claimed tension between XENON100 and the other experiments can be partially alleviated in isospin violating scenario, while elastic scattering model appears to be compatible with the frequentist statistical approach. We then move to model comparison, for which Bayesian methods are particularly well suited. Firstly, we investigate the annual modulation seen in CoGeNT data, finding that there is weak evidence for a modulation. Modulation models due to other physics compare unfavorably with the WIMP models, paying the price for their excessive complexity. Secondly, we confront several coherent scattering models to determine the current best physical scenario compatible with the experimental hints. We find that exothermic and inelastic dark matter are moderatly disfavored against the elastic scenario, while the isospin violating model has a similar evidence. Lastly the Bayes' factor gives inconclusive evidence for an incompatibility between the data sets of XENON100 and the hints of detection. The same question assessed with goodness of fit would indicate a 2 σ discrepancy. This suggests that more data are therefore needed to settle this question.

Suicide-related behaviors and anxiety in children and adolescents: a review.

PubMed

Hill, Ryan M; Castellanos, Daniel; Pettit, Jeremy W

2011-11-01

This paper reviews empirical evidence of the association between suicide-related behaviors and anxiety among children and adolescents. It begins with a review of suicide-related behaviors and anxiety, discusses methodological issues related to measurement, and reviews empirical findings published since the last review of this topic in 1988. Evidence is summarized on four criteria necessary to establish anxiety as a causal risk factor for suicide-related behaviors among children and adolescents. There is consistent evidence for a significant association between anxiety and suicide-related behaviors (Criterion 1). Evidence that the influence of anxiety on suicide-related behaviors is not due to a third variable (Criterion 2) is mixed and hindered by methodological limitations. The literature is also unclear as to whether anxiety temporally precedes suicide-related behaviors (Criterion 3). Finally, this review found no evidence to support or refute anxiety's stability independent of and across instances of suicide-related behaviors (Criterion 4). Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding the Role of Uncertainty in Jealousy Experience and Expression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afifi, Walid A.; Reichert, Tom

1996-01-01

Confirms the value of uncertainty for understanding jealousy. Finds that subjects were more likely to experience and less likely to directly express jealousy at high, versus low, levels of relational state uncertainty. Highlights the importance of differentiating jealousy experience from expression, and corroborates recent evidence showing a…

Evidence for production of single top quarks and first direct measurement of |Vtb|.

PubMed

Abazov, V M; Abbott, B; Abolins, M; Acharya, B S; Adams, M; Adams, T; Aguilo, E; Ahn, S H; Ahsan, M; Alexeev, G D; Alkhazov, G; Alton, A; Alverson, G; Alves, G A; Anastasoaie, M; Ancu, L S; Andeen, T; Anderson, S; Andrieu, B; Anzelc, M S; Arnoud, Y; Arov, M; Askew, A; Asman, B; Assis Jesus, A C S; Atramentov, O; Autermann, C; Avila, C; Ay, C; Badaud, F; Baden, A; Bagby, L; Baldin, B; Bandurin, D V; Banerjee, P; Banerjee, S; Barberis, E; Bargassa, P; Baringer, P; Barnes, C; Barreto, J; Bartlett, J F; Bassler, U; Bauer, D; Beale, S; Bean, A; Begalli, M; Begel, M; Belanger-Champagne, C; Bellantoni, L; Bellavance, A; Benitez, J A; Beri, S B; Bernardi, G; Bernhard, R; Berntzon, L; Bertram, I; Besançon, M; Beuselinck, R; Bezzubov, V A; Bhat, P C; Bhatnagar, V; Binder, M; Biscarat, C; Blackler, I; Blazey, G; Blekman, F; Blessing, S; Bloch, D; Bloom, K; Boehnlein, A; Boline, D; Bolton, T A; Boos, E E; Borissov, G; Bos, K; Bose, T; Brandt, A; Brock, R; Brooijmans, G; Bross, A; Brown, D; Buchanan, N J; Buchholz, D; Buehler, M; Buescher, V; Bunichev, V; Burdin, S; Burke, S; Burnett, T H; Busato, E; Buszello, C P; Butler, J M; Calfayan, P; Calvet, S; Cammin, J; Caron, S; Carvalho, W; Casey, B C K; Cason, N M; Castilla-Valdez, H; Chakrabarti, S; Chakraborty, D; Chan, K M; Chandra, A; Charles, F; Cheu, E; Chevallier, F; Cho, D K; Choi, S; Choudhary, B; Christofek, L; Claes, D; Clément, B; Clément, C; Coadou, Y; Cooke, M; Cooper, W E; Corcoran, M; Couderc, F; Cousinou, M-C; Cox, B; Crépé-Renaudin, S; Cutts, D; Cwiok, M; da Motta, H; Das, A; Das, M; Davies, B; Davies, G; De, K; de Jong, P; de Jong, S J; De La Cruz-Burelo, E; De Oliveira Martins, C; Degenhardt, J D; Déliot, F; Demarteau, M; Demina, R; Denisov, D; Denisov, S P; Desai, S; Diehl, H T; Diesburg, M; Doidge, M; Dominguez, A; Dong, H; Dudko, L V; Duflot, L; Dugad, S R; Duggan, D; Duperrin, A; Dyer, J; Dyshkant, A; Eads, M; Edmunds, D; Ellison, J; Elvira, V D; Enari, Y; Eno, S; Ermolov, P; Evans, H; Evdokimov, A; Evdokimov, V N; Feligioni, L; Ferapontov, A V; Ferbel, T; Fiedler, F; Filthaut, F; Fisher, W; Fisk, H E; Ford, M; Fortner, M; Fox, H; Fu, S; Fuess, S; Gadfort, T; Galea, C F; Gallas, E; Galyaev, E; Garcia, C; Garcia-Bellido, A; Gavrilov, V; Gay, A; Gay, P; Geist, W; Gelé, D; Gelhaus, R; Gerber, C E; Gershtein, Y; Gillberg, D; Ginther, G; Gollub, N; Gómez, B; Goussiou, A; Grannis, P D; Greenlee, H; Greenwood, Z D; Gregores, E M; Grenier, G; Gris, Ph; Grivaz, J-F; Grohsjean, A; Grünendahl, S; Grünewald, M W; Guo, F; Guo, J; Gutierrez, G; Gutierrez, P; Haas, A; Hadley, N J; Haefner, P; Hagopian, S; Haley, J; Hall, I; Hall, R E; Han, L; Hanagaki, K; Hansson, P; Harder, K; Harel, A; Harrington, R; Hauptman, J M; Hauser, R; Hays, J; Hebbeker, T; Hedin, D; Hegeman, J G; Heinmiller, J M; Heinson, A P; Heintz, U; Hensel, C; Herner, K; Hesketh, G; Hildreth, M D; Hirosky, R; Hobbs, J D; Hoeneisen, B; Hoeth, H; Hohlfeld, M; Hong, S J; Hooper, R; Houben, P; Hu, Y; Hubacek, Z; Hynek, V; Iashvili, I; Illingworth, R; Ito, A S; Jabeen, S; Jaffré, M; Jain, S; Jakobs, K; Jarvis, C; Jenkins, A; Jesik, R; Johns, K; Johnson, C; Johnson, M; Jonckheere, A; Jonsson, P; Juste, A; Käfer, D; Kahn, S; Kajfasz, E; Kalinin, A M; Kalk, J M; Kalk, J R; Kappler, S; Karmanov, D; Kasper, J; Kasper, P; Katsanos, I; Kau, D; Kaur, R; Kehoe, R; Kermiche, S; Khalatyan, N; Khanov, A; Kharchilava, A; Kharzheev, Y M; Khatidze, D; Kim, H; Kim, T J; Kirby, M H; Klima, B; Kohli, J M; Konrath, J-P; Kopal, M; Korablev, V M; Kotcher, J; Kothari, B; Koubarovsky, A; Kozelov, A V; Krop, D; Kryemadhi, A; Kuhl, T; Kumar, A; Kunori, S; Kupco, A; Kurca, T; Kvita, J; Lam, D; Lammers, S; Landsberg, G; Lazoflores, J; Le Bihan, A-C; Lebrun, P; Lee, W M; Leflat, A; Lehner, F; Lesne, V; Leveque, J; Lewis, P; Li, J; Li, L; Li, Q Z; Lietti, S M; Lima, J G R; Lincoln, D; Linnemann, J; Lipaev, V V; Lipton, R; Liu, Z; Lobo, L; Lobodenko, A; Lokajicek, M; Lounis, A; Love, P; Lubatti, H J; Lynker, M; Lyon, A L; Maciel, A K A; Madaras, R J; Mättig, P; Magass, C; Magerkurth, A; Makovec, N; Mal, P K; Malbouisson, H B; Malik, S; Malyshev, V L; Mao, H S; Maravin, Y; McCarthy, R; Melnitchouk, A; Mendes, A; Mendoza, L; Mercadante, P G; Merkin, M; Merritt, K W; Meyer, A; Meyer, J; Michaut, M; Miettinen, H; Millet, T; Mitrevski, J; Molina, J; Mommsen, R K; Mondal, N K; Monk, J; Moore, R W; Moulik, T; Muanza, G S; Mulders, M; Mulhearn, M; Mundal, O; Mundim, L; Nagy, E; Naimuddin, M; Narain, M; Naumann, N A; Neal, H A; Negret, J P; Neustroev, P; Noeding, C; Nomerotski, A; Novaes, S F; Nunnemann, T; O'Dell, V; O'Neil, D C; Obrant, G; Ochando, C; Oguri, V; Oliveira, N; Onoprienko, D; Oshima, N; Osta, J; Otec, R; Otero Y Garzón, G J; Owen, M; Padley, P; Pangilinan, M; Parashar, N; Park, S-J; Park, S K; Parsons, J; Partridge, R; Parua, N; Patwa, A; Pawloski, G; Perea, P M; Perfilov, M; Peters, K; Peters, Y; Pétroff, P; Petteni, M; Piegaia, R; Piper, J; Pleier, M-A; Podesta-Lerma, P L M; Podstavkov, V M; Pogorelov, Y; Pol, M-E; Pompos, A; Pope, B G; Popov, A V; Potter, C; Prado da Silva, W L; Prosper, H B; Protopopescu, S; Qian, J; Quadt, A; Quinn, B; Rangel, M S; Rani, K J; Ranjan, K; Ratoff, P N; Renkel, P; Reucroft, S; Rijssenbeek, M; Ripp-Baudot, I; Rizatdinova, F; Robinson, S; Rodrigues, R F; Royon, C; Rubinov, P; Ruchti, R; Sajot, G; Sánchez-Hernández, A; Sanders, M P; Santoro, A; Savage, G; Sawyer, L; Scanlon, T; Schaile, D; Schamberger, R D; Scheglov, Y; Schellman, H; Schieferdecker, P; Schmitt, C; Schwanenberger, C; Schwartzman, A; Schwienhorst, R; Sekaric, J; Sengupta, S; Severini, H; Shabalina, E; Shamim, M; Shary, V; Shchukin, A A; Shivpuri, R K; Shpakov, D; Siccardi, V; Sidwell, R A; Simak, V; Sirotenko, V; Skubic, P; Slattery, P; Smith, R P; Snow, G R; Snow, J; Snyder, S; Söldner-Rembold, S; Song, X; Sonnenschein, L; Sopczak, A; Sosebee, M; Soustruznik, K; Souza, M; Spurlock, B; Stark, J; Steele, J; Stolin, V; Stone, A; Stoyanova, D A; Strandberg, J; Strandberg, S; Strang, M A; Strauss, M; Ströhmer, R; Strom, D; Strovink, M; Stutte, L; Sumowidagdo, S; Svoisky, P; Sznajder, A; Talby, M; Tamburello, P; Taylor, W; Telford, P; Temple, J; Tiller, B; Titov, M; Tokmenin, V V; Tomoto, M; Toole, T; Torchiani, I; Trefzger, T; Trincaz-Duvoid, S; Tsybychev, D; Tuchming, B; Tully, C; Tuts, P M; Unalan, R; Uvarov, L; Uvarov, S; Uzunyan, S; Vachon, B; van den Berg, P J; van Eijk, B; Van Kooten, R; van Leeuwen, W M; Varelas, N; Varnes, E W; Vartapetian, A; Vasilyev, I A; Vaupel, M; Verdier, P; Vertogradov, L S; Verzocchi, M; Vetterli, M; Villeneuve-Seguier, F; Vint, P; Vlimant, J-R; Von Toerne, E; Voutilainen, M; Vreeswijk, M; Wahl, H D; Wang, L; Wang, M H L S; Warchol, J; Watts, G; Wayne, M; Weber, G; Weber, M; Weerts, H; Wermes, N; Wetstein, M; White, A; Wicke, D; Wilson, G W; Wimpenny, S J; Wobisch, M; Womersley, J; Wood, D R; Wyatt, T R; Xie, Y; Yacoob, S; Yamada, R; Yan, M; Yasuda, T; Yatsunenko, Y A; Yip, K; Yoo, H D; Youn, S W; Yu, C; Yu, J; Yurkewicz, A; Zatserklyaniy, A; Zeitnitz, C; Zhang, D; Zhao, T; Zhou, B; Zhu, J; Zielinski, M; Zieminska, D; Zieminski, A; Zutshi, V; Zverev, E G

2007-05-04

The D0 Collaboration presents first evidence for the production of single top quarks at the Fermilab Tevatron pp[over ] collider. Using a 0.9 fb(-1) dataset, we apply a multivariate analysis to separate signal from background and measure sigma(pp[over ]-->tb+X,tqb+X)=4.9+/-1.4 pb. The probability to measure a cross section at this value or higher in the absence of a signal is 0.035%, corresponding to a 3.4 standard deviation significance. We use the cross section measurement to directly determine the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element that describes the Wtb coupling and find 0.68<|V(tb)|

Breakdown of interdependent directed networks.

PubMed

Liu, Xueming; Stanley, H Eugene; Gao, Jianxi

2016-02-02

Increasing evidence shows that real-world systems interact with one another via dependency connectivities. Failing connectivities are the mechanism behind the breakdown of interacting complex systems, e.g., blackouts caused by the interdependence of power grids and communication networks. Previous research analyzing the robustness of interdependent networks has been limited to undirected networks. However, most real-world networks are directed, their in-degrees and out-degrees may be correlated, and they are often coupled to one another as interdependent directed networks. To understand the breakdown and robustness of interdependent directed networks, we develop a theoretical framework based on generating functions and percolation theory. We find that for interdependent Erdős-Rényi networks the directionality within each network increases their vulnerability and exhibits hybrid phase transitions. We also find that the percolation behavior of interdependent directed scale-free networks with and without degree correlations is so complex that two criteria are needed to quantify and compare their robustness: the percolation threshold and the integrated size of the giant component during an entire attack process. Interestingly, we find that the in-degree and out-degree correlations in each network layer increase the robustness of interdependent degree heterogeneous networks that most real networks are, but decrease the robustness of interdependent networks with homogeneous degree distribution and with strong coupling strengths. Moreover, by applying our theoretical analysis to real interdependent international trade networks, we find that the robustness of these real-world systems increases with the in-degree and out-degree correlations, confirming our theoretical analysis.

Holistic Processing in the Composite Task Depends on Face Size.

PubMed

Ross, David A; Gauthier, Isabel

Holistic processing is a hallmark of face processing. There is evidence that holistic processing is strongest for faces at identification distance, 2 - 10 meters from the observer. However, this evidence is based on tasks that have been little used in the literature and that are indirect measures of holistic processing. We use the composite task- a well validated and frequently used paradigm - to measure the effect of viewing distance on holistic processing. In line with previous work, we find a congruency x alignment effect that is strongest for faces that are close (2m equivalent distance) than for faces that are further away (24m equivalent distance). In contrast, the alignment effect for same trials, used by several authors to measure holistic processing, produced results that are difficult to interpret. We conclude that our results converge with previous findings providing more direct evidence for an effect of size on holistic processing.

Holistic Processing in the Composite Task Depends on Face Size

PubMed Central

Ross, David A.; Gauthier, Isabel

2015-01-01

Holistic processing is a hallmark of face processing. There is evidence that holistic processing is strongest for faces at identification distance, 2 – 10 meters from the observer. However, this evidence is based on tasks that have been little used in the literature and that are indirect measures of holistic processing. We use the composite task– a well validated and frequently used paradigm – to measure the effect of viewing distance on holistic processing. In line with previous work, we find a congruency x alignment effect that is strongest for faces that are close (2m equivalent distance) than for faces that are further away (24m equivalent distance). In contrast, the alignment effect for same trials, used by several authors to measure holistic processing, produced results that are difficult to interpret. We conclude that our results converge with previous findings providing more direct evidence for an effect of size on holistic processing. PMID:26500423

Racism and hypertension: a review of the empirical evidence and implications for clinical practice.

PubMed

Brondolo, Elizabeth; Love, Erica E; Pencille, Melissa; Schoenthaler, Antoinette; Ogedegbe, Gbenga

2011-05-01

Despite improved hypertension (HTN) awareness and treatment, racial disparities in HTN prevalence persist. An understanding of the biopsychosocial determinants of HTN is necessary to address racial disparities in the prevalence of HTN. This review examines the evidence directly and indirectly linking multiple levels of racism to HTN. Published empirical research in EBSCO databases investigating the relationships of three levels of racism (individual/interpersonal, internalized, and institutional racism) to HTN was reviewed. Direct evidence linking individual/interpersonal racism to HTN diagnosis is weak. However, the relationship of individual/interpersonal racism to ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) is more consistent, with all published studies reporting a positive relationship of interpersonal racism to ABP. There is no direct evidence linking internalized racism to BP. Population-based studies provide some evidence linking institutional racism, in the forms of residential racial segregation (RRS) and incarceration, to HTN incidence. Racism shows associations to stress exposure and reactivity as well as associations to established HTN-related risk factors including obesity, low levels of physical activity and alcohol use. The effects vary by level of racism. Overall the findings suggest that racism may increase risk for HTN; these effects emerge more clearly for institutional racism than for individual level racism. All levels of racism may influence the prevalence of HTN via stress exposure and reactivity and by fostering conditions that undermine health behaviors, raising the barriers to lifestyle change.

Adolescent over-general memory, life events and mental health outcomes: Findings from a UK cohort study

PubMed Central

Crane, Catherine; Heron, Jon; Gunnell, David; Lewis, Glyn; Evans, Jonathan; Williams, J. Mark G.

2016-01-01

Previous research suggesting that over-general memory (OGM) may moderate the effect of life events on depressive symptoms and suicidality has sampled older adolescents or adults, or younger adolescents in high-risk populations, and has been conducted over relatively short follow-up periods. The authors examined the relationship between OGM at age 13 and life events and mental health outcomes (depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation and planning) at age 16 years within a sample of 5792 adolescents participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), approximately 3800 of whom had also provided data on depression and self-harm. There was no clear evidence of either direct or interactive effects of OGM at age 13 on levels of depression at age 16. Similarly there was no clear evidence of either direct or interactive effects of OGM on suicidal ideation and self-harm. Although there was some evidence that over-general autobiographical memory was associated with reduced risk of suicidal planning and increased risk of self-harm, these associations were absent when confounding variables were taken into account. The findings imply that although OGM is a marker of vulnerability to depression and related psychopathology in high-risk groups, this cannot be assumed to generalise to whole populations. PMID:25716137

Adolescent over-general memory, life events and mental health outcomes: Findings from a UK cohort study.

PubMed

Crane, Catherine; Heron, Jon; Gunnell, David; Lewis, Glyn; Evans, Jonathan; Williams, J Mark G

2016-01-01

Previous research suggesting that over-general memory (OGM) may moderate the effect of life events on depressive symptoms and suicidality has sampled older adolescents or adults, or younger adolescents in high-risk populations, and has been conducted over relatively short follow-up periods. The authors examined the relationship between OGM at age 13 and life events and mental health outcomes (depression, self-harm, suicidal ideation and planning) at age 16 years within a sample of 5792 adolescents participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), approximately 3800 of whom had also provided data on depression and self-harm. There was no clear evidence of either direct or interactive effects of OGM at age 13 on levels of depression at age 16. Similarly there was no clear evidence of either direct or interactive effects of OGM on suicidal ideation and self-harm. Although there was some evidence that over-general autobiographical memory was associated with reduced risk of suicidal planning and increased risk of self-harm, these associations were absent when confounding variables were taken into account. The findings imply that although OGM is a marker of vulnerability to depression and related psychopathology in high-risk groups, this cannot be assumed to generalise to whole populations.

The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarter, J.

1998-12-01

Aliens abound on the movie screens, but in reality we are still trying to find out if we share our universe with other sentient creatures. Intelligence is very difficult to define, and impossible to directly detect over interstellar distances. Therefore, SETI, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, is actually an attempt to detect evidence of another distant technology. If we find such evidence, we will infer the existence of intelligent technologists. For the past 36 years, the SETI community has had a very pragmatic definition of intelligence - the ability to build radio telescopes! Radio signals are not the only possible way to detect a technology across the vast distances that separate the stars, but given our own current technological state, it remains the best way.

Assessing the Impact of Electrostatic Drag on Processive Molecular Motor Transport.

PubMed

Smith, J Darby; McKinley, Scott A

2018-06-04

The bidirectional movement of intracellular cargo is usually described as a tug-of-war among opposite-directed families of molecular motors. While tug-of-war models have enjoyed some success, recent evidence suggests underlying motor interactions are more complex than previously understood. For example, these tug-of-war models fail to predict the counterintuitive phenomenon that inhibiting one family of motors can decrease the functionality of opposite-directed transport. In this paper, we use a stochastic differential equations modeling framework to explore one proposed physical mechanism, called microtubule tethering, that could play a role in this "co-dependence" among antagonistic motors. This hypothesis includes the possibility of a trade-off: weakly bound trailing molecular motors can serve as tethers for cargoes and processing motors, thereby enhancing motor-cargo run lengths along microtubules; however, this introduces a cost of processing at a lower mean velocity. By computing the small- and large-time mean-squared displacement of our theoretical model and comparing our results to experimental observations of dynein and its "helper protein" dynactin, we find some supporting evidence for microtubule tethering interactions. We extrapolate these findings to predict how dynein-dynactin might interact with the opposite-directed kinesin motors and introduce a criterion for when the trade-off is beneficial in simple systems.

Behavioral and neuroimaging evidence for overreliance on habit learning in alcohol-dependent patients

PubMed Central

Sjoerds, Z; de Wit, S; van den Brink, W; Robbins, T W; Beekman, A T F; Penninx, B W J H; Veltman, D J

2013-01-01

Substance dependence is characterized by compulsive drug-taking despite negative consequences. Animal research suggests an underlying imbalance between goal-directed and habitual action control with chronic drug use. However, this imbalance, and its associated neurophysiological mechanisms, has not yet been experimentally investigated in human drug abusers. The aim of the present study therefore was to assess the balance between goal-directed and habit-based learning and its neural correlates in abstinent alcohol-dependent (AD) patients. A total of 31 AD patients and 19 age, gender and education matched healthy controls (HC) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during completion of an instrumental learning task designed to study the balance between goal-directed and habit learning. Task performance and task-related blood oxygen level-dependent activations in the brain were compared between AD patients and healthy matched controls. Findings were additionally associated with duration and severity of alcohol dependence. The results of this study provide evidence for an overreliance on stimulus-response habit learning in AD compared with HC, which was accompanied by decreased engagement of brain areas implicated in goal-directed action (ventromedial prefrontal cortex and anterior putamen) and increased recruitment of brain areas implicated in habit learning (posterior putamen) in AD patients. In conclusion, this is the first human study to provide experimental evidence for a disturbed balance between goal-directed and habitual control by use of an instrumental learning task, and to directly implicate cortical dysfunction to overreliance on inflexible habits in AD patients. PMID:24346135

Behavioral and neuroimaging evidence for overreliance on habit learning in alcohol-dependent patients.

PubMed

Sjoerds, Z; de Wit, S; van den Brink, W; Robbins, T W; Beekman, A T F; Penninx, B W J H; Veltman, D J

2013-12-17

Substance dependence is characterized by compulsive drug-taking despite negative consequences. Animal research suggests an underlying imbalance between goal-directed and habitual action control with chronic drug use. However, this imbalance, and its associated neurophysiological mechanisms, has not yet been experimentally investigated in human drug abusers. The aim of the present study therefore was to assess the balance between goal-directed and habit-based learning and its neural correlates in abstinent alcohol-dependent (AD) patients. A total of 31 AD patients and 19 age, gender and education matched healthy controls (HC) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during completion of an instrumental learning task designed to study the balance between goal-directed and habit learning. Task performance and task-related blood oxygen level-dependent activations in the brain were compared between AD patients and healthy matched controls. Findings were additionally associated with duration and severity of alcohol dependence. The results of this study provide evidence for an overreliance on stimulus-response habit learning in AD compared with HC, which was accompanied by decreased engagement of brain areas implicated in goal-directed action (ventromedial prefrontal cortex and anterior putamen) and increased recruitment of brain areas implicated in habit learning (posterior putamen) in AD patients. In conclusion, this is the first human study to provide experimental evidence for a disturbed balance between goal-directed and habitual control by use of an instrumental learning task, and to directly implicate cortical dysfunction to overreliance on inflexible habits in AD patients.

Synthesis of systematic review evidence of interprofessional education.

PubMed

Reeves, Scott; Goldman, Joanne; Burton, Andrea; Sawatzky-Girling, Brenda

2010-01-01

Interprofessional education (IPE) continues to be a central focus within health care and research spheres. As a result, there is a sustained interest in understanding its overall effects on learners, professions, organizations, and patients. Systematic reviews are instrumental in assessing evidence and informing disciplinary fields about the effects of interventions and providing direction for future activity and research. This paper provides a synthesis and critical appraisal of the evidence for IPE contained in the small, but growing, systematic review literature. Six IPE reviews were located. In general, the reviews shared similar definitions of IPE and similar methodological approaches to their inclusion of studies. Findings from the synthesis indicated that IPE varied in terms of content, duration, and professional participation. The synthesis also indicated that studies that evaluated this form of education were of variable quality and captured a range of different outcomes-from reports of learner satisfaction to changes in the delivery of care. While a number of methodological problems were found, in general the synthesis indicated that IPE delivered in a variety of settings was generally well received by learners and enabled the acquisition of knowledge and skills necessary for collaborative working. Some evidence was also found that IPE can improve the delivery of services and make a positive impact on care. The paper goes on to discuss the synthesis findings in relation to the most recent IPE literature and also offers a series of suggestions for future directions.

Direct and indirect punishment among strangers in the field

PubMed Central

Balafoutas, Loukas; Nikiforakis, Nikos; Rockenbach, Bettina

2014-01-01

Many interactions in modern human societies are among strangers. Explaining cooperation in such interactions is challenging. The two most prominent explanations critically depend on individuals’ willingness to punish defectors: In models of direct punishment, individuals punish antisocial behavior at a personal cost, whereas in models of indirect reciprocity, they punish indirectly by withholding rewards. We investigate these competing explanations in a field experiment with real-life interactions among strangers. We find clear evidence of both direct and indirect punishment. Direct punishment is not rewarded by strangers and, in line with models of indirect reciprocity, is crowded out by indirect punishment opportunities. The existence of direct and indirect punishment in daily life indicates the importance of both means for understanding the evolution of cooperation. PMID:25349390

Direct and indirect punishment among strangers in the field.

PubMed

Balafoutas, Loukas; Nikiforakis, Nikos; Rockenbach, Bettina

2014-11-11

Many interactions in modern human societies are among strangers. Explaining cooperation in such interactions is challenging. The two most prominent explanations critically depend on individuals' willingness to punish defectors: In models of direct punishment, individuals punish antisocial behavior at a personal cost, whereas in models of indirect reciprocity, they punish indirectly by withholding rewards. We investigate these competing explanations in a field experiment with real-life interactions among strangers. We find clear evidence of both direct and indirect punishment. Direct punishment is not rewarded by strangers and, in line with models of indirect reciprocity, is crowded out by indirect punishment opportunities. The existence of direct and indirect punishment in daily life indicates the importance of both means for understanding the evolution of cooperation.

Stress and Asthma: Novel Insights on Genetic, Epigenetic and Immunologic Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Rosenberg, Stacy L.; Miller, Gregory E.; Brehm, John M.; Celedón, Juan C.

2014-01-01

In the United States, the economically disadvantaged and some ethnic minorities are often exposed to chronic psychosocial stressors and disproportionately affected by asthma. Current evidence suggests a causal association between chronic psychosocial stress and asthma or asthma morbidity. Recent findings suggest potential mechanisms underlying this association, including changes in the methylation and expression of genes that regulate behavioral, autonomic, neuroendocrine, and immunologic responses to stress. There is also evidence suggesting the existence of susceptibility genes that predispose chronically stressed youth to both post-traumatic stress disorder and asthma. In this review, we critically examine published evidence and suggest future directions for research in this field. PMID:25129683

Dissemination and Implementation of Evidence-Based Practices: Training and Consultation as Implementation Strategies

PubMed Central

Edmunds, Julie M.; Beidas, Rinad S.; Kendall, Philip C.

2013-01-01

To provide effective treatment for individuals with mental health needs, there is a movement to deploy evidence-based practices (EBPs) developed in research settings into community settings. Training clinicians in EBPs is often used as the primary implementation strategy in these efforts, despite evidence suggesting that training alone does not change therapist behavior. A promising implementation strategy that can be combined with training is consultation, or ongoing support. This paper reviews the literature on consultation following initial training. A model of consultation is presented as well as preliminary findings regarding effective consultation techniques. Future directions are offered. PMID:24072959

The Development of Children's Strategies for Selective Attention: Evidence for a Transitional Period.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeMarie-Dreblow, Darlene; Miller, Patricia H.

1988-01-01

This study of 114 children between seven and nine years used a procedure for directly observing child-produced and experimenter-produced strategies to examine the transitional period of strategy development. Findings revealed gradual changes in children's ability to produce, and to benefit from, a strategy of selective attention. (RH)

A Case Study of Partnerships in International Service Learning: Exploring Reciprocity and Bi-Directional Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Healey-Walsh, Judith

2016-01-01

Based on demographic shifts toward more diversity and increasing health care disparities in the United States, nursing educators have been called upon to find innovative pedagogies to teach cultural competence and social justice concepts. International service-learning programs (ISL) are proliferating, as there is evidence that these experiences…

Grades, Gender, and Encouragement: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owen, Ann L.

2010-01-01

The author employs a regression discontinuity design to provide direct evidence on the effects of grades earned in economics principles classes on the decision to major in economics and finds a differential effect for male and female students. Specifically, for female students, receiving an A for a final grade in the first economics class is…

Teachers' Engagement with Published Research: Addressing the Knowledge Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cain, Tim

2015-01-01

Despite the increased interest in research impact, there is very little empirical evidence that educational research can inform practice directly, and furthermore, a body of literature which suggests that this is, in principle, impossible. This paper reports on a study in which secondary school teachers were given research findings about teaching…

Preliminary Report Regarding State Allocation Board Funding of the Los Angeles Unified School District's Belmont Learning Complex.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armoudian, Maria; Carman, Georgann; Havan, Artineh; Heron, Frank

A preliminary report of the California Legislature's Joint Legislative Audit Committee presents findings on the construction team selection process for the Los Angeles Unified School District's (LAUSD's) Belmont Learning Complex. Evidence reveals a seriously flawed process that directly conflicted with existing law and practice. The report…

Estimating peer effects in networks with peer encouragement designs.

PubMed

Eckles, Dean; Kizilcec, René F; Bakshy, Eytan

2016-07-05

Peer effects, in which the behavior of an individual is affected by the behavior of their peers, are central to social science. Because peer effects are often confounded with homophily and common external causes, recent work has used randomized experiments to estimate effects of specific peer behaviors. These experiments have often relied on the experimenter being able to randomly modulate mechanisms by which peer behavior is transmitted to a focal individual. We describe experimental designs that instead randomly assign individuals' peers to encouragements to behaviors that directly affect those individuals. We illustrate this method with a large peer encouragement design on Facebook for estimating the effects of receiving feedback from peers on posts shared by focal individuals. We find evidence for substantial effects of receiving marginal feedback on multiple behaviors, including giving feedback to others and continued posting. These findings provide experimental evidence for the role of behaviors directed at specific individuals in the adoption and continued use of communication technologies. In comparison, observational estimates differ substantially, both underestimating and overestimating effects, suggesting that researchers and policy makers should be cautious in relying on them.

Estimating peer effects in networks with peer encouragement designs

PubMed Central

Eckles, Dean; Kizilcec, René F.; Bakshy, Eytan

2016-01-01

Peer effects, in which the behavior of an individual is affected by the behavior of their peers, are central to social science. Because peer effects are often confounded with homophily and common external causes, recent work has used randomized experiments to estimate effects of specific peer behaviors. These experiments have often relied on the experimenter being able to randomly modulate mechanisms by which peer behavior is transmitted to a focal individual. We describe experimental designs that instead randomly assign individuals’ peers to encouragements to behaviors that directly affect those individuals. We illustrate this method with a large peer encouragement design on Facebook for estimating the effects of receiving feedback from peers on posts shared by focal individuals. We find evidence for substantial effects of receiving marginal feedback on multiple behaviors, including giving feedback to others and continued posting. These findings provide experimental evidence for the role of behaviors directed at specific individuals in the adoption and continued use of communication technologies. In comparison, observational estimates differ substantially, both underestimating and overestimating effects, suggesting that researchers and policy makers should be cautious in relying on them. PMID:27382145

The Effects of Grandparents on Children's Schooling: Evidence from Rural China*

PubMed Central

Zeng, Zhen; Xie, Yu

2014-01-01

Whether or not the social class of grandparents affects grandchildren's socioeconomic outcomes net of the characteristics of the middle generation is much debated in the social mobility literature. Using data from the 2002 Chinese Household Income Project, we investigate the direct effects of grandparents on grandchildren's educational attainment in rural China. We find that the influence of grandparents is contingent on living arrangements. While the educational level of coresident grandparents directly affects the educational attainment of their grandchildren, with an effect size similar to that of parental education, the education of non-coresident and deceased grandparents does not have any effect. These findings suggest that grandparents can directly affect grandchildren's educational outcomes through socio-psychological pathways. Our study not only adds an important case study to the literature, but also sheds new light on theoretical interpretations of grandparent effects when they are found. PMID:24578167

Parent socialization effects in different cultures: significance of directive parenting.

PubMed

Sorkhabi, Nadia

2012-06-01

In this article, the controversy of divergent findings in research on parental socialization effects in different cultures is addressed. Three explanations intended to address divergent findings of socialization effects in different cultures, as advanced by researchers who emphasize cultural differences, are discussed. These include cultural differences in socialization values and goals of parents, parental emotional and cognitive characteristics associated with parenting styles, and adolescents' interpretations or evaluations of their parents' parenting styles. The empirical evidence for and against each of these arguments is examined and an alternative paradigm for understanding and empirical study of developmental outcomes associated with parenting styles in different cultures is suggested. Baumrind's directive parenting style is presented as an alternative to the authoritarian parenting style in understanding the positive developmental effects associated with "strict" parenting in cultures said to have a collectivist orientation. Directions for research on the three explanations are mentioned.

Examining Factors Affecting Attitudes toward Nuclear Power in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Tzu-Jen

Nuclear power has become a major issue in Taiwan for several decades. The objective of the present study is to obtain evidence about the major determinants contributing to attitudes toward nuclear power, by investigating socioeconomic factors, environmental attitudes, knowledge of issues, trust, and risk perception, in shaping nuclear attitudes. A face-to-face survey was conducted using paper-based questionnaires from July 2014 to September 2014. Finally, 364 surveys were collected, of which 356 met validation requirements. The findings showed (1) knowledge of issues, trust in university scientists, trust in environmental groups, and risk perception directly influence attitudes toward nuclear power. (2) Risk perception is directly influenced by trust in nuclear authorities, trust in environmental groups, environmental attitudes, and party preference. (3) Gender, age, and party preference directly influence knowledge, trust in nuclear authorities, or trust in university scientists. The potential explanations and implications of findings are discussed.

Consumer-Oriented Health Care Reform Strategies: A Review of the Evidence on Managed Competition and Consumer-Directed Health Insurance

PubMed Central

Buchmueller, Thomas C

2009-01-01

Context: For many years, leading health care reform proposals have been based on market-oriented strategies. In the 1990s, a number of reform proposals were built around the concept of “managed competition,” but more recently, “consumer-directed health care” models have received attention. Although price-conscious consumer demand plays a critical role in both the managed competition and consumer-directed health care models, the two strategies are based on different visions of the health care marketplace and the best way to use market forces to achieve greater systemwide efficiencies. Methods: This article reviews the research literature that tests the main hypotheses concerning the two policy strategies. Findings: Numerous studies provide consistent evidence that consumers’ health plan choices are sensitive to out-of-pocket premiums. The elasticity of demand appears to vary with consumers’ health risk, with younger, healthier individuals being more price sensitive. This heterogeneity increases the potential for adverse selection. Biased risk selection also is a concern when the menu of health plan options includes consumer-directed health plans. Several studies confirm that such plans tend to attract healthier enrollees. A smaller number of studies test the main hypothesis regarding consumer-directed health plans, which is that they result in lower medical spending than do more generous plans. These studies find little support for this claim. Conclusions: The experiences of employers that have adopted key elements of managed competition are generally consistent with the key hypotheses underlying that strategy. Research in this area, however, has focused on only a narrow range of questions. Because consumer-directed health care is such a recent phenomenon, research on this strategy is even more limited. Additional studies on both topics would be valuable. PMID:20021587

The tactile motion aftereffect suggests an intensive code for speed in neurons sensitive to both speed and direction of motion

PubMed Central

Birznieks, I.; Vickery, R. M.; Holcombe, A. O.; Seizova-Cajic, T.

2016-01-01

Neurophysiological studies in primates have found that direction-sensitive neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) generally increase their response rate with increasing speed of object motion across the skin and show little evidence of speed tuning. We employed psychophysics to determine whether human perception of motion direction could be explained by features of such neurons and whether evidence can be found for a speed-tuned process. After adaptation to motion across the skin, a subsequently presented dynamic test stimulus yields an impression of motion in the opposite direction. We measured the strength of this tactile motion aftereffect (tMAE) induced with different combinations of adapting and test speeds. Distal-to-proximal or proximal-to-distal adapting motion was applied to participants' index fingers using a tactile array, after which participants reported the perceived direction of a bidirectional test stimulus. An intensive code for speed, like that observed in SI neurons, predicts greater adaptation (and a stronger tMAE) the faster the adapting speed, regardless of the test speed. In contrast, speed tuning of direction-sensitive neurons predicts the greatest tMAE when the adapting and test stimuli have matching speeds. We found that the strength of the tMAE increased monotonically with adapting speed, regardless of the test speed, showing no evidence of speed tuning. Our data are consistent with neurophysiological findings that suggest an intensive code for speed along the motion processing pathways comprising neurons sensitive both to speed and direction of motion. PMID:26823511

Using a pedagogical approach to integrate evidence-based teaching in an undergraduate women's health course.

PubMed

Dawley, Katy; Bloch, Joan Rosen; Suplee, Patricia Dunphy; McKeever, Amy; Scherzer, Gerri

2011-06-01

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is promoted as a foundation for nursing practice. However, the 2005 U.S. survey of nurses revealed that they do not have requisite skills for EBP. PURPOSE AND GOALS: To evaluate a pedagogical approach aimed at (1) fostering undergraduate nursing students EBP competencies, and (2) identifying gaps in the literature to direct future women's health research. A secondary analysis of data abstracted from required EBP clinical journals for an undergraduate women's health course in which students (n = 198) were asked to find evidence to answer their clinical questions. Content analysis was used to identify main themes of the topics of inquiry. Students identified 1,808 clinical questions and 30.3% (n = 547) of these could not be answered or supported by evidence in the literature. This assignment was an important teaching and assessment tool for EBP. Questions reflected critical thinking and quest for in-depth knowledge to support nursing practice. Some students lacked skills in searching databases and a significant number of knowledge gaps were identified that can direct women's health research. Copyright ©2010 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Indirect associations of combat exposure with post-deployment physical symptoms in U.S. soldiers: roles of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and insomnia.

PubMed

Quartana, Phillip J; Wilk, Joshua E; Balkin, Thomas J; Hoge, Charles W

2015-05-01

To characterize the indirect associations of combat exposure with post-deployment physical symptoms through shared associations with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and insomnia symptoms. Surveys were administered to a sample of U.S. soldiers (N = 587) three months after a 15-month deployment to Iraq. A multiple indirect effects model was used to characterize direct and indirect associations between combat exposure and physical symptoms. Despite a zero-order correlation between combat exposure and physical symptoms, the multiple indirect effects analysis did not provide evidence of a direct association between these variables. Evidence for a significant indirect association of combat exposure and physical symptoms was observed through PTSD, depression, and insomnia symptoms. In fact, 92% of the total effect of combat exposure on physical symptoms scores was indirect. These findings were evident even after adjusting for the physical injury and relevant demographics. This is the first empirical study to suggest that PTSD, depression and insomnia collectively and independently contribute to the association between combat exposure and post-deployment physical symptoms. Limitations, future research directions, and potential policy implications are discussed. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Direct evidence from in situ FTIR spectroscopy that o-quinonemethide is a key intermediate during the pyrolysis of guaiacol.

PubMed

Cheng, Hao; Wu, Shubin; Huang, Jinbao; Zhang, Xiaohua

2017-04-01

Although o-quinonemethide (6-methylene-2,4-cyclohexadien-1-one) has been proposed as a key intermediate in char formation during the pyrolysis of guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol), direct evidence of this (e.g., spectroscopic data) has not yet been provided. Using in situ FTIR spectroscopy, the pyrolysis of guaiacol was investigated from 30 °C to 630 °C at 40 °C/min. The IR profiles showed direct evidence of o-quinonemethide production at about 350 °C, which vanished rapidly at around 420 °C in the vapor phase, indicating char formation. In addition, at 400 °C, salicyl aldehyde was observed, which decomposed slowly at about 500 °C. In combination with the known products of guaiacol pyrolysis, these results allowed the major reaction pathways of guaiacol pyrolysis to be discerned. Density functional theory calculations were performed, and the results were found to be in good agreement with the experimentally obtained IR profiles. These findings provide guidance on how to suppress secondary reactions of guaiacol during lignin pyrolysis. Graphical abstract On-line analysis of pyrolysis process of guaiacol using in situ FTIR.

Evidence for parallel consolidation of motion direction and orientation into visual short-term memory.

PubMed

Rideaux, Reuben; Apthorp, Deborah; Edwards, Mark

2015-02-12

Recent findings have indicated the capacity to consolidate multiple items into visual short-term memory in parallel varies as a function of the type of information. That is, while color can be consolidated in parallel, evidence suggests that orientation cannot. Here we investigated the capacity to consolidate multiple motion directions in parallel and reexamined this capacity using orientation. This was achieved by determining the shortest exposure duration necessary to consolidate a single item, then examining whether two items, presented simultaneously, could be consolidated in that time. The results show that parallel consolidation of direction and orientation information is possible, and that parallel consolidation of direction appears to be limited to two. Additionally, we demonstrate the importance of adequate separation between feature intervals used to define items when attempting to consolidate in parallel, suggesting that when multiple items are consolidated in parallel, as opposed to serially, the resolution of representations suffer. Finally, we used facilitation of spatial attention to show that the deterioration of item resolution occurs during parallel consolidation, as opposed to storage. © 2015 ARVO.

Alternative theories of the relationship of schooling and work to family formation: evidence from Mexico.

PubMed

Lindstrom, D P; Brambila Paz, C

2001-01-01

Role incompatibility, education as an investment in human capital, and schooling as a transformative experience are three mechanisms that link women's education to the timing of marriage and first birth. We simultaneously evaluate these different explanations using retrospective life history data for two cohorts of Mexican women collected in a nationally representative sample. Our analyses provide evidence in support of all three hypotheses. While in school young women are at a substantially lower risk of marriage and of a first birth. We find no evidence that women leave school to enter into unions nor do we find evidence that the effect of being a student diminishes with age. Women who work for a wage are also at a lower risk of marriage and a first birth. Once we control for student and employment status, the direct effects of cumulative education on family formation are relatively modest, although cumulative education is strongly associated with positive attitudes towards women's work and a significant increase in the likelihood of premarital and postmarital employment.

Mirror-Induced Behavior in the Magpie (Pica pica): Evidence of Self-Recognition

PubMed Central

Prior, Helmut; Schwarz, Ariane; Güntürkün, Onur

2008-01-01

Comparative studies suggest that at least some bird species have evolved mental skills similar to those found in humans and apes. This is indicated by feats such as tool use, episodic-like memory, and the ability to use one's own experience in predicting the behavior of conspecifics. It is, however, not yet clear whether these skills are accompanied by an understanding of the self. In apes, self-directed behavior in response to a mirror has been taken as evidence of self-recognition. We investigated mirror-induced behavior in the magpie, a songbird species from the crow family. As in apes, some individuals behaved in front of the mirror as if they were testing behavioral contingencies. When provided with a mark, magpies showed spontaneous mark-directed behavior. Our findings provide the first evidence of mirror self-recognition in a non-mammalian species. They suggest that essential components of human self-recognition have evolved independently in different vertebrate classes with a separate evolutionary history. PMID:18715117

[Ethical issues raised by direct-to-consumer personal genome analysis and whole body scans: discussion and contextualisation of a report by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics].

PubMed

Buyx, Alena M; Strech, Daniel; Schmidt, Harald

2012-01-01

The paradigm of personalised medicine has many different facets, further to the application of pharmacogenetics. We examine here (direct-to-consumer) personal genome analysis and whole body scans and summarise findings from the Nuffield Council's on Bioethics recent report "Medical profiling and online medicine: the ethics of 'personalised healthcare' in a consumer age". We describe the current situation in Germany with regard to access to such services, and contextualise the Nuffield Council's report with summaries of position statements by German professional bodies. We conclude with three points that merit examination further to the analyses of the Nuffield Council's report and the German professional bodies. These concern the role of indirect evidence in considering restrictive policies, the question of whether regulations should require commercial providers to contribute to the generation of better evidence, and the option of using data from evaluations in combination with indirect evidence in justifying restrictive policies. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Interpreting indirect treatment comparisons and network meta-analysis for health-care decision making: report of the ISPOR Task Force on Indirect Treatment Comparisons Good Research Practices: part 1.

PubMed

Jansen, Jeroen P; Fleurence, Rachael; Devine, Beth; Itzler, Robbin; Barrett, Annabel; Hawkins, Neil; Lee, Karen; Boersma, Cornelis; Annemans, Lieven; Cappelleri, Joseph C

2011-06-01

Evidence-based health-care decision making requires comparisons of all relevant competing interventions. In the absence of randomized, controlled trials involving a direct comparison of all treatments of interest, indirect treatment comparisons and network meta-analysis provide useful evidence for judiciously selecting the best choice(s) of treatment. Mixed treatment comparisons, a special case of network meta-analysis, combine direct and indirect evidence for particular pairwise comparisons, thereby synthesizing a greater share of the available evidence than a traditional meta-analysis. This report from the ISPOR Indirect Treatment Comparisons Good Research Practices Task Force provides guidance on the interpretation of indirect treatment comparisons and network meta-analysis to assist policymakers and health-care professionals in using its findings for decision making. We start with an overview of how networks of randomized, controlled trials allow multiple treatment comparisons of competing interventions. Next, an introduction to the synthesis of the available evidence with a focus on terminology, assumptions, validity, and statistical methods is provided, followed by advice on critically reviewing and interpreting an indirect treatment comparison or network meta-analysis to inform decision making. We finish with a discussion of what to do if there are no direct or indirect treatment comparisons of randomized, controlled trials possible and a health-care decision still needs to be made. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationship Between Viremia and Specific Organ Damage in Ebola Patients: A Cohort Study.

PubMed

Lanini, Simone; Portella, Gina; Vairo, Francesco; Kobinger, Gary P; Pesenti, Antonio; Langer, Martin; Kabia, Soccoh; Brogiato, Giorgio; Amone, Jackson; Castilletti, Concetta; Miccio, Rossella; Capobianchi, Maria Rosaria; Strada, Gino; Zumla, Alimuddin; Di Caro, Antonino; Ippolito, Giuseppe

2018-01-06

Pathogenesis of Ebola virus disease remains poorly understood. We used concomitant determination of routine laboratory biomarkers and Ebola viremia to explore the potential role of viral replication in specific organ damage. We recruited patients with detectable Ebola viremia admitted to the EMERGENCY Organizzazione Non Governativa Organizzazione Non Lucrativa di Utilità Sociale (ONG ONLUS) Ebola Treatment Center in Sierra Leone. Repeated measure of Ebola viremia, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), activated prothrombin time (aPTT), international normalized ratio (INR), creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were recorded. Patients were followed up from admission until death or discharge. One hundred patients (49 survivors and 51 nonsurvivors) were included in the analysis. Unadjusted analysis to compare survivors and nonsurvivors provided evidence that all biomarkers were significantly above the normal range and that the extent of these abnormalities was generally higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors. Multivariable mixed-effects models provided strong evidence for a biological gradient (suggestive of a direct role in organ damage) between the viremia levels and either ALT, AST, CPK LDH, aPTT, and INR. In contrast, no direct linear association was found between viremia and either creatinine, BUN, or bilirubin. This study provides evidence to support that Ebola virus may have a direct role in muscular damage and imbalance of the coagulation system. We did not find strong evidence suggestive of a direct role of Ebola virus in kidney damage. The role of the virus in liver damage remains unclear, but our evidence suggests that acute severe liver injury is not a typical feature of Ebola virus disease. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Quantitative Evaluation of the Flipped Classroom in a Large Lecture Principles of Economics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balaban, Rita A.; Gilleskie, Donna B.; Tran, Uyen

2016-01-01

This research provides evidence that the flipped classroom instructional format increases student final exam performance, relative to the traditional instructional format, in a large lecture principles of economics course. The authors find that the flipped classroom directly improves performance by 0.2 to 0.7 standardized deviations, depending on…

Education and Signaling: Evidence from a Highly Competitive Labor Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heywood, John S.; Wei, Xiangdong

2004-01-01

This paper directly tests for differences in returns to education between the employed and self-employed in Hong Kong. Using a step-function, we find significantly smaller returns for the self-employed, suggesting that in the highly competitive labor market of Hong Kong education plays a signaling role. This pattern persists for both genders, when…

Understanding in an Instant: Neurophysiological Evidence for Mechanistic Language Circuits in the Brain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pulvermuller, Friedemann; Shtyrov, Yury; Hauk, Olaf

2009-01-01

How long does it take the human mind to grasp the idea when hearing or reading a sentence? Neurophysiological methods looking directly at the time course of brain activity indexes of comprehension are critical for finding the answer to this question. As the dominant cognitive approaches, models of serial/cascaded and parallel processing, make…

Evidence Base Update for Psychosocial Treatments for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

PubMed Central

Freeman, Jennifer; Garcia, Abbe; Frank, Hannah; Benito, Kristen; Conelea, Christine; Walther, Michael; Edmunds, Julie

2013-01-01

Objective Pediatric Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic and impairing condition that often persists into adulthood. Barrett and colleagues (2008), in this journal, provided a detailed review of evidence based psychosocial treatments for youth with OCD. The current review provides an evidence base update of the pediatric OCD psychosocial treatment literature with particular attention to advances in the field as well as to the methodological challenges inherent in evaluating such findings. Method Psychosocial treatment studies conducted since the last review are described and evaluated according to methodological rigor and evidence-based classification using the JCCAP evidence based treatment (EBT) evaluation criteria (Southam-Gerow and Prinstein, this issue). Results Findings from this review clearly converge in support of CBT as an effective and appropriate first line treatment for youth with OCD (either alone or in combination with medication). Although no treatment for pediatric OCD has yet to be designated as “well established”, both individual and individual family based treatments have been shown to be “probably efficacious.” Conclusions Moderators and predictors of treatment outcome are discussed as are the areas where we have advanced the field and the areas where we have room to grow. The methodological and clinical challenges inherent in a review of the evidence base are reviewed. Finally, future research directions are outlined. PMID:23746138

Direct evidence of double-slope power spectra in the high-latitude ionospheric plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spicher, A.; Miloch, W. J.; Moen, J. I.

2014-03-01

We report direct observations of the double-slope power spectra for plasma irregularities in the F layer of the polar ionosphere. The investigation of cusp irregularities ICI-2 sounding rocket, which was launched into the polar cusp ionosphere, intersected enhanced plasma density regions with decameter-scale irregularities. Density measurements at unprecedented high resolution with multi-Needle Langmuir Probes allowed for a detailed study of the plasma irregularities down to kinetic scales. Spectral analysis reveals double-slope power spectra for regions of enhanced fluctuations associated mainly with density gradients, with the steepening of the spectra occurring close to the oxygen gyrofrequency. These findings are further supported with the first results from the ICI-3 rocket, which flew through regions with strong precipitation and velocity shears. Previously, double-slope spectra have been observed in the equatorial ionosphere. The present work gives a direct evidence that the double-slope power spectra can be common in the high-latitude ionosphere.

Humidity-swing mechanism for CO2 capture from ambient air.

PubMed

Yang, Hao; Singh, Manmilan; Schaefer, Jacob

2018-05-10

A humidity-swing polymeric sorbent captures CO2 from ambient air at room temperature simply by changing the humidity level. To date there has been no direct experimental evidence to characterize the chemical mechanism for this process. In this report we describe the use of solid-state NMR to study the humidity-swing CO2 absorption/desorption cycle directly. We find that at low humidity levels CO2 is absorbed as HCO3-. At high humidity levels, HCO3- is replaced by hydrated OH- and the absorbed CO2 is released.

Non-suicidal self-injury and other self-directed violent behaviors in India: A review of definitions and research.

PubMed

Gandhi, Amarendra; Luyckx, Koen; Maitra, Shubhada; Claes, Laurence

2016-08-01

The interpersonal theory of suicide suggests that most forms of self-directed violent behaviors lie on a continuum, with each behavior successively increasing the capability of committing suicide. There is increasing evidence to suggest that the continuum may begin with Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI). This theory can be important in developing interventions for suicide prevention. However, in India, consistent usage of definitions of various forms of self-directed violent behaviors is lacking. In the present study, we reviewed definitions of various forms of self-directed violent behaviors that have been investigated in India. Further, we compared the usage of these definitions with the usage by WHO. Additionally, we reviewed NSSI research in India. Thirty-eight publications were identified by a comprehensive electronic search undertaken in Indian psychiatry, psychology, and mental health-related databases. Inconsistent definitions of eight self-directed violent behaviors were observed in Indian literature. Agreement on consistent definitions of various forms of self-directed behaviors is essential. Based on the findings of the current review, it can be suggested that culturally relevant large-scale research on NSSI in India is required to confirm the limited evidence that suggests high prevalence of NSSI in India. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perceived burdensomeness and suicide-related behaviors in clinical samples: current evidence and future directions.

PubMed

Hill, Ryan M; Pettit, Jeremy W

2014-07-01

The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide identifies perceived burdensomeness as a primary component of suicidal desire and a possible point of intervention for suicide prevention. A growing literature has explored the relationship between perceived burdensomeness and suicide-related behaviors. The aim of this review is to integrate the evidence, identify critical gaps in the evidence-base, and explore implications for translation to prevention and intervention science. Papers published that reported on the association between perceived burdensomeness and suicide-related behaviors were included. The literature indicates (a) significant cross-sectional associations between perceived burdensomeness and suicidal ideation and suicide attempts and (b) that perceived burdensomeness acts as either a moderator or a mediator of the association between risk and protective factors and suicide-related behaviors. Research is needed to examine the longitudinal association between perceived burdensomeness and suicide-related behaviors, develop additional measurement approaches, generalize findings to other samples, and begin translating findings to prevention and intervention science. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

UV Observations of the Galaxy Cluster Abell 1795 with the Optical Monitor on XMM-Newton

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittaz, J. P. D.; Kaastra, J. S.; Tamura, T.; Fabian, A. C.; Mushotzky, F.; Peterson, J. R.; Ikebe, Y.; Lumb, D. H.; Paerels, F.; Stewart, G.

2000-01-01

We present the results of an analysis of broad band UV observations of the central regions of Abell 1795 observed with the optical monitor on XMM-Newton. As have been found with other UV observations of the central regions of clusters of galaxies, we find evidence for star formation. However, we also find evidence for absorption in the cD galaxy on a more extended scale than has been seen with optical imaging. We also report the first UV observation of part of the filamentary structure seen in H-alpha, X-rays and very deep U band imaging. The part of the filament we see is very blue with UV colours consistent with a very early (O/B) stellar population. This is the first direct evidence of a dominant population of early type stars at the centre of Abell 1795 and implies very recent star formation. The relationship of this emission to emission at other wavebands is discussed.

Diet-induced acidosis and alkali supplementation.

PubMed

Della Guardia, Lucio; Roggi, Carla; Cena, Hellas

2016-11-01

Western diet, high in protein-rich foods and poor in vegetables, is likely to be responsible for the development of a moderate acid excess leading to metabolism deregulation and the onset or worsening of chronic disturbances. Available findings seem to suggest that diets with high protein/vegetables ratio are likely to induce the development of calcium lithiasis, especially in predisposed subjects. Moreover, some evidence supports the hypothesis of bone metabolism worsening and enhanced bone loss following acid-genic diet consumption although available literature seems to lack direct and conclusive evidence demonstrating pathological bone loss. According to other evidences, diet-induced acidosis is likely to induce or accelerate muscle wasting or sarcopenia, especially among elderlies. Furthermore, recent epidemiological findings highlight a specific role of dietary acid load in glucose metabolism deregulation and insulin resistance. The aim of this review is to investigate the role of acid-genic diets in the development of the mentioned metabolic disorders focusing on the possible clinical improvements exerted by alkali supplementation.

Judging the Probability of Hypotheses Versus the Impact of Evidence: Which Form of Inductive Inference Is More Accurate and Time-Consistent?

PubMed

Tentori, Katya; Chater, Nick; Crupi, Vincenzo

2016-04-01

Inductive reasoning requires exploiting links between evidence and hypotheses. This can be done focusing either on the posterior probability of the hypothesis when updated on the new evidence or on the impact of the new evidence on the credibility of the hypothesis. But are these two cognitive representations equally reliable? This study investigates this question by comparing probability and impact judgments on the same experimental materials. The results indicate that impact judgments are more consistent in time and more accurate than probability judgments. Impact judgments also predict the direction of errors in probability judgments. These findings suggest that human inductive reasoning relies more on estimating evidential impact than on posterior probability. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

A Direct Path to Finding Earth-Like Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heap, Sara R.; Linder, Don J.

2009-01-01

As envisaged by the 2000 astrophysics decadal survey panel: The main goal of Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) is nothing less than to search for evidence of life on terrestrial planets around nearby stars . Here, we consider how an optical telescope paired with a free-flying occulter blocking light from the star can reach this goal directly, without knowledge of results from prior astrometric, doppler, or transit exoplanet observations. Using design reference missions and other simulations, we explore the potential of TPF-O to find planets in the habitable zone around their central stars, to spectrally characterize the atmospheres of detected planets, and to obtain rudimentary information about their orbits. We emphasize the importance of ozone absorption in the UV spectrum of a planet as a marker of photosynthesis by plants, algae, and cyanobacteria.

New Evidence on the Green House Model of Nursing Home Care: Synthesis of Findings and Implications for Policy, Practice, and Research.

PubMed

Zimmerman, Sheryl; Bowers, Barbara J; Cohen, Lauren W; Grabowski, David C; Horn, Susan D; Kemper, Peter

2016-02-01

To synthesize new findings from the THRIVE Research Collaborative (The Research Initiative Valuing Eldercare) related to the Green House (GH) model of nursing home care and broadly consider their implications. Interviews and observations conducted in GH and comparison homes, Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessments, Medicare data, and Online Survey, Certification and Reporting data. Critical integration and interpretation of findings based on primary data collected 2011-2014 in 28 GH homes (from 16 organizations), and 15 comparison nursing home units (from 8 organizations); and secondary data derived from 2005 to 2010 for 72 GH homes (from 15 organizations) and 223 comparison homes. Implementation of the GH model is inconsistent, sometimes differing from design. Among residents of GH homes, adoption lowers hospital readmissions, three MDS measures of poor quality, and Part A/hospice Medicare expenditures. Some evidence suggests the model is associated with lower direct care staff turnover. Recommendations relate to assessing fidelity, monitoring quality, capitalizing opportunities to improve care, incorporating evidence-based practices, including primary care providers, supporting high-performance workforce practices, aligning Medicare financial incentives, promoting equity, informing broad culture change, and conducting future research. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Changes in the costs of treating mental health disorders: an overview of recent research findings.

PubMed

Berndt, Ernst R

2004-01-01

This article reviews recent evidence on changes over time in the direct medical costs of treating three of the more common mental health disorders in the US: the acute (16-week) phase of major depressive disorder, the ongoing treatment of schizophrenia, and the ongoing treatment of bipolar I disorders. The three studies discussed in this article cover various time intervals over the decade from 1991 through 2000, and encompass both private sector and governmental funding sources. Although there has been a shift over time away from intensive psychosocial/psychotherapy and towards increasingly expensive psychopharmacotherapy for all three disorders, total direct medical costs of treatment for each of these three mental health disorders have been declining over time. However, a substantial portion of treatment is not supported by clinical evidence.

Assisting undergraduate nursing students to learn evidence-based practice through self-directed learning and workshop strategies during clinical practicum.

PubMed

Zhang, Qi; Zeng, Tieying; Chen, Ying; Li, Xiaopan

2012-07-01

To equip undergraduate nursing students with basic knowledge and skills and foster positive attitudes toward evidence-based practice (EBP), a pilot learning program during their clinical practicum was developed in a teaching hospital in China. This article describes the specific learning process through which self-directed learning and workshop strategies were used, and a pre- and post-intervention survey were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the learning strategies. The findings show a significant improvement in their perceptions of EBP knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, and behavior levels. Beginning competencies in EBP were achieved. Participants reported great satisfaction and have found this program helpful in promoting their analytical and problem-solving abilities, independent learning ability, and cooperative and communication abilities as well. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shrub growth and expansion in the Arctic tundra: an assessment of controlling factors using an evidence-based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Andrew C.; Jeffers, Elizabeth S.; Petrokofsky, Gillian; Myers-Smith, Isla; Macias-Fauria, Marc

2017-08-01

Woody shrubs have increased in biomass and expanded into new areas throughout the Pan-Arctic tundra biome in recent decades, which has been linked to a biome-wide observed increase in productivity. Experimental, observational, and socio-ecological research suggests that air temperature—and to a lesser degree precipitation—trends have been the predominant drivers of this change. However, a progressive decoupling of these drivers from Arctic vegetation productivity has been reported, and since 2010, vegetation productivity has also been declining. We created a protocol to (a) identify the suite of controls that may be operating on shrub growth and expansion, and (b) characterise the evidence base for controls on Arctic shrub growth and expansion. We found evidence for a suite of 23 proximal controls that operate directly on shrub growth and expansion; the evidence base focused predominantly on just four controls (air temperature, soil moisture, herbivory, and snow dynamics). 65% of evidence was generated in the warmest tundra climes, while 24% was from only one of 28 floristic sectors. Temporal limitations beyond 10 years existed for most controls, while the use of space-for-time approaches was high, with 14% of the evidence derived via experimental approaches. The findings suggest the current evidence base is not sufficiently robust or comprehensive at present to answer key questions of Pan-Arctic shrub change. We suggest future directions that could strengthen the evidence, and lead to an understanding of the key mechanisms driving changes in Arctic shrub environments.

Making sense of the noise: The effect of hydrology on silver carp eDNA detection in the Chicago area waterway system.

PubMed

Song, Jeffery W; Small, Mitchell J; Casman, Elizabeth A

2017-12-15

Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling is an emerging tool for monitoring the spread of aquatic invasive species. One confounding factor when interpreting eDNA sampling evidence is that eDNA can be present in the water in the absence of living target organisms, originating from excreta, dead tissue, boats, or sewage effluent, etc. In the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS), electric fish dispersal barriers were built to prevent non-native Asian carp species from invading Lake Michigan, and yet Asian carp eDNA has been detected above the barriers sporadically since 2009. In this paper the influence of stream flow characteristics in the CAWS on the probability of invasive Asian carp eDNA detection in the CAWS from 2009 to 2012 was examined. In the CAWS, the direction of stream flow is mostly away from Lake Michigan, though there are infrequent reversals in flow direction towards Lake Michigan during dry spells. We find that the flow reversal volume into the Lake has a statistically significant positive relationship with eDNA detection probability, while other covariates, like gage height, precipitation, season, water temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, pH and chlorophyll concentration do not. This suggests that stream flow direction is highly influential on eDNA detection in the CAWS and should be considered when interpreting eDNA evidence. We also find that the beta-binomial regression model provides a stronger fit for eDNA detection probability compared to a binomial regression model. This paper provides a statistical modeling framework for interpreting eDNA sampling evidence and for evaluating covariates influencing eDNA detection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Obstacles to implementing evidence-based practice in Belgium: a context-specific qualitative evidence synthesis including findings from different health care disciplines.

PubMed

Hannes, K; Goedhuys, J; Aertgeerts, B

2012-01-01

A number of barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice have already been inventoried. However, little attention has been given to their context-specific nature. This qualitative evidence synthesis examines commonalities in the obstacles perceived by different groups of health care practitioners working in the Belgian health care system and sets out to discuss potential strategies to bridge some of these barriers. We actively searched for primary studies addressing our topic of interest in international and national databases (1990 to May 2008), consulted experts and screened references of retrieved studies. We opted for the meta-aggregative approach, developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute, to analyse our findings. The findings indicate that (1) evidence might have a limited role in decision-making processes; (2) aspects other than quality of care steer the evidence-based practice agenda; (3) some health care providers benefit less from evidence-based practice than others and (4) there is a lack of competences to put the evidence-based principles in practice. Belgian policy makers might consider health care system characteristics from and strategies developed or suggested by others to respond to country-specific obstacles. Examples include but are not limited to; (a) providing incentives for patient-centred care coordination and patient communication, (b) supporting practitioners interested in applying research-related activities, (c) considering direct access systems and interprofessional learning to respond to the demand for autonomous decision-making from satellite professional groups, (d) systematically involving allied health professionals in important governmental advisory boards, (e) considering pharmaceutical companies perceived as 'the enemy' an ally in filling in research gaps, (f) embedding the evaluation of evidence-based knowledge and skills in examinations (g) moving from (in)formative learning to transformative learning and (h) organizing high quality catch-up programs for those who missed out on evidence-based medicine in their curriculum.

What works in family planning interventions: A systematic review of the evidence

PubMed Central

Mwaikambo, Lisa; Speizer, Ilene S.; Schurmann, Anna; Morgan, Gwen; Fikree, Fariyal

2013-01-01

This study presents findings from a systematic review of evaluations of family planning interventions published between 1995 and 2008. Studies that used an experimental or quasi-experimental design or had another way to attribute program exposure to observed changes in fertility or family planning outcomes at the individual or population levels were included and ranked by strength of evidence. A total of 63 studies were found that met the inclusion criteria. The findings from this review are summarized in tabular format by the type of intervention (classified as supply-side or demand-side). About two-thirds of the studies found were on demand generation type-programs. Findings from all programs revealed significant improvements in knowledge, attitudes, discussion, and intentions. Program impacts on contraceptive use and use of family planning services were less consistently found and less than half of the studies that measured fertility or pregnancy-related outcomes found an impact. Based on the review findings, we identify promising programmatic approaches and propose directions for future evaluation research of family planning interventions. PMID:21834409

Latitudinal Transport of Angular Momentum by Cellular Flows Observed with MDI

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hathaway, David H.; Gilman, Peter A.; Beck, John G.; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We have analyzed Doppler velocity images from the MDI instrument on SOHO to determine the latitudinal transport of angular momentum by the cellular photospheric flows. Doppler velocity images from 60-days in May to July of 1996 were processed to remove the p-mode oscillations, the convective blue shift, the axisymmetric flows, and any instrumental artifacts. The remaining cellular flows were examined for evidence of latitudinal angular momentum transport. Small cells show no evidence of any such transport. Cells the size of supergranules (30,000 km in diameter) show strong evidence for a poleward transport of angular momentum. This would be expected if supergranules are influenced by the Coriolis force, and if the cells are elongated in an east-west direction. We find good evidence for just such an east-west elongation of the supergranules. This elongation may be the result of differential rotation shearing the cellular structures. Data simulations of this effect support the conclusion that elongated supergranules transport angular momentum from the equator toward the poles, Cells somewhat larger than supergranules do not show evidence for this poleward transport. Further analysis of the data is planned to determine if the direction of angular momentum transport reverses for even larger cellular structures. The Sun's rapidly rotating equator must be maintained by such transport somewhere within the convection zone.

Questioning supports effective transmission of knowledge and increased exploratory learning in pre-kindergarten children.

PubMed

Yu, Yue; Landrum, Asheley R; Bonawitz, Elizabeth; Shafto, Patrick

2018-06-19

How can education optimize transmission of knowledge while also fostering further learning? Focusing on children at the cusp of formal schooling (N = 180, age = 4.0-6.0 y), we investigate learning after direct instruction by a knowledgeable teacher, after questioning by a knowledgeable teacher, and after questioning by a naïve informant. Consistent with previous findings, instruction by a knowledgeable teacher allows effective information transmission but at the cost of exploration and further learning. Critically, we find a dual benefit for questioning by a knowledgeable teacher: Such pedagogical questioning both effectively transmits knowledge and fosters exploration and further learning, regardless of whether the question was directed to the child or directed to a third party and overheard by the child. These effects are not observed when the same question is asked by a naïve informant. We conclude that a teacher's choice of pedagogical method may differentially influence learning through their choices of how, and how not, to present evidence, with implications for transmission of knowledge and self-directed discovery. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Observed Characteristics and Teacher Quality: Impacts of Sample Selection on a Value Added Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winters, Marcus A.; Dixon, Bruce L.; Greene, Jay P.

2012-01-01

We measure the impact of observed teacher characteristics on student math and reading proficiency using a rich dataset from Florida. We expand upon prior work by accounting directly for nonrandom attrition of teachers from the classroom in a sample selection framework. We find evidence that sample selection is present in the estimation of the…

Put Reading First: Positive Effects of Direct Instruction and Scaffolding for ESL Learners Struggling with Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Staden, Annalene

2011-01-01

The inability of many English second-language (ESL) learners to read at desirable levels is universal, but reasons for this and solutions have not yet been addressed. Within the South African teaching context especially there is a paucity of evidence-based research findings available on the literacy challenges faced by ESL learners and the…

A Sociological Demographic Analysis of the Current State and Evolution of the Family

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golod, S. I.

2008-01-01

Starting in the 1960s, researchers in many countries have expressed concern over the state of crisis of monogamy, addressing the phenomenon as a direct function of global social transformations. The author finds it is difficult to agree with the negative assessment of the current status of the family, noting that centuries of evidence confirm the…

The gambler's fallacy in penalty shootouts.

PubMed

Braun, Sebastian; Schmidt, Ulrich

2015-07-20

A well-known bias in subjective perceptions of chance is the gambler's fallacy: people typically believe that a streak generated by a series of independent random draws, such as a coin toss, becomes increasingly more likely to break when the streak becomes longer. In a fascinating study, Misirlisoy and Haggard analysed sequential behavior of kickers and goalkeepers in penalty shootouts. They report that goalkeepers are prone to the gambler's fallacy: after a series of three kicks in the same direction, goalkeepers are more likely to dive in the opposite direction at the next kick. Here we argue, first, that a binomial test is more appropriate for testing gambler's fallacy than the tests employed by Misirlisoy and Haggard, and second, that penalty shootouts may not be well-suited to analyze the gambler's fallacy. Using a binomial test, we neither find statistically significant evidence for gambler's fallacy in Misirlisoy and Haggard's original data, nor in extended data, nor in data from an idealised laboratory experiment that we ran to address the second point. In line with Misirlisoy and Haggard's original result, we do, however, find evidence for a systematic pattern of goalkeeper's behavior that kickers could exploit. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chromosomes in a genome-wise order: evidence for metaphase architecture.

PubMed

Weise, Anja; Bhatt, Samarth; Piaszinski, Katja; Kosyakova, Nadezda; Fan, Xiaobo; Altendorf-Hofmann, Annelore; Tanomtong, Alongklod; Chaveerach, Arunrat; de Cioffi, Marcelo Bello; de Oliveira, Edivaldo; Walther, Joachim-U; Liehr, Thomas; Chaudhuri, Jyoti P

2016-01-01

One fundamental finding of the last decade is that, besides the primary DNA sequence information there are several epigenetic "information-layers" like DNA-and histone modifications, chromatin packaging and, last but not least, the position of genes in the nucleus. We postulate that the functional genomic architecture is not restricted to the interphase of the cell cycle but can also be observed in the metaphase stage, when chromosomes are most condensed and microscopically visible. If so, it offers the unique opportunity to directly analyze the functional aspects of genomic architecture in different cells, species and diseases. Another aspect not directly accessible by molecular techniques is the genome merged from two different haploid parental genomes represented by the homologous chromosome sets. Our results show that there is not only a well-known and defined nuclear architecture in interphase but also in metaphase leading to a bilateral organization of the two haploid sets of chromosomes. Moreover, evidence is provided for the parental origin of the haploid grouping. From our findings we postulate an additional epigenetic information layer within the genome including the organization of homologous chromosomes and their parental origin which may now substantially change the landscape of genetics.

Joint Attention without Gaze Following: Human Infants and Their Parents Coordinate Visual Attention to Objects through Eye-Hand Coordination

PubMed Central

Yu, Chen; Smith, Linda B.

2013-01-01

The coordination of visual attention among social partners is central to many components of human behavior and human development. Previous research has focused on one pathway to the coordination of looking behavior by social partners, gaze following. The extant evidence shows that even very young infants follow the direction of another's gaze but they do so only in highly constrained spatial contexts because gaze direction is not a spatially precise cue as to the visual target and not easily used in spatially complex social interactions. Our findings, derived from the moment-to-moment tracking of eye gaze of one-year-olds and their parents as they actively played with toys, provide evidence for an alternative pathway, through the coordination of hands and eyes in goal-directed action. In goal-directed actions, the hands and eyes of the actor are tightly coordinated both temporally and spatially, and thus, in contexts including manual engagement with objects, hand movements and eye movements provide redundant information about where the eyes are looking. Our findings show that one-year-olds rarely look to the parent's face and eyes in these contexts but rather infants and parents coordinate looking behavior without gaze following by attending to objects held by the self or the social partner. This pathway, through eye-hand coupling, leads to coordinated joint switches in visual attention and to an overall high rate of looking at the same object at the same time, and may be the dominant pathway through which physically active toddlers align their looking behavior with a social partner. PMID:24236151

Sexual dimorphism of male face shape, partnership status and the temporal context of relationship sought modulate women's preferences for direct gaze.

PubMed

Conway, Claire A; Jones, Benedict C; DeBruine, Lisa M; Little, Anthony C

2010-02-01

Most previous studies of face preferences have investigated the physical cues that influence face preferences. Far fewer studies have investigated the effects of cues to the direction of others' social interest (i.e. gaze direction) on face preferences. Here we found that unpartnered women demonstrated stronger preferences for direct gaze (indicating social interest) from feminine male faces than from masculine male faces when judging men's attractiveness for long-term relationships, but not when judging men's attractiveness for short-term relationships. Moreover, unpartnered women's preferences for direct gaze from feminine men were stronger for long-term than short-term relationships, but there was no comparable effect for judgements of masculine men. No such effects were evident among women with romantic partners, potentially reflecting different motivations underlying partnered and unpartnered women's judgements of men's attractiveness. Collectively these findings (1) complement previous findings whereby women demonstrated stronger preferences for feminine men as long-term than short-term partners, (2) demonstrate context-sensitivity in the integration of physical and social cues in face preferences, and (3) suggest that gaze preferences may function, at least in part, to facilitate efficient allocation of mating effort.

The Science behind Pre-Columbian Evidence of Syphilis in Europe: Research by Documentary

PubMed Central

Armelagos, George J.; Zuckerman, Molly K.; Harper, Kristin N.

2012-01-01

This article discusses the presentation of scientific finding via documentary and absent the process of peer-review. We use, as an example, PBS’s Syphilis Enigma, in which researchers presented novel evidence concerning the origin of syphilis that had never been reviewed by other scientists. These “findings” then entered the world of peer-reviewed literature through citations of the documentary itself or material associated with the documentary. Here, we demonstrate that the case for pre-Columbian syphilis in Europe that was made in the documentary does not withstand scientific scrutiny. We also situate this example from paleopathology within a larger trend of “science by documentary” or “science by press conference,” in which researchers seek to bypass the peer review process by presenting unvetted findings directly to the public. PMID:22499439

Finding the faithless: perceived atheist prevalence reduces anti-atheist prejudice.

PubMed

Gervais, Will M

2011-04-01

Although prejudice is typically positively related to relative outgroup size, four studies found converging evidence that perceived atheist prevalence reduces anti-atheist prejudice. Study 1 demonstrated that anti-atheist prejudice among religious believers is reduced in countries in which atheists are especially prevalent. Study 2 demonstrated that perceived atheist prevalence is negatively associated with anti-atheist prejudice. Study 3 demonstrated a causal relationship: Reminders of atheist prevalence reduced explicit distrust of atheists. These results appeared distinct from intergroup contact effects. Study 4 demonstrated that prevalence information decreased implicit atheist distrust. The latter two experiments provide the first evidence that mere prevalence information can reduce prejudice against any outgroup. These findings offer insights about anti-atheist prejudice, a poorly understood phenomenon. Furthermore, they suggest both novel directions for future prejudice research and potential interventions that could reduce a variety of prejudices.

The effect of women's decision-making power on maternal health services uptake: evidence from Pakistan.

PubMed

Hou, Xiaohui; Ma, Ning

2013-03-01

A large body of research has explored the links between women's decision making and their uptake of maternal health services, but the evidence so far is inconclusive. This study uses the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey to examine the influence of household decision making on women's uptake of maternal health services. We find that women's decision-making power has a significant positive correlation with maternal health services uptake and that influential males' decision-making power has the opposite effect, after controlling for socio-economic indicators and supply-side conditions. Our findings suggest that empowering women and increasing their ability to make decisions may increase their uptake of maternal health services. They also suggest that policies directed toward improving women's utilization of maternal health services in Pakistan must target men as well as women.

The Impact of Smoking Bans on Smoking and Consumer Behavior: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Switzerland.

PubMed

Boes, Stefan; Marti, Joachim; Maclean, Johanna Catherine

2015-11-01

In this paper, we exploit the progressive implementation of smoking bans in public venues at the state level in Switzerland to evaluate both the direct effects on smoking and the potential unintended consequences of these legislations on consumer behaviors as measured by visiting restaurants/bars and discos ('going out'). Our results indicate that public venue smoking bans in Switzerland reduce smoking rates, but the findings do not emerge until 1 year following the ban. This pattern of results is consistent with delays in ban enforcement on the part of business owners, difficulties in changing addictive behaviors such as smoking, and/or learning on the part of smokers. We find evidence that smoking bans influence going-out behavior and there is substantial heterogeneity across venue and consumer characteristics. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Effect of Breakfast in the Classroom on Obesity and Academic Performance: Evidence from New York City.

PubMed

Corcoran, Sean P; Elbel, Brian; Schwartz, Amy Ellen

2016-01-01

Participation in the federally subsidized school breakfast program often falls well below its lunchtime counterpart. To increase take-up, many districts have implemented Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC), offering breakfast directly to students at the start of the school day. Beyond increasing participation, advocates claim BIC improves academic performance, attendance, and engagement. Others caution BIC has deleterious effects on child weight. We use the implementation of BIC in New York City (NYC) to estimate its impact on meals program participation, body mass index (BMI), achievement, and attendance. While we find large effects on participation, our findings provide no evidence of hoped-for gains in academic performance, or of feared increases in obesity. The policy case for BIC will depend upon reductions in hunger and food insecurity for disadvantaged children, or its longer-term effects.

Evaluating the Quality of Evidence from a Network Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Salanti, Georgia; Del Giovane, Cinzia; Chaimani, Anna; Caldwell, Deborah M.; Higgins, Julian P. T.

2014-01-01

Systematic reviews that collate data about the relative effects of multiple interventions via network meta-analysis are highly informative for decision-making purposes. A network meta-analysis provides two types of findings for a specific outcome: the relative treatment effect for all pairwise comparisons, and a ranking of the treatments. It is important to consider the confidence with which these two types of results can enable clinicians, policy makers and patients to make informed decisions. We propose an approach to determining confidence in the output of a network meta-analysis. Our proposed approach is based on methodology developed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group for pairwise meta-analyses. The suggested framework for evaluating a network meta-analysis acknowledges (i) the key role of indirect comparisons (ii) the contributions of each piece of direct evidence to the network meta-analysis estimates of effect size; (iii) the importance of the transitivity assumption to the validity of network meta-analysis; and (iv) the possibility of disagreement between direct evidence and indirect evidence. We apply our proposed strategy to a systematic review comparing topical antibiotics without steroids for chronically discharging ears with underlying eardrum perforations. The proposed framework can be used to determine confidence in the results from a network meta-analysis. Judgements about evidence from a network meta-analysis can be different from those made about evidence from pairwise meta-analyses. PMID:24992266

Honeybee navigation: following routes using polarized-light cues

PubMed Central

Kraft, P.; Evangelista, C.; Dacke, M.; Labhart, T.; Srinivasan, M. V.

2011-01-01

While it is generally accepted that honeybees (Apis mellifera) are capable of using the pattern of polarized light in the sky to navigate to a food source, there is little or no direct behavioural evidence that they actually do so. We have examined whether bees can be trained to find their way through a maze composed of four interconnected tunnels, by using directional information provided by polarized light illumination from the ceilings of the tunnels. The results show that bees can learn this task, thus demonstrating directly, and for the first time, that bees are indeed capable of using the polarized-light information in the sky as a compass to steer their way to a food source. PMID:21282174

Evidence for triplet superconductivity in a superconductor-ferromagnet spin valve.

PubMed

Leksin, P V; Garif'yanov, N N; Garifullin, I A; Fominov, Ya V; Schumann, J; Krupskaya, Y; Kataev, V; Schmidt, O G; Büchner, B

2012-08-03

We have studied the dependence of the superconducting (SC) transition temperature on the mutual orientation of magnetizations of Fe1 and Fe2 layers in the spin valve system CoO(x)/Fe1/Cu/Fe2/Pb. We find that this dependence is nonmonotonic when passing from the parallel to the antiparallel case and reveals a distinct minimum near the orthogonal configuration. The analysis of the data in the framework of the SC triplet spin valve theory gives direct evidence for the long-range triplet superconductivity arising due to noncollinearity of the two magnetizations.

Pleiotropy of tissue-specific growth factors: from neurons to vessels via the bone marrow

PubMed Central

Duda, Dan G.; Jain, Rakesh K.

2005-01-01

Recent evidence has demonstrated that endothelial-specific growth factors affect the development of apparently unrelated organs and cells. Expanding this evidence further, new findings in this issue of the JCI show that neurotrophic factors can affect neovascularization. Neurotrophic factors achieve proangiogenic effects not only by directly affecting endothelial cells, but also by recruiting hematopoietic precursors. Further understanding of the biology of angiogenic factors, as well as of the function of hematopoietic cells in tissue neovascularization, will lead to improved therapeutic strategies for the treatment of diseases ranging from ischemia to cancer. PMID:15765145

The role of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of panic disorder: evidence from neuroimaging studies

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Although the neurobiological mechanisms underlying panic disorder (PD) are not yet clearly understood, increasing amount of evidence from animal and human studies suggests that the amygdala, which plays a pivotal role in neural network of fear and anxiety, has an important role in the pathogenesis of PD. This article aims to (1) review the findings of structural, chemical, and functional neuroimaging studies on PD, (2) relate the amygdala to panic attacks and PD development, (3) discuss the possible causes of amygdalar abnormalities in PD, (4) and suggest directions for future research. PMID:23168129

Sexism and gender inequality across 57 societies.

PubMed

Brandt, Mark J

2011-11-01

Theory predicts that individuals' sexism serves to exacerbate inequality in their society's gender hierarchy. Past research, however, has provided only correlational evidence to support this hypothesis. In this study, I analyzed a large longitudinal data set that included representative data from 57 societies. Multilevel modeling showed that sexism directly predicted increases in gender inequality. This study provides the first evidence that sexist ideologies can create gender inequality within societies, and this finding suggests that sexism not only legitimizes the societal status quo, but also actively enhances the severity of the gender hierarchy. Three potential mechanisms for this effect are discussed briefly.

An off-axis galaxy cluster merger: Abell 0141

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caglar, Turgay

2018-04-01

We present structural analysis results of Abell 0141 (z = 0.23) based on X-ray data. The X-ray luminosity map demonstrates that Abell 0141 (A0141) is a bimodal galaxy cluster, which is separated on the sky by ˜0.65 Mpc with an elongation along the north-south direction. The optical galaxy density map also demonstrates this bimodality. We estimate sub-cluster ICM temperatures of 5.17^{+0.20}_{-0.19} keV for A0141N and 5.23^{+0.24}_{-0.23} keV for A0141S. We obtain X-ray morphological parameters w = 0.034 ± 0.004, c = 0.113 ± 0.004, and w = 0.039 ± 0.004, c = 0.104 ± 0.005 for A0141N and A0141S, respectively. The resulting X-ray morphological parameters indicate that both sub-clusters are moderately disturbed non-cool core structures. We find a slight brightness jump in the bridge region, and yet, there is still an absence of strong X-ray emitting gas between sub-clusters. We discover a significantly hotspot (˜10 keV) between sub-clusters, and a Mach number M = 1.69^{+0.40}_{-0.37} is obtained by using the temperature jump condition. However, we did not find direct evidence for shock-heating between sub-clusters. We estimate the sub-clusters' central entropies as K0 > 100 keV cm2, which indicates that the sub-clusters are not cool cores. We find some evidence that the system undergoes an off-axis collision; however, the cores of each sub-clusters have not yet been destroyed. Due to the orientation of X-ray tails of sub-clusters, we suggest that the northern sub-cluster moves through the south-west direction, and the southern cluster moves through the north-east direction. In conclusion, we are witnessing an earlier phase of close core passage between sub-clusters.

Color-Word Stroop test performance across the adult life span.

PubMed

Uttl, B; Graf, P

1997-06-01

In the Color-Word Stroop test (CWST), the basic task is to name the ink color of rows of XXXs, and performance in this condition is compared with performance in naming the ink-color of color words under conditions where word meanings and ink colors mismatch or are incongruent (e.g., the word red printed in green ink). The present study investigated whether Stroop test interference, defined as the cost associated with ink-color naming in the incongruous stimulus condition versus in the basic color-naming condition, provides positive evidence for a kind of processing qualitatively different than that which is required for color naming or for word reading. Does the pattern of age-related differences in Stroop interference force the conclusion that the incongruous condition taps a qualitatively different kind of processing than that required for color naming or for word reading? We gave the CWST to 310 healthy adults. Their performance in each condition of the test replicates and extends previous findings. Structural equation modeling of the data showed a significant, direct link between age and performance in the latent factor associated with the incongruent condition. However, this direct link with age produced a relatively small increase in the model's fit; it amounted to only a .024 increase in the proportion of variance explained in the incongruent condition. In light of this small direct influence due to age, the most parsimonious explanation of our findings is that age effects in Stroop interference are due to age-related slowing (which is also indexed by color naming and by word reading) primarily; the findings do not provide evidence for a qualitatively different kind of processing that declines with age.

A mixed-methods approach to systematic reviews.

PubMed

Pearson, Alan; White, Heath; Bath-Hextall, Fiona; Salmond, Susan; Apostolo, Joao; Kirkpatrick, Pamela

2015-09-01

There are an increasing number of published single-method systematic reviews that focus on different types of evidence related to a particular topic. As policy makers and practitioners seek clear directions for decision-making from systematic reviews, it is likely that it will be increasingly difficult for them to identify 'what to do' if they are required to find and understand a plethora of syntheses related to a particular topic.Mixed-methods systematic reviews are designed to address this issue and have the potential to produce systematic reviews of direct relevance to policy makers and practitioners.On the basis of the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute International Mixed Methods Reviews Methodology Group in 2012, the Institute adopted a segregated approach to mixed-methods synthesis as described by Sandelowski et al., which consists of separate syntheses of each component method of the review. Joanna Briggs Institute's mixed-methods synthesis of the findings of the separate syntheses uses a Bayesian approach to translate the findings of the initial quantitative synthesis into qualitative themes and pooling these with the findings of the initial qualitative synthesis.

Direct evidence of an elongation factor-Tu/Ts·GTP·Aminoacyl-tRNA quaternary complex.

PubMed

Burnett, Benjamin J; Altman, Roger B; Ferguson, Angelica; Wasserman, Michael R; Zhou, Zhou; Blanchard, Scott C

2014-08-22

During protein synthesis, elongation factor-Tu (EF-Tu) bound to GTP chaperones the entry of aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) into actively translating ribosomes. In so doing, EF-Tu increases the rate and fidelity of the translation mechanism. Recent evidence suggests that EF-Ts, the guanosine nucleotide exchange factor for EF-Tu, directly accelerates both the formation and dissociation of the EF-Tu-GTP-Phe-tRNA(Phe) ternary complex (Burnett, B. J., Altman, R. B., Ferrao, R., Alejo, J. L., Kaur, N., Kanji, J., and Blanchard, S. C. (2013) J. Biol. Chem. 288, 13917-13928). A central feature of this model is the existence of a quaternary complex of EF-Tu/Ts·GTP·aa-tRNA(aa). Here, through comparative investigations of phenylalanyl, methionyl, and arginyl ternary complexes, and the development of a strategy to monitor their formation and decay using fluorescence resonance energy transfer, we reveal the generality of this newly described EF-Ts function and the first direct evidence of the transient quaternary complex species. These findings suggest that EF-Ts may regulate ternary complex abundance in the cell through mechanisms that are distinct from its guanosine nucleotide exchange factor functions. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Black-white metropolitan segregation and self-rated health: Investigating the role of neighborhood poverty.

PubMed

Do, D Phuong; Frank, Reanne; Iceland, John

2017-08-01

While black-white segregation has been consistently linked to detrimental health outcomes for blacks, whether segregation is necessarily a zero-sum arrangement in which some groups accrue health advantages at the expense of other groups and whether metropolitan segregation impacts the health of racial groups uniformly within the metropolitan area, remains unclear. Using nationally representative data from the 2008-2013 National Health Interview Survey linked to Census data, we investigate whether the association between metropolitan segregation and health is invariant within the metropolitan area or whether it is modified by neighborhood poverty for black and white Americans. In doing so, we assess the extent to which segregation involves direct health tradeoffs between blacks and whites. We conduct race-stratified multinomial and logistic regression models to assess the relationship between 1) segregation and level of neighborhood poverty and 2) segregation, neighborhood poverty, and poor health, respectively. We find that, for blacks, segregation was associated with a higher likelihood of residing in high poverty neighborhoods, net of individual-level socioeconomic characteristics. Segregation was positively associated with poor health for blacks in high poverty neighborhoods, but not for those in lower poverty neighborhoods. Hence, the self-rated health of blacks clearly suffers as a result of black-white segregation - both directly, and indirectly through exposure to high poverty neighborhoods. We do not find consistent evidence for a direct relationship between segregation and poor health for whites. However, we find some suggestive evidence that segregation may indirectly benefit whites through decreasing their exposure to high poverty environments. These findings underscore the critical role of concentrated disadvantage in the complex interconnection between metropolitan segregation and health. Weakening the link between racial segregation and concentrated poverty via local policy and planning has the potential for broad population-based health improvements and significant reductions in black-white health disparities. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Laboratory Studies of Cometary Materials - Continuity Between Asteroid and Comet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Messenger, Scott; Walker, Robert M.

2015-01-01

Laboratory analysis of cometary samples have been enabled by collection of cometary dust in the stratosphere by high altitude aircraft and by the direct sampling of the comet Wild-2 coma by the NASA Stardust spacecraft. Cometary materials are composed of a complex assemblage of highly primitive, unprocessed interstellar and primordial solar system materials as well as a variety of high temperature phases that must have condensed in the inner regions of the protoplanetary disk. These findings support and contradict conclusions of comet properties based solely on astronomical observations. These sample return missions have instead shown that there is a continuity of properties between comets and asteroids, where both types of materials show evidence for primitive and processed materials. Furthermore, these findings underscore the importance and value of direct sample return. There will be great value in comparing the findings of the Stardust cometary coma sample return mission with those of future asteroid surface sample returns OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa II as well as future comet nucleus sample returns.

Stress and asthma: novel insights on genetic, epigenetic, and immunologic mechanisms.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Stacy L; Miller, Gregory E; Brehm, John M; Celedón, Juan C

2014-11-01

In the United States the economically disadvantaged and some ethnic minorities are often exposed to chronic psychosocial stressors and disproportionately affected by asthma. Current evidence suggests a causal association between chronic psychosocial stress and asthma or asthma morbidity. Recent findings suggest potential mechanisms underlying this association, including changes in the methylation and expression of genes that regulate behavioral, autonomic, neuroendocrine, and immunologic responses to stress. There is also evidence suggesting the existence of susceptibility genes that predispose chronically stressed youth to both post-traumatic stress disorder and asthma. In this review we critically examine published evidence and suggest future directions for research in this field. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Facilitating Involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous During Outpatient Treatment: A Randomized Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Walitzer, Kimberly S.; Dermen, Kurt H.; Barrick, Christopher

2009-01-01

AIM This study evaluated two strategies to facilitate involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) – a 12-step-based directive approach and a motivational enhancement approach – during skills-focused individual treatment. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial with assessments at baseline, end of treatment, and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after treatment. PARTICIPANTS, SETTING, and INTERVENTION 169 alcoholic outpatients (57 women) randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a directive approach to facilitating AA, a motivational enhancement approach to facilitating AA, or treatment as usual with no special emphasis on AA. MEASUREMENTS Self-report of AA meeting attendance and involvement, alcohol consumption (percent days abstinent, percent days heavy drinking), and negative alcohol consequences. FINDINGS Participants exposed to the 12-step directive condition for facilitating AA involvement reported more AA meeting attendance, more evidence of active involvement in AA, and a higher percent days abstinent relative to participants in the treatment-as-usual comparison group. Evidence suggested also that the effect of the directive strategy on abstinent days was partially mediated through AA involvement. The motivational enhancement approach to facilitating AA had no effect on outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that treatment providers can use a 12-step-based directive approach to effectively facilitate involvement in AA and thereby improve client outcome. PMID:19207347

Phytoliths in Pottery Reveal the Use of Spice in European Prehistoric Cuisine

PubMed Central

Saul, Hayley; Madella, Marco; Fischer, Anders; Glykou, Aikaterini; Hartz, Sönke; Craig, Oliver E.

2013-01-01

Here we present evidence of phytoliths preserved in carbonised food deposits on prehistoric pottery from the western Baltic dating from 6,100 cal BP to 5750 cal BP. Based on comparisons to over 120 European and Asian species, our observations are consistent with phytolith morphologies observed in modern garlic mustard seed (Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb) Cavara & Grande). As this seed has a strong flavour, little nutritional value, and the phytoliths are found in pots along with terrestrial and marine animal residues, these findings are the first direct evidence for the spicing of food in European prehistoric cuisine. Our evidence suggests a much greater antiquity to the spicing of foods than is evident from the macrofossil record, and challenges the view that plants were exploited by hunter-gatherers and early agriculturalists solely for energy requirements, rather than taste. PMID:23990910

Seeing direct and averted gaze activates the approach-avoidance motivational brain systems.

PubMed

Hietanen, Jari K; Leppänen, Jukka M; Peltola, Mikko J; Linna-Aho, Kati; Ruuhiala, Heidi J

2008-01-01

Gaze direction is known to be an important factor in regulating social interaction. Recent evidence suggests that direct and averted gaze can signal the sender's motivational tendencies of approach and avoidance, respectively. We aimed at determining whether seeing another person's direct vs. averted gaze has an influence on the observer's neural approach-avoidance responses. We also examined whether it would make a difference if the participants were looking at the face of a real person or a picture. Measurements of hemispheric asymmetry in the frontal electroencephalographic activity indicated that another person's direct gaze elicited a relative left-sided frontal EEG activation (indicative of a tendency to approach), whereas averted gaze activated right-sided asymmetry (indicative of avoidance). Skin conductance responses were larger to faces than to control objects and to direct relative to averted gaze, indicating that faces, in general, and faces with direct gaze, in particular, elicited more intense autonomic activation and strength of the motivational tendencies than did control stimuli. Gaze direction also influenced subjective ratings of emotional arousal and valence. However, all these effects were observed only when participants were facing a real person, not when looking at a picture of a face. This finding was suggested to be due to the motivational responses to gaze direction being activated in the context of enhanced self-awareness by the presence of another person. The present results, thus, provide direct evidence that eye contact and gaze aversion between two persons influence the neural mechanisms regulating basic motivational-emotional responses and differentially activate the motivational approach-avoidance brain systems.

Loss for photoemission versus gain for Auger: Direct experimental evidence of crystal-field splitting and charge transfer in photoelectron spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Woicik, J. C.; Weiland, C.; Rumaiz, A. K.

2015-05-29

Here, we find a 5 eV satellite in the Ti1s photoelectron spectrum of the transition-metal oxide SrTiO 3. This satellite appears in addition to the well-studied 13 eV structure that is typically associated with the Ti2p core line. We give direct experimental evidence that the presence of two satellites is due to the crystal-field splitting of the metal 3d orbitals. They originate from ligand 2pt 2g → metal3dt 2g and ligand 2pe g → metal 3de g monopole charge-transfer excitations within the sudden approximation of quantum mechanics. This assignment is made by the energetics of the resonant and high-energy thresholdmore » behaviors of the TiK–L 2L 3 Auger decay that follows Ti1s photoionization.« less

First direct evidence of a vertebrate three-level trophic chain in the fossil record

PubMed Central

Kriwet, Jürgen; Witzmann, Florian; Klug, Stefanie; Heidtke, Ulrich H.J

2007-01-01

We describe the first known occurrence of a Permian shark specimen preserving two temnospondyl amphibians in its digestive tract as well as the remains of an acanthodian fish, which was ingested by one of the temnospondyls. This exceptional find provides for the first time direct evidence of a vertebrate three-level food chain in the fossil record with the simultaneous preservation of three trophic levels. Our analysis shows that small-sized Lower Permian xenacanthid sharks of the genus Triodus preyed on larval piscivorous amphibians. The recorded trophic interaction can be explained by the adaptation of certain xenacanthids to fully freshwater environments and the fact that in these same environments, large temnospondyls occupied the niche of modern crocodiles. This unique faunal association has not been documented after the Permian and Triassic. Therefore, this Palaeozoic three-level food chain provides strong and independent support for changes in aquatic trophic chain structures through time. PMID:17971323

First direct evidence of a vertebrate three-level trophic chain in the fossil record.

PubMed

Kriwet, Jürgen; Witzmann, Florian; Klug, Stefanie; Heidtke, Ulrich H J

2008-01-22

We describe the first known occurrence of a Permian shark specimen preserving two temnospondyl amphibians in its digestive tract as well as the remains of an acanthodian fish, which was ingested by one of the temnospondyls. This exceptional find provides for the first time direct evidence of a vertebrate three-level food chain in the fossil record with the simultaneous preservation of three trophic levels. Our analysis shows that small-sized Lower Permian xenacanthid sharks of the genus Triodus preyed on larval piscivorous amphibians. The recorded trophic interaction can be explained by the adaptation of certain xenacanthids to fully freshwater environments and the fact that in these same environments, large temnospondyls occupied the niche of modern crocodiles. This unique faunal association has not been documented after the Permian and Triassic. Therefore, this Palaeozoic three-level food chain provides strong and independent support for changes in aquatic trophic chain structures through time.

Amplitude tests of direct channel resonances: The dibaryon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, G. R.; Moravosik, M. J.; Arash, F.

1985-02-01

A recently formulated polarization amplitude test for the existence of one-particle-exchange mechanisms is modified to deal with direct-channel resonances. The results are applied to proton-proton elastic scattering at and around 800 MeV to test the suggested existence of a dibaryon resonance. This test is sensitive to somewhat different circumstances and parameters than the methods used in the past to find dibaryon resonances. The evidence, on the basis of the SAID data set, is negative for a resonance in any singlet partial wave, but is tantalizingly subliminal for a 3F3 resonance.

Amplitude tests of direct channel resonances: the dibaryon

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

Goldstein, G.R.; Moravcsik, M.J.; Arash, F.

A recently formulated polarization amplitude test for the existence of one-particle-exchange mechanisms is modified to deal with direct-channel resonances. The results are applied to proton-proton elastic scattering at and around 800 MeV to test the suggested existence of a dibaryon resonance. This test is sensitive to somewhat different circumstances and parameters than the methods used in the past to find dibaryon resonances. The evidence, on the basis of the SAID data set, is negative for a resonance in any singlet partial wave, but is tantalizingly subliminal for a /sup 3/F/sub 3/ resonance. 7 refs., 4 figs.

Who chooses a consumer-directed health plan?

PubMed

Barry, Colleen L; Cullen, Mark R; Galusha, Deron; Slade, Martin D; Busch, Susan H

2008-01-01

Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) hold the promise of reining in health spending by giving consumers a greater stake in health care purchasing, yet little is known about employers' experience with these products. In examining the characteristics of those selecting a CDHP offered by one large employer, we found stronger evidence of selection than has been identified in prior research. Our findings suggest that in the context of plan choice, CDHPs may offer little opportunity to greatly lower employers' cost burden, and they highlight concerns about the potential for risk segmentation and the value of conferring preferential tax treatment to CDHPs.

Who Chooses A Consumer-Directed Health Plan?

PubMed Central

Barry, Colleen L.; Cullen, Mark R.; Galusha, Deron; Slade, Martin D.; Busch, Susan H.

2012-01-01

Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) hold the promise of reining in health spending by giving consumers a greater stake in health care purchasing, yet little is known about employers’ experience with these products. In examining the characteristics of those selecting a CDHP offered by one large employer, we found stronger evidence of selection than has been identified in prior research. Our findings suggest that in the context of plan choice, CDHPs may offer little opportunity to greatly lower employers’ cost burden, and they highlight concerns about the potential for risk segmentation and the value of conferring preferential tax treatment to CDHPs. PMID:18997225

A lower bound on the number of cosmic ray events required to measure source catalogue correlations

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

Dolci, Marco; Romero-Wolf, Andrew; Wissel, Stephanie, E-mail: marco.dolci@polito.it, E-mail: Andrew.Romero-Wolf@jpl.nasa.gov, E-mail: swissel@calpoly.edu

2016-10-01

Recent analyses of cosmic ray arrival directions have resulted in evidence for a positive correlation with active galactic nuclei positions that has weak significance against an isotropic source distribution. In this paper, we explore the sample size needed to measure a highly statistically significant correlation to a parent source catalogue. We compare several scenarios for the directional scattering of ultra-high energy cosmic rays given our current knowledge of the galactic and intergalactic magnetic fields. We find significant correlations are possible for a sample of >1000 cosmic ray protons with energies above 60 EeV.

Epigenetic mechanisms in sexual differentiation of the brain and behaviour.

PubMed

Forger, Nancy G

2016-02-19

Circumstantial evidence alone argues that the establishment and maintenance of sex differences in the brain depend on epigenetic modifications of chromatin structure. More direct evidence has recently been obtained from two types of studies: those manipulating a particular epigenetic mechanism, and those examining the genome-wide distribution of specific epigenetic marks. The manipulation of histone acetylation or DNA methylation disrupts the development of several neural sex differences in rodents. Taken together, however, the evidence suggests there is unlikely to be a simple formula for masculine or feminine development of the brain and behaviour; instead, underlying epigenetic mechanisms may vary by brain region or even by dependent variable within a region. Whole-genome studies related to sex differences in the brain have only very recently been reported, but suggest that males and females may use different combinations of epigenetic modifications to control gene expression, even in cases where gene expression does not differ between the sexes. Finally, recent findings are discussed that are likely to direct future studies on the role of epigenetic mechanisms in sexual differentiation of the brain and behaviour. © 2016 The Author(s).

Work and its role in shaping the social gradient in health

PubMed Central

Clougherty, Jane E.; Souza, Kerry; Cullen, Mark R.

2013-01-01

Adults with better jobs enjoy better health: job title was, in fact, the social gradient metric first used to study the relationship between social class and chronic disease etiology, a core finding now replicated in most developed countries. What has been less well proved is whether this correlation is causal, and if so, through what mechanisms. During the past decade, much research has been directed at these issues.Best evidence in2009 suggests that occupation does affect health. Most recent research on the relationship has been directed at disentangling the pathways through which lower-status work leads to adverse health outcomes. This review focuses on six areas of recent progress: (1) the role of status in a hierarchical occupational system; (2) the roles of psychosocial job stressors; (3) effects of workplace physical and chemical hazard exposures; (4) evidence that work organization matters as a contextual factor; (5) implications for the gradient of new forms of nonstandard or “precarious” employment such as contract and shift work; and (6) emerging evidence that women may be impacted differently by adverse working conditions, and possibly more strongly, than men. PMID:20201870

Work and its role in shaping the social gradient in health.

PubMed

Clougherty, Jane E; Souza, Kerry; Cullen, Mark R

2010-02-01

Adults with better jobs enjoy better health: job title was, in fact, the social gradient metric first used to study the relationship between social class and chronic disease etiology, a core finding now replicated in most developed countries. What has been less well proved is whether this correlation is causal, and if so, through what mechanisms. During the past decade, much research has been directed at these issues. Best evidence in 2009 suggests that occupation does affect health. Most recent research on the relationship has been directed at disentangling the pathways through which lower-status work leads to adverse health outcomes. This review focuses on six areas of recent progress: (1) the role of status in a hierarchical occupational system; (2) the roles of psychosocial job stressors; (3) effects of workplace physical and chemical hazard exposures; (4) evidence that work organization matters as a contextual factor; (5) implications for the gradient of new forms of nonstandard or "precarious" employment such as contract and shift work; and (6) emerging evidence that women may be impacted differently by adverse working conditions, and possibly more strongly, than men.

Latino Adolescents’ Perceived Discrimination in Online and Offline Settings: An Examination of Cultural Risk and Protective Factors

PubMed Central

Umaña-Taylor, Adriana J.; Tynes, Brendesha M.; Toomey, Russell B.; Williams, David R.; Mitchell, Kimberly J.

2015-01-01

Guided by a risk and resilience framework, the current study examined the associations between Latino adolescents’ (n = 219; Mage 14.35; SD = 1.75) perceptions of ethnic discrimination in multiple settings (e.g., online, school) and several domains of adjustment (e.g., mental health, academic), and tested whether developmentally salient cultural assets (i.e., ethnic identity) directly promoted youth adjustment or moderated the negative impact of discrimination on adjustment. Each of the 3 ethnic identity components (i.e., exploration, resolution, affirmation) demonstrated evidence of promoting positive outcomes among Latino youth; furthermore, there was some evidence that the promotive effects of affirmation and resolution were significantly stronger for older versus younger adolescents. In addition, with the exception of experiences with discrimination from adults outside of the school setting, there was evidence of ethnic identity interacting with each type of discrimination to predict Latino adolescents’ self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and externalizing problems. Findings suggest directions for future research and identify potential targets for intervention that may prove fruitful in programming efforts with Latino adolescents. PMID:25546597

The locus of impairment in English developmental letter position dyslexia

PubMed Central

Kezilas, Yvette; Kohnen, Saskia; McKague, Meredith; Castles, Anne

2014-01-01

Many children with reading difficulties display phonological deficits and struggle to acquire non-lexical reading skills. However, not all children with reading difficulties have these problems, such as children with selective letter position dyslexia (LPD), who make excessive migration errors (such as reading slime as “smile”). Previous research has explored three possible loci for the deficit – the phonological output buffer, the orthographic input lexicon, and the orthographic-visual analysis stage of reading. While there is compelling evidence against a phonological output buffer and orthographic input lexicon deficit account of English LPD, the evidence in support of an orthographic-visual analysis deficit is currently limited. In this multiple single-case study with three English-speaking children with developmental LPD, we aimed to both replicate and extend previous findings regarding the locus of impairment in English LPD. First, we ruled out a phonological output buffer and an orthographic input lexicon deficit by administering tasks that directly assess phonological processing and lexical guessing. We then went on to directly assess whether or not children with LPD have an orthographic-visual analysis deficit by modifying two tasks that have previously been used to localize processing at this level: a same-different decision task and a non-word reading task. The results from these tasks indicate that LPD is most likely caused by a deficit specific to the coding of letter positions at the orthographic-visual analysis stage of reading. These findings provide further evidence for the heterogeneity of dyslexia and its underlying causes. PMID:24917802

Shared scientific thinking in everyday parent-child activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crowley, Kevin; Callanan, Maureen A.; Jipson, Jennifer L.; Galco, Jodi; Topping, Karen; Shrager, Jeff

2001-11-01

Current accounts of the development of scientific reasoning focus on individual children's ability to coordinate the collection and evaluation of evidence with the creation of theories to explain the evidence. This observational study of parent-child interactions in a children's museum demonstrated that parents shape and support children's scientific thinking in everyday, nonobligatory activity. When children engaged an exhibit with parents, their exploration of evidence was observed to be longer, broader, and more focused on relevant comparisons than children who engaged the exhibit without their parents. Parents were observed to talk to children about how to select and encode appropriate evidence and how to make direct comparisons between the most informative kinds of evidence. Parents also sometimes assumed the role of explainer by casting children's experience in causal terms, connecting the experience to prior knowledge, or introducing abstract principles. We discuss these findings with respect to two dimensions of children's scientific thinking: developments in evidence collection and developments in theory construction.

Interactions among the effects of head orientation, emotional expression, and physical attractiveness on face preferences.

PubMed

Main, Julie C; DeBruine, Lisa M; Little, Anthony C; Jones, Benedict C

2010-01-01

Previous studies have shown that preferences for direct versus averted gaze are modulated by emotional expressions and physical attractiveness. For example, preferences for direct gaze are stronger when judging happy or physically attractive faces than when judging disgusted or physically unattractive faces. Here we show that preferences for front versus three-quarter views of faces, in which gaze direction was always congruent with head orientation, are also modulated by emotional expressions and physical attractiveness; participants demonstrated preferences for front views of faces over three-quarter views of faces when judging the attractiveness of happy, physically attractive individuals, but not when judging the attractiveness of relatively unattractive individuals or those with disgusted expressions. Moreover, further analyses indicated that these interactions did not simply reflect differential perceptions of the intensity of the emotional expressions shown in each condition. Collectively, these findings present novel evidence that the effect of the direction of the attention of others on attractiveness judgments is modulated by cues to the physical attractiveness and emotional state of the depicted individual, potentially reflecting psychological adaptations for efficient allocation of social effort. These data also present the first behavioural evidence that the effect of the direction of the attention of others on attractiveness judgments reflects viewer-referenced, rather than face-referenced, coding and/or processing of gaze direction.

Impact of cost sharing on specialty drug utilization and outcomes: a review of the evidence and future directions.

PubMed

Doshi, Jalpa A; Li, Pengxiang; Ladage, Vrushabh P; Pettit, Amy R; Taylor, Erin A

2016-03-01

Specialty drugs often represent major medical advances for patients with few other effective options available, but high costs have attracted the attention of both payers and policy makers. We reviewed the evidence regarding the impact of cost sharing on utilization of specialty drugs indicated for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), and cancer, and on the use of nondrug medical services, health outcomes, and spending. Systematic review of Medline-indexed studies identified via an OVID search for articles published in English from 1995 to 2014, using combinations of terms for cost sharing and specialty drugs, and/or our 3 conditions of interest. We identified additional studies from reference lists. We identified 19 articles focusing on specialty drugs indicated for MS (n = 9), cancer (n = 8), and RA (n = 8). Studies examined prescription abandonment (n = 3), initiation or any utilization (n = 8), adherence (n = 9), persistence/discontinuation (n = 7), number of claims (n = 1), and drug spending (n = 1). Findings varied by disease, but generally indicated stronger effects for noninitiation or abandonment of a prescription at the pharmacy and somewhat smaller effects for refill behavior and drug spending once patients initiated therapy. Studies have not examined specialty tier cost sharing seen under Medicare Part D or health insurance exchanges, nor effects on medical utilization, spending, or health outcomes. Evidence to date generally indicates reductions in specialty drug utilization associated with higher cost sharing; effects have varied by type of disease and specialty drug use outcome. We draw upon our findings and the gaps in evidence to summarize future directions for research and policy.

Population genetics of mouse lemur vomeronasal receptors: current versus past selection and demographic inference.

PubMed

Hohenbrink, Philipp; Mundy, Nicholas I; Radespiel, Ute

2017-01-21

A major effort is underway to use population genetic approaches to identify loci involved in adaptation. One issue that has so far received limited attention is whether loci that show a phylogenetic signal of positive selection in the past also show evidence of ongoing positive selection at the population level. We address this issue using vomeronasal receptors (VRs), a diverse gene family in mammals involved in intraspecific communication and predator detection. In mouse lemurs, we previously demonstrated that both subfamilies of VRs (V1Rs and V2Rs) show a strong signal of directional selection in interspecific analyses. We predicted that ongoing sexual selection and/or co-evolution with predators may lead to current directional or balancing selection on VRs. Here, we re-sequence 17 VRs and perform a suite of selection and demographic analyses in sympatric populations of two species of mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus and M. ravelobensis) in northwestern Madagascar. M. ravelobensis had consistently higher genetic diversity at VRs than M. murinus. In general, we find little evidence for positive selection, with most loci evolving under purifying selection and one locus even showing evidence of functional loss in M. ravelobensis. However, a few loci in M. ravelobensis show potential evidence of positive selection. Using mismatch distributions and expansion models, we infer a more recent colonisation of the habitat by M. murinus than by M. ravelobensis, which most likely speciated in this region earlier on. These findings suggest that the analysis of VR variation is useful in inferring demographic and phylogeographic history of mouse lemurs. In conclusion, this study reveals a substantial heterogeneity over time in selection on VR loci, suggesting that VR evolution is episodic.

Current knowledge on Mycobacterium leprae transmission: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Bratschi, Martin W; Steinmann, Peter; Wickenden, Anna; Gillis, Thomas P

2015-06-01

Summary The transmission pathways of Mycobacterium leprae are not fully understood. Solid evidence exists for an increased risk for individuals living in close contact with leprosy patients but the existence of zoonotic leprosy, environmental reservoirs and trauma-related transmission has also been established. To assess the current state of knowledge on M. leprae transmission, we conducted a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature pertaining to this topic. Major electronic bibliographic databases were searched for relevant peer-reviewed articles published up to January 2014. No restrictions on study types, participants and location were applied, and all outcomes demonstrated to contribute to the transmission of M. leprae were considered. Included studies were grouped by mode of transmission, namely (i) human-to-human via aerosols or direct contact; (ii) direct inoculation (e.g. injury); and (iii) transmission to humans from environmental or zoonotic reservoirs, and by insects. The importance of the different transmission pathways and the strength of the evidence were assessed considering the number of publications describing similar findings, the consistency of the findings and the methodological quality of the studies. A total of 79 relevant articles were retained out of 3,805 hits resulting from the application of the search strategy. Solid evidence for transmission among contacts exists, and for zoonotic leprosy in the southern States of the USA. Based on the extant evidence, skin-to-skin contact, aerosols/droplets and shedding of bacteria into the environment and subsequent infection, e.g. through dust or small wounds, all remain possible options. No study has unequivocally demonstrated the mechanisms by which M. leprae bacteria travel from one case of leprosy to another.

Still No Evidence for the Encoding Variability Hypothesis: A Reply to Jang, Mickes, and Wixted (2012) and Starns, Rotello, and Ratcliff (2012)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koen, Joshua D.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

2013-01-01

Koen and Yonelinas (2010) contrasted the recollection and encoding variability accounts of the finding that old items are associated with more variable memory strength than new items. The study indicated that (a) increasing encoding variability did not lead to increased measures of old item variance, and (b) old item variance was directly related…

Cross-National Evidence of the Effects of Foreign Investment and Aid on Economic Growth and Inequality: A Survey of Findings and a Reanalysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bornschier, Volker; And Others

1978-01-01

Reviews foreign investment studies to discover relationships between investment, economic growth, and inequality. Direct foreign aid has (1) increased economic inequality within countries; (2) increased the relative rate of economic growth on a short-term basis; and (3) decreased the relative rate of economic growth on a long-term basis.…

Consistency between direct and indirect trial evidence: is direct evidence always more reliable?

PubMed

Madan, Jason; Stevenson, Matt D; Cooper, Katy L; Ades, A E; Whyte, Sophie; Akehurst, Ron

2011-01-01

To present a case study involving the reduction in incidence of febrile neutropenia (FN) after chemotherapy with granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs), illustrating difficulties that may arise when following the common preference for direct evidence over indirect evidence. Evidence of the efficacy of treatments was identified from two previous systematic reviews. We used Bayesian evidence synthesis to estimate relative treatment effects based on direct evidence, indirect evidence, and both pooled together. We checked for inconsistency between direct and indirect evidence and explored the role of one specific trial using cross-validation. A subsequent review identified further studies not available at the time of the original analysis. We repeated the analyses on the enlarged evidence base. We found substantial inconsistency in the original evidence base. The median odds ratio of FN for primary pegfilgrastim versus no primary G-CSF was 0.06 (95% credible interval: 0.02-0.19) based on direct evidence, but 0.27 (95% credible interval: 0.13-0.53) based on indirect evidence (P value for consistency hypothesis 0.027). The additional trials were consistent with the earlier indirect, rather than the direct, evidence, and there was no inconsistency between direct and indirect estimates in the updated evidence. The earlier inconsistency was due to one trial comparing primary pegfilgrastim with no primary G-CSF. Predictive cross-validation showed that this study was inconsistent with the evidence as a whole and with other trials making this comparison. Both the Cochrane Handbook and the NICE Methods Guide express a preference for direct evidence. A more robust strategy, which is in line with the accepted principles of evidence synthesis, would be to combine all relevant and appropriate information, whether direct or indirect. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic instruments for obesity prevention: results of a scoping review and modified Delphi survey.

PubMed

Faulkner, Guy E J; Grootendorst, Paul; Nguyen, Van Hai; Andreyeva, Tatiana; Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Kelly; Auld, M Christopher; Cash, Sean B; Cawley, John; Donnelly, Peter; Drewnowski, Adam; Dubé, Laurette; Ferrence, Roberta; Janssen, Ian; Lafrance, Jeffrey; Lakdawalla, Darius; Mendelsen, Rena; Powell, Lisa M; Traill, W Bruce; Windmeijer, Frank

2011-10-06

Comprehensive, multi-level approaches are required to address obesity. One important target for intervention is the economic domain. The purpose of this study was to synthesize existing evidence regarding the impact of economic policies targeting obesity and its causal behaviours (diet, physical activity), and to make specific recommendations for the Canadian context. Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) methodological framework for conducting scoping reviews was adopted for this study and this consisted of two phases: 1) a structured literature search and review, and 2) consultation with experts in the research field through a Delphi survey and an in-person expert panel meeting in April 2010. Two key findings from the scoping review included 1) consistent evidence that weight outcomes are responsive to food and beverage prices. The debate on the use of food taxes and subsidies to address obesity should now shift to how best to address practical issues in designing such policies; and 2) very few studies have examined the impact of economic instruments to promote physical activity and clear policy recommendations cannot be made at this time. Delphi survey findings emphasised the relatively modest impact any specific economic instrument would have on obesity independently. Based on empirical evidence and expert opinion, three recommendations were supported. First, to create and implement an effective health filter to review new and current agricultural polices to reduce the possibility that such policies have a deleterious impact on population rates of obesity. Second, to implement a caloric sweetened beverage tax. Third, to examine how to implement fruit and vegetable subsidies targeted at children and low income households. In terms of economic interventions, shifting from empirical evidence to policy recommendation remains challenging. Overall, the evidence is not sufficiently strong to provide clear policy direction. Additionally, the nature of the experiments needed to provide definitive evidence supporting certain policy directions is likely to be complex and potentially unfeasible. However, these are not reasons to take no action. It is likely that policies need to be implemented in the face of an incomplete evidence base.

Economic instruments for obesity prevention: results of a scoping review and modified delphi survey

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Comprehensive, multi-level approaches are required to address obesity. One important target for intervention is the economic domain. The purpose of this study was to synthesize existing evidence regarding the impact of economic policies targeting obesity and its causal behaviours (diet, physical activity), and to make specific recommendations for the Canadian context. Methods Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) methodological framework for conducting scoping reviews was adopted for this study and this consisted of two phases: 1) a structured literature search and review, and 2) consultation with experts in the research field through a Delphi survey and an in-person expert panel meeting in April 2010. Results Two key findings from the scoping review included 1) consistent evidence that weight outcomes are responsive to food and beverage prices. The debate on the use of food taxes and subsidies to address obesity should now shift to how best to address practical issues in designing such policies; and 2) very few studies have examined the impact of economic instruments to promote physical activity and clear policy recommendations cannot be made at this time. Delphi survey findings emphasised the relatively modest impact any specific economic instrument would have on obesity independently. Based on empirical evidence and expert opinion, three recommendations were supported. First, to create and implement an effective health filter to review new and current agricultural polices to reduce the possibility that such policies have a deleterious impact on population rates of obesity. Second, to implement a caloric sweetened beverage tax. Third, to examine how to implement fruit and vegetable subsidies targeted at children and low income households. Conclusions In terms of economic interventions, shifting from empirical evidence to policy recommendation remains challenging. Overall, the evidence is not sufficiently strong to provide clear policy direction. Additionally, the nature of the experiments needed to provide definitive evidence supporting certain policy directions is likely to be complex and potentially unfeasible. However, these are not reasons to take no action. It is likely that policies need to be implemented in the face of an incomplete evidence base. PMID:21978599

Epidemiological findings of major chemical attacks in the Syrian war are consistent with civilian targeting: a short report.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Llanes, Jose M; Guha-Sapir, Debarati; Schlüter, Benjamin-Samuel; Hicks, Madelyn Hsiao-Rei

2018-01-01

Evidence of use of toxic gas chemical weapons in the Syrian war has been reported by governmental and non-governmental international organizations since the war started in March 2011. To date, the profiles of victims of the largest chemical attacks in Syria remain unknown. In this study, we used descriptive epidemiological analysis to describe demographic characteristics of victims of the largest chemical weapons attacks in the Syrian war. We analysed conflict-related, direct deaths from chemical weapons recorded in non-government-controlled areas by the Violation Documentation Center, occurring from March 18, 2011 to April 10, 2017, with complete information on the victim's date and place of death, cause and demographic group. 'Major' chemical weapons events were defined as events causing ten or more direct deaths. As of April 10, 2017, a total of 1206 direct deaths meeting inclusion criteria were recorded in the dataset from all chemical weapons attacks regardless of size. Five major chemical weapons attacks caused 1084 of these documented deaths. Civilians comprised the majority ( n  = 1058, 97.6%) of direct deaths from major chemical weapons attacks in Syria and combatants comprised a minority of 2.4% ( n  = 26). In the first three major chemical weapons attacks, which occurred in 2013, children comprised 13%-14% of direct deaths, ranging in numbers from 2 deaths among 14 to 117 deaths among 923. Children comprised higher proportions of direct deaths in later major chemical weapons attacks, forming 21% ( n  = 7) of 33 deaths in the 2016 major attack and 34.8% ( n  = 32) of 92 deaths in the 2017 major attack. Our finding of an extreme disparity in direct deaths from major chemical weapons attacks in Syria, with 97.6% of victims being civilians and only 2.4% being combatants provides evidence that major chemical weapons attacks were indiscriminate or targeted civilians directly; both violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Identifying and quantifying chemical weapons violations requires inter-disciplinary collaboration to inform international policy, humanitarian intervention and legal action.

Field experiment evidence of substantive, attributional, and behavioral persuasion by members of Congress in online town halls.

PubMed

Minozzi, William; Neblo, Michael A; Esterling, Kevin M; Lazer, David M J

2015-03-31

Do leaders persuade? Social scientists have long studied the relationship between elite behavior and mass opinion. However, there is surprisingly little evidence regarding direct persuasion by leaders. Here we show that political leaders can persuade their constituents directly on three dimensions: substantive attitudes regarding policy issues, attributions regarding the leaders' qualities, and subsequent voting behavior. We ran two randomized controlled field experiments testing the causal effects of directly interacting with a sitting politician. Our experiments consist of 20 online town hall meetings with members of Congress conducted in 2006 and 2008. Study 1 examined 19 small meetings with members of the House of Representatives (average 20 participants per town hall). Study 2 examined a large (175 participants) town hall with a senator. In both experiments we find that participating has significant and substantively important causal effects on all three dimensions of persuasion but no such effects on issues that were not discussed extensively in the sessions. Further, persuasion was not driven solely by changes in copartisans' attitudes; the effects were consistent across groups.

Modeling the impact of transport energy consumption on CO2 emission in Pakistan: Evidence from ARDL approach.

PubMed

Danish; Baloch, Muhammad Awais; Suad, Shah

2018-04-01

The objective of this research is to examine the relationship between transport energy consumption, economic growth, and carbon dioxide emission (CO 2 ) from transport sector incorporating foreign direct investment and urbanization. This study is carried out in Pakistan by applying autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) and vector error correction model (VECM) over 1990-2015. The empirical results indicate a strong significant impact of transport energy consumption on CO 2 emissions from the transportation sector. Furthermore, foreign direct investment also contributes to CO 2 emission. Interestingly, the impact of economic growth and urbanization on transport CO 2 emission is statistically insignificant. Overall, transport energy consumption and foreign direct investment are not environmentally friendly. The new empirical evidence from this study provides a complete picture of the determinants of emissions from the transport sector and these novel findings not only help to advance the existing literature but also can be of special interest to the country's policymakers. So, we urge that government needs to focus on promoting the energy efficient means of transportation to improve environmental quality with less adverse influence on economic growth.

Field experiment evidence of substantive, attributional, and behavioral persuasion by members of Congress in online town halls

PubMed Central

Minozzi, William; Neblo, Michael A.; Esterling, Kevin M.; Lazer, David M. J.

2015-01-01

Do leaders persuade? Social scientists have long studied the relationship between elite behavior and mass opinion. However, there is surprisingly little evidence regarding direct persuasion by leaders. Here we show that political leaders can persuade their constituents directly on three dimensions: substantive attitudes regarding policy issues, attributions regarding the leaders’ qualities, and subsequent voting behavior. We ran two randomized controlled field experiments testing the causal effects of directly interacting with a sitting politician. Our experiments consist of 20 online town hall meetings with members of Congress conducted in 2006 and 2008. Study 1 examined 19 small meetings with members of the House of Representatives (average 20 participants per town hall). Study 2 examined a large (175 participants) town hall with a senator. In both experiments we find that participating has significant and substantively important causal effects on all three dimensions of persuasion but no such effects on issues that were not discussed extensively in the sessions. Further, persuasion was not driven solely by changes in copartisans’ attitudes; the effects were consistent across groups. PMID:25775516

The nucleolus directly regulates p53 export and degradation.

PubMed

Boyd, Mark T; Vlatkovic, Nikolina; Rubbi, Carlos P

2011-09-05

The correlation between stress-induced nucleolar disruption and abrogation of p53 degradation is evident after a wide variety of cellular stresses. This link may be caused by steps in p53 regulation occurring in nucleoli, as suggested by some biochemical evidence. Alternatively, nucleolar disruption also causes redistribution of nucleolar proteins, potentially altering their interactions with p53 and/or MDM2. This raises the fundamental question of whether the nucleolus controls p53 directly, i.e., as a site where p53 regulatory processes occur, or indirectly, i.e., by determining the cellular localization of p53/MDM2-interacting factors. In this work, transport experiments based on heterokaryons, photobleaching, and micronucleation demonstrate that p53 regulatory events are directly regulated by nucleoli and are dependent on intact nucleolar structure and function. Subcellular fractionation and nucleolar isolation revealed a distribution of ubiquitylated p53 that supports these findings. In addition, our results indicate that p53 is exported by two pathways: one stress sensitive and one stress insensitive, the latter being regulated by activities present in the nucleolus.

How the embryonic brain tube twists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zi; Guo, Qiaohang; Forsch, Nickolas; Taber, Larry

2014-03-01

During early development, the tubular brain of the chick embryo undergoes a combination of progressive ventral bending and rightward torsion. This deformation is one of the major organ-level symmetry-breaking events in development. Available evidence suggests that bending is caused by differential growth, but the mechanism for torsion remains poorly understood. Since the heart almost always loops in the same direction that the brain twists, researchers have speculated that heart looping affects the direction of brain torsion. However, direct evidence is virtually nonexistent, nor is the mechanical origin of such torsion understood. In our study, experimental perturbations show that the bending and torsional deformations in the brain are coupled and that the vitelline membrane applies an external load necessary for torsion to occur. In addition, the asymmetry of the looping heart gives rise to the chirality of the twisted brain. A computational model is used to interpret these findings. Our work clarifies the mechanical origins of brain torsion and the associated left-right asymmetry, reminiscent of D'Arcy Thompson's view of biological form as ``diagram of forces''.

Sleep directly following learning benefits consolidation of spatial associative memory.

PubMed

Talamini, Lucia M; Nieuwenhuis, Ingrid L C; Takashima, Atsuko; Jensen, Ole

2008-04-01

The last decade has brought forth convincing evidence for a role of sleep in non-declarative memory. A similar function of sleep in episodic memory is supported by various correlational studies, but direct evidence is limited. Here we show that cued recall of face-location associations is significantly higher following a 12-h retention interval containing sleep than following an equally long period of waking. Furthermore, retention is significantly higher over a 24-h sleep-wake interval than over an equally long wake-sleep interval. This difference occurs because retention during sleep was significantly better when sleep followed learning directly, rather than after a day of waking. These data demonstrate a beneficial effect of sleep on memory that cannot be explained solely as a consequence of reduced interference. Rather, our findings suggest a competitive consolidation process, in which the fate of a memory depends, at least in part, on its relative stability at sleep onset: Strong memories tend to be preserved, while weaker memories erode still further. An important aspect of memory consolidation may thus result from the removal of irrelevant memory "debris."

Direct evidence for a magnetic f-electron–mediated pairing mechanism of heavy-fermion superconductivity in CeCoIn5

PubMed Central

Van Dyke, John S.; Massee, Freek; Allan, Milan P.; Davis, J. C. Séamus; Petrovic, Cedomir; Morr, Dirk K.

2014-01-01

To identify the microscopic mechanism of heavy-fermion Cooper pairing is an unresolved challenge in quantum matter studies; it may also relate closely to finding the pairing mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity. Magnetically mediated Cooper pairing has long been the conjectured basis of heavy-fermion superconductivity but no direct verification of this hypothesis was achievable. Here, we use a novel approach based on precision measurements of the heavy-fermion band structure using quasiparticle interference imaging to reveal quantitatively the momentum space (k-space) structure of the f-electron magnetic interactions of CeCoIn5. Then, by solving the superconducting gap equations on the two heavy-fermion bands Ekα,β with these magnetic interactions as mediators of the Cooper pairing, we derive a series of quantitative predictions about the superconductive state. The agreement found between these diverse predictions and the measured characteristics of superconducting CeCoIn5 then provides direct evidence that the heavy-fermion Cooper pairing is indeed mediated by f-electron magnetism. PMID:25062692

The prognostic value of MRI in determining reinjury risk following acute hamstring injury: a systematic review.

PubMed

van Heumen, Moniek; Tol, Johannes L; de Vos, Robert-Jan; Moen, Maarten H; Weir, Adam; Orchard, John; Reurink, Gustaaf

2017-09-01

A challenge for sports physicians is to estimate the risk of a hamstring re-injury, but the current evidence for MRI variables as a risk factor is unknown. To systematically review the literature on the prognostic value of MRI findings at index injury and/or return to play for acute hamstring re-injuries. Databases of PubMed, Embase, MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, Google Scholar, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, SPORTDiscus and Cochrane Library were searched until 20 June 2016. Studies evaluating MRI as a prognostic tool for determining the risk of re-injury for athletes with acute hamstring injuries were eligible for inclusion. Two authors independently screened the search results and assessed risk of bias using standardised criteria from a consensus statement. A best-evidence synthesis was used to identify the level of evidence. Post hoc analysis included correction for insufficient sample size. Of the 11 studies included, 7 had a low and 4 had a high risk of bias. No strong evidence for any MRI finding as a risk factor for hamstring re-injury was found. There was moderate evidence that intratendinous injuries were associated with increased re-injury risk. Post hoc analysis showed moderate evidence that injury to the biceps femoris was a moderate to strong risk factor for re-injury. There is currently no strong evidence for any MRI finding in predicting hamstring re-injury risk. Intratendinous injuries and biceps femoris injuries showed moderate evidence for association with a higher re-injury risk. Registration in the PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews was performed prior to study initiation (registration number CRD42015024620). © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Evidence That the Directly Imaged Planet HD 131399 Ab Is a Background Star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nielsen, Eric L.; De Rosa, Robert J.; Rameau, Julien; Wang, Jason J.; Esposito, Thomas M.; Millar-Blanchaer, Maxwell A.; Marois, Christian; Vigan, Arthur; Ammons, S. Mark; Artigau, Etienne; Bailey, Vanessa P.; Blunt, Sarah; Bulger, Joanna; Chilcote, Jeffrey; Cotten, Tara; Doyon, René; Duchêne, Gaspard; Fabrycky, Daniel; Fitzgerald, Michael P.; Follette, Katherine B.; Gerard, Benjamin L.; Goodsell, Stephen J.; Graham, James R.; Greenbaum, Alexandra Z.; Hibon, Pascale; Hinkley, Sasha; Hung, Li-Wei; Ingraham, Patrick; Jensen-Clem, Rebecca; Kalas, Paul; Konopacky, Quinn; Larkin, James E.; Macintosh, Bruce; Maire, Jérôme; Marchis, Franck; Metchev, Stanimir; Morzinski, Katie M.; Murray-Clay, Ruth A.; Oppenheimer, Rebecca; Palmer, David; Patience, Jennifer; Perrin, Marshall; Poyneer, Lisa; Pueyo, Laurent; Rafikov, Roman R.; Rajan, Abhijith; Rantakyrö, Fredrik T.; Ruffio, Jean-Baptiste; Savransky, Dmitry; Schneider, Adam C.; Sivaramakrishnan, Anand; Song, Inseok; Soummer, Remi; Thomas, Sandrine; Wallace, J. Kent; Ward-Duong, Kimberly; Wiktorowicz, Sloane; Wolff, Schuyler

2017-12-01

We present evidence that the recently discovered, directly imaged planet HD 131399 Ab is a background star with nonzero proper motion. From new JHK1L‧ photometry and spectroscopy obtained with the Gemini Planet Imager, VLT/SPHERE, and Keck/NIRC2, and a reanalysis of the discovery data obtained with VLT/SPHERE, we derive colors, spectra, and astrometry for HD 131399 Ab. The broader wavelength coverage and higher data quality allow us to reinvestigate its status. Its near-infrared spectral energy distribution excludes spectral types later than L0 and is consistent with a K or M dwarf, which are the most likely candidates for a background object in this direction at the apparent magnitude observed. If it were a physically associated object, the projected velocity of HD 131399 Ab would exceed escape velocity given the mass and distance to HD 131399 A. We show that HD 131399 Ab is also not following the expected track for a stationary background star at infinite distance. Solving for the proper motion and parallax required to explain the relative motion of HD 131399 Ab, we find a proper motion of 12.3 mas yr-1. When compared to predicted background objects drawn from a galactic model, we find this proper motion to be high but consistent with the top 4% fastest-moving background stars. From our analysis, we conclude that HD 131399 Ab is a background K or M dwarf.

Worksite Environmental Interventions for Obesity Prevention and Control: Evidence from Group Randomized Trials.

PubMed

Fernandez, Isabel Diana; Becerra, Adan; Chin, Nancy P

2014-06-01

Worksites provide multiple advantages to prevent and treat obesity and to test environmental interventions to tackle its multiple causal factors. We present a literature review of group-randomized and non-randomized trials that tested worksite environmental, multiple component interventions for obesity prevention and control paying particular attention to the conduct of formative research prior to intervention development. The evidence on environmental interventions on measures of obesity appears to be strong since most of the studies have a low (4/8) and unclear (2/8) risk of bias. Among the studies reviewed whose potential risk of bias was low, the magnitude of the effect was modest and sometimes in the unexpected direction. None of the four studies describing an explicit formative research stage with clear integration of findings into the intervention was able to demonstrate an effect on the main outcome of interest. We present alternative explanation for the findings and recommendations for future research.

Recent Translational Findings on Impulsivity in Relation to Drug Abuse

PubMed Central

Weafer, Jessica; Mitchell, Suzanne H.

2015-01-01

Impulsive behavior is strongly implicated in drug abuse, as both a cause and a consequence of drug use. To understand how impulsive behaviors lead to and result from drug use, translational evidence from both human and non-human animal studies is needed. Here, we review recent (2009 or later) studies that have investigated two major components of impulsive behavior, inhibitory control and impulsive choice, across preclinical and clinical studies. We concentrate on the stop-signal task as the measure of inhibitory control and delay discounting as the measure of impulsive choice. Consistent with previous reports, recent studies show greater impulsive behavior in drug users compared with non-users. Additionally, new evidence supports the prospective role of impulsive behavior in drug abuse, and has begun to identify the neurobiological mechanisms underlying impulsive behavior. We focus on the commonalities and differences in findings between preclinical and clinical studies, and suggest future directions for translational research. PMID:25678985

Pleistocene North African genomes link Near Eastern and sub-Saharan African human populations.

PubMed

van de Loosdrecht, Marieke; Bouzouggar, Abdeljalil; Humphrey, Louise; Posth, Cosimo; Barton, Nick; Aximu-Petri, Ayinuer; Nickel, Birgit; Nagel, Sarah; Talbi, El Hassan; El Hajraoui, Mohammed Abdeljalil; Amzazi, Saaïd; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; Pääbo, Svante; Schiffels, Stephan; Meyer, Matthias; Haak, Wolfgang; Jeong, Choongwon; Krause, Johannes

2018-05-04

North Africa is a key region for understanding human history, but the genetic history of its people is largely unknown. We present genomic data from seven 15,000-year-old modern humans, attributed to the Iberomaurusian culture, from Morocco. We find a genetic affinity with early Holocene Near Easterners, best represented by Levantine Natufians, suggesting a pre-agricultural connection between Africa and the Near East. We do not find evidence for gene flow from Paleolithic Europeans to Late Pleistocene North Africans. The Taforalt individuals derive one-third of their ancestry from sub-Saharan Africans, best approximated by a mixture of genetic components preserved in present-day West and East Africans. Thus, we provide direct evidence for genetic interactions between modern humans across Africa and Eurasia in the Pleistocene. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

The Effect of Breakfast in the Classroom on Obesity and Academic Performance: Evidence from New York City

PubMed Central

Corcoran, Sean P.; Elbel, Brian; Schwartz, Amy Ellen

2016-01-01

Participation in the federally subsidized school breakfast program often falls well below its lunchtime counterpart. To increase take-up, many districts have implemented Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC), offering breakfast directly to students at the start of the school day. Beyond increasing participation, advocates claim BIC improves academic performance, attendance, and engagement. Others caution BIC has deleterious effects on child weight. We use the implementation of BIC in New York City (NYC) to estimate its impact on meals program participation, body mass index (BMI), achievement, and attendance. While we find large effects on participation, our findings provide no evidence of hoped-for gains in academic performance, or of feared increases in obesity. The policy case for BIC will depend upon reductions in hunger and food insecurity for disadvantaged children, or its longer-term effects. PMID:27314139

Inbreeding depression by environment interactions in a free-living mammal population

PubMed Central

Pemberton, J M; Ellis, P E; Pilkington, J G; Bérénos, C

2017-01-01

Experimental studies often find that inbreeding depression is more severe in harsh environments, but the few studies of in situ wild populations available to date rarely find strong support for this effect. We investigated evidence for inbreeding depression by environment interactions in nine traits in the individually monitored Soay sheep population of St Kilda, using genomic inbreeding coefficients based on 37 037 single-nucleotide polymorphism loci, and population density as an axis of environmental variation. All traits showed variation with population density and all traits showed some evidence for depression because of either an individual's own inbreeding or maternal inbreeding. However, only six traits showed evidence for an interaction in the expected direction, and only two interactions were statistically significant. We identify three possible reasons why wild population studies may generally fail to find strong support for interactions between inbreeding depression and environmental variation compared with experimental studies. First, for species with biparental inbreeding only, the amount of observed inbreeding in natural populations is generally low compared with that used in experimental studies. Second, it is possible that experimental studies sometimes actually impose higher levels of stress than organisms experience in the wild. Third, some purging of the deleterious recessive alleles that underpin interaction effects may occur in the wild. PMID:27876804

Inbreeding depression by environment interactions in a free-living mammal population.

PubMed

Pemberton, J M; Ellis, P E; Pilkington, J G; Bérénos, C

2017-01-01

Experimental studies often find that inbreeding depression is more severe in harsh environments, but the few studies of in situ wild populations available to date rarely find strong support for this effect. We investigated evidence for inbreeding depression by environment interactions in nine traits in the individually monitored Soay sheep population of St Kilda, using genomic inbreeding coefficients based on 37 037 single-nucleotide polymorphism loci, and population density as an axis of environmental variation. All traits showed variation with population density and all traits showed some evidence for depression because of either an individual's own inbreeding or maternal inbreeding. However, only six traits showed evidence for an interaction in the expected direction, and only two interactions were statistically significant. We identify three possible reasons why wild population studies may generally fail to find strong support for interactions between inbreeding depression and environmental variation compared with experimental studies. First, for species with biparental inbreeding only, the amount of observed inbreeding in natural populations is generally low compared with that used in experimental studies. Second, it is possible that experimental studies sometimes actually impose higher levels of stress than organisms experience in the wild. Third, some purging of the deleterious recessive alleles that underpin interaction effects may occur in the wild.

Can citizen science enhance public understanding of science?

PubMed

Bonney, Rick; Phillips, Tina B; Ballard, Heidi L; Enck, Jody W

2016-01-01

Over the past 20 years, thousands of citizen science projects engaging millions of participants in collecting and/or processing data have sprung up around the world. Here we review documented outcomes from four categories of citizen science projects which are defined by the nature of the activities in which their participants engage - Data Collection, Data Processing, Curriculum-based, and Community Science. We find strong evidence that scientific outcomes of citizen science are well documented, particularly for Data Collection and Data Processing projects. We find limited but growing evidence that citizen science projects achieve participant gains in knowledge about science knowledge and process, increase public awareness of the diversity of scientific research, and provide deeper meaning to participants' hobbies. We also find some evidence that citizen science can contribute positively to social well-being by influencing the questions that are being addressed and by giving people a voice in local environmental decision making. While not all citizen science projects are intended to achieve a greater degree of public understanding of science, social change, or improved science -society relationships, those projects that do require effort and resources in four main categories: (1) project design, (2) outcomes measurement, (3) engagement of new audiences, and (4) new directions for research. © The Author(s) 2015.

Empathy-related Responding: Associations with Prosocial Behavior, Aggression, and Intergroup Relations

PubMed Central

Eisenberg, Nancy; Eggum, Natalie D.; Di Giunta, Laura

2010-01-01

Empathy-related responding, including empathy, sympathy, and personal distress, has been implicated in conceptual models and theories about prosocial behavior and altruism, aggression and antisocial behavior, and intergroup relationships. Conceptual arguments and empirical findings related to each of these topics are reviewed. In general, there is evidence that empathy and/or sympathy are important correlates of, and likely contributors to, other-oriented prosocial behavior, the inhibition of aggression and antisocial behavior, and the quality of intergroup relationships. Applied implications of these findings, including preventative studies, are discussed, as are possible future directions. PMID:21221410

INSTITUTIONS AND BEHAVIOR: EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECTS OF DEMOCRACY

PubMed Central

Bó, Pedro Dal; Foster, Andrew; Putterman, Louis

2013-01-01

A novel experiment is used to show that the effect of a policy on the level of cooperation is greater when it is chosen democratically by the subjects than when it is exogenously imposed. In contrast to the previous literature, our experimental design allows us to control for selection effects (e.g. those who choose the policy may be affected differently by it). Our finding implies that democratic institutions may affect behavior directly in addition to having effects through the choice of policies. Our findings have implications for the generalizability of the results of randomized policy interventions. PMID:25076785

Muon Bundles as a Sign of Strangelets from the Universe

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

Kankiewicz, P.; Rybczyński, M.; Włodarczyk, Z.

Recently, the CERN ALICE experiment observed muon bundles of very high multiplicities in its dedicated cosmic ray (CR) run, thereby confirming similar findings from the LEP era at CERN (in the CosmoLEP project). Originally, it was argued that they apparently stem from the primary CRs with a heavy masses. We propose an alternative possibility arguing that muonic bundles of highest multiplicity are produced by strangelets, hypothetical stable lumps of strange quark matter infiltrating our universe. We also address the possibility of additionally deducing their directionality which could be of astrophysical interest. Significant evidence for anisotropy of arrival directions of themore » observed high-multiplicity muonic bundles is found. Estimated directionality suggests their possible extragalactic provenance.« less

Results of a Direct Search Using Synchrotron Radiation for the Low-Energy 229Th Nuclear Isomeric Transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeet, Justin; Schneider, Christian; Sullivan, Scott T.; Rellergert, Wade G.; Mirzadeh, Saed; Cassanho, A.; Jenssen, H. P.; Tkalya, Eugene V.; Hudson, Eric R.

2015-06-01

We report the results of a direct search for the 229Th (Iπ=3 /2+←5 /2+ ) nuclear isomeric transition, performed by exposing 229Th -doped LiSrAlF6 crystals to tunable vacuum-ultraviolet synchrotron radiation and observing any resulting fluorescence. We also use existing nuclear physics data to establish a range of possible transition strengths for the isomeric transition. We find no evidence for the thorium nuclear transition between 7.3 eV and 8.8 eV with transition lifetime (1-2) s ≲τ ≲(2000 - 5600 ) s . This measurement excludes roughly half of the favored transition search area and can be used to direct future searches.

Results of a Direct Search Using Synchrotron Radiation for the Low-Energy Th 229 Nuclear Isomeric Transition

DOE PAGES

Jeet, Justin; Schneider, Christian; Sullivan, Scott T.; ...

2015-06-23

We report the results of a direct search for the 229Tn (I π = 3/2 + ← 5/2 +) nuclear isomeric transition, performed by exposing 229Tn-doped LiSrAlF 6 crystals to tunable vacuum-ultraviolet synchrotron radiation and observing any resulting fluorescence. We also use existing nuclear physics data to establish a range of possible transition strengths for the isomeric transition. We find no evidence for the thorium nuclear transition between 7.3 eV and 8.8 eV with transition lifetime (1–2) s≲τ≲ (2000-5600) s. Lastly, this measurement excludes roughly half of the favored transition search area and can be used to direct future searches.

Occupational lung diseases.

PubMed

Furlow, Bryant

2011-01-01

Chest radiography and high-resolution computed tomography are indispensable tools in the detection, classification and characterization of occupational lung diseases that are caused by inhaling mineral particles such as asbestos, silicon-containing rock dust and other tissue-damaging antigens, nanomaterials and toxins. Radiographic evidence of occupational lung disease is interpreted with a patient's clinical signs and symptoms and a detailed occupational history in mind because of high variability in radiographic findings. This Directed Reading reviews the history, epidemiology, functional anatomy, pathobiology and medical diagnostic imaging of occupational lung diseases associated with inhalation of fine particulates in the workplace. This article is a Directed Reading. Your access to Directed Reading quizzes for continuing education credit is determined by your CE preference. For access to other quizzes, go to www.asrt.org/store.

Direct and indirect effects of light pollution on the performance of an herbivorous insect.

PubMed

Grenis, Kylee; Murphy, Shannon M

2018-02-09

Light pollution is a global disturbance with resounding impacts on a wide variety of organisms, but our understanding of these impacts is restricted to relatively few higher vertebrate species. We tested the direct effects of light pollution on herbivore performance as well as indirect effects mediated by host plant quality. We found that artificial light from streetlights alters plant toughness. Additionally, we found evidence of both direct and indirect effects of light pollution on the performance of an herbivorous insect, which indicates that streetlights can have cascading impacts on multiple trophic levels. Our novel findings suggest that light pollution can alter plant-insect interactions and thus may have important community-wide consequences. © 2018 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Results of a Direct Search Using Synchrotron Radiation for the Low-Energy (229)Th Nuclear Isomeric Transition.

PubMed

Jeet, Justin; Schneider, Christian; Sullivan, Scott T; Rellergert, Wade G; Mirzadeh, Saed; Cassanho, A; Jenssen, H P; Tkalya, Eugene V; Hudson, Eric R

2015-06-26

We report the results of a direct search for the (229)Th (I(π)=3/2(+)←5/2(+)) nuclear isomeric transition, performed by exposing (229)Th-doped LiSrAlF(6) crystals to tunable vacuum-ultraviolet synchrotron radiation and observing any resulting fluorescence. We also use existing nuclear physics data to establish a range of possible transition strengths for the isomeric transition. We find no evidence for the thorium nuclear transition between 7.3 eV and 8.8 eV with transition lifetime (1-2) s≲τ≲(2000-5600)  s. This measurement excludes roughly half of the favored transition search area and can be used to direct future searches.

[Manual airway clearance techniques in adults and adolescents: What level of evidence?

PubMed

Cabillic, Michel; Gouilly, Pascal; Reychler, Gregory

2016-04-13

The aim of this systematic literature review was to grade the levels of evidence of the most widely used manual airway clearance techniques. A literature search was conducted over the period 1995-2014 from the Medline, PEDro, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, REEDOC and kinedoc databases, with the following keywords: "postural drainage", "manual vibrations", "manual chest percussion", "directed cough", "increased expiratory flow", "ELTGOL", "autogenic drainage" and "active cycle of breathing technique". Two-hundred and fifty-six articles were identified. After removing duplicates and reading the titles and abstracts, 63 articles were selected, including 9 systematic reviews. This work highlights the lack of useful scientific data and the difficulty of determining levels of evidence for manual airway clearance techniques. Techniques were assessed principally with patients with sputum production (cystic fibrosis, DDB, COPD, etc.). It also shows the limited pertinence of outcome measures to quantify congestion and hence the efficacy of airway clearance techniques. The 1994 consensus conference summary table classifying airway clearance techniques according to physical mechanism provides an interesting tool for assessment, grouping together techniques having identical mechanisms of action. From the findings of the present systematic review, it appears that only ELTGOL, autogenic drainage and ACBT present levels of evidence "B". All other techniques have lower levels of evidence. II. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Bi-Directional Theta Modulation between the Septo-Hippocampal System and the Mammillary Area in Free-Moving Rats

PubMed Central

Ruan, Ming; Young, Calvin K.; McNaughton, Neil

2017-01-01

Hippocampal (HPC) theta oscillations have long been linked to various functions of the brain. Many cortical and subcortical areas that also exhibit theta oscillations have been linked to functional circuits with the hippocampus on the basis of coupled activities at theta frequencies. We examine, in freely moving rats, the characteristics of diencephalic theta local field potentials (LFPs) recorded in the supramammillary/mammillary (SuM/MM) areas that are bi-directionally connected to the HPC through the septal complex. Using partial directed coherence (PDC), we find support for previous suggestions that SuM modulates HPC theta at higher frequencies. We find weak separation of SuM and MM by dominant theta frequency recorded locally. Contrary to oscillatory cell activities under anesthesia where SuM is insensitive, but MM is sensitive to medial septal (MS) inactivation, theta LFPs persisted and became indistinguishable after MS-inactivation. However, MS-inactivation attenuated SuM/MM theta power, while increasing the frequency of SuM/MM theta. MS-inactivation also reduced root mean squared power in both HPC and SuM/MM equally, but reduced theta power differentially in the time domain. We provide converging evidence that SuM is preferentially involved in coding HPC theta at higher frequencies, and that the MS-HPC circuit normally imposes a frequency-limiting modulation over the SuM/MM area as suggested by cell-based recordings in anesthetized animals. In addition, we provide evidence that the postulated SuM-MS-HPC-MM circuit is under complex bi-directional control, rather than SuM and MM having roles as unidirectional relays in the network. PMID:28955209

Investor sentiment and stock returns: Evidence from provincial TV audience rating in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yongjie; Zhang, Yuzhao; Shen, Dehua; Zhang, Wei

2017-01-01

In this paper, we advocate the provincial TV audience rating as the novel proxy for the provincial investor sentiment (PIS) and investigate its relation with stock returns. The empirical results firstly show that the PIS is positively related to stock returns. Secondly, we provide direct evidence on the existence of home bias in China by observing that the provincial correlation coefficient is significantly larger than the cross-provincial correlation coefficient. Finally, the PIS can explain a large proportion of provincial comovement. To sum up, all these findings support the role of the non-traditional information sources in understanding the ;anomalies; in stock market.

Understanding 'what' others do: mirror mechanisms play a crucial role in action perception.

PubMed

Avenanti, Alessio; Urgesi, Cosimo

2011-06-01

Neurophysiological and imaging studies suggest that the inferior frontal cortex (IFC) implements a mechanism that matches perceived actions to one's motor representation of similar actions (mirror mechanism) and recent lesion studies have also established that IFC is critical for action perception. However, to date causative evidence that action perception requires activation within the same populations of IFC neurons involved in action execution is lacking. In this issue, Cattaneo and colleagues provide the first direct evidence that mirror mechanisms in IFC influence action perception. We discuss the implications of these findings for the understanding of the functional role of mirror mechanisms.

Understanding ‘what’ others do: mirror mechanisms play a crucial role in action perception

PubMed Central

Avenanti, Alessio; Urgesi, Cosimo

2011-01-01

Neurophysiological and imaging studies suggest that the inferior frontal cortex (IFC) implements a mechanism that matches perceived actions to one’s motor representation of similar actions (mirror mechanism) and recent lesion studies have also established that IFC is critical for action perception. However, to date causative evidence that action perception requires activation within the same populations of IFC neurons involved in action execution is lacking. In this issue, Cattaneo and colleagues provide the first direct evidence that mirror mechanisms in IFC influence action perception. We discuss the implications of these findings for the understanding of the functional role of mirror mechanisms. PMID:21653637

From dental science to clinical practice: Knowledge translation and evidence-based dentistry principles.

PubMed

Afrashtehfar, Kelvin I; Assery, Mansour K

2017-07-01

It has been claimed that in order to decrease the gap between what we know and what we do, research findings must be translated from knowledge to action. Such practices better enable dentists to make evidence-based decisions instead of personal ideas and judgments. To this end, this literature review aims to revisit the concepts of knowledge translation and evidence-based dentistry (EBD) and depict their role and influence within dental education. It addresses some possible strategies to facilitate knowledge translation (KT), encourage dental students to use EBD principles, and to encourage dental educators to create an environment in which students become self-directed learners. It concludes with a call to develop up-to-date and efficient online platforms that could grant dentists better access to EBD sources in order to more efficiently translate research evidence into the clinic.

Non-digestible oligosaccharides directly regulate host kinome to modulate host inflammatory responses without alterations in the gut microbiota.

PubMed

Wu, Richard Y; Määttänen, Pekka; Napper, Scott; Scruten, Erin; Li, Bo; Koike, Yuhki; Johnson-Henry, Kathene C; Pierro, Agostino; Rossi, Laura; Botts, Steven R; Surette, Michael G; Sherman, Philip M

2017-10-10

Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that enhance the growth of certain microbes within the gut microbiota. Prebiotic consumption generates immune-modulatory effects that are traditionally thought to reflect microbial interactions within the gut. However, recent evidence suggests they may also impart direct microbe-independent effects on the host, though the mechanisms of which are currently unclear. Kinome arrays were used to profile the host intestinal signaling responses to prebiotic exposures in the absence of microbes. Identified pathways were functionally validated in Caco-2Bbe1 intestinal cell line and in vivo model of murine endotoxemia. We found that prebiotics directly regulate host mucosal signaling to alter response to bacterial infection. Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) exposed to prebiotics are hyporesponsive to pathogen-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activations, and have a kinome profile distinct from non-treated cells pertaining to multiple innate immune signaling pathways. Consistent with this finding, mice orally gavaged with prebiotics showed dampened inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) without alterations in the gut microbiota. These findings provide molecular mechanisms of direct host-prebiotic interactions to support prebiotics as potent modulators of host inflammation.

The Role of Serotonin (5-HT) in Behavioral Control: Findings from Animal Research and Clinical Implications

PubMed Central

Sanchez, CL; Biskup, CS; Herpertz, S; Gaber, TJ; Kuhn, CM; Hood, SH

2015-01-01

The neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine both have a critical role in the underlying neurobiology of different behaviors. With focus on the interplay between dopamine and serotonin, it has been proposed that dopamine biases behavior towards habitual responding, and with serotonin offsetting this phenomenon and directing the balance toward more flexible, goal-directed responding. The present focus paper stands in close relationship to the publication by Worbe et al. (2015), which deals with the effects of acute tryptophan depletion, a neurodietary physiological method to decrease central nervous serotonin synthesis in humans for a short period of time, on the balance between hypothetical goal-directed and habitual systems. In that research, acute tryptophan depletion challenge administration and a following short-term reduction in central nervous serotonin synthesis were associated with a shift of behavioral performance towards habitual responding, providing further evidence that central nervous serotonin function modulates the balance between goal-directed and stimulus-response habitual systems of behavioral control. In the present focus paper, we discuss the findings by Worbe and colleagues in light of animal experiments as well as clinical implications and discuss potential future avenues for related research. PMID:25991656

Sedimentology and palaeontology of upper Karoo aeolian strata (Early Jurassic) in the Tuli Basin, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bordy, Emese M.; Catuneanu, Octavian

2002-08-01

The Karoo Supergroup in the Tuli Basin (South Africa) consists of a sedimentary sequence composed of four stratigraphic units, namely the Basal, Middle and Upper units, and Clarens Formation. The units were deposited in continental settings from approximately Late Carboniferous to Middle Jurassic. This paper focuses on the Clarens Formation, which was examined in terms of sedimentary facies and palaeo-environments based on evidence provided by primary sedimentary structures, palaeo-flow measurements and palaeontological findings. Two main facies associations have been identified: (i) massive and large-scale planar cross-bedded sandstones of aeolian origin; and (ii) horizontally and cross-stratified sandstones of fluvial origin. Most of the sandstone lithofacies of the Clarens Formation were generated as transverse aeolian dunes produced by northwesterly winds in a relatively wet erg milieu. Direct evidence of aquatic subenvironments comes from local small ephemeral stream deposits, whereas palaeontological data provide indirect evidence. Fossils of the Clarens Formation include petrified logs of Agathoxylon sp. wood type and several trace fossils which were produced by insects and vertebrates. The upper part of the Clarens Formation lacks both direct and indirect evidence of aquatic conditions, and this suggests aridification that led to the dominance of dry sand sea conditions.

Diverse convergent evidence in the genetic analysis of complex disease: coordinating omic, informatic, and experimental evidence to better identify and validate risk factors

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

In omic research, such as genome wide association studies, researchers seek to repeat their results in other datasets to reduce false positive findings and thus provide evidence for the existence of true associations. Unfortunately this standard validation approach cannot completely eliminate false positive conclusions, and it can also mask many true associations that might otherwise advance our understanding of pathology. These issues beg the question: How can we increase the amount of knowledge gained from high throughput genetic data? To address this challenge, we present an approach that complements standard statistical validation methods by drawing attention to both potential false negative and false positive conclusions, as well as providing broad information for directing future research. The Diverse Convergent Evidence approach (DiCE) we propose integrates information from multiple sources (omics, informatics, and laboratory experiments) to estimate the strength of the available corroborating evidence supporting a given association. This process is designed to yield an evidence metric that has utility when etiologic heterogeneity, variable risk factor frequencies, and a variety of observational data imperfections might lead to false conclusions. We provide proof of principle examples in which DiCE identified strong evidence for associations that have established biological importance, when standard validation methods alone did not provide support. If used as an adjunct to standard validation methods this approach can leverage multiple distinct data types to improve genetic risk factor discovery/validation, promote effective science communication, and guide future research directions. PMID:25071867

The Zero Suicide Model: Applying Evidence-Based Suicide Prevention Practices to Clinical Care

PubMed Central

Brodsky, Beth S.; Spruch-Feiner, Aliza; Stanley, Barbara

2018-01-01

Suicide is reaching epidemic proportions, with over 44,000 deaths by suicide in the US, and 800,000 worldwide in 2015. This, despite research and development of evidence-based interventions that target suicidal behavior directly. Suicide prevention efforts need a comprehensive approach, and research must lead to effective implementation across public and mental health systems. A 10-year systematic review of evidence-based findings in suicide prevention summarized the areas necessary for translating research into practice. These include risk assessment, means restriction, evidence-based treatments, population screening combined with chain of care, monitoring, and follow-up. In this article, we review how suicide prevention research informs implementation in clinical settings where those most at risk present for care. Evidence-based and best practices address the fluctuating nature of suicide risk, which requires ongoing risk assessment, direct intervention and monitoring. In the US, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention has put forth the Zero Suicide (ZS) Model, a framework to coordinate a multilevel approach to implementing evidence-based practices. We present the Assess, Intervene and Monitor for Suicide Prevention model (AIM-SP) as a guide for implementation of ZS evidence-based and best practices in clinical settings. Ten basic steps for clinical management model will be described and illustrated through case vignette. These steps are designed to be easily incorporated into standard clinical practice to enhance suicide risk assessment, brief interventions to increase safety and teach coping strategies and to improve ongoing contact and monitoring of high-risk individuals during transitions in care and high risk periods. PMID:29527178

Optimism as a Prior Belief about the Probability of Future Reward

PubMed Central

Kalra, Aditi; Seriès, Peggy

2014-01-01

Optimists hold positive a priori beliefs about the future. In Bayesian statistical theory, a priori beliefs can be overcome by experience. However, optimistic beliefs can at times appear surprisingly resistant to evidence, suggesting that optimism might also influence how new information is selected and learned. Here, we use a novel Pavlovian conditioning task, embedded in a normative framework, to directly assess how trait optimism, as classically measured using self-report questionnaires, influences choices between visual targets, by learning about their association with reward progresses. We find that trait optimism relates to an a priori belief about the likelihood of rewards, but not losses, in our task. Critically, this positive belief behaves like a probabilistic prior, i.e. its influence reduces with increasing experience. Contrary to findings in the literature related to unrealistic optimism and self-beliefs, it does not appear to influence the iterative learning process directly. PMID:24853098

Search for Violation of $CPT$ and Lorentz Invariance in $${B_s^0}$$ Meson Oscillations

DOE PAGES

Abazov, Victor Mukhamedovich

2015-06-12

We present the first search for CPT-violating effects in the mixing of B 0 s mesons using the full Run II data set with an integrated luminosity of 10.4 fb -1 of proton-antiproton collisions collected using the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We measure the CPT-violating asymmetry in the decay B 0 s → µ ±D ± s as a function of celestial direction and sidereal phase. We find no evidence for CPT-violating effects and place limits on the direction and magnitude of flavor-dependent CPTand Lorentz-invariance violating coupling coefficients. We find 95% confidence intervals of Δa⊥ < 1.2more » × 10 -12 GeV and (-0.8 < ΔaT - 0.396Δa Z < 3.9) × 10 -13 GeV.« less

Search for Violation of CPT and Lorentz Invariance in B-s(0) Meson Oscillations

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

Abazov, V. M.

2015-10-14

We present the first search for CPT-violating effects in the mixing of B 0 s mesons using the full Run II data set with an integrated luminosity of 10.4 fb -1 of proton-antiproton collisions collected using the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We measure the CPT-violating asymmetry in the decay B 0 s → µ ±D ± s as a function of celestial direction and sidereal phase. We find no evidence for CPT-violating effects and place limits on the direction and magnitude of flavor-dependent CPTand Lorentz-invariance violating coupling coefficients. We find 95% confidence intervals of Δa⊥ < 1.2more » × 10 -12 GeV and (-0.8 < ΔaT - 0.396Δa Z < 3.9) × 10 -13 GeV.« less

Pay dispersion and performance in teams.

PubMed

Bucciol, Alessandro; Foss, Nicolai J; Piovesan, Marco

2014-01-01

Extant research offers conflicting predictions about the effect of pay dispersion on team performance. We collected a unique dataset from the Italian soccer league to study the effect of intra-firm pay dispersion on team performance, under different definitions of what constitutes a "team". This peculiarity of our dataset can explain the conflicting evidence. Indeed, we also find positive, null, and negative effects of pay dispersion on team performance, using the same data but different definitions of team. Our results show that when the team is considered to consist of only the members who directly contribute to the outcome, high pay dispersion has a detrimental impact on team performance. Enlarging the definition of the team causes this effect to disappear or even change direction. Finally, we find that the detrimental effect of pay dispersion is due to worse individual performance, rather than a reduction of team cooperation.

Pay Dispersion and Performance in Teams

PubMed Central

Bucciol, Alessandro; Foss, Nicolai J.; Piovesan, Marco

2014-01-01

Extant research offers conflicting predictions about the effect of pay dispersion on team performance. We collected a unique dataset from the Italian soccer league to study the effect of intra-firm pay dispersion on team performance, under different definitions of what constitutes a “team”. This peculiarity of our dataset can explain the conflicting evidence. Indeed, we also find positive, null, and negative effects of pay dispersion on team performance, using the same data but different definitions of team. Our results show that when the team is considered to consist of only the members who directly contribute to the outcome, high pay dispersion has a detrimental impact on team performance. Enlarging the definition of the team causes this effect to disappear or even change direction. Finally, we find that the detrimental effect of pay dispersion is due to worse individual performance, rather than a reduction of team cooperation. PMID:25397615

Hazardous Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU): Reality or Myth A Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-10-01

being associated with miscarriages and birth defects. Concerns led to a conference of several government agencies to explore the findings. In 1977...provide evidence that direct exposure to nitrous oxide may cause depression of vitamin B12 and chronic low level exposure inhibits methionine synthase... miscarriage and congenital abnormalities. These are responses that do not contribute to adaptive goals, that is, survival, growth, reproduction, and mastery

Aquatic Exercise for the Treatment of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Franco, Marcia R; Morelhão, Priscilla K; de Carvalho, Augusto; Pinto, Rafael Z

2017-07-01

highlights the findings and application of Cochrane reviews and other evidence pertinent to the practice of physical therapy. The Cochrane library is a respected source of reliable evidence related to health care. Cochrane systematic reviews explore the evidence for and against the effectiveness and appropriateness of interventions-medications, surgery, education, nutrition, exercise-and the evidence for and against the use of diagnostic tests for specific conditions. Cochrane reviews are designed to facilitate the decisions of clinicians, patients, and others in health care by providing a careful review and interpretation of research studies published in the scientific literature. Each article in this PTJ series summarizes a Cochrane review or other scientific evidence on a single topic and presents clinical scenarios based on real patients or programs to illustrate how the results of the review can be used to directly inform clinical decisions. This article focuses on an older adult with severe knee joint pain. Can aquatic exercise help this patient with knee osteoarthritis? © 2017 American Physical Therapy Association.

Physical activity in the prevention of the most frequent chronic diseases: an analysis of the recent evidence.

PubMed

Kruk, Joanna

2007-01-01

Physical activity is widely recognized as a means for the primary prevention of chronic diseases as well as in patients' treatment and rehabilitation. Moreover, activity has beneficial effects on an individual's health and well-being. Despite the benefits of regular physical activity, the percentage of physically inactive adults in the world is high. Environmental and policy approaches aimed to increase physical activity require continual stress of the epidemiological evidence from studies investigating disease mechanisms as well as controlled clinical trials. To update the evidence that physical activity/exercise is important for reducing the chronic diseases (cardiovascular and heart, diabetes, cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, and fall-related injuries, depression and emotional stress) and for mechanisms that may operate in the relation between physical activity and a disease risk. Research studies published from 2004 through to March 2007 were identified through a review of the literature available on the NLM PubMed, Medline, Current Contents, and Elsevier-Science Direct databases. Recent evidence on physical activity/exercise and reduction of chronic major diseases incidence and rehabilitation of patients replicates previous findings. The strongest evidence exists for colon cancer, breast cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. The maximal magnitudes of the risk reduction reported were: 75% for breast cancer, 49% for cardiovascular and heart diseases, 35% for diabetes, 22% for colorectal cancer. Increased physical activity also prevented the weight gain associated with aging at least 2-times greater in individuals who were more active compared with those who were inactive. Limited new findings has been reported for the beneficial role of physical activity in fall-related injures, depression and emotional distress. Recent evidence confirms previous findings that engaging in moderate physical activity is very important for the primary prevention of chronic diseases, decreasing all causes of mortality and that exercise is one of the determinants for physical and psychological well-being. The current evidence provides further support that physical activity can suppress concentrations of 17 alpha-estradiol in women.

Intonation processing in congenital amusia: discrimination, identification and imitation.

PubMed

Liu, Fang; Patel, Aniruddh D; Fourcin, Adrian; Stewart, Lauren

2010-06-01

This study investigated whether congenital amusia, a neuro-developmental disorder of musical perception, also has implications for speech intonation processing. In total, 16 British amusics and 16 matched controls completed five intonation perception tasks and two pitch threshold tasks. Compared with controls, amusics showed impaired performance on discrimination, identification and imitation of statements and questions that were characterized primarily by pitch direction differences in the final word. This intonation-processing deficit in amusia was largely associated with a psychophysical pitch direction discrimination deficit. These findings suggest that amusia impacts upon one's language abilities in subtle ways, and support previous evidence that pitch processing in language and music involves shared mechanisms.

Executive Control Mediates the Association Between Aerobic Fitness and Emotion Regulation in Preadolescent Children.

PubMed

Lott, Mark A; Jensen, Chad D

2017-03-01

This study evaluated direct and indirect associations between aerobic fitness, executive control, and emotion regulation among a community sample of preadolescent children. Two-hundred and seventy-eight children aged 8-12 years completed measures of aerobic fitness (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run) and executive control (Stroop Test). Parents completed questionnaires assessing child emotion regulation and executive control (Emotion Regulation Checklist; Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire). We evaluated associations between these constructs using structural equation modeling. Study findings supported a moderate direct association between childhood aerobic fitness and executive control, a strong direct negative association between executive control and emotion regulation, and a moderate indirect association between aerobic fitness and emotion regulation through executive control. These findings provide preliminary evidence that executive control functions as a mediator between aerobic fitness and emotion regulation and may help explain the mechanism by which aerobic exercise influences emotional well-being among preadolescent children. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Influencing feelings of cancer risk: direct and moderator effects of affectively laden phrases in risk communication.

PubMed

Janssen, Eva; van Osch, Liesbeth; Lechner, Lilian; de Vries, Hein

2015-01-01

Evidence is accumulating for the importance of feelings of risk in explaining cancer preventive behaviors, but best practices for influencing these feelings are limited. This study investigated the direct and moderational influence of affectively laden phrases in cancer risk messages. Two experimental studies were conducted in relation to different cancer-related behaviors--sunbed use (n = 112) and red meat consumption (n = 447)--among student and nonstudent samples. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (a) a cognitive message using cognitively laden phrases or (b) an affective message using affectively laden phrases. The results revealed that affective phrases did not directly influence feelings of risk in both studies. Evidence for a moderational influence was found in Study 2, suggesting that affective information strengthened the relation between feelings of risk and intention (i.e., participants relied more on their feelings in the decision-making process after exposure to affective information). These findings suggest that solely using affective phrases in risk communication may not be sufficient to directly influence feelings of risk and other methods need to be explored in future research. Moreover, research is needed to replicate our preliminary indications for a moderational influence of affective phrases to advance theory and practice.

Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in the Etiology, Treatment, and Prevention of Depression: Current Status and Future Directions

PubMed Central

McNamara, Robert K.

2016-01-01

Over the past three decades a body of translational evidence has implicated dietary deficiency in long-chain omega-3 (LCn-3) fatty acids, including eicosapenaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in the pathophysiology and etiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Cross-national and cross-sectional data suggest that greater habitual intake of preformed EPA+DHA is associated with reduced risk for developing depressive symptoms and syndromal MDD. Erythrocyte EPA and DHA composition is highly correlated with habitual fish or fish oil intake, and case-control studies have consistently observed lower erythrocyte EPA and/or DHA levels in patients with MDD. Low erythrocyte EPA+DHA composition may also be associated with increased risk for suicide and cardiovascular disease, two primary causes of excess premature mortality in MDD. While controversial, dietary EPA+DHA supplementation may have antidepressant properties and may augment the therapeutic efficacy of antidepressant medications. Neuroimaging and rodent neurodevelopmental studies further suggest that low LCn-3 fatty acid intake or biostatus can recapitulate central pathophysiological features associated with MDD. Prospective findings suggest that low LCn-3 fatty acid biostatus increases risk for depressive symptoms in part by augmenting pro-inflammatory responsivity. When taken collectively, these translational findings provide a strong empirical foundation in support of dietary LCn-3 fatty acid deficiency as a modifiable risk factor for MDD. This review provides an overview of this translational evidence and then discusses future directions including strategies to translate this evidence into routine clinical screening and treatment algorithms. PMID:27766299

Evidence base for children affected by HIV and AIDS in low prevalence and concentrated epidemic countries: applicability to programming guidance from high prevalence countries.

PubMed

Franco, Lynne Miller; Burkhalter, Bart; de Wagt, Arjan; Jennings, Larissa; Kelley, Allison Gamble; Hammink, Marie-Eve

2009-01-01

As global commitment grows to protect and support children affected by HIV and AIDS, questions remain about how best to meet the needs of these children in low prevalence settings and whether information from high prevalence countries can appropriately guide programming in these settings. A 2007 search for the evidence in low prevalence settings on situational challenges of HIV and AIDS-affected children and interventions to address these challenges identified 413 documents. They were reviewed and judged for quality of documentation and scientific rigor. Information was compiled across eight types of challenges (health and health care, nutrition and food security, education, protection, placement, psychosocial development, socioeconomic status, and stigma/discrimination); and also assessed was strength of evidence for situational and intervention findings. Results were compared to three programming principles drawn from research in high prevalence countries: family-centered preventive efforts, treatment, and care; family-focused support to ensure capacity to care for and protect these children; and sustaining economic livelihood of HIV and AIDS-affected households. Findings show that children affected by HIV and AIDS in low prevalence settings face increased vulnerabilities similar to those in high prevalence settings. These findings support seeking and testing programmatic directions for interventions identified in high prevalence settings. However, low prevalence settings/countries are extremely diverse, and the strength of the evidence base among them was mixed (strong, moderate, and weak in study design and documentation), geographically limited, and had insufficient evidence on interventions to draw conclusions about how best to reduce additional vulnerabilities of affected children. Information on family, economic, sociocultural, and political factors within local contexts will be vital in the development of appropriate strategies to mitigate vulnerabilities.

Direct evidence from intraoperative electrocortical stimulation indicates shared and distinct speech production center between Chinese and English languages.

PubMed

Wu, Jinsong; Lu, Junfeng; Zhang, Han; Zhang, Jie; Yao, Chengjun; Zhuang, Dongxiao; Qiu, Tianming; Guo, Qihao; Hu, Xiaobing; Mao, Ying; Zhou, Liangfu

2015-12-01

Chinese processing has been suggested involving distinct brain areas from English. However, current functional localization studies on Chinese speech processing use mostly "indirect" techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography, lacking direct evidence by means of electrocortical recording. In this study, awake craniotomies in 66 Chinese-speaking glioma patients provide a unique opportunity to directly map eloquent language areas. Intraoperative electrocortical stimulation was conducted and the positive sites for speech arrest, anomia, and alexia were identified separately. With help of stereotaxic neuronavigation system and computational modeling, all positive sites elicited by stimulation were integrated and a series of two- and three-dimension Chinese language probability maps were built. We performed statistical comparisons between the Chinese maps and previously derived English maps. While most Chinese speech arrest areas located at typical language production sites (i.e., 50% positive sites in ventral precentral gyrus, 28% in pars opercularis and pars triangularis), which also serve English production, an additional brain area, the left middle frontal gyrus (Brodmann's areas 6/9), was found to be unique in Chinese production (P < 0.05). Moreover, Chinese speakers' inferior ventral precentral gyrus (Brodmann's area 6) was used more than that in English speakers. Our finding suggests that Chinese involves more perisylvian region (extending to left middle frontal gyrus) than English. This is the first time that direct evidence supports cross-cultural neurolinguistics differences in human beings. The Chinese language atlas will also helpful in brain surgery planning for Chinese-speakers. Copyright © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Origins of coevolution between residues distant in protein 3D structures

PubMed Central

Ovchinnikov, Sergey; Kamisetty, Hetunandan; Baker, David

2017-01-01

Residue pairs that directly coevolve in protein families are generally close in protein 3D structures. Here we study the exceptions to this general trend—directly coevolving residue pairs that are distant in protein structures—to determine the origins of evolutionary pressure on spatially distant residues and to understand the sources of error in contact-based structure prediction. Over a set of 4,000 protein families, we find that 25% of directly coevolving residue pairs are separated by more than 5 Å in protein structures and 3% by more than 15 Å. The majority (91%) of directly coevolving residue pairs in the 5–15 Å range are found to be in contact in at least one homologous structure—these exceptions arise from structural variation in the family in the region containing the residues. Thirty-five percent of the exceptions greater than 15 Å are at homo-oligomeric interfaces, 19% arise from family structural variation, and 27% are in repeat proteins likely reflecting alignment errors. Of the remaining long-range exceptions (<1% of the total number of coupled pairs), many can be attributed to close interactions in an oligomeric state. Overall, the results suggest that directly coevolving residue pairs not in repeat proteins are spatially proximal in at least one biologically relevant protein conformation within the family; we find little evidence for direct coupling between residues at spatially separated allosteric and functional sites or for increased direct coupling between residue pairs on putative allosteric pathways connecting them. PMID:28784799

Exercise intolerance in Type 2 diabetes: is there a cardiovascular contribution?

PubMed

Poitras, Veronica J; Hudson, Robert W; Tschakovsky, Michael E

2018-05-01

Physical activity is critically important for Type 2 diabetes management, yet adherence levels are poor. This might be partly due to disproportionate exercise intolerance. Submaximal exercise tolerance is highly sensitive to muscle oxygenation; impairments in exercising muscle oxygen delivery may contribute to exercise intolerance in Type 2 diabetes since there is considerable evidence for the existence of both cardiac and peripheral vascular dysfunction. While uncompromised cardiac output during submaximal exercise is consistently observed in Type 2 diabetes, it remains to be determined whether an elevated cardiac sympathetic afferent reflex could sympathetically restrain exercising muscle blood flow. Furthermore, while deficits in endothelial function are common in Type 2 diabetes and are often cited as impairing exercising muscle oxygen delivery, no direct evidence in exercise exists, and there are several other vasoregulatory mechanisms whose dysfunction could contribute. Finally, while there are findings of impaired oxygen delivery, conflicting evidence also exists. A definitive conclusion that Type 2 diabetes compromises exercising muscle oxygen delivery remains premature. We review these potentially dysfunctional mechanisms in terms of how they could impair oxygen delivery in exercise, evaluate the current literature on whether an oxygen delivery deficit is actually manifest, and correspondingly identify key directions for future research.

Type I interferon causes thrombotic microangiopathy by a dose-dependent toxic effect on the microvasculature

PubMed Central

Kavanagh, David; Jury, Alexa; Williams, Jac; Scolding, Neil; Bellamy, Chris; Gunther, Claudia; Ritchie, Diane; Gale, Daniel P.; Kanwar, Yashpal S.; Challis, Rachel; Buist, Holly; Overell, James; Weller, Belinda; Flossmann, Oliver; Blunden, Mark; Meyer, Eric P.; Krucker, Thomas; Evans, Stephen J. W.; Campbell, Iain L.; Jackson, Andrew P.; Chandran, Siddharthan

2016-01-01

Many drugs have been reported to cause thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), yet evidence supporting a direct association is often weak. In particular, TMA has been reported in association with recombinant type I interferon (IFN) therapies, with recent concern regarding the use of IFN in multiple sclerosis patients. However, a causal association has yet to be demonstrated. Here, we adopt a combined clinical and experimental approach to provide evidence of such an association between type I IFN and TMA. We show that the clinical phenotype of cases referred to a national center is uniformly consistent with a direct dose-dependent drug-induced TMA. We then show that dose-dependent microvascular disease is seen in a transgenic mouse model of IFN toxicity. This includes specific microvascular pathological changes seen in patient biopsies and is dependent on transcriptional activation of the IFN response through the type I interferon α/β receptor (IFNAR). Together our clinical and experimental findings provide evidence of a causal link between type I IFN and TMA. As such, recombinant type I IFN therapies should be stopped at the earliest stage in patients who develop this complication, with implications for risk mitigation. PMID:27663672

Effectiveness of cognitive rehabilitation following acquired brain injury: a meta-analytic re-examination of Cicerone et al.'s (2000, 2005) systematic reviews.

PubMed

Rohling, Martin L; Faust, Mark E; Beverly, Brenda; Demakis, George

2009-01-01

The present study provides a meta-analysis of cognitive rehabilitation literature (K = 115, N = 2,014) that was originally reviewed by K. D. Cicerone et al. (2000, 2005) for the purpose of providing evidence-based practice guidelines for persons with acquired brain injury. The analysis yielded a small treatment effect size (ES = .30, d(+) statistic) directly attributable to cognitive rehabilitation. A larger treatment effect (ES = .71) was found for single-group pretest to posttest outcomes; however, modest improvement was observed for nontreatment control groups as well (ES = .41). Correction for this effect, which was not attributable to cognitive treatments, resulted in the small, but significant, overall estimate. Treatment effects were moderated by cognitive domain treated, time postinjury, type of brain injury, and age. The meta-analysis revealed sufficient evidence for the effectiveness of attention training after traumatic brain injury and of language and visuospatial training for aphasia and neglect syndromes after stroke. Results provide important quantitative documentation of effective treatments, complementing recent systematic reviews. Findings also highlight gaps in the scientific evidence supporting cognitive rehabilitation, thereby indicating future research directions. (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Brain activity-induced neuronal glucose uptake/glycolysis: Is the lactate shuttle not required?

PubMed

Tang, Bor Luen

2018-03-01

The astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle (ANLS) hypothesis posits that during neuronal activation, astrocytic glycolysis consumes glucose and generates lactate, with the latter then imported by neurons as a preferred fuel. The hypothesis has been controversial, with multiple theoretical postulates for and against, and with empirical evidence that were either supportive or otherwise. Recent findings using direct in vivo imaging of lactate and glucose uptake as well as associated metabolic changes in neurons have now placed important constraints on the hypothesis. Here, I review these recent findings and discuss their implications on neuronal energetics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Further evidence that rats rely on local rather than global spatial information to locate a hidden goal: reply to Cheng and Gallistel (2005).

PubMed

McGregor, Anthony; Jones, Peter M; Good, Mark A; Pearce, John M

2006-07-01

Naive male Hooded Lister rats (Rattus norvegicus) were required to find a submerged platform in a right-angled corner between a long and a short wall of a pool in the shape of an irregular pentagon. Tests in a rectangular pool revealed a preference for the corners that corresponded with the correct corner in the pentagon. These findings indicate that rats identified the correct corner in the pentagon by local cues. They contradict the suggestion that rats navigate by moving in a particular direction relative to the principal axis of the shape of their environment.

Making the links between domestic violence and child safeguarding: an evidence-based pilot training for general practice.

PubMed

Szilassy, Eszter; Drinkwater, Jess; Hester, Marianne; Larkins, Cath; Stanley, Nicky; Turner, William; Feder, Gene

2017-11-01

We describe the development of an evidence-based training intervention on domestic violence and child safeguarding for general practice teams. We aimed - in the context of a pilot study - to improve knowledge, skills, attitudes and self-efficacy of general practice clinicians caring for families affected by domestic violence. Our evidence sources included: a systematic review of training interventions aiming to improve professional responses to children affected by domestic violence; content mapping of relevant current training in England; qualitative assessment of general practice professionals' responses to domestic violence in families; and a two-stage consensus process with a multi-professional stakeholder group. Data were collected between January and December 2013. This paper reports key research findings and their implications for practice and policy; describes how the research findings informed the training development and outlines the principal features of the training intervention. We found lack of cohesion and co-ordination in the approach to domestic violence and child safeguarding. General practice clinicians have insufficient understanding of multi-agency work, a limited competence in gauging thresholds for child protection referral to children's services and little understanding of outcomes for children. While prioritising children's safety, they are more inclined to engage directly with abusive parents than with affected children. Our research reveals uncertainty and confusion surrounding the recording of domestic violence cases in families' medical records. These findings informed the design of the RESPONDS training, which was developed in 2014 to encourage general practice clinicians to overcome barriers and engage more extensively with adults experiencing abuse, as well as responding directly to the needs of children. We conclude that general practice clinicians need more support in managing the complexity of this area of practice. We need to integrate and further evaluate responses to the needs of children exposed to domestic violence into general practice-based domestic violence training. © 2016 The Authors. Health and Social Care in the Community Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chronic stress induces brain region specific alterations of molecular rhythms in mice that correlate with depression-like behavior

PubMed Central

Logan, Ryan W.; Edgar, Nicole; Gillman, Andrea G.; Hoffman, Daniel; Zhu, Xiyu; McClung, Colleen A.

2015-01-01

Background Emerging evidence implicates circadian abnormalities as a component of the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus coordinates rhythms throughout the brain and body. On a cellular level, rhythms are generated by transcriptional, translational, and post-translational feedback loops of core circadian genes and proteins. In patients with MDD, recent evidence suggests reduced amplitude of molecular rhythms in extra-SCN brain regions. We investigated whether unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS), an animal model that induces a depression-like physiological and behavioral phenotype, induces circadian disruptions similar to those seen with MDD. Methods Activity and temperature rhythms were recorded in C57BL/6J mice before, during, and after exposure to UCMS, and brain tissue explants were collected from Period2 luciferase (Per2::luc) mice following UCMS to assess cellular rhythmicity. Results UCMS significantly decreased circadian amplitude of activity and body temperature in mice, similar to findings in MDD patients and these changes directly correlate with depression-related behavior. While amplitude of molecular rhythms in the SCN was decreased following UCMS, surprisingly, rhythms in the nucleus accumbens were amplified with no changes seen in the prefrontal cortex or amygdala. These molecular rhythm changes in the SCN and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) also directly correlated with mood-related behavior. Conclusions These studies find that circadian rhythm abnormalities directly correlate with depression-related behavior following UCMS and suggest a desynchronization of rhythms in the brain with an independent enhancement of rhythms in the NAc. PMID:25771506

Morphological evidence for novel enteric neuronal circuitry in guinea pig distal colon.

PubMed

Smolilo, D J; Costa, M; Hibberd, T J; Wattchow, D A; Spencer, Nick J

2018-07-01

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is unique compared to all other internal organs; it is the only organ with its own nervous system and its own population of intrinsic sensory neurons, known as intrinsic primary afferent neurons (IPANs). How these IPANs form neuronal circuits with other functional classes of neurons in the enteric nervous system (ENS) is incompletely understood. We used a combination of light microscopy, immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy to examine the topographical distribution of specific classes of neurons in the myenteric plexus of guinea-pig colon, including putative IPANs, with other classes of enteric neurons. These findings were based on immunoreactivity to the neuronal markers, calbindin, calretinin and nitric oxide synthase. We then correlated the varicose outputs formed by putative IPANs with subclasses of excitatory interneurons and motor neurons. We revealed that calbindin-immunoreactive varicosities form specialized structures resembling 'baskets' within the majority of myenteric ganglia, which were arranged in clusters around calretinin-immunoreactive neurons. These calbindin baskets directly arose from projections of putative IPANs and represent morphological evidence of preferential input from sensory neurons directly to a select group of calretinin neurons. Our findings uncovered that these neurons are likely to be ascending excitatory interneurons and excitatory motor neurons. Our study reveals for the first time in the colon, a novel enteric neural circuit, whereby calbindin-immunoreactive putative sensory neurons form specialized varicose structures that likely direct synaptic outputs to excitatory interneurons and motor neurons. This circuit likely forms the basis of polarized neuronal pathways underlying motility. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The topology of galaxy clustering.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coles, P.; Plionis, M.

The authors discuss an objective method for quantifying the topology of the galaxy distribution using only projected galaxy counts. The method is a useful complement to fully three-dimensional studies of topology based on the genus by virtue of the enormous projected data sets available. Applying the method to the Lick counts they find no evidence for large-scale non-gaussian behaviour, whereas the small-scale distribution is strongly non-gaussian, with a shift in the meatball direction.

The Relationship between the Shape of the Mental Number Line and Familiarity with Numbers in 5- to 9-Year Old Children: Evidence for a Segmented Linear Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebersbach, Mirjam; Luwel, Koen; Frick, Andrea; Onghena, Patrick; Verschaffel, Lieven

2008-01-01

This experiment aimed to expand previous findings on the development of mental number representation. We tested the hypothesis that children's familiarity with numbers is directly reflected by the shape of their mental number line. This mental number line was expected to be linear as long as numbers lay within the range of numbers children were…

Radiotelemetric analysis of the effects of prevailing wind direction on Mormon cricket migratory band movement.

PubMed

Sword, G A; Lorch, P D; Gwynne, D T

2008-08-01

During outbreaks, flightless Mormon crickets [Anabrus simplex Haldeman (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)] form large mobile groups known as migratory bands. These bands can contain millions of individuals that march en masse across the landscape. The role of environmental cues in influencing the movement direction of migratory bands is poorly understood and has been the subject of little empirical study. We examined the effect of wind direction on Mormon cricket migratory band movement direction by monitoring the local weather conditions and daily movement patterns of individual insects traveling in bands over the same time course at three close, but spatially distinct sites. Although weather conditions were relatively homogeneous across sites, wind directions tended to be more variable across sites during the morning hours, the period during which directional movement begins. Migratory bands at different sites traveled in distinctly different directions. However, we failed to find any evidence to suggest that the observed variation in migratory band movement direction was correlated with local wind direction at any time during the day. These results support the notion that the cues mediating migratory band directionality are likely to be group specific and that a role for landscape-scale environmental cues such as wind direction is unlikely.

Parenting processes and aggression: the role of self-control among Turkish adolescents.

PubMed

Özdemir, Yalçın; Vazsonyi, Alexander T; Çok, Figen

2013-02-01

The present study examined the direct and indirect relationships between parenting processes (parental closeness, parental monitoring, and parental peer approval), low self-control, and aggression. Participants were 546 adolescents aged 14-18 attending state high schools in Turkey. Participants completed a questionnaire that included measures of parenting processes, self-control, and aggression. Findings provided evidence of both direct and indirect effects of maternal and paternal parenting processes on aggression through low self-control. Specifically, results showed that maternal closeness, paternal peer approval and both maternal and paternal monitoring were positively and directly related to low self-control, and indirectly related to aggression through low self-control. Together, parenting processes and low self-control explained 21% of the variance in aggression. Implications for self-control theory and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2012 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. All rights reserved.

Dorsolateral Striatum Engagement Interferes with Early Discrimination Learning.

PubMed

Bergstrom, Hadley C; Lipkin, Anna M; Lieberman, Abby G; Pinard, Courtney R; Gunduz-Cinar, Ozge; Brockway, Emma T; Taylor, William W; Nonaka, Mio; Bukalo, Olena; Wills, Tiffany A; Rubio, F Javier; Li, Xuan; Pickens, Charles L; Winder, Danny G; Holmes, Andrew

2018-05-22

In current models, learning the relationship between environmental stimuli and the outcomes of actions involves both stimulus-driven and goal-directed systems, mediated in part by the DLS and DMS, respectively. However, though these models emphasize the importance of the DLS in governing actions after extensive experience has accumulated, there is growing evidence of DLS engagement from the onset of training. Here, we used in vivo photosilencing to reveal that DLS recruitment interferes with early touchscreen discrimination learning. We also show that the direct output pathway of the DLS is preferentially recruited and causally involved in early learning and find that silencing the normal contribution of the DLS produces plasticity-related alterations in a PL-DMS circuit. These data provide further evidence suggesting that the DLS is recruited in the construction of stimulus-elicited actions that ultimately automate behavior and liberate cognitive resources for other demands, but with a cost to performance at the outset of learning. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct dating of Pleistocene stegodon from Timor Island, East Nusa Tenggara.

PubMed

Louys, Julien; Price, Gilbert J; O'Connor, Sue

2016-01-01

Stegodons are a commonly recovered extinct proboscidean (elephants and allies) from the Pleistocene record of Southeast Asian oceanic islands. Estimates on when stegodons arrived on individual islands and the timings of their extinctions are poorly constrained due to few reported direct geochronological analyses of their remains. Here we report on uranium-series dating of a stegodon tusk recovered from the Ainaro Gravels of Timor. The six dates obtained indicate the local presence of stegodons in Timor at or before 130 ka, significantly pre-dating the earliest evidence of humans on the island. On the basis of current data, we find no evidence for significant environmental changes or the presence of modern humans in the region during that time. Thus, we do not consider either of these factors to have contributed significantly to their extinction. In the absence of these, we propose that their extinction was possibly the result of long-term demographic and genetic declines associated with an isolated island population.

Effective signaling of surface boundaries by L-vertices reflect the consistency of their contrast in natural images.

PubMed

Vessel, Edward A; Biederman, Irving; Subramaniam, Suresh; Greene, Michelle R

2016-07-01

An L-vertex, the point at which two contours coterminate, provides highly reliable evidence that a surface terminates at that vertex, thus providing the strongest constraint on the extraction of shape from images (Guzman, 1968). Such vertices are pervasive in our visual world but the importance of a statistical regularity about them has been underappreciated: The contours defining the vertex are (almost) always of the same direction of contrast with respect to the background (i.e., both darker or both lighter). Here we show that when the two contours are of different directions of contrast, the capacity of the L-vertex to signal the termination of a surface, as reflected in object recognition, is markedly reduced. Although image statistics have been implicated in determining the connectivity in the earliest cortical visual stage (V1) and in grouping during visual search, this finding provides evidence that such statistics are involved in later stages where object representations are derived from two-dimensional images.

Reading for tracing evidence: developing scientific knowledge through science text

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Probosari, R. M.; Widyastuti, F.; Sajidan, S.; Suranto, S.; Prayitno, B. A.

2018-05-01

The purposes of this study were to investigate students’ learning progression on reading activity, science concept comprehension and how they imply it in scientific communication in the classroom. Fifty-nine biology education students participated in this study. This classroom research was developed to portray students’ reading activity, factors affecting reading comprehension, and the development of reading motivation. Qualitative analysis was used to describe the whole activities, involve the instruction, process and the product of reading activity. The result concluded that each student has their own way in interpreting the information from scientific text, but generally, they can filter and apply it in their argument as a part of reasoning and evidence. The findings can be used to direct reading activity to the goal of inquiry in order to support the nature of reading as evidence.

Agenda Setting and Evidence in Maternal Health: Connecting Research and Policy in Timor-Leste.

PubMed

Wild, Kayli; Kelly, Paul; Barclay, Lesley; Martins, Nelson

2015-01-01

The evidence-based policy (EBP) movement has received significant attention in the scientific literature; however, there is still very little empirical research to provide insight into how policy decisions are made and how evidence is used. The lack of research on this topic in low- and middle-income countries is of particular note. We examine the maternity waiting home policy in Timor-Leste to understand the role of context, policy characteristics, individual actors, and how evidence is used to influence the policy agenda. The research tracked the maternity waiting home policy from 2005 to 2009 and is based on in-depth interviews with 31 senior policy-makers, department managers, non-government organization representatives, and United Nations advisors. It is also informed by direct observation, attendance at meetings and workshops, and analysis of policy documents. The findings from this ethnographic case study demonstrate that although the post-conflict context opened up space for new policy ideas senior Ministry of Health officials rather than donors had the most power in setting the policy agenda. Maternity waiting homes were appealing because they were a visible, non-controversial, and logical solution to the problem of accessing maternal health services. Evidence was used in a variety of ways, from supporting pre-determined agendas to informing new policy directions. In the pursuit of EBP, we conclude that the power of research to inform policy lies in its timeliness and relevance, and is facilitated by the connection between researchers and policy-makers.

Agenda Setting and Evidence in Maternal Health: Connecting Research and Policy in Timor-Leste

PubMed Central

Wild, Kayli; Kelly, Paul; Barclay, Lesley; Martins, Nelson

2015-01-01

The evidence-based policy (EBP) movement has received significant attention in the scientific literature; however, there is still very little empirical research to provide insight into how policy decisions are made and how evidence is used. The lack of research on this topic in low- and middle-income countries is of particular note. We examine the maternity waiting home policy in Timor-Leste to understand the role of context, policy characteristics, individual actors, and how evidence is used to influence the policy agenda. The research tracked the maternity waiting home policy from 2005 to 2009 and is based on in-depth interviews with 31 senior policy-makers, department managers, non-government organization representatives, and United Nations advisors. It is also informed by direct observation, attendance at meetings and workshops, and analysis of policy documents. The findings from this ethnographic case study demonstrate that although the post-conflict context opened up space for new policy ideas senior Ministry of Health officials rather than donors had the most power in setting the policy agenda. Maternity waiting homes were appealing because they were a visible, non-controversial, and logical solution to the problem of accessing maternal health services. Evidence was used in a variety of ways, from supporting pre-determined agendas to informing new policy directions. In the pursuit of EBP, we conclude that the power of research to inform policy lies in its timeliness and relevance, and is facilitated by the connection between researchers and policy-makers. PMID:26442239

The application of network synthesis to repeating classical gamma-ray bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurley, K.; Kouveliotou, C.; Fishman, J.; Meegan, C.; Laros, J.; Klebesadel, R.

1995-01-01

It has been suggested that the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) gamma-ray burst catalog contains several groups of bursts clustered in space or in space and time, which provide evidence that a substantial fraction of the classical gamma-ray burst sources repeat. Because many of the bursts in these groups are weak, they are not directly detected by the Ulysses GRB experiment. We apply the network synthesis method to these events to test the repeating burst hypothesis. Although we find no evidence for repeating sources, the method must be applied under more general conditions before reaching any definite conclusions about the existence of classical gamma-ray burst repeating sources.

DO EMPLOYER PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS REFLECT EMPLOYEE PREFERENCES? EVIDENCE FROM A RETIREMENT SAVINGS REFORM IN DENMARK

PubMed Central

Fadlon, Itzik; Laird, Jessica

2016-01-01

This paper studies how firms set contributions to employer-provided 401(k)-type pension plans. Using a reform that decreased the subsidy to contributions to capital pension accounts for Danish workers in the top income tax bracket, we provide strong evidence that employers’ contributions are based on their employees’ savings preferences. We find an immediate decrease in employer contributions to capital accounts, whose magnitude increased in the share of employees directly affected by the reform. This response was large relative to average employee responses within private IRA-type plans and was accompanied by a similar-magnitude shift of employer contributions to annuity accounts. PMID:27917259

Orienting numbers in mental space: horizontal organization trumps vertical.

PubMed

Holmes, Kevin J; Lourenco, Stella F

2012-01-01

While research on the spatial representation of number has provided substantial evidence for a horizontally oriented mental number line, recent studies suggest vertical organization as well. Directly comparing the relative strength of horizontal and vertical organization, however, we found no evidence of spontaneous vertical orientation (upward or downward), and horizontal trumped vertical when pitted against each other (Experiment 1). Only when numbers were conceptualized as magnitudes (as opposed to nonmagnitude ordinal sequences) did reliable vertical organization emerge, with upward orientation preferred (Experiment 2). Altogether, these findings suggest that horizontal representations predominate, and that vertical representations, when elicited, may be relatively inflexible. Implications for spatial organization beyond number, and its ontogenetic basis, are discussed.

Raman spectroscopic evidence of tissue restructuring in heat-induced tissue fusion.

PubMed

Su, Lei; Cloyd, Kristy L; Arya, Shobhit; Hedegaard, Martin A B; Steele, Joseph A M; Elson, Daniel S; Stevens, Molly M; Hanna, George B

2014-09-01

Heat-induced tissue fusion via radio-frequency (RF) energy has gained wide acceptance clinically and here we present the first optical-Raman-spectroscopy study on tissue fusion samples in vitro. This study provides direct insights into tissue constituent and structural changes on the molecular level, exposing spectroscopic evidence for the loss of distinct collagen fibre rich tissue layers as well as the denaturing and restructuring of collagen crosslinks post RF fusion. These findings open the door for more advanced optical feedback-control methods and characterization during heat-induced tissue fusion, which will lead to new clinical applications of this promising technology. Copyright © 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Engineered feature used to enhance gardening at a 3800-year-old site on the Pacific Northwest Coast

PubMed Central

Hoffmann, Tanja; Lyons, Natasha; Miller, Debbie; Diaz, Alejandra; Homan, Amy; Huddlestan, Stephanie; Leon, Roma

2016-01-01

Humans use a variety of deliberate means to modify biologically rich environs in pursuit of resource stability and predictability. Empirical evidence suggests that ancient hunter-gatherer populations engineered ecological niches to enhance the productivity and availability of economically significant resources. An archaeological excavation of a 3800-year-old wetland garden in British Columbia, Canada, provides the first direct evidence of an engineered feature designed to facilitate wild plant food production among mid-to-late Holocene era complex fisher-hunter-gatherers of the Northwest Coast. This finding provides an example of environmental, economic, and sociopolitical coevolutionary relationships that are triggered when humans manipulate niche environs. PMID:28028536

Modelling indirect interactions during failure spreading in a project activity network.

PubMed

Ellinas, Christos

2018-03-12

Spreading broadly refers to the notion of an entity propagating throughout a networked system via its interacting components. Evidence of its ubiquity and severity can be seen in a range of phenomena, from disease epidemics to financial systemic risk. In order to understand the dynamics of these critical phenomena, computational models map the probability of propagation as a function of direct exposure, typically in the form of pairwise interactions between components. By doing so, the important role of indirect interactions remains unexplored. In response, we develop a simple model that accounts for the effect of both direct and subsequent exposure, which we deploy in the novel context of failure propagation within a real-world engineering project. We show that subsequent exposure has a significant effect in key aspects, including the: (a) final spreading event size, (b) propagation rate, and (c) spreading event structure. In addition, we demonstrate the existence of 'hidden influentials' in large-scale spreading events, and evaluate the role of direct and subsequent exposure in their emergence. Given the evidence of the importance of subsequent exposure, our findings offer new insight on particular aspects that need to be included when modelling network dynamics in general, and spreading processes specifically.

Valence evaluation with approaching or withdrawing cues: directly testing valence-arousal conflict theory.

PubMed

Wang, Yan Mei; Li, Ting; Li, Lin

2017-07-19

The valence-arousal conflict theory assumes that both valence and arousal will trigger approaching or withdrawing tendencies. It also predicts that the speed of processing emotional stimuli will depend on whether valence and arousal trigger conflicting or congruent motivational tendencies. However, most previous studies have provided evidence of the interaction between valence and arousal only, and have not provided direct proof of the interactive links between valence, arousal and motivational tendencies. The present study provides direct evidence for the relationship between approach-withdrawal tendencies and the valence-arousal conflict. In an empirical test, participants were instructed to judge the valence of emotional words after visual-spatial cues that appeared to be either approaching or withdrawing from participants. A three-way interaction (valence, arousal, and approach-withdrawal tendency) was observed such that the response time was shorter if participants responded to a negative high-arousal stimulus after a withdrawing cue, or to a positive low-arousal stimulus after an approaching cue. These findings suggest that the approach-withdrawal tendency indeed plays a crucial role in valence-arousal conflict, and that the effect depends on the congruency of valence, arousal and tendency at an early stage of processing.

The Double-edged Sword of Pedagogy: Instruction limits spontaneous exploration and discovery

PubMed Central

Shafto, Patrick; Gweon, Hyowon; Goodman, Noah D.; Spelke, Elizabeth; Schulz, Laura

2012-01-01

Motivated by computational analyses, we look at how teaching affects exploration and discovery. In Experiment 1, we investigated children’s exploratory play after an adult pedagogically demonstrated a function of a toy, after an interrupted pedagogical demonstration, after a naïve adult demonstrated the function, and at baseline. Preschoolers in the pedagogical condition focused almost exclusively on the target function; by contrast, children in the other conditions explored broadly. In Experiment 2, we show that children restrict their exploration both after direct instruction to themselves and after overhearing direct instruction given to another child; they do not show this constraint after observing direct instruction given to an adult or after observing a non-pedagogical intentional action. We discuss these findings as the result of rational inductive biases. In pedagogical contexts, a teacher’s failure to provide evidence for additional functions provides evidence for their absence; such contexts generalize from child to child (because children are likely to have comparable states of knowledge) but not from adult to child. Thus, pedagogy promotes efficient learning but at a cost: children are less likely to perform potentially irrelevant actions but also less likely to discover novel information. PMID:21216395

The double-edged sword of pedagogy: Instruction limits spontaneous exploration and discovery.

PubMed

Bonawitz, Elizabeth; Shafto, Patrick; Gweon, Hyowon; Goodman, Noah D; Spelke, Elizabeth; Schulz, Laura

2011-09-01

Motivated by computational analyses, we look at how teaching affects exploration and discovery. In Experiment 1, we investigated children's exploratory play after an adult pedagogically demonstrated a function of a toy, after an interrupted pedagogical demonstration, after a naïve adult demonstrated the function, and at baseline. Preschoolers in the pedagogical condition focused almost exclusively on the target function; by contrast, children in the other conditions explored broadly. In Experiment 2, we show that children restrict their exploration both after direct instruction to themselves and after overhearing direct instruction given to another child; they do not show this constraint after observing direct instruction given to an adult or after observing a non-pedagogical intentional action. We discuss these findings as the result of rational inductive biases. In pedagogical contexts, a teacher's failure to provide evidence for additional functions provides evidence for their absence; such contexts generalize from child to child (because children are likely to have comparable states of knowledge) but not from adult to child. Thus, pedagogy promotes efficient learning but at a cost: children are less likely to perform potentially irrelevant actions but also less likely to discover novel information. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Determinants of Mexico-U.S. Outward and Return Migration Flows: A State-Level Panel Data Analysis.

PubMed

Chort, Isabelle; de la Rupelle, Maëlys

2016-10-01

Using a unique panel data set of state-to-state outward and return migration flows between Mexico and the United States from 1995 to 2012, this study is the first to analyze Mexico-U.S. migration at the state level and explore simultaneously the effect of economic, environmental, and social factors in Mexico over two decades. Pairing origin and destination states and controlling for a rich structure of fixed effects, we find that income positively impacts migration outflows, especially for Mexican states of origin with a recent migration history and for low-educated migrant flows, suggesting the existence of credit constraints. We find evidence that drought causes more out-migration, while other climatic shocks have no effect. Violence is found to increase out-migration flows from border states and to decrease migration from other Mexican states, especially where violence is directed at migrants. Last, return flows are larger when income growth at destination is lower, consistent with the accumulation of savings as a primary motivation of migrants. Exploring the impact of the crisis, we find evidence of significant changes in the geography of migration flows. Traditional flows are drying up, and new migration corridors are rising, with implications on the composition of the Mexican population in the United States. Although the effect of income on flows in both directions is unchanged by the crisis, the negative effect of violence on out-migration tends to reverse at the end of the period. Overall, this study emphasizes the interest of analyzing disaggregated flows at the infra-country level.

Macroeconomics of Natural Disasters: Strengths and Weaknesses of Meta-Analysis Versus Review of Literature.

PubMed

A G van Bergeijk, Peter; Lazzaroni, Sara

2015-06-01

We use the case of the macroeconomic impact of natural disasters to analyze strengths and weaknesses of meta-analysis in an emerging research field. Macroeconomists have published on this issue since 2002 (we identified 60 studies to date). The results of the studies are contradictory and therefore the need to synthesize the available research is evident. Meta-analysis is a useful method in this field. An important aim of our article is to show how one can use the identified methodological characteristics to better understand the robustness and importance of new findings. To provide a comparative perspective, we contrast our meta-analysis and its findings with the major influential research synthesis in the field: the IPCC's 2012 special report Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation. We show that the IPCC could have been more confident about the negative economic impact of disasters and more transparent on inclusion and qualification of studies, if it had been complemented by a meta-analysis. Our meta-analysis shows that, controlling for modeling strategies and data set, the impact of disasters is significantly negative. The evidence is strongest for direct costs studies where we see no difference between our larger sample and the studies included in the IPCC report. Direct cost studies and indirect cost studies differ significantly, both in terms of the confidence that can be attached to a negative impact of natural disasters and in terms of the sources of heterogeneity of the findings reported in the primary studies. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

Postglacial recolonization shaped the genetic diversity of the winter moth (Operophtera brumata) in Europe.

PubMed

Andersen, Jeremy C; Havill, Nathan P; Caccone, Adalgisa; Elkinton, Joseph S

2017-05-01

Changes in climate conditions, particularly during the Quaternary climatic oscillations, have long been recognized to be important for shaping patterns of species diversity. For species residing in the western Palearctic, two commonly observed genetic patterns resulting from these cycles are as follows: (1) that the numbers and distributions of genetic lineages correspond with the use of geographically distinct glacial refugia and (2) that southern populations are generally more diverse than northern populations (the "southern richness, northern purity" paradigm). To determine whether these patterns hold true for the widespread pest species the winter moth ( Operophtera brumata ), we genotyped 699 individual winter moths collected from 15 Eurasian countries with 24 polymorphic microsatellite loci. We find strong evidence for the presence of two major genetic clusters that diverged ~18 to ~22 ka, with evidence that secondary contact (i.e., hybridization) resumed ~ 5 ka along a well-established hybrid zone in Central Europe. This pattern supports the hypothesis that contemporary populations descend from populations that resided in distinct glacial refugia. However, unlike many previous studies of postglacial recolonization, we found no evidence for the "southern richness, northern purity" paradigm. We also find evidence for ongoing gene flow between populations in adjacent Eurasian countries, suggesting that long-distance dispersal plays an important part in shaping winter moth genetic diversity. In addition, we find that this gene flow is predominantly in a west-to-east direction, suggesting that recently debated reports of cyclical outbreaks of winter moth spreading from east to west across Europe are not the result of dispersal.

Replacing and Additive Horizontal Gene Transfer in Streptococcus

PubMed Central

Choi, Sang Chul; Rasmussen, Matthew D.; Hubisz, Melissa J.; Gronau, Ilan; Stanhope, Michael J.; Siepel, Adam

2012-01-01

The prominent role of Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT) in the evolution of bacteria is now well documented, but few studies have differentiated between evolutionary events that predominantly cause genes in one lineage to be replaced by homologs from another lineage (“replacing HGT”) and events that result in the addition of substantial new genomic material (“additive HGT”). Here in, we make use of the distinct phylogenetic signatures of replacing and additive HGTs in a genome-wide study of the important human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (SPY) and its close relatives S. dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDE) and S. dysgalactiae subspecies dysgalactiae (SDD). Using recently developed statistical models and computational methods, we find evidence for abundant gene flow of both kinds within each of the SPY and SDE clades and of reduced levels of exchange between SPY and SDD. In addition, our analysis strongly supports a pronounced asymmetry in SPY–SDE gene flow, favoring the SPY-to-SDE direction. This finding is of particular interest in light of the recent increase in virulence of pathogenic SDE. We find much stronger evidence for SPY–SDE gene flow among replacing than among additive transfers, suggesting a primary influence from homologous recombination between co-occurring SPY and SDE cells in human hosts. Putative virulence genes are correlated with transfer events, but this correlation is found to be driven by additive, not replacing, HGTs. The genes affected by additive HGTs are enriched for functions having to do with transposition, recombination, and DNA integration, consistent with previous findings, whereas replacing HGTs seen to influence a more diverse set of genes. Additive transfers are also found to be associated with evidence of positive selection. These findings shed new light on the manner in which HGT has shaped pathogenic bacterial genomes. PMID:22617954

A systematic review of Registered Nurses; experiences of the influence of workplace culture and climatic factors on nursing workloads.

PubMed

Ross-Walker, Cheryl; Rogers-Clark, Cath; Pearce, Susanne

Nursing workload is an issue that effects both the recruitment and retention of nurses, and patient safety. Historically, measurement has focussed on the delivery of direct patient care and excluded workload of facilitating hands-on care and supporting the organisation via duties that reflect organisation cultural and climate needs. Qualitative research is appropriate to understand this complexity. To determine the best available evidence in relation to registered nurses experiences of workplace cultural and climatic factors that influence nursing workloads, in an acute health care setting. This review sought high quality studies which explored registered nurses' experiences of the influence of cultural and climatic factors on their workloads. Qualitative research studies and opinion-based text were considered. An extensive search of the literature was conducted to identify published and unpublished studies between January 1990 and June 2011 in English, and indexed in the following databases: CINAHL, Medline, Medline-In Process, PsychINFO, Emerald, Current Contents, TRIP, JSTOR Nursing Consult Psychology & Behavioural Sciences collections, Emerald Management Reviews, Emerald Full Text Journals, Embase, Dissertation Abstracts, ERIC, Proquest and MedNar, EBSCOhost, Science Direct, Wiley Interscience. Two independent reviewers (CRW and CRC), using appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), assessed fifteen articles; one was excluded. Data were extracted from included papers using standardised tools developed by the JBI. Data from qualitative studies and textual/opinion papers were meta-synthesised separately using standardised instruments. Data synthesis involved the pooling of findings, then grouped into categories on the basis of similarity of meaning. The categories were further aggregated into synthesised findings. 14 papers were identified as high quality and meeting the inclusion criteria. 81 findings were identified from the 10 qualitative research papers and 39 conclusions from the 4 text/ opinion papers. While the research and non research evidence was analysed separately, both sets of evidence gave the same synthesised findings. The qualitative research findings were grouped into eight categories and textual data into six categories; all textual categories were also identified in the qualitative synthesis. These categories were aggregated into two synthesised findings. Nursing workloads are influenced by the largely immeasurable cultural factors within hospital environments. These factors signify 'how we do things around here'. Organisational climate influences nursing workloads because of inter-professional relationships, clinical governance, workplace support, non-nursing duties, organisational structure and organisation, work redesign, workflow and diversity within nursing roles. The component of registered nurses' workloads that are not patient-care should be recognised. Reviewing nursing roles to remove unnecessary work unrelated to patient care would positively influence nursing workloads, giving time for cognitive workload and clinical education and mentorship. Further qualitative research should explore the complexity of clinical nurses' roles in a diversity of settings, to address the responsibilities that registered nurses routinely assume, but which do not involve direct patient care. New workload models, which capture the non-measurable aspects of a registered nurse's role, should be developed and evaluated.

Sleep Spindle Characteristics in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Their Relation to Cognition

PubMed Central

Wise, Merrill S.

2016-01-01

Empirical evidence indicates that sleep spindles facilitate neuroplasticity and “off-line” processing during sleep, which supports learning, memory consolidation, and intellectual performance. Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) exhibit characteristics that may increase both the risk for and vulnerability to abnormal spindle generation. Despite the high prevalence of sleep problems and cognitive deficits in children with NDD, only a few studies have examined the putative association between spindle characteristics and cognitive function. This paper reviews the literature regarding sleep spindle characteristics in children with NDD and their relation to cognition in light of what is known in typically developing children and based on the available evidence regarding children with NDD. We integrate available data, identify gaps in understanding, and recommend future research directions. Collectively, studies are limited by small sample sizes, heterogeneous populations with multiple comorbidities, and nonstandardized methods for collecting and analyzing findings. These limitations notwithstanding, the evidence suggests that future studies should examine associations between sleep spindle characteristics and cognitive function in children with and without NDD, and preliminary findings raise the intriguing question of whether enhancement or manipulation of sleep spindles could improve sleep-dependent memory and other aspects of cognitive function in this population. PMID:27478646

Crossovers are associated with mutation and biased gene conversion at recombination hotspots.

PubMed

Arbeithuber, Barbara; Betancourt, Andrea J; Ebner, Thomas; Tiemann-Boege, Irene

2015-02-17

Meiosis is a potentially important source of germline mutations, as sites of meiotic recombination experience recurrent double-strand breaks (DSBs). However, evidence for a local mutagenic effect of recombination from population sequence data has been equivocal, likely because mutation is only one of several forces shaping sequence variation. By sequencing large numbers of single crossover molecules obtained from human sperm for two recombination hotspots, we find direct evidence that recombination is mutagenic: Crossovers carry more de novo mutations than nonrecombinant DNA molecules analyzed for the same donors and hotspots. The observed mutations were primarily CG to TA transitions, with a higher frequency of transitions at CpG than non-CpGs sites. This enrichment of mutations at CpG sites at hotspots could predominate in methylated regions involving frequent single-stranded DNA processing as part of DSB repair. In addition, our data set provides evidence that GC alleles are preferentially transmitted during crossing over, opposing mutation, and shows that GC-biased gene conversion (gBGC) predominates over mutation in the sequence evolution of hotspots. These findings are consistent with the idea that gBGC could be an adaptation to counteract the mutational load of recombination.

Crossovers are associated with mutation and biased gene conversion at recombination hotspots

PubMed Central

Arbeithuber, Barbara; Betancourt, Andrea J.; Ebner, Thomas; Tiemann-Boege, Irene

2015-01-01

Meiosis is a potentially important source of germline mutations, as sites of meiotic recombination experience recurrent double-strand breaks (DSBs). However, evidence for a local mutagenic effect of recombination from population sequence data has been equivocal, likely because mutation is only one of several forces shaping sequence variation. By sequencing large numbers of single crossover molecules obtained from human sperm for two recombination hotspots, we find direct evidence that recombination is mutagenic: Crossovers carry more de novo mutations than nonrecombinant DNA molecules analyzed for the same donors and hotspots. The observed mutations were primarily CG to TA transitions, with a higher frequency of transitions at CpG than non-CpGs sites. This enrichment of mutations at CpG sites at hotspots could predominate in methylated regions involving frequent single-stranded DNA processing as part of DSB repair. In addition, our data set provides evidence that GC alleles are preferentially transmitted during crossing over, opposing mutation, and shows that GC-biased gene conversion (gBGC) predominates over mutation in the sequence evolution of hotspots. These findings are consistent with the idea that gBGC could be an adaptation to counteract the mutational load of recombination. PMID:25646453

High-Stakes Systematic Reviews: A Case Study From the Field of Teen Pregnancy Prevention.

PubMed

Goesling, Brian; Oberlander, Sarah; Trivits, Lisa

2016-08-19

Systematic reviews help policy makers and practitioners make sense of research findings in a particular program, policy, or practice area by synthesizing evidence across multiple studies. However, the link between review findings and practical decision-making is rarely one-to-one. Policy makers and practitioners may use systematic review findings to help guide their decisions, but they may also rely on other information sources or personal judgment. To describe a recent effort by the U.S. federal government to narrow the gap between review findings and practical decision-making. The Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Evidence Review was launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2009 as a systematic review of the TPP literature. HHS has used the review findings to determine eligibility for federal funding for TPP programs, marking one of the first attempts to directly link systematic review findings with federal funding decisions. The high stakes attached to the review findings required special considerations in designing and conducting the review. To provide a sound basis for federal funding decisions, the review had to meet accepted methodological standards. However, the review team also had to account for practical constraints of the funding legislation and needs of the federal agencies responsible for administering the grant programs. The review team also had to develop a transparent process for both releasing the review findings and updating them over time. Prospective review authors and sponsors must recognize both the strengths and limitations of this approach before applying it in other areas. © The Author(s) 2016.

Transmissibility and Pathogenicity of Ebola Virus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Household Secondary Attack Rate and Asymptomatic Infection

PubMed Central

Dean, Natalie E.; Halloran, M. Elizabeth; Yang, Yang; Longini, Ira M.

2016-01-01

Factors affecting our ability to control an Ebola outbreak include transmissibility of the virus and the proportion of transmissions occurring asymptomatically. We performed a meta-analysis of Ebola household secondary attack rate (SAR), disaggregating by type of exposure (direct contact, no direct contact, nursing care, direct contact but no nursing care). The estimated overall household SAR is 12.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.6%–16.3%). Transmission was driven by direct contact, with little transmission occurring in its absence (SAR, 0.8% [95% CI, 0%–2.3%]). The greatest risk factor was the provision of nursing care (SAR, 47.9% [95% CI, 23.3%–72.6%]). There was evidence of a decline in household SAR for direct contact between 1976 and 2014 (P = .018). We estimate that 27.1% (95% CI, 14.5%–39.6%) of Ebola infections are asymptomatic. Our findings suggest that surveillance and containment measures should be effective for controlling Ebola. PMID:26932131

Phenotypic constraints promote latent versatility and carbon efficiency in metabolic networks.

PubMed

Bardoscia, Marco; Marsili, Matteo; Samal, Areejit

2015-07-01

System-level properties of metabolic networks may be the direct product of natural selection or arise as a by-product of selection on other properties. Here we study the effect of direct selective pressure for growth or viability in particular environments on two properties of metabolic networks: latent versatility to function in additional environments and carbon usage efficiency. Using a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling based on flux balance analysis (FBA), we sample from a known biochemical universe random viable metabolic networks that differ in the number of directly constrained environments. We find that the latent versatility of sampled metabolic networks increases with the number of directly constrained environments and with the size of the networks. We then show that the average carbon wastage of sampled metabolic networks across the constrained environments decreases with the number of directly constrained environments and with the size of the networks. Our work expands the growing body of evidence about nonadaptive origins of key functional properties of biological networks.

Alignments of parity even/odd-only multipoles in CMB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aluri, Pavan K.; Ralston, John P.; Weltman, Amanda

2017-12-01

We compare the statistics of parity even and odd multipoles of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) sky from Planck full mission temperature measurements. An excess power in odd multipoles compared to even multipoles has previously been found on large angular scales. Motivated by this apparent parity asymmetry, we evaluate directional statistics associated with even compared to odd multipoles, along with their significances. Primary tools are the Power tensor and Alignment tensor statistics. We limit our analysis to the first 60 multipoles i.e. l = [2, 61]. We find no evidence for statistically unusual alignments of even parity multipoles. More than one independent statistic finds evidence for alignments of anisotropy axes of odd multipoles, with a significance equivalent to ∼2σ or more. The robustness of alignment axes is tested by making Galactic cuts and varying the multipole range. Very interestingly, the region spanned by the (a)symmetry axes is found to broadly contain other parity (a)symmetry axes previously observed in the literature.

Evidence That Chromium Modulates Cellular Cholesterol Homeostasis and ABCA1 Functionality Impaired By Hyperinsulinemia

PubMed Central

Sealls, Whitney; Penque, Brent A.; Elmendorf, Jeffrey S.

2011-01-01

Objective Trivalent chromium (Cr3+) is an essential micronutrient. Findings since the 1950s suggest that Cr3+ might benefit cholesterol homeostasis. Here we present mechanistic evidence in support of this role of Cr3+. Method and Results High-density lipoprotein cholesterol generation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, rendered ineffective by hyperinsulinemia, known to accompany disorders of lipid metabolism was corrected by Cr3+. Mechanistically, Cr3+ reversed hyperinsulinemia-induced cellular cholesterol accrual and associated defects in cholesterol transporter ABCA1 trafficking and apolipoprotein A1-mediated cholesterol efflux. Moreover, direct activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), known to be activated by Cr3+, and/or inhibition of hexosamine biosynthesis pathway (HBP) activity, known to be elevated by hyperinsulinemia, mimics Cr3+ action. Conclusion These findings suggest a mechanism of Cr3+ action that fits with long-standing claims of its role in cholesterol homeostasis. Furthermore, these data implicate a mechanistic basis for the coexistence of dyslipidemia with hyperinsulinemia. PMID:21311039

The roles of hydraulic and carbon stress in a widespread climate-induced forest die-off

PubMed Central

Anderegg, William R. L.; Berry, Joseph A.; Smith, Duncan D.; Sperry, John S.; Anderegg, Leander D. L.; Field, Christopher B.

2012-01-01

Forest ecosystems store approximately 45% of the carbon found in terrestrial ecosystems, but they are sensitive to climate-induced dieback. Forest die-off constitutes a large uncertainty in projections of climate impacts on terrestrial ecosystems, climate–ecosystem interactions, and carbon-cycle feedbacks. Current understanding of the physiological mechanisms mediating climate-induced forest mortality limits the ability to model or project these threshold events. We report here a direct and in situ study of the mechanisms underlying recent widespread and climate-induced trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) forest mortality in western North America. We find substantial evidence of hydraulic failure of roots and branches linked to landscape patterns of canopy and root mortality in this species. On the contrary, we find no evidence that drought stress led to depletion of carbohydrate reserves. Our results illuminate proximate mechanisms underpinning recent aspen forest mortality and provide guidance for understanding and projecting forest die-offs under climate change. PMID:22167807

Single-trial dynamics of motor cortex and their applications to brain-machine interfaces

PubMed Central

Kao, Jonathan C.; Nuyujukian, Paul; Ryu, Stephen I.; Churchland, Mark M.; Cunningham, John P.; Shenoy, Krishna V.

2015-01-01

Increasing evidence suggests that neural population responses have their own internal drive, or dynamics, that describe how the neural population evolves through time. An important prediction of neural dynamical models is that previously observed neural activity is informative of noisy yet-to-be-observed activity on single-trials, and may thus have a denoising effect. To investigate this prediction, we built and characterized dynamical models of single-trial motor cortical activity. We find these models capture salient dynamical features of the neural population and are informative of future neural activity on single trials. To assess how neural dynamics may beneficially denoise single-trial neural activity, we incorporate neural dynamics into a brain–machine interface (BMI). In online experiments, we find that a neural dynamical BMI achieves substantially higher performance than its non-dynamical counterpart. These results provide evidence that neural dynamics beneficially inform the temporal evolution of neural activity on single trials and may directly impact the performance of BMIs. PMID:26220660

The Theory Behind the Age-Related Positivity Effect

PubMed Central

Reed, Andrew E.; Carstensen, Laura L.

2012-01-01

The “positivity effect” refers to an age-related trend that favors positive over negative stimuli in cognitive processing. Relative to their younger counterparts, older people attend to and remember more positive than negative information. Since the effect was initially identified and the conceptual basis articulated (Mather and Carstensen, 2005) scores of independent replications and related findings have appeared in the literature. Over the same period, a number of investigations have failed to observe age differences in the cognitive processing of emotional material. When findings are considered in theoretical context, a reliable pattern of evidence emerges that helps to refine conceptual tenets. In this article we articulate the operational definition and theoretical foundations of the positivity effect and review the empirical evidence based on studies of visual attention, memory, decision making, and neural activation. We conclude with a discussion of future research directions with emphasis on the conditions where a focus on positive information may benefit and/or impair cognitive performance in older people. PMID:23060825

Children's ideas about the solar system and the chaos in learning science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharp, John G.; Kuerbis, Paul

2006-01-01

Findings from a quasi-experimental study of children's ideas about the solar system and how these ideas changed in response to a 10-week intervention period of formal astronomy teaching at a single primary school in England are presented in detail. Initial interviews with all of the 9- to 11-year-olds involved revealed a relatively poorly developed prior knowledge base, and this was reflected in the predominantly intuitive and transitional nature of the different mental models expressed and used when answering questions and completing tasks. Following intervention, progression was evident in many different forms and this could be described and measured both qualitatively and quantitatively. The routes and pathways toward scientific conceptualization were often direct, and most changes could be attributed largely to the processes of weak and radical knowledge restructuring. Together with the retention of newly formed ideas over time, learning outcomes were considered particularly encouraging. In order to explain findings more fully, evidence is presented which lends some support to the notion of chaos in cognition.

Evidence for the treatment of co-occurring stuttering and speech sound disorder: A clinical case series.

PubMed

Unicomb, Rachael; Hewat, Sally; Spencer, Elizabeth; Harrison, Elisabeth

2017-06-01

There is a paucity of evidence to guide treatment for children with co-occurring stuttering and speech sound disorder. Some guidelines suggest treating the two disorders simultaneously using indirect treatment approaches; however, the research supporting these recommendations is over 20 years old. In this clinical case series, we investigate whether these co-occurring disorders could be treated concurrently using direct treatment approaches supported by up-to-date, high-level evidence, and whether this could be done in an efficacious, safe and efficient manner. Five pre-school-aged participants received individual concurrent, direct intervention for both stuttering and speech sound disorder. All participants used the Lidcombe Program, as manualised. Direct treatment for speech sound disorder was individualised based on analysis of each child's sound system. At 12 months post commencement of treatment, all except one participant had completed the Lidcombe Program, and were less than 1.0% syllables stuttered on samples gathered within and beyond the clinic. These four participants completed Stage 1 of the Lidcombe Program in between 14 and 22 clinic visits, consistent with current benchmark data for this programme. At the same assessment point, all five participants exhibited significant increases in percentage of consonants correct and were in alignment with age-expected estimates of this measure. Further, they were treated in an average number of clinic visits that compares favourably with other research on treatment for speech sound disorder. These preliminary results indicate that young children with co-occurring stuttering and speech sound disorder may be treated concurrently using direct treatment approaches. This method of service delivery may have implications for cost and time efficiency and may also address the crucial need for early intervention in both disorders. These positive findings highlight the need for further research in the area and contribute to the limited evidence base.

Herbivorous ecomorphology and specialization patterns in theropod dinosaur evolution.

PubMed

Zanno, Lindsay E; Makovicky, Peter J

2011-01-04

Interpreting key ecological parameters, such as diet, of extinct organisms without the benefit of direct observation or explicit fossil evidence poses a formidable challenge for paleobiological studies. To date, dietary categorizations of extinct taxa are largely generated by means of modern analogs; however, for many species the method is subject to considerable ambiguity. Here we present a refined approach for assessing trophic habits in fossil taxa and apply the method to coelurosaurian dinosaurs--a clade for which diet is particularly controversial. Our findings detect 21 morphological features that exhibit statistically significant correlations with extrinsic fossil evidence of coelurosaurian herbivory, such as stomach contents and a gastric mill. These traits represent quantitative, extrinsically founded proxies for identifying herbivorous ecomorphology in fossils and are robust despite uncertainty in phylogenetic relationships among major coelurosaurian subclades. The distribution of these features suggests that herbivory was widespread among coelurosaurians, with six major subclades displaying morphological evidence of the diet, and that contrary to previous thought, hypercarnivory was relatively rare and potentially secondarily derived. Given the potential for repeated, independent evolution of herbivory in Coelurosauria, we also test for repetitive patterns in the appearance of herbivorous traits within sublineages using rank concordance analysis. We find evidence for a common succession of increasing specialization to herbivory in the subclades Ornithomimosauria and Oviraptorosauria, perhaps underlain by intrinsic functional and/or developmental constraints, as well as evidence indicating that the early evolution of a beak in coelurosaurians correlates with an herbivorous diet.

Herbivorous ecomorphology and specialization patterns in theropod dinosaur evolution

PubMed Central

Zanno, Lindsay E.; Makovicky, Peter J.

2011-01-01

Interpreting key ecological parameters, such as diet, of extinct organisms without the benefit of direct observation or explicit fossil evidence poses a formidable challenge for paleobiological studies. To date, dietary categorizations of extinct taxa are largely generated by means of modern analogs; however, for many species the method is subject to considerable ambiguity. Here we present a refined approach for assessing trophic habits in fossil taxa and apply the method to coelurosaurian dinosaurs—a clade for which diet is particularly controversial. Our findings detect 21 morphological features that exhibit statistically significant correlations with extrinsic fossil evidence of coelurosaurian herbivory, such as stomach contents and a gastric mill. These traits represent quantitative, extrinsically founded proxies for identifying herbivorous ecomorphology in fossils and are robust despite uncertainty in phylogenetic relationships among major coelurosaurian subclades. The distribution of these features suggests that herbivory was widespread among coelurosaurians, with six major subclades displaying morphological evidence of the diet, and that contrary to previous thought, hypercarnivory was relatively rare and potentially secondarily derived. Given the potential for repeated, independent evolution of herbivory in Coelurosauria, we also test for repetitive patterns in the appearance of herbivorous traits within sublineages using rank concordance analysis. We find evidence for a common succession of increasing specialization to herbivory in the subclades Ornithomimosauria and Oviraptorosauria, perhaps underlain by intrinsic functional and/or developmental constraints, as well as evidence indicating that the early evolution of a beak in coelurosaurians correlates with an herbivorous diet. PMID:21173263

Communication and dissemination strategies to facilitate the use of health-related evidence.

PubMed

McCormack, Lauren; Sheridan, Stacey; Lewis, Megan; Boudewyns, Vanessa; Melvin, Cathy L; Kistler, Christine; Lux, Linda J; Cullen, Katherine; Lohr, Kathleen N

2013-11-01

This review examined how to best communicate and disseminate evidence, including uncertain evidence, to inform health care decisions. The review focused on three primary objectives--comparing the effectiveness of: (1) communicating evidence in various contents and formats that increase the likelihood that target audiences will both understand and use the information (KQ 1); (2) a variety of approaches for disseminating evidence from those who develop it to those who are expected to use it (KQ 2); and (3) various ways of communicating uncertainty-associated health-related evidence to different target audiences (KQ 3). A secondary objective was to examine how the effectiveness of communication and dissemination strategies varies across target audiences, including evidence translators, health educators, patients, and clinicians. We searched MEDLINE®, the Cochrane Library, Cochrane Central Trials Registry, PsycINFO®, and the Web of Science. We used a variety of medical subject headings (MeSH terms) and major headings, and used free-text and title and abstract text-word searches. The search was limited to studies on humans published from 2000 to March 15, 2013, for communication and dissemination, given the prior systematic reviews, and from 1966 to March 15, 2013, for communicating uncertainty. We used standard Evidence-based Practice Center methods of dual review of abstracts, full-text articles, and abstractions, and quality ratings and group consensus to resolve disagreements. We used group consensus to grade strength of evidence. The search identified 4,152 articles (after removing duplicates) for all three KQs. After dual review at the title/abstract stage and full-text review stage, we retained 61 articles that directly (i.e., head to head) compared strategies to communicate and disseminate evidence. Across the KQs, many of the comparisons yielded insufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions. For KQ 1, we found that investigators frequently blend more than one communication strategy in interventions. For KQ 2, we found that, compared with single dissemination strategies, multicomponent dissemination strategies are more effective at enhancing clinician behavior, particularly for guideline adherence. Key findings for KQ 3 indicate that evidence on communicating overall strength of recommendation and precision was insufficient, but certain ways of communicating directness and net benefit may be helpful in reducing uncertainty. The lack of comparative research evidence to inform communication and dissemination of evidence, including uncertain evidence, impedes timely clinician, patient, and policymaker awareness, uptake, and use of evidence to improve the quality of care. Expanding investment in communication, dissemination, and implementation research is critical to the identification of strategies to accelerate the translation of comparative effectiveness research into community and clinical practice and the direct benefit of patient care.

Direct Identification of Dilute Surface Spins on Al2 O3 : Origin of Flux Noise in Quantum Circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Graaf, S. E.; Adamyan, A. A.; Lindström, T.; Erts, D.; Kubatkin, S. E.; Tzalenchuk, A. Ya.; Danilov, A. V.

2017-02-01

An on-chip electron spin resonance technique is applied to reveal the nature and origin of surface spins on Al2 O3 . We measure a spin density of 2.2 ×1 017 spins/m2 , attributed to physisorbed atomic hydrogen and S =1 /2 electron spin states on the surface. This is direct evidence for the nature of spins responsible for flux noise in quantum circuits, which has been an issue of interest for several decades. Our findings open up a new approach to the identification and controlled reduction of paramagnetic sources of noise and decoherence in superconducting quantum devices.

Searching for concentric low variance circles in the cosmic microwave background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeAbreu, Adam; Contreras, Dagoberto; Scott, Douglas

2015-12-01

In a recent paper, Gurzadyan & Penrose claim to have found directions in the sky around which there are multiple concentric sets of annuli with anomalously low variance in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). These features are presented as evidence for a particular theory of the pre-Big Bang Universe. We are able to reproduce the analysis these authors presented for data from the WMAP satellite and we confirm the existence of these apparently special directions in the newer Planck data. However, we also find that these features are present at the same level of abundance in simulated Gaussian CMB skies, i.e., they are entirely consistent with the predictions of the standard cosmological model.

Morphological evidence for parallel processing of information in rat macula.

PubMed

Ross, M D

1988-01-01

Study of montages, tracings and reconstructions prepared from a series of 570 consecutive ultrathin sections shows that rat maculas are morphologically organized for parallel processing of linear acceleratory information. Type II cells of one terminal field distribute information to neighboring terminals as well. The findings are examined in light of physiological data which indicate that macular receptor fields have a preferred directional vector, and are interpreted by analogy to a computer technology known as an information network.

Beyond the Water’s Edge: United States National Security & the Ocean Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

possible for a person to identify directions from which sounds emanate. This “ binaural sense of direction” is based upon slight differences in arrival...a public beating as well. It would take a number of weeks to find any conclusive wreckage to offer even the slightest evidence for Thresher’s demise...conditions unless they often sailed a given route, navigators might attempt to stem currents or beat into winds for weeks (months even, in

Pharmacokinetic evidence for improved ophthalmic drug delivery by reduction of instilled volume.

PubMed

Patton, T F

1977-07-01

The bioavailability of topically applied pilocarpine nitrate was studied as a function of instilled volume. As the instilled volume decreased, the fraction of dose absorbed increased. The relationship between fraction absorbed and instilled volume was not direct, but appropriate adjustment of instilled volume and concentration should permit substantial dosage reductions without sacrifice of drug concentration in the eye. The implications of these findings from both a therapeutic and toxicity standpoint are discussed.

Silent hippocampal seizures and spikes identified by foramen ovale electrodes in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Lam, Alice D; Deck, Gina; Goldman, Alica; Eskandar, Emad N; Noebels, Jeffrey; Cole, Andrew J

2017-06-01

We directly assessed mesial temporal activity using intracranial foramen ovale electrodes in two patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) without a history or EEG evidence of seizures. We detected clinically silent hippocampal seizures and epileptiform spikes during sleep, a period when these abnormalities were most likely to interfere with memory consolidation. The findings in these index cases support a model in which early development of occult hippocampal hyperexcitability may contribute to the pathogenesis of AD.

Stratospheric ozone - Fragile shield. [SST exhausts and Freons impact

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffert, M. I.; Stewart, R. W.

1975-01-01

Atmospheric models that have been used in major studies on the possible impact of SST exhausts and Freons on stratospheric ozone are discussed and compared. An overview is given of ozone-reduction estimates that they produce, together with an assessment of possible effects of atmospheric testing of thermonuclear bombs in an attempt to find direct observational evidence for ozone depletion resulting from human activities. It is concluded that clear validation of atmospheric-model predictions is lacking.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Laser by Ben Bova

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bova, Ben

2000-03-01

Radio astronomers have had no success in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). Astronomers are now studying the heavens for signals that intelligent beings might send using lasers. Laser lights have the advantage of directionality, monochromaticity, and coherence. This research, called "optical SETI," looks for optical or infrared pulses with detectors that can pick up a broad spectrum of frequencies. By confining the search to stars similar to the Sun, scientists hope to find evidence of life other than ours.

Host genetic factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis C virus infection: A systematic review.

PubMed

Walker, A J; Peacock, C J; Pedergnana, V; Irving, W L

2018-05-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients are at risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Individuals at heightened risk could be targeted by intensive follow-up surveillance. We have conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify host genetic predisposition to HCC in HCV-infected patients. A comprehensive search of Medline and Embase databases was performed, and the strength of evidence of associations for each gene on development of HCC was evaluated. We identified 166 relevant studies, relating to 137 different genes, or combinations thereof. Seventeen genes were classified as having "good" evidence of an association, a significant association was observed for 37 genes but this finding had not yet been replicated, 56 genes had mixed or limited evidence of an association, and 27 genes showed no association. IFNL3/4, TNF-α and PNPLA3 genes had the most evidence of an association. There was, however, considerable heterogeneity in study design and data quality. In conclusion, we identified a number of genes with evidence of association with HCC, but also a need for more standardized approaches to address this clinically critical question. It is important to consider the underlying mechanism of these relationships and which are confounded by the presence of other HCC risk factors and response to therapy. We also identified many genes where the evidence of association is contradictory or requires replication, as well as a number where associations have been studied but no evidence found. These findings should help to direct future studies on host genetic predisposition to HCC in HCV-infected patients. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Viral Hepatitis Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The existence of parenting styles in the owner-dog relationship.

PubMed

Herwijnen, Ineke R van; van der Borg, Joanne A M; Naguib, Marc; Beerda, Bonne

2018-01-01

Parents interact with children following specific styles, known to influence child development. These styles represent variations in the dimensions of demandingness and responsiveness, resulting in authoritarian, authoritative, permissive or uninvolved parenting. Given the similarities in the parent to child and owner to dog relationships, we determined the extent to which parenting styles exist in the owner to dog relationship using the existing Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire for the parent-child relationship and an adapted version for dog owners. Items on the parenting of children/dogs were rated for applicability on a five-point Likert scale by 518 Dutch dog owning parents. Principal Component Analyses grouped parenting propensities into styles, with some marked differences between the findings for children and dogs. Dog-directed items grouped into an authoritarian-correction orientated style, incorporating variation in demandingness and focussing on correcting a dog for behaviour verbally/physically, and in two styles based on authoritative items. An authoritative-intrinsic value orientated style reflected variation in mainly responsiveness and oriented on the assumed needs and emotions of the animal. A second authoritative-item based style, captured variations in demandingness and responsiveness. We labelled this style authoritative-training orientated, as it orientated on manners in teaching a dog how to behave in social situations. Thus, we defined dog-directed parenting styles and constructed a Dog-Directed Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire along the lines of the existing theoretical framework on parenting styles. We did not find a dog-directed parenting style of being permissive or uninvolved, which we attribute to a study population of devoted dog owners and our findings should be interpreted with this specific study population in mind. We found evidence of dog-directed parenting styles and provide a fundament for determining their possible impact on the different aspects of a dog's life.

Videolaryngoscopy versus direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in children (excluding neonates).

PubMed

Abdelgadir, Ibtihal S; Phillips, Robert S; Singh, Davinder; Moncreiff, Michael P; Lumsden, Joanne L

2017-05-24

Direct laryngoscopy is the method currently used for tracheal intubation in children. It occasionally offers unexpectedly poor laryngeal views. Indirect laryngoscopy involves visualizing the vocal cords by means other than obtaining a direct sight, with the potential to improve outcomes. We reviewed the current available literature and performed a meta-analysis to compare direct versus indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, with regards to efficacy and adverse effects. To assess the efficacy of indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, versus direct laryngoscopy for intubation of children with regards to intubation time, number of attempts at intubation, and adverse haemodynamic responses to endotracheal intubation. We also assessed other adverse responses to intubation, such as trauma to oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal structures, and we assessed vocal cord view scores. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and trial registers (www.clinicaltrials.gov and www.controlledtrials) in November 2015. We reran the search in January 2017. We added new studies of potential interest to a list of 'Studies awaiting classification' and will incorporate them into formal review findings during the review update. We performed reference checking and citation searching and contacted the authors of unpublished data to ask for more information. We applied no language restrictions. We included only randomized controlled trials. Participants were children aged 28 days to 18 years. Investigators performed intubations using any type of indirect laryngoscopes, or videolaryngoscopes, versus direct laryngoscopes. We used Cochrane standard methodological procedures. Two review authors independently reviewed titles, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. We included 12 studies (803 children) in this review and meta-analysis. We identified three studies that are awaiting classification and two ongoing studies.Trial results show that a longer intubation time was required when indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, was used instead of direct laryngoscopy (12 trials; n = 798; mean difference (MD) 5.49 seconds, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.37 to 9.60; I 2 = 90%; very low-quality evidence). Researchers found no significant differences between direct and indirect laryngoscopy on assessment of success of the first attempt at intubation (11 trials; n = 749; risk ratio (RR) 0.96, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.02; I 2 = 67%; low-quality evidence) and observed that unsuccessful intubation (five trials; n = 263) was significantly increased in the indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, group (RR 4.93, 95% CI 1.33 to 18.31; I 2 = 0%; low-quality evidence). Five studies reported the effect of intubation on oxygen saturation (n = 272; very low-quality evidence). Five children had desaturation during intubation: one from the direct laryngoscopy group and four from the indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, group.Two studies (n = 100) reported other haemodynamic responses to intubation (very low-quality evidence). One study reported a significant increase in heart rate five minutes after intubation in the indirect laryngoscopy group (P = 0.007); the other study found that the heart rate change in the direct laryngoscopy group was significantly less than the heart rate change in the indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, group (P < 0.001). A total of five studies (n = 244; very low-quality evidence) looked at evidence of trauma resulting from intubation. Investigators reported that only two children from the direct laryngoscopy group had trauma compared with no children in the indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, group.Use of indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, improved the percentage of glottic opening (five trials; n = 256). Studies noted no significant difference in Cormack and Lehane score (C&L) grade 1 (three trials; n = 190; RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.21; I 2 = 59%). Evidence suggests that indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, leads to prolonged intubation time with an increased rate of intubation failure when compared with direct laryngoscopy (very low-quality evidence due to imprecision, inconsistency, and study limitations). Review authors had difficulty reaching conclusions on adverse haemodynamic responses and other adverse effects of intubation, as only a few children were reported to have these outcomes. Use of indirect laryngoscopy, or videolaryngoscopy, might lead to improved vocal cord view, but marked heterogeneity between studies made it difficult for review authors to reach conclusions on this outcome.

Brief wakeful resting can eliminate directed forgetting.

PubMed

Schlichting, Andreas; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T

2017-02-01

When cued to intentionally forget previously encoded memories, participants typically show reduced recall of the memories on a later recall test. We examined how such directed forgetting is affected by a brief period of wakeful resting between encoding and test. Encoding was followed by a "passive" wakeful resting period in which subjects heard emotionally neutral music or perceived neutral pictures, or it was followed by an "active" distraction period in which subjects were engaged in counting or calculation tasks. Whereas typical directed forgetting was present after active distraction, the forgetting was absent after wakeful resting. The findings indicate that the degree to which people can intentionally forget memories is influenced by the cognitive activity that people engage in shortly after learning takes place. The results provide first evidence on the interplay between wakeful resting and intentional forgetting.

Equitable Access for Secondary English Learner Students: Course Taking as Evidence of EL Program Effectiveness

PubMed Central

Callahan, Rebecca M.; Shifrer, Dara

2016-01-01

Purpose EL education policy has long directed schools to address English learner (EL) students’ linguistic and academic development, and must do so without furthering inequity or segregation (Lau, 1974; Castañeda, 1981). The recent ESSA (2015) reauthorization expresses a renewed focus on evidence of equity, effectiveness, and opportunity to learn. We propose that high school course taking patterns provide evidence of program effectiveness and equity in access. Research Design Using data from the nationally representative Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS: 2002), we employ multinomial regression models to predict students’ likelihood of completing two types of high school coursework (basic graduation, college preparatory) by their linguistic status. Findings Despite considerable linguistic, sociodemographic, and academic controls, marked disparities in high school course taking patterns remain, with EL students experiencing significantly less academic exposure. Implications for Policy and Practice Building on McKenzie and Scheurich’s (2004) notion of an equity trap and evidence of a long-standing EL opportunity gap, we suggest that school leaders might use our findings and their own course taking patterns to prompt discussions about the causes and consequences of local EL placement processes. Such discussions have the potential to raise awareness about how educators and school leaders approach educational equity and access, key elements central to the spirit of EL education policy. PMID:27429476

A Systematic Review of Commercial Cognitive Training Devices: Implications for Use in Sport

PubMed Central

Harris, David J.; Wilson, Mark R.; Vine, Samuel J.

2018-01-01

Background: Cognitive training (CT) aims to develop a range of skills, like attention and decision-making, through targeted training of core cognitive functions. While CT can target context specific skills, like movement anticipation, much CT is domain general, focusing on core abilities (e.g., selective attention) for transfer to a range of real-world tasks, such as spotting opponents. Commercial CT (CCT) devices are highly appealing for athletes and coaches due to their ease of use and eye-catching marketing claims. The extent to which this training transfers to performance in the sporting arena is, however, unclear. Therefore, this paper sought to provide a systematic review of evidence for beneficial training effects of CCT devices and evaluate their application to sport. Methods: An extensive search of electronic databases (PubMed, PsychInfo, GoogleScholar, and SportDiscus) was conducted to identify peer-reviewed evidence of training interventions with commercially available CT devices. Forty-three studies met the inclusion criteria and were retained for quality assessment and synthesis of results. Seventeen studies assessed transfer effects beyond laboratory cognitive tests, but only 1 directly assessed transfer to a sporting task. Results: The review of evidence showed limited support for far transfer benefits from CCT devices to sporting tasks, mainly because studies did not target the sporting environment. Additionally, a number of methodological issues with the CCT literature were identified, including small sample sizes, lack of retention tests, and limited replication of findings by researchers independent of the commercial product. Therefore, evidence for sporting benefits is currently limited by the paucity of representative transfer tests and a focus on populations with health conditions. Conclusions: Currently there is little direct evidence that the use of CCT devices can transfer to benefits for sporting performance. This conclusion, however, stems more from a lack of experimental studies in the sporting field and a lack of experimental rigor, rather than convincing null effects. Subsequently, there is an opportunity for researchers to develop more reliable findings in this area through systematic assessment in athletic populations and major methodological improvements.

Direct comparative effectiveness and safety between non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

PubMed

Li, Guowei; Lip, Gregory Y H; Holbrook, Anne; Chang, Yaping; Larsen, Torben B; Sun, Xin; Tang, Jie; Mbuagbaw, Lawrence; Witt, Daniel M; Crowther, Mark; Thabane, Lehana; Levine, Mitchell A H

2018-06-08

The non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been increasingly prescribed in clinical practice for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). Direct comparisons between NOACs in trials are lacking, leaving an important clinical decision-making gap. We aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the evidence of observational studies for direct comparative effectiveness and safety amongst NOACs in patients with AF. Conference proceedings and electronic databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE and PUBMED were systematically searched. We included observational studies directly comparing individual NOACs in patients with nonvalvular AF who were aged ≥ 18 years for stroke prevention. Primary outcome included effectiveness outcome (stroke or systemic embolism) and safety outcome (major bleeding). Data were extracted in duplicated by two reviewers independently. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize the data from included observational studies. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) to rate the overall quality of evidence for each outcome. Fifteen studies were included for qualitative synthesis, twelve studies for meta-analyses. It was found that rivaroxaban and dabigatran were similar with regard to risk of stroke or systemic embolism (Hazard ratio [HR] = 1.00, 95% CI 0.91-1.10; evidence quality: low), but rivaroxaban was associated with higher risk of major bleeding (HR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.28-1.50; evidence quality: moderate). Compared with apixaban, a significantly higher risk of major bleeding was observed with rivaroxaban (HR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.51-1.94; evidence quality: low). Apixaban was associated with lower risk of major bleeding, in comparison with dabigatran (HR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.68-0.95; evidence quality: low). No differences in risk of stroke or systemic embolism was observed between rivaroxaban versus apixaban, and apixaban versus dabigatran. In this study, apixaban was found to have the most favorable safety profile amongst the three NOACs. No significant difference was observed in risk of stroke or systemic embolism between the NOACs. Such findings may provide some decision-making support for physicians regarding their choices amongst NOACs in patients with AF.Registration PROSPERO (identifier: CRD42016052908).

Childhood ADHD and Delayed Reinforcement: A Direct Comparison of Performance on Hypothetical and Real-Time Delay Tasks.

PubMed

Yu, Xue; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund

2016-07-28

Individuals with ADHD have been shown to prefer smaller sooner over larger later rewards. This has been explained in terms of abnormally steeper discounting of the value of delayed reinforcers. Evidence for this comes from different experimental paradigms. In some, participants experience delay in the laboratory (real-time delay tasks; R-TD), in others they imagine the delay to reinforcers (hypothetical delay tasks; HD). We directly contrasted the performance of 7- to 12-year-old children with ADHD (n = 23) and matched controls (n = 23) on R-TD and HD tasks with monetary rewards. Children with ADHD displayed steeper temporal discounting on the R-TD, but not the HD tasks. These findings suggest that the experience of waiting prior to the delivery of rewards is an important determinant of heightened temporal discounting in ADHD-a finding consistent with models that emphasize the aversive nature of delay for children. © The Author(s) 2016.

Shallow Mantle Anisotropy Beneath the Juan de Fuca Plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

VanderBeek, Brandon P.; Toomey, Douglas R.

2017-11-01

The anisotropic fabric of the oceanic mantle lithosphere is often assumed to parallel paleo-relative plate motion (RPM). However, we find evidence that this assumption is invalid beneath the Juan de Fuca (JdF) plate. Using travel times of seismic energy propagating through the topmost mantle, we find that the fast direction of P wave propagation is rotated 18° ± 3° counterclockwise to the paleo-spreading direction and strikes between Pacific-JdF relative and JdF absolute plate motion (APM). The mean mantle velocity is 7.85 ± 0.02 km/s with 4.6% ± 0.4% anisotropy. Synthesis of the plate-averaged Pn anisotropy signal with measurements of Pn anisotropy beneath the JdF Ridge and SKS splits across the JdF plate suggests that the anisotropic structure of the topmost mantle continues to evolve away from the spreading center to more closely align with APM. We infer that the oceanic mantle lithosphere may record the influence of both paleo-RPM and paleo-APM.

A view not to be missed: Salient scene content interferes with cognitive restoration

PubMed Central

Van der Jagt, Alexander P. N.; Craig, Tony; Brewer, Mark J.; Pearson, David G.

2017-01-01

Attention Restoration Theory (ART) states that built scenes place greater load on attentional resources than natural scenes. This is explained in terms of "hard" and "soft" fascination of built and natural scenes. Given a lack of direct empirical evidence for this assumption we propose that perceptual saliency of scene content can function as an empirically derived indicator of fascination. Saliency levels were established by measuring speed of scene category detection using a Go/No-Go detection paradigm. Experiment 1 shows that built scenes are more salient than natural scenes. Experiment 2 replicates these findings using greyscale images, ruling out a colour-based response strategy, and additionally shows that built objects in natural scenes affect saliency to a greater extent than the reverse. Experiment 3 demonstrates that the saliency of scene content is directly linked to cognitive restoration using an established restoration paradigm. Overall, these findings demonstrate an important link between the saliency of scene content and related cognitive restoration. PMID:28723975

A view not to be missed: Salient scene content interferes with cognitive restoration.

PubMed

Van der Jagt, Alexander P N; Craig, Tony; Brewer, Mark J; Pearson, David G

2017-01-01

Attention Restoration Theory (ART) states that built scenes place greater load on attentional resources than natural scenes. This is explained in terms of "hard" and "soft" fascination of built and natural scenes. Given a lack of direct empirical evidence for this assumption we propose that perceptual saliency of scene content can function as an empirically derived indicator of fascination. Saliency levels were established by measuring speed of scene category detection using a Go/No-Go detection paradigm. Experiment 1 shows that built scenes are more salient than natural scenes. Experiment 2 replicates these findings using greyscale images, ruling out a colour-based response strategy, and additionally shows that built objects in natural scenes affect saliency to a greater extent than the reverse. Experiment 3 demonstrates that the saliency of scene content is directly linked to cognitive restoration using an established restoration paradigm. Overall, these findings demonstrate an important link between the saliency of scene content and related cognitive restoration.

Evidence against the temporal subsampling account of illusory motion reversal

PubMed Central

Kline, Keith A.; Eagleman, David M.

2010-01-01

An illusion of reversed motion may occur sporadically while viewing continuous smooth motion. This has been suggested as evidence of discrete temporal sampling by the visual system in analogy to the sampling that generates the wagon–wheel effect on film. In an alternative theory, the illusion is not the result of discrete sampling but instead of perceptual rivalry between appropriately activated and spuriously activated motion detectors. Results of the current study demonstrate that illusory reversals of two spatially overlapping and orthogonal motions often occur separately, providing evidence against the possibility that illusory motion reversal (IMR) is caused by temporal sampling within a visual region. Further, we find that IMR occurs with non-uniform and non-periodic stimuli—an observation that is not accounted for by the temporal sampling hypothesis. We propose, that a motion aftereffect is superimposed on the moving stimulus, sporadically allowing motion detectors for the reverse direction to dominate perception. PMID:18484852

On the Relationship Between Neighborhood Perception, Length of Residence and Co-Ethnic Concentration

PubMed Central

Saenz, Joseph

2014-01-01

We investigate how co-ethnic concentration and length of residence are related to neighborhood perception in aged Mexican Americans, and discuss sources of information for measuring social environments. Neighborhood perception scale, length of residence in current home, and all individual-level covariates in a hierarchical linear model are derived from data on community-dwelling older adults. Tract-level measures are obtained from Census data. We find no relationship between co-ethnic concentration and positive neighborhood perception, and find a direct relationship between length of residence and positive neighborhood perception. Until further evidence is found, different sources of information when measuring place should be treated equally. PMID:25057331

Topical review: sluggish cognitive tempo: research findings and relevance for pediatric psychology.

PubMed

Becker, Stephen P

2013-11-01

To summarize recent research on sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) and consider the potential relevance of SCT for the field of pediatric psychology. Literature review. Recent empirical evidence shows SCT symptoms consisting of sluggish/sleepy and daydreamy behaviors to be distinct from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms. SCT is associated with psychosocial functioning in children and adolescents, including internalizing symptoms, social withdrawal, and, possibly, academic impairment. The recent findings reviewed suggest that SCT is an important construct for pediatric psychologists to be aware of and may also be directly useful for the research and practice of pediatric psychology.

Magic Johnson and children's conceptions of AIDS.

PubMed

Quadagno, D; Eberstein, I W; Foster, K; Sittig, J E; Sly, D F; Kistner, J A

1997-08-01

Longitudinal data for a heterogeneous sample of 609 elementary school children are used to assess the long-term effects of Magic Johnson's announcement on children's HIV and AIDS conceptions. Four hypotheses are tested concerning these relationships, and background variables measured prior to Johnson's announcement are controlled. Findings suggest that Johnson's announcement increased children's HIV and AIDS knowledge and reduced their prejudice toward a hypothetical child with AIDS. No relationship is evident between the announcement and perceived vulnerability to HIV and AIDS. Males are more likely to be aware of Johnson's announcement, but its effects are more pronounced among blacks. Findings from the present research affirm the potential for celebrities like Johnson in HIV and AIDS education campaigns directed toward children.

The parser doesn't ignore intransitivity, after all

PubMed Central

Staub, Adrian

2015-01-01

Several previous studies (Adams, Clifton, & Mitchell, 1998; Mitchell, 1987; van Gompel & Pickering, 2001) have explored the question of whether the parser initially analyzes a noun phrase that follows an intransitive verb as the verb's direct object. Three eyetracking experiments examined this issue in more detail. Experiment 1 strongly replicated the finding (van Gompel & Pickering, 2001) that readers experience difficulty on this noun phrase in normal reading, and found that this difficulty occurs even with a class of intransitive verbs for which a direct object is categorically prohibited. Experiment 2, however, demonstrated that this effect is not due to syntactic misanalysis, but is instead due to disruption that occurs when a comma is absent at a subordinate clause/main clause boundary. Exploring a different construction, Experiment 3 replicated the finding (Pickering & Traxler, 2003; Traxler & Pickering, 1996) that when a noun phrase “filler” is an implausible direct object for an optionally transitive relative clause verb, processing difficulty results; however, there was no evidence for such difficulty when the relative clause verb was strictly intransitive. Taken together, the three experiments undermine the support for the claim that the parser initially ignores a verb's subcategorization restrictions. PMID:17470005

Observational Evidence For The Comet-Like Heliosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bzowski, M.; Czechowski, A.; Funsten, H. O.; Grygorczuk, J.; Heerikhuisen, J.; Kubiak, M. A.; Moebius, E.; McComas, D. J.; Schwadron, N.; Sokol, J. M.; Swaczyna, P.; Zirnstein, E.

2017-12-01

The shape of the heliosphere is a subject of ongoing debate. The traditional comet-like image has recently been challenged by ideas of croissant- or bubble-like forms. Here we seek to resolve this debate by confronting available observational evidence with global modeling. Several MHD models of a comet-like heliosphere were used to simulate the radius and center of the IBEX Ribbon to fit the direction and intensity of the interstellar magnetic field (ISMF). These models assumed the secondary ENA emission mechanism, which was recently strengthened due to direct measurement of the distance to the Ribbon source most likely just beyond the heliopause. The same mechanism explains the dependence of the Ribbon center position on energy due to the latitudinal structure of solar wind. The obtained ISMF vector agrees among these models and is consistent with the draped IMF measured by Voyager. Independently, we have shown by modeling that the Warm Breeze discovered by IBEX is naturally created in the outer heliosheath due to charge-exchange between interstellar He+ ions and He atoms. Now we simulate the Warm Breeze for various directions and intensities of the local IMF and we find that the simulation results are in best agreement with IBEX observations for the IMF vector obtained from the above-mentioned Ribbon analyses and Voyager measurements. These arguments, along with the co-planarity of the inflow directions of interstellar neutral H, He, O, and the Warm Breeze, directions of the Ribbon center and ISMF, as well as measurements of the plasma flow directions in the IHS by Voyager 2 indicate the existence of a common plane of approximate mirror symmetry of the heliosphere, defined by the directions of ISMF and the Sun's motion through the local interstellar medium. This suggests that the global structure of the outer heliosphere mostly results from the conditions in the local interstellar medium and the Sun's velocity. This evidence, obtained from very different spacecraft and measurement techniques, supports a homogeneous and consistent picture of the heliosphere with a comet-like shape and organized by the plane of approximate mirror symmetry.

The Oldest Anatomically Modern Humans from Far Southeast Europe: Direct Dating, Culture and Behavior

PubMed Central

Prat, Sandrine; Péan, Stéphane C.; Crépin, Laurent; Drucker, Dorothée G.; Puaud, Simon J.; Valladas, Hélène; Lázničková-Galetová, Martina; van der Plicht, Johannes; Yanevich, Alexander

2011-01-01

Background Anatomically Modern Humans (AMHs) are known to have spread across Europe during the period coinciding with the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition. Whereas their dispersal into Western Europe is relatively well established, evidence of an early settlement of Eastern Europe by modern humans are comparatively scarce. Methodology/Principal Finding Based on a multidisciplinary approach for the study of human and faunal remains, we describe here the oldest AMH remains from the extreme southeast Europe, in conjunction with their associated cultural and paleoecological background. We applied taxonomy, paleoecology, and taphonomy combined with geomorphology, stratigraphy, archeology and radiocarbon dating. More than 160 human bone remains have been discovered. They originate from a well documented Upper Paleolithic archeological layer (Gravettian cultural tradition) from the site of Buran-Kaya III located in Crimea (Ukraine). The combination of non-metric dental traits and the morphology of the occipital bones allow us to attribute the human remains to Anatomically Modern Humans. A set of human and faunal remains from this layer has been radiocarbon dated by Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. The direct-dating results of human bone establish a secure presence of AMHs at 31,900+240/−220 BP in this region. They are the oldest direct evidence of the presence of AMHs in a well documented archeological context. Based on taphonomical observations (cut marks and distribution of skeletal elements), they represent the oldest Upper Paleolithic modern humans from Eastern Europe, showing post-mortem treatment of the dead as well. Conclusion/Significance These findings are essential for the debate on the spread of modern humans in Europe during the Upper Paleolithic, as well as their cultural behaviors. PMID:21698105

Nurse staffing, direct nursing care hours and patient mortality in Taiwan: the longitudinal analysis of hospital nurse staffing and patient outcome study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Studies over the past decades have shown an association between nurse staffing and patient outcomes, however, most of these studies were conducted in the West. Accordingly, the purpose of this study aimed to provide an overview of the research/evidence base which has clarified the relationship between nurse staffing and patient mortality of acute care hospital wards under a universal health insurance system and attempted to provide explanations for some of the phenomena that are unique in Taiwan. Methods Through stratified random sampling, a total of 108 wards selected from 32 hospitals in Taiwan were collected over a consecutive seven month period. The mixed effect logit model was used to explore the relationship between nurse staffing and patient mortality. Results The medians of direct-nursing-care-hour, and nurse manpower were 2.52 h, and 378 persons, respectively. The OR for death between the long direct-nursing-care-hour (> median) group and the short direct-nursing-care-hour (≦median) group was 0.393 (95% CI = [0.245, 0.617]). The OR for death between the high (> median) and the low (≦median) nurse manpower groups was 0.589 (95% CI = [0.381, 0.911]). Conclusions Findings from this study demonstrate an association of nurse staffing and patient mortality and are consistent with findings from similar studies. These findings have policy implications for strengthening the nursing profession, nurse staffing, and the hospital quality associated with nursing. Additional research is necessary to demonstrate adequate nurse staffing ratios of different wards in Taiwan. PMID:22348278

Consistently estimating absolute risk difference when translating evidence to jurisdictions of interest.

PubMed

Eckermann, Simon; Coory, Michael; Willan, Andrew R

2011-02-01

Economic analysis and assessment of net clinical benefit often requires estimation of absolute risk difference (ARD) for binary outcomes (e.g. survival, response, disease progression) given baseline epidemiological risk in a jurisdiction of interest and trial evidence of treatment effects. Typically, the assumption is made that relative treatment effects are constant across baseline risk, in which case relative risk (RR) or odds ratios (OR) could be applied to estimate ARD. The objective of this article is to establish whether such use of RR or OR allows consistent estimates of ARD. ARD is calculated from alternative framing of effects (e.g. mortality vs survival) applying standard methods for translating evidence with RR and OR. For RR, the RR is applied to baseline risk in the jurisdiction to estimate treatment risk; for OR, the baseline risk is converted to odds, the OR applied and the resulting treatment odds converted back to risk. ARD is shown to be consistently estimated with OR but changes with framing of effects using RR wherever there is a treatment effect and epidemiological risk differs from trial risk. Additionally, in indirect comparisons, ARD is shown to be consistently estimated with OR, while calculation with RR allows inconsistency, with alternative framing of effects in the direction, let alone the extent, of ARD. OR ensures consistent calculation of ARD in translating evidence from trial settings and across trials in direct and indirect comparisons, avoiding inconsistencies from RR with alternative outcome framing and associated biases. These findings are critical for consistently translating evidence to inform economic analysis and assessment of net clinical benefit, as translation of evidence is proposed precisely where the advantages of OR over RR arise.

State-of-the-art Instruments for Detecting Extraterrestrial Life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bada, Jeffrey L.

2003-01-01

In the coming decades, state-of-the-art spacecraft-based instruments that can detect key components associated with life as we know it on Earth will directly search for extinct or extant extraterrestrial life in our solar system. Advances in our analytical and detection capabilities, especially those based on microscale technologies, will be important in enhancing the abilities of these instruments. Remote sensing investigations of the atmospheres of extrasolar planets could provide evidence of photosynthetic-based life outside our solar system, although less advanced life will remain undetectable by these methods. Finding evidence of extraterrestrial life would have profound consequences both with respect to our understanding of chemical and biological evolution, and whether the biochemistry on Earth is unique in the universe.

Collective animal navigation and migratory culture: from theoretical models to empirical evidence

PubMed Central

Dell, Anthony I.

2018-01-01

Animals often travel in groups, and their navigational decisions can be influenced by social interactions. Both theory and empirical observations suggest that such collective navigation can result in individuals improving their ability to find their way and could be one of the key benefits of sociality for these species. Here, we provide an overview of the potential mechanisms underlying collective navigation, review the known, and supposed, empirical evidence for such behaviour and highlight interesting directions for future research. We further explore how both social and collective learning during group navigation could lead to the accumulation of knowledge at the population level, resulting in the emergence of migratory culture. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Collective movement ecology’. PMID:29581394

Mantle transition zone thinning beneath eastern Africa: Evidence for a whole-mantle superplume structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulibo, Gabriel D.; Nyblade, Andrew A.

2013-07-01

to S conversions from the 410 and 660 km discontinuities observed in receiver function stacks reveal a mantle transition zone that is ~30-40 km thinner than the global average in a region ~200-400 km wide extending in a SW-NE direction from central Zambia, across Tanzania and into Kenya. The thinning of the transition zone indicates a ~190-300 K thermal anomaly in the same location where seismic tomography models suggest that the lower mantle African superplume structure connects to thermally perturbed upper mantle beneath eastern Africa. This finding provides compelling evidence for the existence of a continuous thermal structure extending from the core-mantle boundary to the surface associated with the African superplume.

Regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons by glucose

PubMed Central

Roland, Alison V.; Moenter, Suzanne M.

2011-01-01

Reproduction is influenced by energy balance, but the physiological pathways mediating their relationship have not been fully elucidated. As the central regulators of fertility, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons integrate numerous physiological signals, including metabolic cues. Circulating glucose levels regulate GnRH release and may in part mediate the effects of negative energy balance on fertility. Existing evidence suggests that neural pathways originating in the hindbrain, as well as in the hypothalamic feeding nuclei, transmit information concerning glucose availability to GnRH neurons. Here we review recent evidence suggesting that GnRH neurons may directly sense changes in glucose availability by a mechanism involving adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). These findings expand our understanding of how metabolic signaling in the brain regulates reproduction. PMID:21855365

Navigation by environmental geometry: the use of zebrafish as a model.

PubMed

Lee, Sang Ah; Vallortigara, Giorgio; Flore, Michele; Spelke, Elizabeth S; Sovrano, Valeria A

2013-10-01

Sensitivity to environmental shape in spatial navigation has been found, at both behavioural and neural levels, in virtually every species tested, starting early in development. Moreover, evidence that genetic deletions can cause selective deficits in such navigation behaviours suggests a genetic basis to navigation by environmental geometry. Nevertheless, the geometric computations underlying navigation have not been specified in any species. The present study teases apart the geometric components within the traditionally used rectangular enclosure and finds that zebrafish selectively represent distance and directional relationships between extended boundary surfaces. Similar behavioural results in geometric navigation tasks with human children provide prima facie evidence for similar underlying cognitive computations and open new doors for probing the genetic foundations that give rise to these computations.

Accountingization, trust and medical dilemmas.

PubMed

Lapsley, Irvine

2007-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of accounting on clinical practices. This paper reviews existing studies of clinical budgeting, analyses publicly available data on cost-effectiveness recommendations for the NHS; analyses publicly available data on the influence of accounting in medical dilemmas. The paper finds that there is limited evidence of clinical budgeting dominating clinical decisions, but there is some evidence of central agency directions on appropriateness of treatments, but this is on a cost-effectiveness basis. Numerous examples of adverse medical outcomes are cited in this paper--but with limited influence of accounting in these decisions. The paper shows that the combination of accounting and medical data in a topical matter makes this an original and distinctive study.

Birthbeats: music to your ears.

PubMed

Beckett, Rachel

2012-05-01

Promoting normal birth is fundamental to the midwife's role yet it is easy to overlook simple coping strategies on a busy labour ward. As The Code (Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) 2008) directs us to ensure that our practice is evidence based, it is valuable to review the literature exploring the alternatives available to reduce pain and anxiety during labour and birth. In March 2011 an extensive literature search was completed to review the evidence relating to the use of music to reduce pain and anxiety. As a result of these findings a free web resource was developed for parents and professionals to promote the use of music and explain how music can be beneficial during labour. The birthbeats project was funded by the Iolanthe Trust.

A systematic narrative review of consumer-directed care for older people: implications for model development.

PubMed

Ottmann, Goetz; Allen, Jacqui; Feldman, Peter

2013-11-01

Consumer-directed care is increasingly becoming a mainstream option in community-based aged care. However, a systematic review describing how the current evaluation research translates into practise has not been published to date. This review aimed to systematically establish an evidence base of user preferences for and satisfaction with services associated with consumer-directed care programmes for older people. Twelve databases were searched, including MedLine, BioMed Central, Cinahl, Expanded Academic ASAP, PsychInfo, ProQuest, Age Line, Science Direct, Social Citation Index, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. Google Scholar and Google were also searched. Eligible studies were those reporting on choice, user preferences and service satisfaction outcomes regarding a programme or model of home-based care in the United States or United Kingdom. This systematic narrative review retrieved literature published from January 1992 to August 2011. A total of 277 references were identified. Of these 17 met the selection criteria and were reviewed. Findings indicate that older people report varying preferences for consumer-directed care with some demonstrating limited interest. Clients and carers reported good service satisfaction. However, research comparing user preferences across countries or investigating how ecological factors shape user preferences has received limited attention. Policy-makers and practitioners need to carefully consider the diverse contexts, needs and preferences of older adults in adopting consumer-directed care approaches in community aged care. The review calls for the development of consumer-directed care programmes offering a broad range of options that allow for personalisation and greater control over services without necessarily transferring the responsibility for administrative responsibilities to service users. Review findings suggest that consumer-directed care approaches have the potential to empower older people. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Antimicrobial Stewardship

PubMed Central

King, Sarah; Exley, Josephine; Taylor, Jirka; Kruithof, Kristy; Larkin, Jody; Pardal, Mafalda

2016-01-01

Abstract RAND Europe undertook a systematic review of the evidence of effectiveness and cost effectiveness on changing the public's risk related behaviour pertaining to antimicrobial use to inform the development of a NICE public health guideline aimed at delaying antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The review considered educational interventions targeting individuals, communities or the general public delivered via any mode. Specifically, it aimed to address: 1. Which educational interventions are effective and cost-effective in changing the public's behaviour to ensure they only ask for antimicrobials when appropriate and use them correctly? 2. Which educational interventions are effective and cost-effective in changing the public's behaviour to prevent infection and reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance? Overall, 60 studies met the inclusion criteria; 29 related to research question 1, and 36 related to research question 2 (five studies were applicable to both). The key findings are summarised in “Evidence Statements” in accordance with NICE guidelines. Evidence Statements provide a high level overview of the key features of the evidence including: the number of studies, the quality of evidence, and the direction of the estimated effect followed by a brief summary of each of the supporting studies. Studies are grouped into Evidence Statements by setting and intervention. PMID:28083399

Energy Therapies in Advanced Practice Oncology: An Evidence-Informed Practice Approach

PubMed Central

Potter, Pamela J.

2013-01-01

Advanced practitioners in oncology want patients to receive state-of-the-art care and support for their healing process. Evidence-informed practice (EIP), an approach to evaluating evidence for clinical practice, considers the varieties of evidence in the context of patient preference and condition as well as practitioner knowledge and experience. This article offers an EIP approach to energy therapies, namely, Therapeutic Touch (TT), Healing Touch (HT), and Reiki, as supportive interventions in cancer care; a description of the author’s professional experience with TT, HT, and Reiki in practice and research; an overview of the three energy healing modalities; a review of nine clinical studies related to oncology; and recommendations for EIP. These studies demonstrate a response to previous research design critiques. Findings indicate a positive benefit for oncology patients in the realms of pain, quality of life, fatigue, health function, and mood. Directionality of healing in immune response and cell line studies affirms the usual explanation that these therapies bring harmony and balance to the system in the direction of health. Foremost, the research literature demonstrates the safety of these therapies. In order to consider the varieties of evidence for TT, HT, and Reiki, EIP requires a qualitative examination of patient experiences with these modalities, exploration of where these modalities have been integrated into cancer care and how the practice works in the oncology setting, and discovery of the impact of implementation on provider practice and self-care. Next steps toward EIP require fleshing out the experience of these modalities by patients and health-care providers in the oncology care setting. PMID:25031994

Systematic study for DNA recovery and profiling from common IED substrates: From laboratory to casework.

PubMed

Phetpeng, Sukanya; Kitpipit, Thitika; Thanakiatkrai, Phuvadol

2015-07-01

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) made from household items are encountered in terrorist attacks worldwide. Assembling an IED leaves trace DNA on its components, but deflagration degrades DNA. To maximize the amount of DNA recovered, a systematic evaluation of DNA collection methods was carried out and the most efficient methods were implemented with IED casework evidence as a validation exercise. Six swab types and six moistening agents were used to collect dried buffy coat stains on four common IED substrates. The most efficient swab/moistening agent combinations were then compared with tape-lifting using three brands of adhesive tape and also with direct DNA extraction from evidence. The most efficient collection methods for different IED substrates (post-study protocol) were then implemented for IED casework and compared with the pre-study protocol using 195 pieces of IED evidence. There was no single best swab type or moistening agent. Swab type had the largest effect on DNA recovery percentages, but moistening agents, substrates, and the interactions between factors all affected DNA recovery. The most efficient swab/moistening agent combinations performed equally well when compared with the best adhesive tape and direct extraction. The post-study protocol significantly improved STR profiles obtained from IED evidence. This paper outlines a comprehensive study of DNA collection methods for trace DNA and the validation of the most efficient collection methods with IED evidence. The findings from both parts of this study emphasize the need to continuously re-evaluate standard operating protocols with empirical studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social support and mental health status of older people: a population-based study in Iran-Tehran.

PubMed

Tajvar, Maryam; Grundy, Emily; Fletcher, Astrid

2018-03-01

To investigate direct and stress-buffering associations between social support from family and the mental health of older people in Iran, a country which has recently undergone an exceptionally fast fertility transition and is consequently experiencing rapid population ageing. A cross-sectional stratified random survey of 800 people aged 60+ years resident in Tehran was conducted. In total, 644 people responded. The Social Provisions Scale and the General Health Questionnaire were used to measure perceived social support and mental health, respectively. Multilevel mixed-effects models were used to examine the hypotheses. The findings supported the hypothesis of a direct association between perceived and received social support and mental health. However, we did not find strong evidence to suggest that social support buffered the effects of stress arising from limitations of physical functioning. Lack of help doing paperwork was associated with worse mental health for women but not men. Source of support did not seem to be important. Our results indicated that in Tehran, as in Western settings, social support is important for the mental well-being of older people. Recommendations for policy and further research priorities based on the study findings were provided.

Preliminary evidence of a neurophysiological basis for individual discrimination in filial imprinting.

PubMed

Town, Stephen Michael

2011-12-01

Filial imprinting involves a predisposition for biologically important stimuli and a learning process directing preferences towards a particular stimulus. Learning underlies discrimination between imprinted and unfamiliar individuals and depends upon the IMM (intermediate and medial mesopallium). Here, IMM neurons responded differentially to familiar and unfamiliar conspecifics following socialization and the neurophysiological effects of social experience differed between hemispheres. Such findings may provide a neurophysiological basis for individual discrimination in imprinting. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Targeting central plasticity: a new direction of finding painkillers.

PubMed

Zhuo, Min

2005-01-01

It is well documented that sensory transmission, including pain, receives endogenous inhibitory modulatory influences at dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Recent results, from behavioral to molecular studies, demonstrate that injury caused plastic changes in forebrain areas. In addition to encoding pain, these supraspinal areas may also affect pain transmission in the spinal cord level by activating "top-down" descending facilitatory systems. In this review, I provide review of evidence related to these new progresses, from human brain imaging to work from genetically mutant mice.

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

Demidov, V. E.; Dzyapko, O.; Demokritov, S. O.

The room-temperature dynamics of a magnon gas driven by short microwave pumping pulses is studied. An overpopulation of the lowest energy level of the system following the pumping is observed. Using the sensitivity of the Brillouin light scattering technique to the coherence degree of the scattering magnons we demonstrate the spontaneous emergence of coherence of the magnons at the lowest level, if their density exceeds a critical value. This finding is clear proof of the quantum nature of the observed phenomenon and direct evidence of Bose-Einstein condensation of magnons at room temperature.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Patient-Centered Medical Home: A Critical Analysis and Lessons Learned.

PubMed

Budgen, Jacqueline; Cantiello, John

This article provides a detailed examination of the pros and cons associated with patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs). Opinions and findings from those who have studied PCMHs and those who have been directly involved with this type of health care model are outlined. Key lessons from providers are detailed, and critical success factors are highlighted. This synthesized analysis serves to lend evidence to health care managers and providers who are considering implementation of the PCMH model.

Judging Normality and Attractiveness in Faces: Direct Evidence of a More Refined Representation for Own-Race, Young Adult Faces.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiaomei; Short, Lindsey A; Chan, Harmonie S J; Mondloch, Catherine J

2016-09-01

Young and older adults are more sensitive to deviations from normality in young than older adult faces, suggesting that the dimensions of face space are optimized for young adult faces. Here, we extend these findings to own-race faces and provide converging evidence using an attractiveness rating task. In Experiment 1, Caucasian and Chinese adults were shown own- and other-race face pairs; one member was undistorted and the other had compressed or expanded features. Participants indicated which member of each pair was more normal (a task that requires referencing a norm) and which was more expanded (a task that simply requires discrimination). Participants showed an own-race advantage in the normality task but not the discrimination task. In Experiment 2, participants rated the facial attractiveness of own- and other-race faces (Experiment 2a) or young and older adult faces (Experiment 2b). Between-rater variability in ratings of individual faces was higher for other-race and older adult faces; reduced consensus in attractiveness judgments reflects a less refined face space. Collectively, these results provide direct evidence that the dimensions of face space are optimized for own-race and young adult faces, which may underlie face race- and age-based deficits in recognition. © The Author(s) 2016.

Cortical inhibition within motor and frontal regions in alcohol dependence post-detoxification: A pilot TMS-EEG study.

PubMed

Naim-Feil, Jodie; Bradshaw, John L; Rogasch, Nigel C; Daskalakis, Zafiris J; Sheppard, Dianne M; Lubman, Dan I; Fitzgerald, Paul B

2016-10-01

Preclinical studies suggest that cortical alterations within the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are critical to the pathophysiology of alcohol dependence. Combined transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG) allows direct assessment of cortical excitability and inhibition within the PFC of human subjects. We report the first application of TMS-EEG to measure these indices within the PFC of alcohol-dependent (ALD) patients post-detoxification. Cortical inhibition was assessed in 12 ALD patients and 14 healthy controls through single and paired-pulse TMS paradigms. Long-interval cortical inhibition indexed cortical inhibition in the PFC. In the motor cortex (MC), short- interval intracortical inhibition and cortical silent period determined inhibition, while intracortical facilitation measured facilitation, resting and active motor threshold indexed cortical excitability. ALD patients demonstrated altered cortical inhibition across the bilateral frontal cortices relative to controls. There was evidence of altered cortical excitability in ALD patients; however, no significant differences in MC inhibition. Our study provides first direct evidence of reduced cortical inhibition in the PFC of ALD patients post-detoxification. Altered cortical excitability in the MC may reflect hyper-excitability within the cortex associated with chronic alcohol consumption. These findings provide initial neurophysiological evidence of disrupted cortical excitability within the PFC of ALD patients.

Evidence for an Ionized Accretion Disk in the Seyfert 2 Galaxy NGC 1068

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colbert, E. J. M.; Weaver, K. A.; Mulchaey, J. S.; Mushotzky, R. F.

2000-10-01

We present results from analyses of RXTE, ASCA and BeppoSAX X-ray spectral data from the archetypal Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068. Simultaneous RXTE and ASCA data (spanning 4 - 100 keV) are best fit with a power-law continuum with photon index Γ ~ 1.7 (in agreement with the canonical value for type 1 Seyferts), plus reflection from ionized matter with ξ ~ 1000. Reflection from ionized matter is significantly preferred over reflection from cold matter (Δ χ2 ≈ 50 for 320 dof). When the Fe line complex is modelled with three narrow Gaussians at 6.4, 6.7 and 6.97 keV, we find that the 6.7 keV line flux increases by a factor of ≈ 2 in four months, between the RXTE/ASCA and BeppoSAX observations. Thus we argue that the 6.7 keV line emission comes to us directly from the accretion disk, and not from the electron scattering region further out from the nucleus. We find no evidence for variability in the line fluxes at 6.4 and 6.97 keV. Although ionized accretion disks are thought to be present in NLS1 nuclei, we are only now finding evidence for them in ``broad-line'' Seyfert nuclei (type 1: 1E 1615+061 and type 2: NGC 1068, this work). We shall discuss the implications of these results on the particular geometry required in NGC 1068.

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."

A nocturnal mammal, the greater mouse-eared bat, calibrates a magnetic compass by the sun

PubMed Central

Holland, Richard A.; Borissov, Ivailo; Siemers, Björn M.

2010-01-01

Recent evidence suggests that bats can detect the geomagnetic field, but the way in which this is used by them for navigation to a home roost remains unresolved. The geomagnetic field may be used by animals both to indicate direction and to locate position. In birds, directional information appears to be derived from an interaction of the magnetic field with either the sun or the stars, with some evidence suggesting that sunset/sunrise provides the primary directional reference by which a magnetic compass is calibrated daily. We demonstrate that homing greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis) calibrate a magnetic compass with sunset cues by testing their homing response after exposure to an altered magnetic field at and after sunset. Magnetic manipulation at sunset resulted in a counterclockwise shift in orientation compared with controls, consistent with sunset calibration of the magnetic field, whereas magnetic manipulation after sunset resulted in no change in orientation. Unlike in birds, however, the pattern of polarization was not necessary for the calibration. For animals that occupy ecological niches where the sunset is rarely observed, this is a surprising finding. Yet it may indicate the primacy of the sun as an absolute geographical reference not only for birds but also within other vertebrate taxa. PMID:20351296

No evidence for directional evolution of body mass in herbivorous theropod dinosaurs

PubMed Central

Zanno, Lindsay E.; Makovicky, Peter J.

2013-01-01

The correlation between large body size and digestive efficiency has been hypothesized to have driven trends of increasing mass in herbivorous clades by means of directional selection. Yet, to date, few studies have investigated this relationship from a phylogenetic perspective, and none, to our knowledge, with regard to trophic shifts. Here, we reconstruct body mass in the three major subclades of non-avian theropod dinosaurs whose ecomorphology is correlated with extrinsic evidence of at least facultative herbivory in the fossil record—all of which also achieve relative gigantism (more than 3000 kg). Ordinary least-squares regressions on natural log-transformed mean mass recover significant correlations between increasing mass and geological time. However, tests for directional evolution in body mass find no support for a phylogenetic trend, instead favouring passive models of trait evolution. Cross-correlation of sympatric taxa from five localities in Asia reveals that environmental influences such as differential habitat sampling and/or taphonomic filtering affect the preserved record of dinosaurian body mass in the Cretaceous. Our results are congruent with studies documenting that behavioural and/or ecological factors may mitigate the benefit of increasing mass in extant taxa, and suggest that the hypothesis can be extrapolated to herbivorous lineages across geological time scales. PMID:23193135

Occupancy of a C2-C2 type 'zinc-finger' protein domain by copper. Direct observation by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Hutchens, T W; Allen, M H; Li, C M; Yip, T T

1992-09-07

The metal ion specificity of most 'zinc-finger' metal binding domains is unknown. The human estrogen receptor protein contains two different C2-C2 type 'zinc-finger' sequences within its DNA-binding domain (ERDBD). Copper inhibits the function of this protein by mechanisms which remain unclear. We have used electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to evaluate directly the 71-residue ERDBD (K180-M250) in the absence and presence of Cu(II) ions. The ERDBD showed a high affinity for Cu and was completely occupied with 4 Cu bound; each Cu ion was evidently bound to only two ligand residues (net loss of only 2 Da per bound Cu). The Cu binding stoichiometry was confirmed by atomic absorption. These results (i) provide the first direct physical evidence for the ability of the estrogen receptor DNA-binding domain to bind Cu and (ii) document a twofold difference in the Zn- and Cu-binding capacity. Differences in the ERDBD domain structure with bound Zn and Cu are predicted. Given the relative intracellular contents of Zn and Cu, our findings demonstrate the need to investigate further the Cu occupancy of this and other zinc-finger domains both in vitro and in vivo.

Effective return-to-work interventions after acquired brain injury: A systematic review.

PubMed

Donker-Cools, Birgit H P M; Daams, Joost G; Wind, Haije; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2016-01-01

To gather knowledge about effective return-to-work (RTW) interventions for patients with acquired brain injury (ABI). A database search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library using keywords and Medical Subject Headings. Studies were included if they met inclusion criteria: adult patients with non-progressive ABI, working pre-injury and an intervention principally designed to improve RTW as an outcome. The methodological quality of included studies was determined and evidence was assessed qualitatively. Twelve studies were included, of which five were randomized controlled trials and seven were cohort studies. Nine studies had sufficient methodological quality. There is strong evidence that work-directed interventions in combination with education/coaching are effective regarding RTW and there are indicative findings for the effectiveness of work-directed interventions in combination with skills training and education/coaching. Reported components of the most effective interventions were tailored approach, early intervention, involvement of patient and employer, work or workplace accommodations, work practice and training of social and work-related skills, including coping and emotional support. Effective RTW interventions for patients with ABI are a combination of work-directed interventions, coaching/education and/or skills training. These interventions have the potential to facilitate sustained RTW for patients with ABI.

Power relations and contrasting conceptions of evidence in patient-involvement processes used to inform health funding decisions in Australia.

PubMed

Lopes, Edilene; Carter, Drew; Street, Jackie

2015-06-01

We collected and analysed views of key stakeholders on the processes used to involve patient organisations in health care funding decision making in Australia. We conducted 12 semi-structured interviews with patient organisation representatives and members of Advisory Committees that provide advice to the Australian Department of Health and employ Health Technology Assessment (HTA) as an evaluation framework. Using two theoretical frameworks, we analysed structural and contextual elements pertaining to the involvement processes. The findings reported in this article relate to interviewees' perspectives on contextual elements, analysed using a Foucauldian lens. These elements include: the perspectives of marginalised voices; the diversity of views on what ought to be considered valid evidence in a HTA setting; and the relationships between stakeholders, along with how these relationships impact on involvement processes and the outcomes of those processes. The findings demonstrate that the involvement processes currently used are deemed inadequate by both patient organisation representatives and Advisory Committee members, but for different reasons connected to how different stakeholders conceptualise evidence. Advisory Committee members viewed evidence as encompassing clinical outcomes and patient preferences, whereas patient organisation representatives tended to view evidence as encompassing aspects not directly related to a disease entity, such as the social and emotional aspects of patients' experiences in living with illness. Patient organisation representatives reported interacting with other stakeholders (especially industry) to increase the influence of their conception of evidence on decision making. The use of this strategy by interviewees illustrates how power struggles occur in government decision-making processes which involve both medical expertise and patients' accounts. Such struggles, and the power differentials they reflect, need to be considered by those responsible for designing and implementing meaningful public- and patient-involvement processes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improved Limit on Direct α Decay of the Hoyle State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirsebom, O. S.; Alcorta, M.; Borge, M. J. G.; Cubero, M.; Diget, C. Aa.; Fraile, L. M.; Fulton, B. R.; Fynbo, H. O. U.; Galaviz, D.; Jonson, B.; Madurga, M.; Nilsson, T.; Nyman, G.; Riisager, K.; Tengblad, O.; Turrión, M.

2012-05-01

The current evaluation of the triple-α reaction rate assumes that the α decay of the 7.65 MeV, 0+ state in C12, commonly known as the Hoyle state, proceeds sequentially via the ground state of Be8. This assumption is challenged by the recent identification of two direct α-decay branches with a combined branching ratio of 17(5)%. If correct, this would imply a corresponding reduction in the triple-α reaction rate with important astrophysical consequences. We have used the B11(He3,d) reaction to populate the Hoyle state and measured the decay to three α particles in complete kinematics. We find no evidence for direct α-decay branches, and hence our data do not support a revision of the triple-α reaction rate. We obtain an upper limit of 5×10-3 on the direct α decay of the Hoyle state at 95% C.L., which is 1 order of magnitude better than a previous upper limit.

Antisocial and Prosocial Behavior in Sport: The Role of Motivational Climate, Basic Psychological Needs, and Moral Disengagement.

PubMed

Hodge, Ken; Gucciardi, Daniel F

2015-06-01

The purpose of this investigation was to examine whether the relationships between contextual factors and basic psychological needs were related to antisocial and prosocial behavior in sport. A two-study project employing Bayesian path analysis was conducted with competitive athletes (Study 1, n = 291; Study 2, n = 272). Coach and teammate autonomy-supportive climates had meaningful direct relations with need satisfaction and prosocial behavior. Coach and teammate controlling climates had meaningful direct relations with antisocial behavior. Need satisfaction was both directly and indirectly related with both prosocial and antisocial behavior, whereas moral disengagement was directly and indirectly related with antisocial behavior. Overall, these findings reflected substantial evidence from the literature on self-determination theory that autonomy-supportive motivational climates are important environmental influences for need satisfaction, and are important correlates of prosocial behavior in sport, whereas controlling coach and teammate climates, along with moral disengagement, were important correlates of antisocial behavior in sport.

The Mere Co-Presence: Synchronization of Autonomic Signals and Emotional Responses across Co-Present Individuals Not Engaged in Direct Interaction

PubMed Central

Golland, Yulia; Arzouan, Yossi; Levit-Binnun, Nava

2015-01-01

Existing evidence suggests that in social contexts individuals become coupled in their emotions and behaviors. Furthermore, recent biological studies demonstrate that the physiological signals of interacting individuals become coupled as well, exhibiting temporally synchronized response patterns. However, it is yet unknown whether people can shape each other's responses without the direct, face-to-face interaction. Here we investigated whether the convergence of physiological and emotional states can occur among “merely co-present” individuals, without direct interactional exchanges. To this end, we measured continuous autonomic signals and collected emotional responses of participants who watched emotional movies together, seated side-by-side. We found that the autonomic signals of co-present participants were idiosyncratically synchronized and that the degree of this synchronization was correlated with the convergence of their emotional responses. These findings suggest that moment-to-moment emotional transmissions, resulting in shared emotional experiences, can occur in the absence of direct communication and are mediated by autonomic synchronization. PMID:26018597

Searching for concentric low variance circles in the cosmic microwave background

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

DeAbreu, Adam; Contreras, Dagoberto; Scott, Douglas, E-mail: adeabreu@sfu.ca, E-mail: dagocont@phas.ubc.ca, E-mail: dscott@phas.ubc.ca

In a recent paper, Gurzadyan and Penrose claim to have found directions in the sky around which there are multiple concentric sets of annuli with anomalously low variance in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). These features are presented as evidence for a particular theory of the pre-Big Bang Universe. We are able to reproduce the analysis these authors presented for data from the WMAP satellite and we confirm the existence of these apparently special directions in the newer Planck data. However, we also find that these features are present at the same level of abundance in simulated Gaussian CMB skies,more » i.e., they are entirely consistent with the predictions of the standard cosmological model.« less

Nonenzymatic oligomerization reactions on templates containing inosinic acid or diaminopurine nucleotide residues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kozlov, I. A.; Orgel, L. E.; Bada, J. L. (Principal Investigator)

1999-01-01

The template-directed oligomerization of nucleoside-5'-phosphoro-2-methyl imidazolides on standard oligonucleotide templates has been studied extensively. Here, we describe experiments with templates in which inosinic acid (I) is substituted for guanylic acid, or 2,6-diaminopurine nucleotide (D) for adenylic acid. We find that the substitution of I for G in a template is strongly inhibitory and prevents any incorporation of C into internal positions in the oligomeric products of the reaction. The substitution of D for A, on the contrary, leads to increased incorporation of U into the products. We found no evidence for the template-directed facilitation of oligomerization of A or I through A-I base pairing. The significance of these results for prebiotic chemistry is discussed.

Brain responses to filled gaps.

PubMed

Hestvik, Arild; Maxfield, Nathan; Schwartz, Richard G; Shafer, Valerie

2007-03-01

An unresolved issue in the study of sentence comprehension is whether the process of gap-filling is mediated by the construction of empty categories (traces), or whether the parser relates fillers directly to the associated verb's argument structure. We conducted an event-related potentials (ERP) study that used the violation paradigm to examine the time course and spatial distribution of brain responses to ungrammatically filled gaps. The results indicate that the earliest brain response to the violation is an early left anterior negativity (eLAN). This ERP indexes an early phase of pure syntactic structure building, temporally preceding ERPs that reflect semantic integration and argument structure satisfaction. The finding is interpreted as evidence that gap-filling is mediated by structurally predicted empty categories, rather than directly by argument structure operations.

Atomistic simulation of frictional anisotropy on quasicrystal approximant surfaces

DOE PAGES

Ye, Zhijiang; Martini, Ashlie; Thiel, Patricia; ...

2016-06-23

J. Y. Park et al. [Science 309, 1354 (2005)] have reported eight times greater atomic-scale friction in the periodic than in the quasiperiodic direction on the twofold face of a decagonal Al-Ni-Co quasicrystal. Here we present results of molecular-dynamics simulations intended to elucidate mechanisms behind this giant frictional anisotropy. Simulations of a bare atomic-force-microscope tip on several model substrates and under a variety of conditions failed to reproduce experimental results. On the other hand, including the experimental passivation of the tip with chains of hexadecane thiol, we reproduce qualitatively the experimental anisotropy in friction, finding evidence for entrainment of themore » organic chains in surface furrows parallel to the periodic direction.« less

The Role of PTSD in Bi-directional Intimate Partner Violence in Military and Veteran Populations: A Research Review.

PubMed

Misca, Gabriela; Forgey, Mary Ann

2017-01-01

Evidence supporting the higher prevalence of PTSD linked to combat-related trauma in military personnel and veteran populations is well-established. Consequently, much research has explored the effects that combat related trauma and the subsequent PTSD may have on different aspects of relationship functioning and adjustment. In particular, PTSD in military and veterans has been linked with perpetrating intimate partner violence (IPV). New research and theoretical perspectives suggest that in order to respond effectively to IPV, a more accurate understanding of the direction of the violence experienced within each relationship is critical. In both civilian and military populations, research that has examined the direction of IPV's, bi-directional violence have been found to be highly prevalent. Evidence is also emerging as to how these bi-directional violence differ in relation to severity, motivation, physical and psychological consequences and risk factors. Of particular importance within military IPV research is the need to deepen understanding about the role of PTSD in bi-directional IPV not only as a risk factor for perpetration but also as a vulnerability risk factor for victimization, as findings from recent research suggest. This paper provides a timely, critical review of emergent literature to disentangle what is known about bi-directional IPV patterns in military and veteran populations and the roles that military or veterans' PTSD may play within these patterns. Although, this review aimed to identify global research on the topic, the majority of research meeting the inclusion criteria was from US, with only one study identified from outside, from Canada. Strengths and limitations in the extant research are identified. Directions for future research are proposed with a particular focus on the kinds of instruments and designs needed to better capture the complex interplay of PTSD and bi-directional IPV in military populations and further the development of effective interventions.

Indirect Reciprocity, Resource Sharing, and Environmental Risk: Evidence from Field Experiments in Siberia

PubMed Central

Howe, E. Lance; Murphy, James J.; Gerkey, Drew; West, Colin Thor

2016-01-01

Integrating information from existing research, qualitative ethnographic interviews, and participant observation, we designed a field experiment that introduces idiosyncratic environmental risk and a voluntary sharing decision into a standard public goods game. Conducted with subsistence resource users in rural villages on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia, we find evidence consistent with a model of indirect reciprocity and local social norms of helping the needy. When participants are allowed to develop reputations in the experiments, as is the case in most small-scale societies, we find that sharing is increasingly directed toward individuals experiencing hardship, good reputations increase aid, and the pooling of resources through voluntary sharing becomes more effective. We also find high levels of voluntary sharing without a strong commitment device; however, this form of cooperation does not increase contributions to the public good. Our results are consistent with previous experiments and theoretical models, suggesting strategic risks tied to rewards, punishments, and reputations are important. However, unlike studies that focus solely on strategic risks, we find the effects of rewards, punishments, and reputations are altered by the presence of environmental factors. Unexpected changes in resource abundance increase interdependence and may alter the costs and benefits of cooperation, relative to defection. We suggest environmental factors that increase interdependence are critically important to consider when developing and testing theories of cooperation PMID:27442434

How do nonprofit hospitals manage earnings?

PubMed

Leone, Andrew J; Van Horn, R Lawrence

2005-07-01

We hypothesize that, unlike for-profit firms, nonprofit hospitals have incentives to manage earnings to a range just above zero. We consider two ways managers can achieve this. They can adjust discretionary spending [Hoerger, T.J., 1991. 'Profit' variability in for-profit and not-for-profit hospitals. Journal of Health Economics 10, 259-289.] and/or they can adjust accounting accruals using the flexibility inherent in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). To test our hypothesis we use regressions as well as tests of the distribution of earnings by Burgstahler and Dichev [Burgstahler, D., Dichev, I., 1997. Earnings management to avoid earnings decreases and losses. Journal of Accounting and Economics 24, 99-126.] on a sample of 1,204 hospitals and 8,179 hospital-year observations. Our tests support the use of discretionary spending and accounting accrual management. Like Hoerger (1991), we find evidence that nonprofit hospitals adjust discretionary spending to manage earnings. However, we also find significant use of discretionary accruals (e.g., adjustments to the third-party-allowance, and allowance for doubtful accounts) to meet earnings objectives. These findings have two important implications. First, the previous evidence by Hoerger that nonprofit hospitals show less variation in income may at least partly be explained by an accounting phenomenon. Second, our findings provide guidance to users of these financial statements in predicting the direction of likely bias in reported earnings.

The effects of sleep loss on young drivers’ performance: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Smith, Simon S.

2017-01-01

Young drivers (18–24 years) are over-represented in sleep-related crashes (comprising one in five fatal crashes in developed countries) primarily due to decreased sleep opportunity, lower tolerance for sleep loss, and ongoing maturation of brain areas associated with driving-related decision making. Impaired driving performance is the proximal reason for most car crashes. There is still a limited body of evidence examining the effects of sleep loss on young drivers’ performance, with discrepancies in the methodologies used, and in the definition of outcomes. This study aimed to identify the direction and magnitude of the effects of sleep loss on young drivers’ performance, and to appraise the quality of current evidence via a systematic review. Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses (PRISMA) approach, 16 eligible studies were selected for review, and their findings summarised. Next, critical elements of these studies were identified, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines augmented to rate those elements. Using those criteria, the quality of individual papers was calculated and the overall body of evidence for each driving outcome were assigned a quality ranking (from ‘very low’ to ‘high-quality’). Two metrics, the standard deviation of lateral position and number of line crossings, were commonly reported outcomes (although in an overall ‘low-quality’ body of evidence), with significant impairments after sleep loss identified in 50% of studies. While speed-related outcomes and crash events (also with very low- quality evidence) both increased under chronic sleep loss, discrepant findings were reported under conditions of acute total sleep deprivation. It is crucial to obtain more reliable data about the effects of sleep loss on young drivers’ performance by using higher quality experimental designs, adopting common protocols, and the use of consistent metrics and reporting of findings based on GRADE criteria and the PRISMA statement. Key words: Young drivers, sleep loss, driving performance, PRISMA, the GRADE, systematic review. PMID:28859144

The effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance: A systematic review.

PubMed

Shekari Soleimanloo, Shamsi; White, Melanie J; Garcia-Hansen, Veronica; Smith, Simon S

2017-01-01

Young drivers (18-24 years) are over-represented in sleep-related crashes (comprising one in five fatal crashes in developed countries) primarily due to decreased sleep opportunity, lower tolerance for sleep loss, and ongoing maturation of brain areas associated with driving-related decision making. Impaired driving performance is the proximal reason for most car crashes. There is still a limited body of evidence examining the effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance, with discrepancies in the methodologies used, and in the definition of outcomes. This study aimed to identify the direction and magnitude of the effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance, and to appraise the quality of current evidence via a systematic review. Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses (PRISMA) approach, 16 eligible studies were selected for review, and their findings summarised. Next, critical elements of these studies were identified, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines augmented to rate those elements. Using those criteria, the quality of individual papers was calculated and the overall body of evidence for each driving outcome were assigned a quality ranking (from 'very low' to 'high-quality'). Two metrics, the standard deviation of lateral position and number of line crossings, were commonly reported outcomes (although in an overall 'low-quality' body of evidence), with significant impairments after sleep loss identified in 50% of studies. While speed-related outcomes and crash events (also with very low- quality evidence) both increased under chronic sleep loss, discrepant findings were reported under conditions of acute total sleep deprivation. It is crucial to obtain more reliable data about the effects of sleep loss on young drivers' performance by using higher quality experimental designs, adopting common protocols, and the use of consistent metrics and reporting of findings based on GRADE criteria and the PRISMA statement. Key words: Young drivers, sleep loss, driving performance, PRISMA, the GRADE, systematic review.

Large scale food retailing as an intervention for diet and health: quasi-experimental evaluation of a natural experiment

PubMed Central

Cummins, S.; Petticrew, M.; Higgins, C.; Findlay, A.; Sparks, L.

2005-01-01

Design: Prospective quasi-experimental design comparing baseline and follow up data in an "intervention" community with a matched "comparison" community in Glasgow, UK. Participants: 412 men and women aged 16 or over for whom follow up data on fruit and vegetable consumption and GHQ-12 were available. Main outcome measures: Fruit and vegetable consumption in portions per day, poor self reported health, and poor psychological health (GHQ-12). Main results: Adjusting for age, sex, educational attainment, and employment status there was no population impact on daily fruit and vegetable consumption, self reported, and psychological health. There was some evidence for a net reduction in the prevalence of poor psychological health for residents who directly engaged with the intervention. Conclusions: Government policy has advocated using large scale food retailing as a social intervention to improve diet and health in poor communities. In contrast with a previous uncontrolled study this study did not find evidence for a net intervention effect on fruit and vegetable consumption, although there was evidence for an improvement in psychological health for those who directly engaged with the intervention. Although definitive conclusions about the effect of large scale retailing on diet and health in deprived communities cannot be drawn from non-randomised controlled study designs, evaluations of the impacts of natural experiments may offer the best opportunity to generate evidence about the health impacts of retail interventions in poor communities. PMID:16286490

Search for signatures of magnetically-induced alignment in the arrival directions measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierre Auger Collaboration; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Ahn, E. J.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allard, D.; Allekotte, I.; Allen, J.; Allison, P.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Ambrosio, M.; Aminaei, A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andringa, S.; Antičić, T.; Anzalone, A.; Aramo, C.; Arganda, E.; Arqueros, F.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Aublin, J.; Ave, M.; Avenier, M.; Avila, G.; Bäcker, T.; Balzer, M.; Barber, K. B.; Barbosa, A. F.; Bardenet, R.; Barroso, S. L. C.; Baughman, B.; Bäuml, J.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, B. R.; Becker, K. H.; Bellétoile, A.; Bellido, J. A.; Benzvi, S.; Berat, C.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Billoir, P.; Blanco, F.; Blanco, M.; Bleve, C.; Blümer, H.; Boháčová, M.; Boncioli, D.; Bonifazi, C.; Bonino, R.; Borodai, N.; Brack, J.; Brogueira, P.; Brown, W. C.; Bruijn, R.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Burton, R. E.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caramete, L.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Catalano, O.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Cester, R.; Chauvin, J.; Cheng, S. H.; Chiavassa, A.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chou, A.; Chudoba, J.; Clay, R. W.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Contreras, F.; Cook, H.; Cooper, M. J.; Coppens, J.; Cordier, A.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Creusot, A.; Criss, A.; Cronin, J.; Curutiu, A.; Dagoret-Campagne, S.; Dallier, R.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; de Almeida, R. M.; de Domenico, M.; de Donato, C.; de Jong, S. J.; de La Vega, G.; de Mello Junior, W. J. M.; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; de Mitri, I.; de Souza, V.; de Vries, K. D.; Decerprit, G.; Del Peral, L.; Del Río, M.; Deligny, O.; Dembinski, H.; Dhital, N.; di Giulio, C.; Diaz, J. C.; Díaz Castro, M. L.; Diep, P. N.; Dobrigkeit, C.; Docters, W.; D'Olivo, J. C.; Dong, P. N.; Dorofeev, A.; Dos Anjos, J. C.; Dova, M. T.; D'Urso, D.; Dutan, I.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Facal San Luis, P.; Fajardo Tapia, I.; Falcke, H.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Ferguson, A. P.; Ferrero, A.; Fick, B.; Filevich, A.; Filipčič, A.; Fliescher, S.; Fracchiolla, C. E.; Fraenkel, E. D.; Fröhlich, U.; Fuchs, B.; Gaior, R.; Gamarra, R. F.; Gambetta, S.; García, B.; García Gámez, D.; Garcia-Pinto, D.; Gascon, A.; Gemmeke, H.; Gesterling, K.; Ghia, P. L.; Giaccari, U.; Giller, M.; Glass, H.; Gold, M. S.; Golup, G.; Gomez Albarracin, F.; Gómez Berisso, M.; Gonçalves, P.; Gonzalez, D.; Gonzalez, J. G.; Gookin, B.; Góra, D.; Gorgi, A.; Gouffon, P.; Gozzini, S. R.; Grashorn, E.; Grebe, S.; Griffith, N.; Grigat, M.; Grillo, A. F.; Guardincerri, Y.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Guzman, A.; Hague, J. D.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harmsma, S.; Harton, J. L.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Herve, A. E.; Hojvat, C.; Hollon, N.; Holmes, V. C.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horneffer, A.; Hrabovský, M.; Huege, T.; Insolia, A.; Ionita, F.; Italiano, A.; Jarne, C.; Jiraskova, S.; Josebachuili, M.; Kadija, K.; Kampert, K. H.; Karhan, P.; Kasper, P.; Kégl, B.; Keilhauer, B.; Keivani, A.; Kelley, J. L.; Kemp, E.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Knapp, J.; Koang, D.-H.; Kotera, K.; Krohm, N.; Krömer, O.; Kruppke-Hansen, D.; Kuehn, F.; Kuempel, D.; Kulbartz, J. K.; Kunka, N.; La Rosa, G.; Lachaud, C.; Lautridou, P.; Leão, M. S. A. B.; Lebrun, D.; Lebrun, P.; Leigui de Oliveira, M. A.; Lemiere, A.; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; López, R.; Lopez Agüera, A.; Louedec, K.; Lozano Bahilo, J.; Lu, L.; Lucero, A.; Ludwig, M.; Lyberis, H.; Maccarone, M. C.; Macolino, C.; Maldera, S.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Marin, J.; Marin, V.; Maris, I. C.; Marquez Falcon, H. R.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martin, L.; Martinez, H.; Martínez Bravo, O.; Mathes, H. J.; Matthews, J.; Matthews, J. A. J.; Matthiae, G.; Maurizio, D.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melissas, M.; Melo, D.; Menichetti, E.; Menshikov, A.; Mertsch, P.; Meurer, C.; Mićanović, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Miller, W.; Miramonti, L.; Molina-Bueno, L.; Mollerach, S.; Monasor, M.; Monnier Ragaigne, D.; Montanet, F.; Morales, B.; Morello, C.; Moreno, E.; Moreno, J. C.; Morris, C.; Mostafá, M.; Moura, C. A.; Mueller, S.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, G.; Münchmeyer, M.; Mussa, R.; Navarra, G.; Navarro, J. L.; Navas, S.; Necesal, P.; Nellen, L.; Nelles, A.; Neuser, J.; Nhung, P. T.; Niemietz, L.; Nierstenhoefer, N.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Nožka, L.; Nyklicek, M.; Oehlschläger, J.; Olinto, A.; Oliva, P.; Olmos-Gilbaja, V. M.; Ortiz, M.; Pacheco, N.; Pakk Selmi-Dei, D.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Palmieri, N.; Parente, G.; Parizot, E.; Parra, A.; Parsons, R. D.; Pastor, S.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; PeĶala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Pepe, I. M.; Perrone, L.; Pesce, R.; Petermann, E.; Petrera, S.; Petrinca, P.; Petrolini, A.; Petrov, Y.; Petrovic, J.; Pfendner, C.; Phan, N.; Piegaia, R.; Pierog, T.; Pieroni, P.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Ponce, V. H.; Pontz, M.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravel, O.; Ravignani, D.; Revenu, B.; Ridky, J.; Riggi, S.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rivera, H.; Rizi, V.; Roberts, J.; Robledo, C.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez, G.; Rodriguez Martino, J.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Rodriguez-Cabo, I.; Rodríguez-Frías, M. D.; Ros, G.; Rosado, J.; Rossler, T.; Roth, M.; Rouillé-D'Orfeuil, B.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Rühle, C.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Santo, C. E.; Santos, E.; Santos, E. M.; Sarazin, F.; Sarkar, B.; Sarkar, S.; Sato, R.; Scharf, N.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schiffer, P.; Schmidt, A.; Schmidt, F.; Scholten, O.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Schovancova, J.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F.; Schulte, S.; Schuster, D.; Sciutto, S. J.; Scuderi, M.; Segreto, A.; Settimo, M.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sidelnik, I.; Sigl, G.; Silva Lopez, H. H.; Śmiałkowski, A.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sorokin, J.; Spinka, H.; Squartini, R.; Stanic, S.; Stapleton, J.; Stasielak, J.; Stephan, M.; Strazzeri, E.; Stutz, A.; Suarez, F.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Šuša, T.; Sutherland, M. S.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Szuba, M.; Tamashiro, A.; Tapia, A.; Tartare, M.; Taşcău, O.; Tavera Ruiz, C. G.; Tcaciuc, R.; Tegolo, D.; Thao, N. T.; Thomas, D.; Tiffenberg, J.; Timmermans, C.; Tiwari, D. K.; Tkaczyk, W.; Todero Peixoto, C. J.; Tomé, B.; Tonachini, A.; Travnicek, P.; Tridapalli, D. B.; Tristram, G.; Trovato, E.; Tueros, M.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Valdés Galicia, J. F.; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van den Berg, A. M.; Varela, E.; Vargas Cárdenas, B.; Vázquez, J. R.; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Videla, M.; Villaseñor, L.; Wahlberg, H.; Wahrlich, P.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Warner, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weidenhaupt, K.; Weindl, A.; Westerhoff, S.; Whelan, B. J.; Wieczorek, G.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyńska, B.; Wilczyński, H.; Will, M.; Williams, C.; Winchen, T.; Winnick, M. G.; Wommer, M.; Wundheiler, B.; Yamamoto, T.; Yapici, T.; Younk, P.; Yuan, G.; Yushkov, A.; Zamorano, B.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zaw, I.; Zepeda, A.; Zimbres Silva, M.; Ziolkowski, M.

2012-01-01

We present the results of an analysis of data recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory in which we search for groups of directionally-aligned events (or 'multiplets') which exhibit a correlation between arrival direction and the inverse of the energy. These signatures are expected from sets of events coming from the same source after having been deflected by intervening coherent magnetic fields. The observation of several events from the same source would open the possibility to accurately reconstruct the position of the source and also measure the integral of the component of the magnetic field orthogonal to the trajectory of the cosmic rays. We describe the largest multiplets found and compute the probability that they appeared by chance from an isotropic distribution. We find no statistically significant evidence for the presence of multiplets arising from magnetic deflections in the present data.

Longitudinal Bi-directional Effects of Disordered Eating, Depression and Anxiety.

PubMed

Puccio, Francis; Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew; Youssef, George; Mitchell, Sarah; Byrne, Michelle; Allen, Nick; Krug, Isabel

2017-09-01

The present study aims to explore the potentially longitudinal bi-directional effects of disordered eating (DE) symptoms with depression and anxiety. Participants were 189 (49.5% male) adolescents from Melbourne, Australia. DE, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed at approximately 15, 16.5 and 18.5 years of age. Analysis of longitudinal bi-directional effects assessed via cross-lagged models indicated that DE symptoms of eating and shape/weight concerns were risk factors for anxiety. Results also showed that depression was a risk factor for eating concerns. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that preventative measures designed to target concerns about eating and shape/weight might be most efficacious in reducing the transmission of effects between symptoms of DE, depression and anxiety. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

[Biochemical evaluation on rural workers exposed to pesticides].

PubMed

Simoniello, María Fernanda; Kleinsorge, Elisa C; Carballo, Marta A

2010-01-01

Pesticides are used in agriculture to protect crops but may represent a potential risk to farmers and the environment. The aim of this work was to evaluate horticultural workers exposed to pesticide, categorized by: direct exposure (n = 45), indirect exposure (n = 50) and controls (n = 50) using exposure and effect biomarkers: cholinesterase (ChE), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), catalase (CAT), lipid peroxidation (TBARS), Damage Index Comet Assay (IDEC) and Damage Index Repair Assay (IDER). Our results show: a) an AChE inhibition in directly and indirectly exposed population (p < 0.001), b) significant increase in the levels of TBARS in direct exposure (p < 0.001), c) the CAT reduction was significant (p < 0.01), d) a significant increase in IDEC and IDER in both exposed groups (p < 0.001). Our results evidence variations in oxidative balance and DNA damage in exposed workers. These findings represent a contribution to the sub-clinical evaluation of subjects exposed to agrochemicals in our country.

Lipid and Creatinine Adjustment to Evaluate Health Effects of Environmental Exposures

PubMed Central

O’Brien, Katie M.; Upson, Kristen; Buckley, Jessie P.

2017-01-01

Purpose of review Urine- and serum-based biomarkers are useful for assessing individuals’ exposure to environmental factors. However, variations in urinary creatinine (a measure of dilution) or serum lipid levels, if not adequately corrected for, can directly impact biomarker concentrations and bias exposure-disease association measures. Recent findings Recent methodological literature has considered the complex relationships between creatinine or serum lipid levels, exposure biomarkers, outcomes, and other potentially relevant factors using directed acyclic graphs and simulation studies. The optimal measures of urinary dilution and serum lipids have also been investigated. Summary Existing evidence supports the use of covariate-adjusted standardization plus creatinine adjustment for urinary biomarkers and standardization plus serum lipid adjustment for lipophilic, serum-based biomarkers. It is unclear which urinary dilution measure is best, but all serum lipid measures performed similarly. Future research should assess methods for pooled biomarkers and for studying diseases and exposures that affect creatinine or serum lipids directly. PMID:28097619

Search for signatures of magnetically-induced alignment in the arrival directions measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory

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

Abreu, P.; /Lisbon, IST; Aglietta, M.

2011-11-01

We present the results of an analysis of data recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory in which we search for groups of directionally-aligned events (or ''multiplets'') which exhibit a correlation between arrival direction and the inverse of the energy. These signatures are expected from sets of events coming from the same source after having been deflected by intervening coherent magnetic fields. The observation of several events from the same source would open the possibility to accurately reconstruct the position of the source and also measure the integral of the component of the magnetic field orthogonal to the trajectory of themore » cosmic rays. We describe the largest multiplets found and compute the probability that they appeared by chance from an isotropic distribution. We find no statistically significant evidence for the presence of multiplets arising from magnetic deflections in the present data.« less

Direct Observation of Twisted Surface skyrmions in Bulk Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, S. L.; van der Laan, G.; Wang, W. W.; Haghighirad, A. A.; Hesjedal, T.

2018-06-01

Magnetic skyrmions in noncentrosymmetric helimagnets with Dn symmetry are Bloch-type magnetization swirls with a helicity angle of ±9 0 ° . At the surface of helimagnetic thin films below a critical thickness, a twisted skyrmion state with an arbitrary helicity angle has been proposed; however, its direct experimental observation has remained elusive. Here, we show that circularly polarized resonant elastic x-ray scattering is able to unambiguously measure the helicity angle of surface skyrmions, providing direct experimental evidence that a twisted skyrmion surface state also exists in bulk systems. The exact surface helicity angles of twisted skyrmions for both left- and right-handed chiral bulk Cu2 OSeO3 , in the single as well as in the multidomain skyrmion lattice state, are determined, revealing their detailed internal structure. Our findings suggest that a skyrmion surface reconstruction is a universal phenomenon, stemming from the breaking of translational symmetry at the interface.

A psychophysiological investigation of moral judgment after ventromedial prefrontal damage.

PubMed

Moretto, Giovanna; Làdavas, Elisabetta; Mattioli, Flavia; di Pellegrino, Giuseppe

2010-08-01

Converging evidence suggests that emotion processing mediated by ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is necessary to prevent personal moral violations. In moral dilemmas, for example, patients with lesions in vmPFC are more willing than normal controls to approve harmful actions that maximize good consequences (e.g., utilitarian moral judgments). Yet, none of the existing studies has measured subjects' emotional responses while they considered moral dilemmas. Therefore, a direct link between emotion processing and moral judgment is still lacking. Here, vmPFC patients and control participants considered moral dilemmas while skin conductance response (SCR) was measured as a somatic index of affective state. Replicating previous evidence, vmPFC patients approved more personal moral violations than did controls. Critically, we found that, unlike control participants, vmPFC patients failed to generate SCRs before endorsing personal moral violations. In addition, such anticipatory SCRs correlated negatively with the frequency of utilitarian judgments in normal participants. These findings provide direct support to the hypothesis that the vmPFC promotes moral behavior by mediating the anticipation of the emotional consequences of personal moral violations.

Direct evidence of hidden local spin polarization in a centrosymmetric superconductor LaO0.55 F0.45BiS2.

PubMed

Wu, Shi-Long; Sumida, Kazuki; Miyamoto, Koji; Taguchi, Kazuaki; Yoshikawa, Tomoki; Kimura, Akio; Ueda, Yoshifumi; Arita, Masashi; Nagao, Masanori; Watauchi, Satoshi; Tanaka, Isao; Okuda, Taichi

2017-12-04

Conventional Rashba spin polarization is caused by the combination of strong spin-orbit interaction and spatial inversion asymmetry. However, Rashba-Dresselhaus-type spin-split states are predicted in the centrosymmetric LaOBiS 2 system by recent theory, which stem from the local inversion asymmetry of active BiS 2 layer. By performing high-resolution spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we have investigated the electronic band structure and spin texture of superconductor LaO 0.55 F 0.45 BiS 2 . Here we present direct spectroscopic evidence for the local spin polarization of both the valence band and the conduction band. In particular, the coexistence of Rashba-like and Dresselhaus-like spin textures has been observed in the conduction band. The finding is of key importance for fabrication of proposed dual-gated spin-field effect transistor. Moreover, the spin-split band leads to a spin-momentum locking Fermi surface from which superconductivity emerges. Our demonstration not only expands the scope of spintronic materials but also enhances the understanding of spin-orbit interaction-related superconductivity.

The Drosophila carbonyl reductase sniffer prevents oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration.

PubMed

Botella, Jose A; Ulschmid, Julia K; Gruenewald, Christoph; Moehle, Christoph; Kretzschmar, Doris; Becker, Katja; Schneuwly, Stephan

2004-05-04

A growing body of evidence suggests that oxidative stress is a common underlying mechanism in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Creutzfeld-Jakob and Parkinson's diseases. Despite the increasing number of reports finding a causal relation between oxidative stress and neurodegeneration, little is known about the genetic elements that confer protection against the deleterious effects of oxidation in neurons. We have isolated and characterized the Drosophila melanogaster gene sniffer, whose function is essential for preventing age-related neurodegeneration. In addition, we demonstrate that oxidative stress is a direct cause of neurodegeneration in the Drosophila central nervous system and that reduction of sniffer activity leads to neuronal cell death. The overexpression of the gene confers neuronal protection against oxygen-induced apoptosis, increases resistance of flies to experimental normobaric hyperoxia, and improves general locomotor fitness. Sniffer belongs to the family of short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) enzymes and exhibits carbonyl reductase activity. This is the first in vivo evidence of the direct and important implication of this enzyme as a neuroprotective agent in the cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative stress.

Is your prescription of distance running shoes evidence-based?

PubMed

Richards, C E; Magin, P J; Callister, R

2009-03-01

To determine whether the current practice of prescribing distance running shoes featuring elevated cushioned heels and pronation control systems tailored to the individual's foot type is evidence-based. MEDLINE (1950-May 2007), CINAHL (1982-May 2007), EMBASE (1980-May 2007), PsychInfo (1806-May 2007), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2(nd) Quarter 2007), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials (2(nd) Quarter 2007), SPORTSDiscus (1985-May 2007) and AMED (1985-May 2007). English language articles were identified via keyword and medical subject headings (MeSH) searches of the above electronic databases. With these searches and the subsequent review process, controlled trials or systematic reviews were sought in which the study population included adult recreational or competitive distance runners, the exposure was distance running, the intervention evaluated was a running shoe with an elevated cushioned heel and pronation control systems individualised to the wearer's foot type, and the outcome measures included either running injury rates, distance running performance, osteoarthritis risk, physical activity levels, or overall health and wellbeing. The quality of these studies and their findings were then evaluated. No original research that met the study criteria was identified either directly or via the findings of the six systematic reviews identified. The prescription of this shoe type to distance runners is not evidence-based.

Interpreting sulci on hominin endocasts: old hypotheses and new findings

PubMed Central

Falk, Dean

2014-01-01

Paleoneurologists analyze internal casts (endocasts) of fossilized braincases, which provide information about the size, shape and, to a limited degree, sulcal patterns reproduced from impressions left by the surface of the brain. When interpreted in light of comparative data from the brains of living apes and humans, sulcal patterns reproduced on hominin endocasts provide important information for studying the evolution of the cerebral cortex and cognition in human ancestors. Here, new evidence is discussed for the evolution of sulcal patterns associated with cortical reorganization in three parts of the hominin brain: (1) the parietotemporo-occipital association cortex, (2) Broca's speech area, and (3) dorsolateral prefrontal association cortex. Of the three regions, the evidence regarding the last is the clearest. Compared to great apes, Australopithecus endocasts reproduce a clear middle frontal sulcus in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex that is derived toward the human condition. This finding is consistent with data from comparative cytoarchitectural studies of ape and human brains as well as shape analyses of australopithecine endocasts. The comparative and direct evidence for all three regions suggests that hominin brain reorganization was underway by at least the time of Australopithecus africanus (~2.5 to 3.0 mya), despite the ape-sized brains of these hominins, and that it entailed expansion of both rostral and caudal association cortices. PMID:24822043

Genome-wide Scan of 29,141 African Americans Finds No Evidence of Directional Selection since Admixture

PubMed Central

Bhatia, Gaurav; Tandon, Arti; Patterson, Nick; Aldrich, Melinda C.; Ambrosone, Christine B.; Amos, Christopher; Bandera, Elisa V.; Berndt, Sonja I.; Bernstein, Leslie; Blot, William J.; Bock, Cathryn H.; Caporaso, Neil; Casey, Graham; Deming, Sandra L.; Diver, W. Ryan; Gapstur, Susan M.; Gillanders, Elizabeth M.; Harris, Curtis C.; Henderson, Brian E.; Ingles, Sue A.; Isaacs, William; De Jager, Phillip L.; John, Esther M.; Kittles, Rick A.; Larkin, Emma; McNeill, Lorna H.; Millikan, Robert C.; Murphy, Adam; Neslund-Dudas, Christine; Nyante, Sarah; Press, Michael F.; Rodriguez-Gil, Jorge L.; Rybicki, Benjamin A.; Schwartz, Ann G.; Signorello, Lisa B.; Spitz, Margaret; Strom, Sara S.; Tucker, Margaret A.; Wiencke, John K.; Witte, John S.; Wu, Xifeng; Yamamura, Yuko; Zanetti, Krista A.; Zheng, Wei; Ziegler, Regina G.; Chanock, Stephen J.; Haiman, Christopher A.; Reich, David; Price, Alkes L.

2014-01-01

The extent of recent selection in admixed populations is currently an unresolved question. We scanned the genomes of 29,141 African Americans and failed to find any genome-wide-significant deviations in local ancestry, indicating no evidence of selection influencing ancestry after admixture. A recent analysis of data from 1,890 African Americans reported that there was evidence of selection in African Americans after their ancestors left Africa, both before and after admixture. Selection after admixture was reported on the basis of deviations in local ancestry, and selection before admixture was reported on the basis of allele-frequency differences between African Americans and African populations. The local-ancestry deviations reported by the previous study did not replicate in our very large sample, and we show that such deviations were expected purely by chance, given the number of hypotheses tested. We further show that the previous study’s conclusion of selection in African Americans before admixture is also subject to doubt. This is because the FST statistics they used were inflated and because true signals of unusual allele-frequency differences between African Americans and African populations would be best explained by selection that occurred in Africa prior to migration to the Americas. PMID:25242497

Noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy: Past findings and future studies.

PubMed

Kobel, Megan; Le Prell, Colleen G; Liu, Jennifer; Hawks, John W; Bao, Jianxin

2017-06-01

For decades, we have presumed the death of hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons are the main cause of hearing loss and difficulties understanding speech in noise, but new findings suggest synapse loss may be the key contributor. Specifically, recent preclinical studies suggest that the synapses between inner hair cells and spiral ganglion neurons with low spontaneous rates and high thresholds are the most vulnerable subcellular structures, with respect to insults during aging and noise exposure. This cochlear synaptopathy can be "hidden" because this synaptic loss can occur without permanent hearing threshold shifts. This new discovery of synaptic loss opens doors to new research directions. Here, we review a number of recent studies and make suggestions in two critical future research directions. First, based on solid evidence of cochlear synaptopathy in animal models, it is time to apply molecular approaches to identify the underlying molecular mechanisms; improved understanding is necessary for developing rational, effective therapies against this cochlear synaptopathy. Second, in human studies, the data supporting cochlear synaptopathy are indirect although rapid progress has been made. To fully identify changes in function that are directly related this hidden synaptic damage, we argue that a battery of tests including both electrophysiological and behavior tests should be combined for diagnosis of "hidden hearing loss" in clinical studies. This new approach may provide a direct link between cochlear synaptopathy and perceptual difficulties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Peripheral hearing loss reduces the ability of children to direct selective attention during multi-talker listening.

PubMed

Holmes, Emma; Kitterick, Padraig T; Summerfield, A Quentin

2017-07-01

Restoring normal hearing requires knowledge of how peripheral and central auditory processes are affected by hearing loss. Previous research has focussed primarily on peripheral changes following sensorineural hearing loss, whereas consequences for central auditory processing have received less attention. We examined the ability of hearing-impaired children to direct auditory attention to a voice of interest (based on the talker's spatial location or gender) in the presence of a common form of background noise: the voices of competing talkers (i.e. during multi-talker, or "Cocktail Party" listening). We measured brain activity using electro-encephalography (EEG) when children prepared to direct attention to the spatial location or gender of an upcoming target talker who spoke in a mixture of three talkers. Compared to normally-hearing children, hearing-impaired children showed significantly less evidence of preparatory brain activity when required to direct spatial attention. This finding is consistent with the idea that hearing-impaired children have a reduced ability to prepare spatial attention for an upcoming talker. Moreover, preparatory brain activity was not restored when hearing-impaired children listened with their acoustic hearing aids. An implication of these findings is that steps to improve auditory attention alongside acoustic hearing aids may be required to improve the ability of hearing-impaired children to understand speech in the presence of competing talkers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Induced CMB quadrupole from pointing offsets

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

Moss, Adam; Scott, Douglas; Sigurdson, Kris, E-mail: adammoss@phas.ubc.ca, E-mail: dscott@phas.ubc.ca, E-mail: krs@phas.ubc.ca

2011-01-01

Recent claims in the literature have suggested that the WMAP quadrupole is not primordial in origin, and arises from an aliasing of the much larger dipole field because of incorrect satellite pointing. We attempt to reproduce this result and delineate the key physics leading to the effect. We find that, even if real, the induced quadrupole would be smaller than the WMAP value. We discuss reasons why the WMAP data are unlikely to suffer from this particular systematic effect, including the implications for observations of point sources. Given this evidence against the reality of the effect, the similarity between themore » pointing-offset-induced signal and the actual quadrupole then appears to be quite puzzling. However, we find that the effect arises from a convolution between the gradient of the dipole field and anisotropic coverage of the scan direction at each pixel. There is something of a directional conspiracy here — the dipole signal lies close to the Ecliptic Plane, and its direction, together with the WMAP scan strategy, results in a strong coupling to the Y{sub 2,−1} component in Ecliptic co-ordinates. The dominant strength of this component in the measured quadrupole suggests that one should exercise increased caution in interpreting its estimated amplitude. The Planck satellite has a different scan strategy which does not so directly couple the dipole and quadrupole in this way and will soon provide an independent measurement.« less

Direct Involvement of the Master Nitrogen Metabolism Regulator GlnR in Antibiotic Biosynthesis in Streptomyces.

PubMed

He, Juan-Mei; Zhu, Hong; Zheng, Guo-Song; Liu, Pan-Pan; Wang, Jin; Zhao, Guo-Ping; Zhu, Guo-Qiang; Jiang, Wei-Hong; Lu, Yin-Hua

2016-12-16

GlnR, an OmpR-like orphan two-component system response regulator, is a master regulator of nitrogen metabolism in the genus Streptomyces In this work, evidence that GlnR is also directly involved in the regulation of antibiotic biosynthesis is provided. In the model strain Streptomyces coelicolor M145, an in-frame deletion of glnR resulted in markedly increased actinorhodin (ACT) production but reduced undecylprodigiosin (RED) biosynthesis when exposed to R2YE culture medium. Transcriptional analysis coupled with DNA binding studies revealed that GlnR represses ACT but activates RED production directly via the pathway-specific activator genes actII-ORF4 and redZ, respectively. The precise GlnR-binding sites upstream of these two target genes were defined. In addition, the direct involvement of GlnR in antibiotic biosynthesis was further identified in Streptomyces avermitilis, which produces the important anthelmintic agent avermectin. We found that S. avermitilis GlnR (GlnRsav) could stimulate avermectin but repress oligomycin production directly through the respective pathway-specific activator genes, aveR and olmRI/RII To the best of our knowledge, this report describes the first experimental evidence demonstrating that GlnR regulates antibiotic biosynthesis directly through pathway-specific regulators in Streptomyces Our results suggest that GlnR-mediated regulation of antibiotic biosynthesis is likely to be universal in streptomycetes. These findings also indicate that GlnR is not only a master nitrogen regulator but also an important controller of secondary metabolism, which may help to balance nitrogen metabolism and antibiotic biosynthesis in streptomycetes. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Consumer-oriented health care reform strategies: a review of the evidence on managed competition and consumer-directed health insurance.

PubMed

Buchmueller, Thomas C

2009-12-01

For many years, leading health care reform proposals have been based on market-oriented strategies. In the 1990s, a number of reform proposals were built around the concept of "managed competition," but more recently, "consumer-directed health care" models have received attention. Although price-conscious consumer demand plays a critical role in both the managed competition and consumer-directed health care models, the two strategies are based on different visions of the health care marketplace and the best way to use market forces to achieve greater systemwide efficiencies. This article reviews the research literature that tests the main hypotheses concerning the two policy strategies. Numerous studies provide consistent evidence that consumers' health plan choices are sensitive to out-of-pocket premiums. The elasticity of demand appears to vary with consumers' health risk, with younger, healthier individuals being more price sensitive. This heterogeneity increases the potential for adverse selection. Biased risk selection also is a concern when the menu of health plan options includes consumer-directed health plans. Several studies confirm that such plans tend to attract healthier enrollees. A smaller number of studies test the main hypothesis regarding consumer-directed health plans, which is that they result in lower medical spending than do more generous plans. These studies find little support for this claim. The experiences of employers that have adopted key elements of managed competition are generally consistent with the key hypotheses underlying that strategy. Research in this area, however, has focused on only a narrow range of questions. Because consumer-directed health care is such a recent phenomenon, research on this strategy is even more limited. Additional studies on both topics would be valuable.

Finite element simulation of the mechanical impact of computer work on the carpal tunnel syndrome.

PubMed

Mouzakis, Dionysios E; Rachiotis, George; Zaoutsos, Stefanos; Eleftheriou, Andreas; Malizos, Konstantinos N

2014-09-22

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a clinical disorder resulting from the compression of the median nerve. The available evidence regarding the association between computer use and CTS is controversial. There is some evidence that computer mouse or keyboard work, or both are associated with the development of CTS. Despite the availability of pressure measurements in the carpal tunnel during computer work (exposure to keyboard or mouse) there are no available data to support a direct effect of the increased intracarpal canal pressure on the median nerve. This study presents an attempt to simulate the direct effects of computer work on the whole carpal area section using finite element analysis. A finite element mesh was produced from computerized tomography scans of the carpal area, involving all tissues present in the carpal tunnel. Two loading scenarios were applied on these models based on biomechanical data measured during computer work. It was found that mouse work can produce large deformation fields on the median nerve region. Also, the high stressing effect of the carpal ligament was verified. Keyboard work produced considerable and heterogeneous elongations along the longitudinal axis of the median nerve. Our study provides evidence that increased intracarpal canal pressures caused by awkward wrist postures imposed during computer work were associated directly with deformation of the median nerve. Despite the limitations of the present study the findings could be considered as a contribution to the understanding of the development of CTS due to exposure to computer work. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engineered tug-of-war between kinesin and dynein controls direction of microtubule transport in vivo

PubMed Central

Rezaul, Karim; Gupta, Dipika; Semenova, Irina; Ikeda, Kazuho; Kraikivski, Pavel; Yu, Ji; Cowan, Ann; Zaliapin, Ilya; Rodionov, Vladimir

2017-01-01

Bidirectional transport of membrane organelles along microtubules (MTs) is driven by plus-end directed kinesins and minus-end directed dynein bound to the same cargo. Activities of opposing MT motors produce bidirectional movement of membrane organelles and cytoplasmic particles along MT transport tracks. Directionality of MT-based transport might be controlled by a protein complex that determines which motor type is active at any given moment of time, or determined by the outcome of a tug-of-war between MT motors dragging cargo organelles in opposite directions. However, evidence in support of each mechanisms of regulation is based mostly on the results of theoretical analyses or indirect experimental data. Here, we test whether the direction of movement of membrane organelles in vivo can be controlled by the tug-of-war between opposing MT motors alone, by attaching large number of kinesin-1 motors to organelles transported by dynein to minus-ends of MTs. We find that recruitment of kinesin significantly reduces the length and velocity of minus-end-directed dynein-dependent MT runs, leading to a reversal of the overall direction of dynein-driven organelles in vivo. Therefore in the absence of external regulators tug-of-war between opposing MT motors alone is sufficient to determine the directionality of MT transport in vivo. PMID:26843027

Spectroscopic limits to an extragalactic far-ultraviolet background.

PubMed

Martin, C; Hurwitz, M; Bowyer, S

1991-10-01

We use a spectrum of the lowest intensity diffuse far-ultraviolet background obtained from a series of observations in a number of celestial view directions to constrain the properties of the extragalactic FUV background. The mean continuum level, IEG = 280 +/- 35 photons cm-2 s-1 angstrom-1 sr-1, was obtained in a direction with very low H I column density, and this represents a firm upper limit to any extragalactic background in the 1400-1900 angstroms band. Previous work has demonstrated that the far-ultraviolet background includes (depending on a view direction) contributions from dust-scattered Galactic light, high-ionization emission lines, two-photon emission from H II, H2 fluorescence, and the integrated light of spiral galaxies. We find no evidence in the spectrum of line or continuum features that would signify additional extragalactic components. Motivated by the observation of steep BJ and U number count distributions, we have made a detailed comparison of galaxy evolution models to optical and UV data. We find that the observations are difficult to reconcile with a dominant contribution from unclustered, starburst galaxies at low redshifts. Our measurement rules out large ionizing fluxes at z = 0, but cannot strongly constrain the QSO background light, which is expected to be 0.5%-4% of IEG. We present improved limits on radiative lifetimes of massive neutrinos. We demonstrated with a simple model that IGM radiation is unlikely to make a significant contribution to IEG. Since dust scattering could produce a significant part of the continuum in this lowest intensity spectrum, we carried out a series of tests to evaluate this possibility. We find that the spectrum of a nearby target with higher NH I, when corrected for H2 fluorescence, is very similar to the spectrum obtained in the low H I view direction. This is evidence that the majority of the continuum observed at low NH I is also dust reflection, indicating either the existence of a hitherto unidentified dust component, or of a large enhancement in dust scattering efficiency in low-density gas. We also review the effects of an additional dust component on the far-infrared background and on extragalactic FUV observations. We conclude that dust reflection, combined with modest contributions from H II two-photon emission and from the integrated light of late-type galaxies, may account for virtually all of the FUV background in low H I column density directions.

Amphetamine primes motivation to gamble and gambling-related semantic networks in problem gamblers.

PubMed

Zack, Martin; Poulos, Constantine X

2004-01-01

Previous research suggests that gambling can induce effects that closely resemble a psychostimulant drug effect. Modest doses of addictive drugs can prime motivation for drugs with similar properties. Together, these findings imply that a dose of a psychostimulant drug could prime motivation to gamble in problem gamblers. This study assessed priming effects of oral D-amphetamine (AMPH) (30 mg) in a within-subject, counter-balanced, placebo-controlled design in problem gamblers (n=10), comorbid gamblerdrinkers (n=6), problem drinkers (n=8), and healthy controls (n=12). Modified visual analog scales assessed addictive motivation and subjective effects. A modified rapid reading task assessed pharmacological activation of words from motivationally relevant and irrelevant semantic domains (Gambling, Alcohol, Positive Affect, Negative Affect, Neutral). AMPH increased self-reported motivation for gambling in problem gamblers. Severity of problem gambling predicted positive subjective effects of AMPH and motivation to gamble under the drug. There was little evidence that AMPH directly primed motivation for alcohol in problem drinkers. On the reading task, AMPH produced undifferentiated improvement in reading speed to all word classes in Nongamblers. By contrast, in the two problem gambler groups, AMPH improved reading speed to Gambling words while profoundly slowing reading speed to motivationally irrelevant Neutral words. The latter finding was interpreted as directly congruent with models, which contend that priming of addictive motivation involves a linked suppression of motivationally irrelevant stimuli. This study provides experimental evidence that psychostimulant-like neurochemical activation is an important component of gambling addiction.

Motion direction discrimination training reduces perceived motion repulsion.

PubMed

Jia, Ke; Li, Sheng

2017-04-01

Participants often exaggerate the perceived angular separation between two simultaneously presented motion stimuli, which is referred to as motion repulsion. The overestimation helps participants differentiate between the two superimposed motion directions, yet it causes the impairment of direction perception. Since direction perception can be refined through perceptual training, we here attempted to investigate whether the training of a direction discrimination task changes the amount of motion repulsion. Our results showed a direction-specific learning effect, which was accompanied by a reduced amount of motion repulsion both for the trained and the untrained directions. The reduction of the motion repulsion disappeared when the participants were trained on a luminance discrimination task (control experiment 1) or a speed discrimination task (control experiment 2), ruling out any possible interpretation in terms of adaptation or training-induced attentional bias. Furthermore, training with a direction discrimination task along a direction 150° away from both directions in the transparent stimulus (control experiment 3) also had little effect on the amount of motion repulsion, ruling out the contribution of task learning. The changed motion repulsion observed in the main experiment was consistent with the prediction of the recurrent model of perceptual learning. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that training in direction discrimination can benefit the precise direction perception of the transparent stimulus and provide new evidence for the recurrent model of perceptual learning.

Directions in healthcare research: pointers from retailing and services marketing.

PubMed

Van Rompay, Thomas L J; Tanja-Dijkstra, Karin

2010-01-01

Although the importance of the environment in relation to healing processes has been well established, empirical evidence for environmental effects on patient well-being and behavior is sparse. In addition, few attempts have been made to integrate insights from related fields of research such as retailing and services marketing with findings from healthcare studies. In this paper, relevant findings and insights from these domains are discussed. What insights and findings from retailing and services marketing are (potentially) of interest to the healthcare context, and how should one interpret and follow up on these results in healthcare environments? Research in retailing and services marketing indicates that physical environmental factors (i.e., music and scent) and social environmental factors (i.e., crowded conditions) may affect consumer satisfaction and well-being. In addition, environmental effects have been shown to vary with contextual factors (e.g., the type of environment) and consumer needs (e.g., the extent to which consumers value social contact or stimulation in a specific setting). Although the evidence base for environmental factors in health environments is steadily growing, few attempts have been made to integrate findings from both domains. The findings presented indicate that environmental variables such as music and scent can contribute to patient well-being and overall satisfaction. In addition, findings suggest that these variables may be used to counteract the negative effects resulting from crowded conditions in different healthcare units. Taking into account recent developments in the healthcare industry, the importance of creating memorable and pleasant patient experiences is likely to grow in the years to come. Hence, the finding that subtle and relatively inexpensive manipulations may affect patient well-being in profound ways should inspire follow-up research aimed at unraveling the specifics of environmental influences in health environments.

Multistep Ionization of Argon Clusters in Intense Femtosecond Extreme Ultraviolet Pulses

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

Bostedt, C.; Thomas, H.; Hoener, M.

The interaction of intense extreme ultraviolet femtosecond laser pulses ({lambda}=32.8 nm) from the FLASH free electron laser (FEL) with clusters has been investigated by means of photoelectron spectroscopy and modeled by Monte Carlo simulations. For laser intensities up to 5x10{sup 13} W/cm{sup 2}, we find that the cluster ionization process is a sequence of direct electron emission events in a developing Coulomb field. A nanoplasma is formed only at the highest investigated power densities where ionization is frustrated due to the deep cluster potential. In contrast with earlier studies in the IR and vacuum ultraviolet spectral regime, we find nomore » evidence for electron emission from plasma heating processes.« less

Appearance of osteolysis with melorheostosis: redefining the disease or a new disorder? A novel case report with multimodality imaging.

PubMed

Osher, Lawrence S; Blazer, Marie Mantini; Bumpus, Kelly

2013-01-01

We present a case report of melorheostosis with the novel radiographic finding of underlying cortical resorption. A number of radiographic patterns of melorheostosis have been described; however, the combination of new bone formation and resorption of the original cortex appears unique. Although the presence of underlying lysis has been postulated in published studies, direct radiographic evidence of bony resorption in melorheostosis has not been reported. These findings can be subtle and might go unnoticed using standard imaging. An in-depth review of the radiographic features is presented, including multimodality imaging with magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. Copyright © 2013 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Birth of Social Intelligence

PubMed Central

Henderson, Annette M. E.; Gerson, Sarah; Woodward, Amanda L.

2013-01-01

The ability to make sense out of the actions of others is critical to people’s daily functioning. Adults are social experts: They understand that people’s actions are directed at goals and are driven by intentions. In this article, the authors highlight key findings from studies examining infants’ understanding of human action. These findings suggest that infants come to understand that intentions and attention guide human action within the first few months of their lives. By 13 months, infants understand that intentions are specific to individuals, yet there are some actions that are shared by all individuals within a group. Taken together, the evidence suggests that infants are well on their way to becoming social experts by their second birthdays. PMID:25278644

Perceived organizational support and extra-role performance: which leads to which?

PubMed

Chen, Zhixia; Eisenberger, Robert; Johnson, Kelly M; Sucharski, Ivan L; Aselage, Justin

2009-02-01

L. Rhoades and R. Eisenberger (2002) reported the meta-analytic finding of a highly statistically significant relation between perceived organizational support (POS) and performance but concluded that the reviewed studies' methodology allowed no conclusion concerning the direction of the association. To investigate this issue, the authors assessed POS and extra-role performance 2 times, separated by a 3-year interval, among 199 employees of an electronic and appliance sales organization. Using a cross-lagged panel design, the authors found that POS was positively associated with a temporal change in extra-role performance. In contrast, the relation between extra-role performance and temporal change in POS was not statistically significant. These findings provide evidence that POS leads to extra-role performance.

Effects of physical attractiveness on political beliefs.

PubMed

Peterson, Rolfe Daus; Palmer, Carl L

2017-01-01

Physical attractiveness is an important social factor in our daily interactions. Scholars in social psychology provide evidence that attractiveness stereotypes and the "halo effect" are prominent in affecting the traits we attribute to others. However, the interest in attractiveness has not directly filtered down to questions of political behavior beyond candidates and elites. Utilizing measures of attractiveness across multiple surveys, we examine the relationship between attractiveness and political beliefs. Controlling for socioeconomic status, we find that more attractive individuals are more likely to report higher levels of political efficacy, identify as conservative, and identify as Republican. These findings suggest an additional mechanism for political socialization that has further implications for understanding how the body intertwines with the social nature of politics.

Prenatal Exposure Effects on Early Adolescent Substance Use: Preliminary Evidence From a Genetically Informed Bayesian Approach.

PubMed

Bidwell, L Cinnamon; Marceau, Kristine; Brick, Leslie A; Karoly, Hollis C; Todorov, Alexandre A; Palmer, Rohan H; Heath, Andrew C; Knopik, Valerie S

2017-09-01

Given the controversy surrounding the question of whether there are direct or causal effects of exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy (SDP) on offspring outcomes such as substance use during the adolescent years, we sought to test, on a preliminary basis, within- and between-family associations of SDP and initiation of substance use early in adolescence (by age 15 years) using a discordant sibling design. We used a sibling-comparison approach in a sample of 173 families drawn from the state of Missouri, wherein mothers were discordant for smoking behaviors between two different pregnancies, to test for associations of SDP and initiation of substance use in a younger adolescent cohort. The discordant sibling comparison approach allows for disentangling familial effects from direct effects of SDP through the purposeful collection of data from siblings within the same family with differential exposure. There were no between- or within-family effects of SDP on initiation of any type of substance use (alcohol, marijuana, smoking, and other drug classes), suggesting that SDP does not exert a direct effect on substance use in early adolescence. Preliminary findings did not support an association of SDP and initiation of substance use in this younger adolescent sample. Studies such as this one can help build a body of evidence to explain whether associations of SDP and adolescent outcomes reflect a direct effect of SPD or may instead be attributable to familial confounders that are controlled in the discordant sibling design.

Aggressive behavior and its associations with posttraumatic stress and academic achievement following a natural disaster.

PubMed

Scott, Brandon G; Lapré, Genevieve E; Marsee, Monica A; Weems, Carl F

2014-01-01

Despite an abundance of evidence linking maltreatment and violence-related trauma exposure to externalizing problems in youth, there is surprisingly little evidence to support a direct link between disaster exposure and youth aggressive behavior. This study tested the theory that there is primarily an indirect association between disaster exposure and aggression via posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The current study also examined the association between aggression and academic achievement. A sample of 191 4th- to 8th-grade minority youth who experienced Hurricane Katrina were assessed for aggressive behavior using the Peer Conflict Scale (PCS), disaster exposure, PTSD symptoms, and academic achievement. Structural equation modeling of the set of associations was consistent with the theory suggesting that there is an indirect link between disaster exposure and aggression through PTSD symptoms. Aggression was negatively associated with academic achievement, and modeling indicated that the set of associations was age and gender invariant. Findings advance the theoretical understanding of the linkage between aggression and disaster exposure. Findings also support the utility of the PCS in disaster research and the link between PCS scores and academic achievement.

Endogenous technological change in medicine and its impact on healthcare costs: evidence from the pharmaceutical market in Taiwan.

PubMed

Hsieh, Chee-Ruey; Liu, Ya-Ming; Chang, Chia-Lin

2013-04-01

Although the technological change in medicine has been recognized widely as the major driver of rising healthcare costs, there is very little research that estimates this effect directly. This paper uses both a single-equation and a simultaneous equations approach to investigate empirically the interactive relationship between technological innovation and the growth of health expenditure in the context of the pharmaceutical market in Taiwan. Based on observing 182 therapeutic groups between 1997 and 2006, we find evidence to support the argument that technological innovation and health expenditure are determined simultaneously as technological innovation, and that the growth of health expenditure are endogenous rather than exogenous. Specifically, we find that therapeutic groups associated with higher pharmaceutical expenditure are likely to attract more new products to the market. Meanwhile, therapeutic groups with more new products are associated with higher pharmaceutical expenditures. An important implication of the paper is that cost containment policies will affect not only the growth of health expenditure, but also the progress of technological innovation in the health sector.

A Model-Based Approach for Identifying Signatures of Ancient Balancing Selection in Genetic Data

PubMed Central

DeGiorgio, Michael; Lohmueller, Kirk E.; Nielsen, Rasmus

2014-01-01

While much effort has focused on detecting positive and negative directional selection in the human genome, relatively little work has been devoted to balancing selection. This lack of attention is likely due to the paucity of sophisticated methods for identifying sites under balancing selection. Here we develop two composite likelihood ratio tests for detecting balancing selection. Using simulations, we show that these methods outperform competing methods under a variety of assumptions and demographic models. We apply the new methods to whole-genome human data, and find a number of previously-identified loci with strong evidence of balancing selection, including several HLA genes. Additionally, we find evidence for many novel candidates, the strongest of which is FANK1, an imprinted gene that suppresses apoptosis, is expressed during meiosis in males, and displays marginal signs of segregation distortion. We hypothesize that balancing selection acts on this locus to stabilize the segregation distortion and negative fitness effects of the distorter allele. Thus, our methods are able to reproduce many previously-hypothesized signals of balancing selection, as well as discover novel interesting candidates. PMID:25144706

A model-based approach for identifying signatures of ancient balancing selection in genetic data.

PubMed

DeGiorgio, Michael; Lohmueller, Kirk E; Nielsen, Rasmus

2014-08-01

While much effort has focused on detecting positive and negative directional selection in the human genome, relatively little work has been devoted to balancing selection. This lack of attention is likely due to the paucity of sophisticated methods for identifying sites under balancing selection. Here we develop two composite likelihood ratio tests for detecting balancing selection. Using simulations, we show that these methods outperform competing methods under a variety of assumptions and demographic models. We apply the new methods to whole-genome human data, and find a number of previously-identified loci with strong evidence of balancing selection, including several HLA genes. Additionally, we find evidence for many novel candidates, the strongest of which is FANK1, an imprinted gene that suppresses apoptosis, is expressed during meiosis in males, and displays marginal signs of segregation distortion. We hypothesize that balancing selection acts on this locus to stabilize the segregation distortion and negative fitness effects of the distorter allele. Thus, our methods are able to reproduce many previously-hypothesized signals of balancing selection, as well as discover novel interesting candidates.

The effect of alcoholic beverage excise tax on alcohol-attributable injury mortalities.

PubMed

Son, Chong Hwan; Topyan, Kudret

2011-04-01

This study examines the effect of state excise taxes on different types of alcoholic beverages (spirits, wine, and beer) on alcohol-attributable injury mortalities--deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents, suicides, homicides, and falls--in the United States between 1995 and 2004, using state-level panel data. There is evidence that injury deaths attributable to alcohol respond differently to changes in state excise taxes on alcohol-specific beverages. This study examines the direct relationship between injury deaths and excise taxes without testing the degree of the association between excise taxes and alcohol consumption. The study finds that beer taxes are negatively related to motor vehicle accident mortality, while wine taxes are negatively associated with suicides and falls. The positive coefficient of the spirit taxes on falls implies a substitution effect between spirits and wine, suggesting that an increase in spirit tax will cause spirit buyers to purchase more wine. This study finds no evidence of a relationship between homicides and state excise taxes on alcohol. Thus, the study concludes that injury deaths attributable to alcohol respond differently to the excise taxes on different types of alcoholic beverages.

Activation of kappa opioid receptors in the dorsal raphe have sex dependent effects on social behavior in California mice.

PubMed

Wright, Emily C; Parks, Tiffany V; Alexander, Jonathon O; Supra, Rajesh; Trainor, Brian C

2018-06-06

Kappa opioid receptor activation has been linked to stress and anxiety behavior, thus leading to kappa antagonists being popularized in research as potential anxiolytics. However, while these findings may hold true in standard models, the neuromodulatory effects of social defeat may change the behavioral outcome of kappa opioid receptor activation. Previous research has shown that social defeat can lead to hyperactivity of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus, and that inhibition of this increase blocks the social deficits caused by defeat. Kappa opioid receptor activation in the dorsal raphe nucleus works to decrease serotonergic activity. We injected the kappa opioid receptor U50,488 directly into the dorsal raphe nucleus of male and female, defeat and control adult California mice. Here we show evidence that U50,488 induces anxiety behavior in control male California mice, but helps relieve it in defeated males. Consistent with previous literature, we find little effect in females adding evidence that there are marked and important sex differences in the kappa opioid system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Racial Discrimination and Health Among Asian Americans: Evidence, Assessment, and Directions for Future Research

PubMed Central

Gee, Gilbert C.; Ro, Annie; Shariff-Marco, Salma; Chae, David

2016-01-01

Research shows that racial discrimination is related to illness among diverse racial and ethnic populations. Studies of racial discrimination and health among Asian Americans, however, remain underdeveloped. In this paper, the authors review evidence on racial discrimination and health among Asian Americans, identify gaps in the literature, and provide suggestions for future research. They identified 62 empirical articles assessing the relation between discrimination and health among Asian Americans. The majority of articles focused on mental health problems, followed by physical and behavioral problems. Most studies find that discrimination was associated with poorer health, although the most consistent findings were for mental health problems. This review suggests that future studies should continue to investigate the following: 1) the measurement of discrimination among Asian Americans, whose experiences may be qualitatively different from those of other racial minority groups; 2) the heterogeneity among Asian Americans, including those factors that are particularly salient in this population, such as ethnic ancestry and immigration history; and 3) the health implications of discrimination at multiple ecologic levels, ranging from the individual level to the structural level. PMID:19805401

Factors of psychopathy and electrocortical response to emotional pictures: Further evidence for a two-process theory.

PubMed

Venables, Noah C; Hall, Jason R; Yancey, James R; Patrick, Christopher J

2015-05-01

The Two-Process theory of psychopathy posits that distinct etiological mechanisms contribute to the condition: (a) a weakness in defensive (fear) reactivity related to affective-interpersonal features, and (b) impaired cognitive-executive functioning, marked by reductions in brain responses such as P3, related to impulsive-antisocial features. The current study examined relations between psychopathy factors and electrocortical response to emotional and neutral pictures in male offenders (N = 139) assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Impulsive-antisocial features of the PCL-R (Factor 2) were associated with reduced amplitude of earlier P3 brain response to pictures regardless of valence, whereas the affective-interpersonal dimension (Factor 1) was associated specifically with reductions in late positive potential response to aversive pictures. Findings provide further support for the Two-Process theory and add to a growing body of evidence linking the impulsive-antisocial facet of psychopathy to the broader construct of externalizing proneness. Findings are discussed in terms of current initiatives directed at incorporating neuroscientific concepts into psychopathology classification. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Factors of Psychopathy and Electrocortical Response to Emotional Pictures: Further Evidence for a Two-Process Theory

PubMed Central

Venables, Noah C.; Hall, Jason R.; Yancey, James R.; Patrick, Christopher J.

2014-01-01

The Two-Process theory of psychopathy posits distinct etiological mechanisms contribute to the disorder: 1) a weakness in defensive (fear) reactivity related to affective-interpersonal features, and 2) impaired cognitive-executive functioning, marked by reductions in brain responses such as P3, related to impulsive-antisocial features. The current study examined relations between psychopathy factors and electrocortical response to emotional and neutral pictures in male offenders (N=139) assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R). Impulsive-antisocial features of the PCL-R (Factor 2) were associated with reduced amplitude of earlier P3 brain response to pictures regardless of valence, whereas the affective-interpersonal dimension (Factor 1) was associated specifically with reductions in late positive potential response to aversive pictures. Findings provide further support for the Two-Process theory and add to a growing body of evidence linking the impulsive-antisocial facet of psychopathy to the broader construct of externalizing proneness. Findings are discussed in terms of current initiatives directed at incorporating neuroscientific concepts into psychopathology classification. PMID:25603361

Socioeconomic disparities affect prefrontal function in children.

PubMed

Kishiyama, Mark M; Boyce, W Thomas; Jimenez, Amy M; Perry, Lee M; Knight, Robert T

2009-06-01

Social inequalities have profound effects on the physical and mental health of children. Children from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds perform below children from higher SES backgrounds on tests of intelligence and academic achievement, and recent findings indicate that low SES (LSES) children are impaired on behavioral measures of prefrontal function. However, the influence of socioeconomic disparity on direct measures of neural activity is unknown. Here, we provide electrophysiological evidence indicating that prefrontal function is altered in LSES children. We found that prefrontal-dependent electrophysiological measures of attention were reduced in LSES compared to high SES (HSES) children in a pattern similar to that observed in patients with lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) damage. These findings provide neurophysiological evidence that social inequalities are associated with alterations in PFC function in LSES children. There are a number of factors associated with LSES rearing conditions that may have contributed to these results such as greater levels of stress and lack of access to cognitively stimulating materials and experiences. Targeting specific prefrontal processes affected by socioeconomic disparity could be helpful in developing intervention programs for LSES children.

Essays in Applied Microeconomics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Qi

This dissertation consists of three self-contained applied microeconomics essays on topics related to behavioral economics and industrial organization. Chapter 1 studies how sentiment as a result of sports event outcomes affects consumers' tipping behavior in the presence of social norms. I formulate a model of tipping behavior that captures consumer sentiment following a reference-dependent preference framework and empirically test its relevance using the game outcomes of the NBA and the trip and tipping data on New York City taxicabs. While I find that consumers' tipping behavior responds to unexpected wins and losses of their home team, particularly in close game outcomes, I do not find evidence for loss aversion. Coupled with the findings on default tipping, my empirical results on the asymmetric tipping responses suggest that while social norms may dominate loss aversion, affect and surprises can result in freedom on the upside of tipping. Chapter 2 utilizes a novel data source of airline entry and exit announcements and examines how the incumbent airlines adjust quality provisions as a response to their competitors' announcements and the role of timing in such responses. I find no evidence that the incumbents engage in preemptive actions when facing probable entry and exit threats as signaled by the competitors' announcements in either short term or long term. There is, however, evidence supporting their responses to the competitors' realized entry or exit. My empirical findings underscore the role of timing in determining preemptive actions and suggest that previous studies may have overestimated how the incumbent airlines respond to entry threats. Chapter 3, which is collaborated with Benjamin Ho, investigates the habit formation of consumers' thermostat setting behavior, an often implicitly made decision and yet a key determinant of home energy consumption and expenditures. We utilize a high frequency dataset on household thermostat usage and find that while thermostat usage exhibits strong persistence in habits, consumers do respond to salient outdoor temperature shocks and the underlying heterogeneity in preferences can help explain much of the variation in responses. Our findings have direct policy implications on how conservation policies impact energy use.

Looking for dark matter trails in colliding galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, David; Robertson, Andrew; Massey, Richard; Kneib, Jean-Paul

2017-02-01

If dark matter interacts, even weakly, via non-gravitational forces, simulations predict that it will be preferentially scattered towards the trailing edge of the halo during collisions between galaxy clusters. This will temporarily create a non-symmetric mass profile, with a trailing overdensity along the direction of motion. To test this hypothesis, we fit (and subtract) symmetric haloes to the weak gravitational data of 72 merging galaxy clusters observed with the Hubble Space Telescope. We convert the shear directly into excess κ and project in to a one-dimensional profile. We generate numerical simulations and find that the one-dimensional profile is well described with simple Gaussian approximations. We detect the weak lensing signal of trailing gas at a 4σ confidence, finding a mean gas fraction of Mgas/Mdm = 0.13 ± 0.035. We find no evidence for scattered dark matter particles with an estimated scattering fraction of f = 0.03 ± 0.05. Finally, we find that if we can reduce the statistical error on the positional estimate of a single dark matter halo to <2.5 arcsec, then we will be able to detect a scattering fraction of 10 per cent at the 3σ level with current surveys. This potentially interesting new method can provide an important independent test for other complimentary studies of the self-interaction cross-section of dark matter.

Navigation by environmental geometry: the use of zebrafish as a model

PubMed Central

Lee, Sang Ah; Vallortigara, Giorgio; Flore, Michele; Spelke, Elizabeth S.; Sovrano, Valeria A.

2013-01-01

SUMMARY Sensitivity to environmental shape in spatial navigation has been found, at both behavioural and neural levels, in virtually every species tested, starting early in development. Moreover, evidence that genetic deletions can cause selective deficits in such navigation behaviours suggests a genetic basis to navigation by environmental geometry. Nevertheless, the geometric computations underlying navigation have not been specified in any species. The present study teases apart the geometric components within the traditionally used rectangular enclosure and finds that zebrafish selectively represent distance and directional relationships between extended boundary surfaces. Similar behavioural results in geometric navigation tasks with human children provide prima facie evidence for similar underlying cognitive computations and open new doors for probing the genetic foundations that give rise to these computations. PMID:23788708

[Evidence of pharmacotherapy in COPD--key findings from recently-conducted randomized clinical studies].

PubMed

Shimizu, Kaoruko; Nishimura, Masaharu

2011-10-01

The primary aim of pharmachotherapy in COPD is improvement of exertional dyspnea and quality of life through its bronchodilator effects. However, there is emerging evidence that pharmacotherapy may reduce exacerbations, alleviate annual decline of pulmonary function, and even favorably affect mortality, thus changing natural history of COPD. The large-scaled randomized clinical trials, such as TORCH, UPLIFT, have revealed that combination of long acting beta2 agonist (LABA) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), LABA/ICS, and/or tiotropium alone may have such effects. In addition, carbocisteine, which is a mucolytic and anti-oxidant agent, has been shown to reduce exacerbations in COPD. Future directions on pharmacotherapy are personalized medicine based on phenotyping of the disease and development of new agents which may cure airway inflammation in COPD.

Ancient wolf genome reveals an early divergence of domestic dog ancestors and admixture into high-latitude breeds.

PubMed

Skoglund, Pontus; Ersmark, Erik; Palkopoulou, Eleftheria; Dalén, Love

2015-06-01

The origin of domestic dogs is poorly understood [1-15], with suggested evidence of dog-like features in fossils that predate the Last Glacial Maximum [6, 9, 10, 14, 16] conflicting with genetic estimates of a more recent divergence between dogs and worldwide wolf populations [13, 15, 17-19]. Here, we present a draft genome sequence from a 35,000-year-old wolf from the Taimyr Peninsula in northern Siberia. We find that this individual belonged to a population that diverged from the common ancestor of present-day wolves and dogs very close in time to the appearance of the domestic dog lineage. We use the directly dated ancient wolf genome to recalibrate the molecular timescale of wolves and dogs and find that the mutation rate is substantially slower than assumed by most previous studies, suggesting that the ancestors of dogs were separated from present-day wolves before the Last Glacial Maximum. We also find evidence of introgression from the archaic Taimyr wolf lineage into present-day dog breeds from northeast Siberia and Greenland, contributing between 1.4% and 27.3% of their ancestry. This demonstrates that the ancestry of present-day dogs is derived from multiple regional wolf populations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceived Health Benefits and Willingness to Pay for Parks by Park Users: Quantitative and Qualitative Research

PubMed Central

Henderson-Wilson, Claire; Sia, Kah-Ling; Veitch, Jenny; Staiger, Petra K; Davidson, Penny; Nicholls, Peter

2017-01-01

Whilst a growing body of evidence demonstrates people derive a range of health and wellbeing benefits from visiting parks, only a limited number of attempts have been made to provide a complementary economic assessment of parks. The aim of this exploratory study was to directly estimate the perceived health and wellbeing benefits attained from parks and the economic value assigned to parks by park users in Victoria, Australia. The research employed a mixed methods approach (survey and interviews) to collect primary data from a selection of 140 park users: 100 from two metropolitan parks in Melbourne and 40 from a park on the urban fringe of Melbourne, Victoria. Our findings suggest that park users derive a range of perceived physical, mental/spiritual, and social health benefits, but park use was predominantly associated with physical health benefits. Overall, our exploratory study findings suggest that park users are willing to pay for parks, as they highly value them as places for exercising, socialising, and relaxing. Importantly, most people would miss parks if they did not exist. The findings aim to provide park managers, public health advocates, and urban policy makers with evidence about the perceived health and wellbeing benefits of park usage and the economic value park visitors place on parks. PMID:28505123

Perceived Health Benefits and Willingness to Pay for Parks by Park Users: Quantitative and Qualitative Research.

PubMed

Henderson-Wilson, Claire; Sia, Kah-Ling; Veitch, Jenny; Staiger, Petra K; Davidson, Penny; Nicholls, Peter

2017-05-15

Whilst a growing body of evidence demonstrates people derive a range of health and wellbeing benefits from visiting parks, only a limited number of attempts have been made to provide a complementary economic assessment of parks. The aim of this exploratory study was to directly estimate the perceived health and wellbeing benefits attained from parks and the economic value assigned to parks by park users in Victoria, Australia. The research employed a mixed methods approach (survey and interviews) to collect primary data from a selection of 140 park users: 100 from two metropolitan parks in Melbourne and 40 from a park on the urban fringe of Melbourne, Victoria. Our findings suggest that park users derive a range of perceived physical, mental/spiritual, and social health benefits, but park use was predominantly associated with physical health benefits. Overall, our exploratory study findings suggest that park users are willing to pay for parks, as they highly value them as places for exercising, socialising, and relaxing. Importantly, most people would miss parks if they did not exist. The findings aim to provide park managers, public health advocates, and urban policy makers with evidence about the perceived health and wellbeing benefits of park usage and the economic value park visitors place on parks.

Centralized or decentralized perinatal surgical care for rural women: a realist review of the evidence on safety.

PubMed

Kornelsen, Jude; McCartney, Kevin; Williams, Kim

2016-08-13

The precipitous closure of rural maternity services in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and internationally has demanded a reevaluation of how to meet the perinatal surgical needs of rural women in accordance with the Triple Aim objectives of safety, cost-effectiveness, and satisfaction of all key stakeholders. There is emerging international evidence that General Practitioners with Enhanced Surgical Skills (GPESS) are a well-positioned health service solution due to their generalist nature in low-volume settings. A realist review was undertaken to evaluate international evidence on efficacious models of perinatal surgical care. This article presents findings of the safety of such practice, one discrete part of the full realist review. This paper was derived from a larger review, which used a realist review methodology to guide the approach, and adhered to the RAMESES quality standard for realist reviews. Seven academic databases were searched in December 2013, using year (1990) and language (English) limiters in keeping with a rapid review approach. Mining of bibliographies in addition to consultation with international experts led to further inclusion of academic and grey literature up to March 2014. Two hundred fifty-four articles were originally identified; 119 articles were removed from consideration for lack of fit, resulting in the review of 191 articles from the peer reviewed and grey literature. Of these, 53 pertained to safety and are considered herein. Evidence on the safety of GPESS was consistent in the literature cited. Clinical, case study, and qualitative evidence demonstrates that perinatal surgical care is equally safe when provided by GPESS and specialist physicians. Findings allow health planners to confidently build perinatal surgical services around the contribution of GPs with enhanced surgical skills and focus on educational, regulatory, and continuing professional development mechanisms to ensure their sustainability. Volume-to-outcomes associations are variable and inconclusive with regards to safety, suggesting the need for more evidence. These findings, and the attendant health services planning directions, are reassuring as they suggest the viability of local models of care where feasible.

Prenatal sex hormone effects on child and adult sex-typed behavior: methods and findings.

PubMed

Cohen-Bendahan, Celina C C; van de Beek, Cornelieke; Berenbaum, Sheri A

2005-04-01

There is now good evidence that human sex-typed behavior is influenced by sex hormones that are present during prenatal development, confirming studies in other mammalian species. Most of the evidence comes from clinical populations, in which prenatal hormone exposure is atypical for a person's sex, but there is increasing evidence from the normal population for the importance of prenatal hormones. In this paper, we briefly review the evidence, focusing attention on the methods used to study behavioral effects of prenatal hormones. We discuss the promises and pitfalls of various types of studies, including those using clinical populations (concentrating on those most commonly studied, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, androgen insensitivity syndrome, ablatio penis, and cloacal exstrophy), direct measures of hormones in the general population (assayed through umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid, and maternal serum during pregnancy), and indirect measures of hormones in the general population (inferred from intrauterine position and biomarkers such as otoacoustic emissions, finger length ratios, and dermatoglyphic asymmetries). We conclude with suggestions for interpreting and conducting studies of the behavioral effects of prenatal hormones.

Personality and Longevity: Knowns, Unknowns, and Implications for Public Health and Personalized Medicine

PubMed Central

Chapman, Benjamin P.; Roberts, Brent; Duberstein, Paul

2011-01-01

We review evidence for links between personality traits and longevity. We provide an overview of personality for health scientists, using the primary organizing framework used in the study of personality and longevity. We then review data on various aspects of personality linked to longevity. In general, there is good evidence that higher level of conscientiousness and lower levels of hostility and Type D or “distressed” personality are associated with greater longevity. Limited evidence suggests that extraversion, openness, perceived control, and low levels of emotional suppression may be associated with longer lifespan. Findings regarding neuroticism are mixed, supporting the notion that many component(s) of neuroticism detract from life expectancy, but some components at some levels may be healthy or protective. Overall, evidence suggests various personality traits are significant predictors of longevity and points to several promising directions for further study. We conclude by discussing the implications of these links for epidemiologic research and personalized medicine and lay out a translational research agenda for integrating the psychology of individual differences into public health and medicine. PMID:21766032

Getting evidence into policy: The need for deliberative strategies?

PubMed

Flitcroft, Kathy; Gillespie, James; Salkeld, Glenn; Carter, Stacy; Trevena, Lyndal

2011-04-01

Getting evidence into policy is notoriously difficult. In this empirical case study we used document analysis and key informant interviews to explore the Australian federal government's policy to implement a national bowel cancer screening programme, and the role of evidence in this policy. Our analysis revealed a range of institutional limitations at three levels of national government: within the health department, between government departments, and across the whole of government. These limitations were amplified by the pressures of the 2004 Australian federal election campaign. Traditional knowledge utilisation approaches, which rely principally on voluntarist strategies and focus on the individual, rather than the institutional level, are often insufficient to ensure evidence-based implementation. We propose three alternative models, based on deliberative strategies which have been shown to work in other settings: review of the evidence by a select group of experts whose independence is enshrined in legislation and whose imprimatur is required before policy can proceed; use of an advisory group of experts who consult widely with stakeholders and publish their review findings; or public discussion of the evidence by the media and community groups who act as more direct conduits to the decision-makers than researchers. Such deliberative models could help overcome the limitations on the use of evidence by embedding public review of evidence as the first step in the institutional decision-making processes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systematic reviews of the evidence on the nature, extent and effects of food marketing to children. A retrospective summary.

PubMed

Cairns, Georgina; Angus, Kathryn; Hastings, Gerard; Caraher, Martin

2013-03-01

A 2009 systematic review of the international evidence on food and beverage marketing to children is the most recent internationally comprehensive review of the evidence base. Its findings are consistent with other independent, rigorous reviews conducted during the period 2003-2012. Food promotions have a direct effect on children's nutrition knowledge, preferences, purchase behaviour, consumption patterns and diet-related health. Current marketing practice predominantly promotes low nutrition foods and beverages. Rebalancing the food marketing landscape' is a recurring policy aim of interventions aimed at constraining food and beverage promotions to children. The collective review evidence on marketing practice indicates little progress towards policy aims has been achieved during the period 2003-2012. There is a gap in the evidence base on how substantive policy implementation can be achieved. We recommend a priority for future policy relevant research is a greater emphasis on translational research. A global framework for co-ordinated intervention to constrain unhealthy food marketing which has received high level support provides valuable insight on some aspects of immediate implementation research priorities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is working memory stored along a logarithmic timeline? Converging evidence from neuroscience, behavior and models.

PubMed

Singh, Inder; Tiganj, Zoran; Howard, Marc W

2018-04-23

A growing body of evidence suggests that short-term memory does not only store the identity of recently experienced stimuli, but also information about when they were presented. This representation of 'what' happened 'when' constitutes a neural timeline of recent past. Behavioral results suggest that people can sequentially access memories for the recent past, as if they were stored along a timeline to which attention is sequentially directed. In the short-term judgment of recency (JOR) task, the time to choose between two probe items depends on the recency of the more recent probe but not on the recency of the more remote probe. This pattern of results suggests a backward self-terminating search model. We review recent neural evidence from the macaque lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC) (Tiganj, Cromer, Roy, Miller, & Howard, in press) and behavioral evidence from human JOR task (Singh & Howard, 2017) bearing on this question. Notably, both lines of evidence suggest that the timeline is logarithmically compressed as predicted by Weber-Fechner scaling. Taken together, these findings provide an integrative perspective on temporal organization and neural underpinnings of short-term memory. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Peer Influence on Aggressive Behavior, Smoking, and Sexual Behavior: A Study of Randomly-assigned College Roommates.

PubMed

Li, Yi; Guo, Guang

2016-09-01

Identifying casual peer influence is a long-standing challenge to social scientists. Using data from a natural experiment of randomly-assigned college roommates (N = 2,059), which removes the threat of friend selection, we investigate peer effects on aggressive behavior, smoking, and concurrent sexual partnering. The findings suggest that the magnitude and direction of peer influence depend on predisposition, gender, and the nature of the behavior. Peer effects on individuals predisposed toward a given behavior tend to be larger than peer effects on individuals without such a predisposition. We find that the influence of roommates on aggressive behavior is more pronounced among male students than among female students; roommate effects on smoking are negative among female students and male students who did not smoke before college. For concurrent sexual partnering, a highly private behavior, we find no evidence of peer effects. © American Sociological Association 2016.

Illicit substance use among adolescents: a matrix of prospective predictors.

PubMed

Petraitis, J; Flay, B R; Miller, T Q; Torpy, E J; Greiner, B

1998-11-01

This paper reviews findings from 58 prospective studies of illicit substance use (ISU) among adolescents. It arranges 384 findings according to three types of influence (viz., social, attitudinal, and intrapersonal) and four levels of influence (viz., ultimate, distal, proximal, and immediate). The bulk of evidence reconfirms the importance of several predictors of ISU (e.g., intentions and prior substance-related behavior, friendship patterns and peer behaviors, absence of supportive parents, psychological temperament), reveals that a few variables thought to be well-established predictors may not be (e.g., parental behaviors, parental permissiveness, depression, low self-esteem), and uncovers several variables where findings were either sparse or inconsistent (e.g., the role of public policies concerning ISU, mass media depictions of ISU, certain parenting styles, affective states, perceptions of parental disapproval for ISU, and substance-specific refusal skills). Directions for future research are discussed.

Does Breastfeeding Protect Against Childhood Obesity? Moving Beyond Observational Evidence.

PubMed

Woo, Jessica G; Martin, Lisa J

2015-06-01

Human milk is the optimal feeding choice for infants, as it dynamically provides the nutrients, immunity support, and other bioactive factors needed for infants at specific stages during development. Observational studies and several meta-analyses have suggested that breastfeeding is protective against development of obesity in childhood and beyond. However, these findings are not without significant controversy. This review includes an overview of observational findings to date, then focuses on three specific pathways that connect human milk and infant physiology: maternal obesity, microbiome development in the infant, and the development of taste preference and diet quality. Each of these pathways involves complex interactions between mother and infant, includes both biologic and non-biologic factors, and may have both direct and indirect effects on obesity risk in the offspring. This type of integrated approach to examining breastfeeding and childhood obesity is necessary to advance research in this area beyond observational findings.

Range-based volatility, expected stock returns, and the low volatility anomaly

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

One of the foundations of financial economics is the idea that rational investors will discount stocks with more risk (volatility), which will result in a positive relation between risk and future returns. However, the empirical evidence is mixed when determining how volatility is related to future returns. In this paper, we examine this relation using a range-based measure of volatility, which is shown to be theoretically, numerically, and empirically superior to other measures of volatility. In a variety of tests, we find that range-based volatility is negatively associated with expected stock returns. These results are robust to time-series multifactor models as well as cross-sectional tests. Our findings contribute to the debate about the direction of the relationship between risk and return and confirm the presence of the low volatility anomaly, or the anomalous finding that low volatility stocks outperform high volatility stocks. In other tests, we find that the lower returns associated with range-based volatility are driven by stocks with lottery-like characteristics. PMID:29190652

Range-based volatility, expected stock returns, and the low volatility anomaly.

PubMed

Blau, Benjamin M; Whitby, Ryan J

2017-01-01

One of the foundations of financial economics is the idea that rational investors will discount stocks with more risk (volatility), which will result in a positive relation between risk and future returns. However, the empirical evidence is mixed when determining how volatility is related to future returns. In this paper, we examine this relation using a range-based measure of volatility, which is shown to be theoretically, numerically, and empirically superior to other measures of volatility. In a variety of tests, we find that range-based volatility is negatively associated with expected stock returns. These results are robust to time-series multifactor models as well as cross-sectional tests. Our findings contribute to the debate about the direction of the relationship between risk and return and confirm the presence of the low volatility anomaly, or the anomalous finding that low volatility stocks outperform high volatility stocks. In other tests, we find that the lower returns associated with range-based volatility are driven by stocks with lottery-like characteristics.

Conceptualizing and Measuring Intergenerational Ambivalence in Later Life

PubMed Central

Gilligan, Megan; Pillemer, Karl

2011-01-01

Objectives. In this paper, we explored the association between direct and indirect measures of intergenerational ambivalence, making comparisons by generational position and child’s gender; furthermore, we examined whether these measures were similarly strong predictors of depressive symptoms and positive affect. Methods. Data for the analysis were collected from 254 mothers aged 72–82 years and a randomly selected adult child as part of a larger study of within-family differences in parent–adult child relations. Results. The findings provided evidence that direct and indirect measures were strongly associated among mothers but only weakly associated among adult children, particularly sons. The two measures were similarly strong predictors of mothers’, but not children’s, depressive symptoms and positive affect. The most pronounced differences in congruence between direct and indirect measures were found when comparing mothers and sons. Discussion. The analyses presented here suggest that direct and indirect measures of intergenerational ambivalence may not be tapping the same underlying construct, particularly in the case of adult children and especially sons. Furthermore, direct measures may have an advantage over indirect measures when including sons in the study design. We conclude that direct and indirect measures cannot be used interchangeably across the combination of generation and gender. PMID:22002969

Who is the Usual Suspect? Evidence of a Selection Bias Toward Faces That Make Direct Eye Contact in a Lineup Task

PubMed Central

van Golde, Celine; Verstraten, Frans A. J.

2017-01-01

The speed and ease with which we recognize the faces of our friends and family members belies the difficulty we have recognizing less familiar individuals. Nonetheless, overconfidence in our ability to recognize faces has carried over into various aspects of our legal system; for instance, eyewitness identification serves a critical role in criminal proceedings. For this reason, understanding the perceptual and psychological processes that underlie false identification is of the utmost importance. Gaze direction is a salient social signal and direct eye contact, in particular, is thought to capture attention. Here, we tested the hypothesis that differences in gaze direction may influence difficult decisions in a lineup context. In a series of experiments, we show that when a group of faces differed in their gaze direction, the faces that were making eye contact with the participants were more likely to be misidentified. Interestingly, this bias disappeared when the faces are presented with their eyes closed. These findings open a critical conversation between social neuroscience and forensic psychology, and imply that direct eye contact may (wrongly) increase the perceived familiarity of a face. PMID:28203355

The Association of Cigarette Smoking With Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Taylor, Amy E.; Grabski, Meryem; Munafò, Marcus R.

2017-01-01

Background: Many studies report a positive association between smoking and mental illness. However, the literature remains mixed regarding the direction of this association. We therefore conducted a systematic review evaluating the association of smoking and depression and/or anxiety in longitudinal studies. Methods: Studies were identified by searching PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science and were included if they: (1) used human participants, (2) were longitudinal, (3) reported primary data, (4) had smoking as an exposure and depression and/or anxiety as an outcome, or (5) had depression and/or anxiety as the exposure and smoking as an outcome. Results: Outcomes from 148 studies were categorized into: smoking onset, smoking status, smoking heaviness, tobacco dependence, and smoking trajectory. The results for each category varied substantially, with evidence for positive associations in both directions (smoking to later mental health and mental health to later smoking) as well as null findings. Overall, nearly half the studies reported that baseline depression/anxiety was associated with some type of later smoking behavior, while over a third found evidence that a smoking exposure was associated with later depression/anxiety. However, there were few studies directly supporting a bidirectional model of smoking and anxiety, and very few studies reporting null results. Conclusions: The literature on the prospective association between smoking and depression and anxiety is inconsistent in terms of the direction of association most strongly supported. This suggests the need for future studies that employ different methodologies, such as Mendelian randomization (MR), which will allow us to draw stronger causal inferences. Implications: We systematically reviewed longitudinal studies on the association of different aspects of smoking behavior with depression and anxiety. The results varied considerably, with evidence for smoking both associated with subsequent depression and anxiety, and vice versa. Few studies supported a bidirectional relationship, or reported null results, and no clear patterns by gender, ethnicity, clinical status, length to follow-up, or diagnostic test. Suggesting that despite advantages of longitudinal studies, they cannot alone provide strong evidence of causality. Therefore, future studies investigating this association should employ different methods allowing for stronger causal inferences to be made, such as MR. PMID:27199385

Applying GRADE-CERQual to qualitative evidence synthesis findings-paper 2: how to make an overall CERQual assessment of confidence and create a Summary of Qualitative Findings table.

PubMed

Lewin, Simon; Bohren, Meghan; Rashidian, Arash; Munthe-Kaas, Heather; Glenton, Claire; Colvin, Christopher J; Garside, Ruth; Noyes, Jane; Booth, Andrew; Tunçalp, Özge; Wainwright, Megan; Flottorp, Signe; Tucker, Joseph D; Carlsen, Benedicte

2018-01-25

The GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach has been developed by the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) Working Group. The approach has been developed to support the use of findings from qualitative evidence syntheses in decision making, including guideline development and policy formulation. CERQual includes four components for assessing how much confidence to place in findings from reviews of qualitative research (also referred to as qualitative evidence syntheses): (1) methodological limitations, (2) coherence, (3) adequacy of data and (4) relevance. This paper is part of a series providing guidance on how to apply CERQual and focuses on making an overall assessment of confidence in a review finding and creating a CERQual Evidence Profile and a CERQual Summary of Qualitative Findings table. We developed this guidance by examining the methods used by other GRADE approaches, gathering feedback from relevant research communities and developing consensus through project group meetings. We then piloted the guidance on several qualitative evidence syntheses before agreeing on the approach. Confidence in the evidence is an assessment of the extent to which a review finding is a reasonable representation of the phenomenon of interest. Creating a summary of each review finding and deciding whether or not CERQual should be used are important steps prior to assessing confidence. Confidence should be assessed for each review finding individually, based on the judgements made for each of the four CERQual components. Four levels are used to describe the overall assessment of confidence: high, moderate, low or very low. The overall CERQual assessment for each review finding should be explained in a CERQual Evidence Profile and Summary of Qualitative Findings table. Structuring and summarising review findings, assessing confidence in those findings using CERQual and creating a CERQual Evidence Profile and Summary of Qualitative Findings table should be essential components of undertaking qualitative evidence syntheses. This paper describes the end point of a CERQual assessment and should be read in conjunction with the other papers in the series that provide information on assessing individual CERQual components.

Interactive effects of antioxidant genes and air pollution on respiratory function and airway disease: a HuGE review.

PubMed

Minelli, Cosetta; Wei, Igor; Sagoo, Gurdeep; Jarvis, Debbie; Shaheen, Seif; Burney, Peter

2011-03-15

Susceptibility to the respiratory effects of air pollution varies between individuals. Although some evidence suggests higher susceptibility for subjects carrying variants of antioxidant genes, findings from gene-pollution interaction studies conflict in terms of the presence and direction of interactions. The authors conducted a systematic review on antioxidant gene-pollution interactions which included 15 studies, with 12 supporting the presence of interactions. For the glutathione S-transferase M1 gene (GSTM1) (n=10 studies), only 1 study found interaction with the null genotype alone, although 5 observed interactions when GSTM1 was evaluated jointly with other genes (mainly NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1 (NQO1)). All studies on the glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) Ile105Val polymorphism (n=11) provided some evidence of interaction, but findings conflicted in terms of risk allele. Results were negative for glutathione S-transferase T1 (GSTT1) (n=3) and positive for heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX-1) (n=2). Meta-analysis could not be performed because there were insufficient data available for any specific gene-pollutant-outcome combination. Overall the evidence supports the presence of gene-pollution interactions, although which pollutant interacts with which gene is unclear. However, issues regarding multiple testing, selective reporting, and publication bias raise the possibility of false-positive findings. Larger studies with greater accuracy of pollution assessment and improved quality of conduct and reporting are required. © The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved.

A Systems Neuroscience Approach to the Pathophysiology of Pediatric Mood and Anxiety Disorders

PubMed Central

Leibenluft, Ellen; Brotman, Melissa A.

2015-01-01

Emotional dysregulation is a core feature of pediatric mood and anxiety disorders. Emerging evidence suggests that these disorders are mediated by abnormalities in the functions and structures of the developing brain. This chapter reviews recent behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research on pediatric mood and anxiety disorders, focusing on the neural mechanisms underlying these disorders. Throughout the chapter, we highlight the relationship between neural and behavioral findings, and potential novel treatments. The chapter concludes with directions for future research. PMID:24281907

Does stress induce bowel dysfunction?

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Ming; El-Zaatari, Mohamad; Kao, John Y

2014-08-01

Psychological stress is known to induce somatic symptoms. Classically, many gut physiological responses to stress are mediated by the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. There is, however, a growing body of evidence of stress-induced corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) release causing bowel dysfunction through multiple pathways, either through the HPA axis, the autonomic nervous systems, or directly on the bowel itself. In addition, recent findings of CRF influencing the composition of gut microbiota lend support for the use of probiotics, antibiotics, and other microbiota-altering agents as potential therapeutic measures in stress-induced bowel dysfunction.

Evolution of community structure in the world trade web

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzekina, I.; Danthi, K.; Rockmore, D. N.

2008-06-01

In this note we study the bilateral merchandise trade flows between 186 countries over the 1948 2005 period using data from the International Monetary Fund. We use the network visualization package Pajek to identify network structure and behavior across thresholds and over time. In particular, we focus on the evolution of trade “islands” in a world trade network in which countries are linked with directed edges weighted according to the fraction of total dollars sent from one country to another. We find mixed evidence for globalization.

The concomitant effects of phrase length and informational content in sentence comprehension.

PubMed

Thornton, R; MacDonald, M C; Arnold, J E

2000-03-01

Recent evidence suggests that phrase length plays a crucial role in modification ambiguities. Using a self-paced reading task, we extended these results by examining the additional pragmatic effects that length manipulations may exert. The results demonstrate that length not only modulates modification preferences directly, but that it also necessarily changes the informational content of a sentence, which itself affects modification preferences. Our findings suggest that the same length manipulation affects multiple sources of constraints, both structural and pragmatic, which can each exert differing effects on processing.

Acne and diet: truth or myth?

PubMed

Costa, Adilson; Lage, Denise; Moisés, Thaís Abdalla

2010-01-01

Numerous studies were published over the last 50 years to investigate whether diet is associated with the etiology of acne. Although older studies well known by dermatologists that refute the association between acne and diet exist, their scientific foundation is weak. New articles have recently brought to light evidence contrary to previous findings. Therefore, we would like to investigate whether diet, directly or indirectly, influences one or more of the four fundamental etiopathogenic pillars of acne: (1) hyperproliferation of basal keratinocytes, (2) increase of sebaceous production, (3) colonization by Propionibacterium acnes, and (4) inflammation.

Life sciences, biotechnology, and microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hymer, W. C.; Hayes, C.; Grindeland, R.; Lanhan, J. W.; Morrison, D.

1987-01-01

Growth hormone (GH) studies on rats flown aboard Spacelab 3 are discussed, and evidence for the direct effect of microgravity on cell function is reviewed. SL-3 rat GH cells were found to experience a secretory lesion (they contained more hormone per cell, but released less per cell relative to controls). Pituitary cell culture experiments on the STS-8 mission showed that GH cells did not subsequently release as much hormone as did control cells, indicating a secretory lesion. Changes in bone and muscle noted in SL-3 rats are related to GH cell findings.

Discriminability effect on Garner interference: evidence from recognition of facial identity and expression

PubMed Central

Wang, Yamin; Fu, Xiaolan; Johnston, Robert A.; Yan, Zheng

2013-01-01

Using Garner’s speeded classification task existing studies demonstrated an asymmetric interference in the recognition of facial identity and facial expression. It seems that expression is hard to interfere with identity recognition. However, discriminability of identity and expression, a potential confounding variable, had not been carefully examined in existing studies. In current work, we manipulated discriminability of identity and expression by matching facial shape (long or round) in identity and matching mouth (opened or closed) in facial expression. Garner interference was found either from identity to expression (Experiment 1) or from expression to identity (Experiment 2). Interference was also found in both directions (Experiment 3) or in neither direction (Experiment 4). The results support that Garner interference tends to occur under condition of low discriminability of relevant dimension regardless of facial property. Our findings indicate that Garner interference is not necessarily related to interdependent processing in recognition of facial identity and expression. The findings also suggest that discriminability as a mediating factor should be carefully controlled in future research. PMID:24391609

Magnetic properties of tapiolite (FeTa2O6); a quasi two-dimensional (2D) antiferromagnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, E. M. L.; Lees, M. R.; McIntyre, G. J.; Wilkinson, C.; Balakrishnan, G.; Hague, J. P.; Visser, D.; McK Paul, D.

2004-11-01

The possibilities of two-dimensional (2D) short-range magnetic correlations and frustration effects in the mineral tapiolite are investigated using bulk-property measurements and neutron Laue diffraction. In this study of the magnetic properties of synthetic single-crystals of tapiolite, we find that single crystals of FeTa2O6 order antiferromagnetically at TN = 7.95 ± 0.05 K, with extensive two-dimensional correlations existing up to at least 40 K. Although we find no evidence that FeTa2O6 is magnetically frustrated, hallmarks of two-dimensional magnetism observed in our single-crystal data include: (i) broadening of the susceptibility maximum due to short-range correlations, (ii) a spin-flop transition and (iii) lambda anomalies in the heat capacity and d(χT)/dT. Complementary neutron Laue diffraction measurements reveal 1D magnetic diffuse scattering extending along the c* direction perpendicular to the magnetic planes. This magnetic diffuse scattering, observed for the first time using the neutron Laue technique by VIVALDI, arises directly as a result of 2D short-range spin correlations.

Active water exchange and life near the grounding line of an Antarctic outlet glacier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiyama, Shin; Sawagaki, Takanobu; Fukuda, Takehiro; Aoki, Shigeru

2014-08-01

The grounding line (GL) of the Antarctic ice sheet forms the boundary between grounded and floating ice along the coast. Near this line, warm oceanic water contacts the ice shelf, producing the ice sheet's highest basal-melt rate. Despite the importance of this region, water properties and circulations near the GL are largely unexplored because in-situ observations are difficult. Here we present direct evidence of warm ocean-water transport to the innermost part of the subshelf cavity (several hundred meters seaward from the GL) of Langhovde Glacier, an outlet glacier in East Antarctica. Our measurements come from boreholes drilled through the glacier's ∼400-m-thick grounding zone. Beneath the grounding zone, we find a 10-24-m-deep water layer of uniform temperature and salinity (-1.45 °C; 34.25 PSU), values that roughly equal those measured in the ocean in front of the glacier. Moreover, living organisms are found in the thin subglacial water layer. These findings indicate active transport of water and nutrients from the adjacent ocean, meaning that the subshelf environment interacts directly and rapidly with the ocean.

Trade-offs mathematical modelling of 3DCE in new product development: real three dimensions and directions for development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilhami, M. A.; Subagyo; Masruroh, N. A.

2018-04-01

In the last two decades, coordinating product, process, and supply chain has become the main focus in recent years as a growing body of research, which mathematical modelling is leading technique used in the early phase design. In this paper, we aim to conduct a comprehensive literature review of published paper and propose directions for future research, especially in mathematical modelling. Our findings exhibit fact that evidently there are only a few papers coordinate “real three dimensions”. The other papers, in fact, show simply two dimensions. Finally, some suggestions are proposed such as paying more attention to “real three dimensions” research-based and more focus on minimizing time to market, product life cycle consideration, and product rollover.

Perfect Diode in Quantum Spin Chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balachandran, Vinitha; Benenti, Giuliano; Pereira, Emmanuel; Casati, Giulio; Poletti, Dario

2018-05-01

We study the rectification of the spin current in X X Z chains segmented in two parts, each with a different anisotropy parameter. Using exact diagonalization and a matrix product state algorithm, we find that a large rectification (of the order of 1 04) is attainable even using a short chain of N =8 spins, when one-half of the chain is gapless while the other has a large enough anisotropy. We present evidence of diffusive transport when the current is driven in one direction and of a transition to an insulating behavior of the system when driven in the opposite direction, leading to a perfect diode in the thermodynamic limit. The above results are explained in terms of matching of the spectrum of magnon excitations between the two halves of the chain.

The interplay between neurons and glia in synapse development and plasticity.

PubMed

Stogsdill, Jeff A; Eroglu, Cagla

2017-02-01

In the brain, the formation of complex neuronal networks amenable to experience-dependent remodeling is complicated by the diversity of neurons and synapse types. The establishment of a functional brain depends not only on neurons, but also non-neuronal glial cells. Glia are in continuous bi-directional communication with neurons to direct the formation and refinement of synaptic connectivity. This article reviews important findings, which uncovered cellular and molecular aspects of the neuron-glia cross-talk that govern the formation and remodeling of synapses and circuits. In vivo evidence demonstrating the critical interplay between neurons and glia will be the major focus. Additional attention will be given to how aberrant communication between neurons and glia may contribute to neural pathologies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantum friction in arbitrarily directed motion

DOE PAGES

Klatt, J.; Farías, M. Belen; Dalvit, D. A. R.; ...

2017-05-30

In quantum friction, the electromagnetic fluctuation-induced frictional force decelerating an atom which moves past a macroscopic dielectric body, has so far eluded experimental evidence despite more than three decades of theoretical studies. Inspired by the recent finding that dynamical corrections to such an atom's internal dynamics are enhanced by one order of magnitude for vertical motion—compared with the paradigmatic setup of parallel motion—here we generalize quantum friction calculations to arbitrary angles between the atom's direction of motion and the surface in front of which it moves. Motivated by the disagreement between quantum friction calculations based on Markovian quantum master equationsmore » and time-dependent perturbation theory, we carry out our derivations of the quantum frictional force for arbitrary angles by employing both methods and compare them.« less

PREditOR: a synthetic biology approach to removing heterochromatin from cells.

PubMed

Molina, Oscar; Carmena, Mar; Maudlin, Isabella E; Earnshaw, William C

2016-12-01

It is widely accepted that heterochromatin is necessary to maintain genomic stability. However, direct experimental evidence supporting this is slim. Previous studies using either enzyme inhibitors, gene knockout or knockdown studies all are subject to the caveat that drugs may have off-target effects and enzymes that modify chromatin proteins to support heterochromatin formation may also have numerous other cellular targets as well. Here, we describe PREditOR (protein reading and editing of residues), a synthetic biology approach that allows us to directly remove heterochromatin from cells without either drugs or global interference with gene function. We find that removal of heterochromatin perturbs mitotic progression and causes a dramatic increase in chromosome segregation defects, possibly as a result of interfering with the normal centromeric localization of the chromosomal passenger complex.

Homophobia, perceived fathering, and male intimate relationships.

PubMed

Devlin, P K; Cowan, G A

1985-10-01

This study examined the relationships among homophobia, perceived fathering, and male intimacy with significant male and female best friends. A questionnaire, administered to 130 adult heterosexual males, included McDonald and Game's homophobia measure (ATHMS), eight intimacy scales, and four scales measuring subjects' recollections of their fathers' parenting styles. Correlations of ATHMS and individual intimacy scales revealed a significant relationship between homophobia and intimacy in male-male relationships. Homophobia was related to male-female intimacy on those measures which reflected subjects' perception of their female partner's sensitivity to them. Although homophobia was related to perception of the father as enforcing sex roles, none of the perceived fathering variables were directly related to intimacy with males. The findings provide evidence for a direct relationship between male homophobia and lack of intimacy in friendships between men.

Induction of infectious petunia vein clearing (pararetro) virus from endogenous provirus in petunia

PubMed Central

Richert-Pöggeler, Katja R.; Noreen, Faiza; Schwarzacher, Trude; Harper, Glyn; Hohn, Thomas

2003-01-01

Infection by an endogenous pararetrovirus using forms of both episomal and chromosomal origin has been demonstrated and characterized, together with evidence that petunia vein clearing virus (PVCV) is a constituent of the Petunia hybrida genome. Our findings allow comparative and direct analysis of horizontally and vertically transmitted virus forms and demonstrate their infectivity using biolistic transformation of a provirus-free petunia species. Some integrants within the genome of P.hybrida are arranged in tandem, allowing direct release of virus by transcription. In addition to known inducers of endogenous pararetroviruses, such as genome hybridization, tissue culture and abiotic stresses, we observed activation of PVCV after wounding. Our data also support the hypothesis that the host plant uses DNA methylation to control the endogenous pararetrovirus. PMID:12970195

Placing Evidence-Based Interventions at the Fingertips of School Social Workers.

PubMed

Castillo, Humberto López; Rivers, Tommi; Randall, Catherine; Gaughan, Ken; Ojanen, Tiina; Massey, Oliver Tom; Burton, Donna

2016-07-01

Through a university-community collaborative partnership, the perceived needs of evidence-based practices (EBPs) among school social workers (SSWs) in a large school district in central Florida was assessed. A survey (response rate = 83.6%) found that although 70% of SSWs claim to use EBPs in their everyday practice, 40% do not know where to find them, which may partially explain why 78% of respondents claim to spend 1 to 4 h every week looking for adequate EBPs. From this needs assessment, the translational model was used to address these perceived needs. A systematic review of the literature found 40 tier 2 EBPs, most of which (23%) target substance use, abuse, and dependence. After discussion with academic and community partners, the stakeholders designed, discussed, and implemented a searchable, online, password-protected, interface of these tier 2 EBPs, named Evidence-Based Intervention Toolkit (eBIT). Lessons learned, future directions, and implications of this "one-stop shop" for behavioral health are discussed.

Why Are People Afraid of the Dentist? Observations and Explanations

PubMed Central

Beaton, Laura; Freeman, Ruth; Humphris, Gerry

2014-01-01

Objective The aim of this review was to explore the peer-reviewed literature to answer the question: ‘Why are people afraid of the dentist?’ Method Relevant literature was identified by searching the following on-line databases: PubMed, PsycInfo, the Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. Publications were extracted if they explored the causes and consequences of dental fear, dental anxiety or dental phobia. Results The research evidence suggests that the causes of dental fear, dental anxiety or dental phobia are related to exogenous factors such as direct learning from traumatic experiences, vicarious learning through significant others and the media, and endogenous factors such as inheritance and personality traits. Each individual aetiological factor is supported by the evidence provided. Conclusions The evidence suggests that the aetiology of dental fear, anxiety or phobia is complex and multifactorial. The findings show that there are clear practical implications indicated by the existing research in this area: a better understanding of dental fear, anxiety and phobia may prevent treatment avoidance. PMID:24356305

Placing Evidence-based Interventions at the Fingertips of School Social Workers

PubMed Central

Castillo, Humberto López; Rivers, Tommi; Randall, Catherine; Gaughan, Ken; Ojanen, Tiina; Massey, Oliver “Tom”; Burton, Donna

2015-01-01

Through a university-community collaborative partnership, the perceived needs of evidence-based practices (EBP) among school social workers (SSW) in a large school district in central Florida was assessed. A survey (response rate = 83.6%) found that although 70% of SSW claim to use EBP in their everyday practice, 40% do not know where to find them, which may partially explain why 78% of respondents claim to spend 1 to 4 hours every week looking for adequate EBP. From this needs assessment, the translational model was used to address these perceived needs. A systematic review of the literature found forty Tier 2 EBP, most of which (23%) target substance use, abuse, and dependence. After discussion with academic and community partners, the stakeholders designed, discussed, and implemented a searchable, online, password-protected, interface of these Tier 2 EBP, named eBIT (evidence-Based Intervention Toolkit). Lessons learned, future directions, and implications of this “one-stop shop” for behavioral health are discussed. PMID:26659382

Rethinking cognition and behavior in the new classification for childhood epilepsy: Examples from frontal lobe and temporal lobe epilepsies.

PubMed

Smith, Mary Lou

2016-11-01

The new approach to classification of the epilepsies emphasizes the role of dysfunction in networks in defining types of epilepsies. This paper reviews the structural and neuropsychological deficits in two types of childhood epilepsy: frontal lobe and temporal lobe epilepsy. The evidence for and against a pattern of specificity of deficits in executive function and memory associated with these two types of epilepsies is presented. The evidence varies with the methodologies used in the studies, but direct comparison of the two types of epilepsies does not suggest a clear-cut mapping of function onto structure. These findings are discussed in light of the concept of network dysfunction. The evidence supports the conceptualization of epilepsy as a network disease. Implications for future work in the neuropsychology of pediatric epilepsy are suggested. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "The new approach to classification: Rethinking cognition and behavior in epilepsy". Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Acculturation and Latino Health in the United States: A Review of the Literature and its Sociopolitical Context

PubMed Central

Lara, Marielena; Gamboa, Cristina; Kahramanian, M. Iya; Morales, Leo S.; Hayes Bautista, David E.

2006-01-01

This chapter provides an overview of the concept of acculturation and reviews existing evidence about the possible relationships between acculturation and selected health and behavioral outcomes among Latinos. The effect of acculturation on Latino health is complex and not well understood. In certain areas—substance abuse, dietary practices, and birth outcomes—there is evidence that acculturation has a negative effect and that it is associated with worse health outcomes, behaviors, or perceptions. In others—health care use and self-perceptions of health—the effect is mostly in the positive direction. Although the literature, to date, on acculturation lacks some breadth and methodological rigor, the public health significance of findings in areas in which there is enough evidence justifies public health action. We conclude with a set of general recommendations in two areas—public health practice and research—targeted to public health personnel in academia, community-based settings, and government agencies. PMID:15760294

CogChamps - a model of implementing evidence-based care in hospitals: study protocol.

PubMed

Travers, Catherine; Graham, Frederick; Henderson, Amanda; Beattie, Elizabeth

2017-03-14

Delirium and dementia (cognitive impairment; CI), are common in older hospital patients, and both are associated with serious adverse outcomes. Despite delirium often being preventable, it is frequently not recognized in hospital settings, which may be because hospital nurses have not received adequate education or training in recognizing or caring for those with CI. However, the most effective way of increasing nurses' awareness about delirium and dementia, and initiating regular patient screening and monitoring to guide best practices for these patients in hospital settings is not known. Hence this current project, conducted in 2015-2017, aims to redress this situation by implementing a multi-component non-pharmacological evidence-based intervention for patients with CI, through educating and mentoring hospital nurses to change their practice. The development of the practice change component is informed by recent findings from implementation science that focuses on facilitation as the active ingredient in knowledge uptake and utilization. This component focuses on educating and empowering experienced nurses to become Cognition Champions (CogChamps) across six wards in a large Australian tertiary referral hospital. The CogChamps will, in turn, educate other nursing team members to more effectively care for patients with CI. The hospital leadership team are supportive of the project and are directly involved in selecting the CogChamps. CogChamps will be provided with comprehensive education in evidence-based delirium assessment, prevention and management, and practice change management skills. They will receive continuing support from research and education staff about raising awareness, upskilling other staff in delirium assessment and in the adoption of best practices for preventing and managing delirium. Both qualitative and quantitative data are being collected at multiple time-points to evaluate process, impact and outcome, and to provide clarity regarding the most effective aspects of the intervention. This paper describes the study protocol for the implementation of multi-component evidence-based non-pharmacological practices designed to improve the care of older hospital patients with CI. Findings will inform subsequent initiatives directed towards enhancing the capacity of the nursing workforce to implement best practices for providing high quality care for this growing patient population throughout their acute care hospital stay.

The shadow of the future promotes cooperation in a repeated prisoner’s dilemma for children

PubMed Central

Blake, Peter R.; Rand, David G.; Tingley, Dustin; Warneken, Felix

2015-01-01

Cooperation among genetically unrelated individuals can be supported by direct reciprocity. Theoretical models and experiments with adults show that the possibility of future interactions with the same partner can promote cooperation via conditionally cooperative strategies such as tit-for-tat (TFT). Here, we introduce a novel implementation of the repeated Prisoner’s Dilemma (PD) designed for children to examine whether repeated interactions can successfully promote cooperation in 10 and 11 year olds. We find that children cooperate substantially more in repeated PDs than in one-shot PDs. We also find that girls cooperate more than boys, and that children with more conduct problems cooperate less. Finally, we find that children use conditional cooperation strategies but that these strategies vary by gender and conduct problem rating. Specifically, girls and children with few conduct problems appear to follow an altruistic version of win-stay, lose-shift (WSLS), attempting to re-establish cooperation after they had defected. Boys and children with more conduct problems appear to follow a Grim strategy, defecting for the duration after the partner defects. Thus we provide evidence that children utilize the power of direct reciprocity to promote cooperation in strategic interactions and that, by late elementary school, distinct strategies of conditional cooperation have emerged. PMID:26417661

Mapping language to the world: the role of iconicity in the sign language input.

PubMed

Perniss, Pamela; Lu, Jenny C; Morgan, Gary; Vigliocco, Gabriella

2018-03-01

Most research on the mechanisms underlying referential mapping has assumed that learning occurs in ostensive contexts, where label and referent co-occur, and that form and meaning are linked by arbitrary convention alone. In the present study, we focus on iconicity in language, that is, resemblance relationships between form and meaning, and on non-ostensive contexts, where label and referent do not co-occur. We approach the question of language learning from the perspective of the language input. Specifically, we look at child-directed language (CDL) in British Sign Language (BSL), a language rich in iconicity due to the affordances of the visual modality. We ask whether child-directed signing exploits iconicity in the language by highlighting the similarity mapping between form and referent. We find that CDL modifications occur more often with iconic signs than with non-iconic signs. Crucially, for iconic signs, modifications are more frequent in non-ostensive contexts than in ostensive contexts. Furthermore, we find that pointing dominates in ostensive contexts, and suggest that caregivers adjust the semiotic resources recruited in CDL to context. These findings offer first evidence for a role of iconicity in the language input and suggest that iconicity may be involved in referential mapping and language learning, particularly in non-ostensive contexts. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

History of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Risk of Prenatal and Postpartum Depression or Depressive Symptoms: An Epidemiologic Review

PubMed Central

Wosu, Adaeze C.; Gelaye, Bizu; Williams, Michelle A.

2015-01-01

Purpose The objective of this review is to summarize the literature (and to the extent possible, report the magnitude and direction of the association) concerning history of CSA and depression or depressive symptoms among pregnant and postpartum women. Methods Publications were identified through literature searches of seven databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PyscINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, BIOSIS, and Science Direct) using keywords including “child abuse,” “depression,” “pregnancy,” “prenatal,” “pregnancy,” and “postpartum”. Results The literature search yielded seven eligible studies on the prenatal period and another seven studies on the postpartum period. All, but one prenatal study observed statistically significant positive associations of CSA with depression or depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Findings on the association of CSA with postpartum depression or depressive symptoms were inconsistent; pooled unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were 1.82 (95% CI 0.92, 3.60) and 1.20 (95% CI 0.81, 1.76). Conclusions In sum, findings suggest a positive association of history of CSA with depression and depressive symptoms in the prenatal period. Findings on the postpartum period were inconsistent. Clinical and public health implications of evidence from the available literature are discussed, as are desirable study design characteristics of future research. PMID:25956589

Personal narrative approaches in rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury: A synthesis of qualitative research.

PubMed

D'Cruz, Kate; Douglas, Jacinta; Serry, Tanya

2017-08-09

Although narrative storytelling has been found to assist identity construction, there is little direct research regarding its application in rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The aim of this review was to identify published evidence on the use of personal narrative approaches in rehabilitation following TBI and to synthesise the findings across this literature. A systematic search of four databases was conducted in December 2016. No limit was set on the start date of the search. Personal narrative approaches were defined as direct client participation in sharing personal stories using written, spoken or visual methods. The search retrieved 12 qualitative research articles on the use of personal narrative approaches in TBI rehabilitation. Thematic synthesis of the narrative data and authors' reported findings of the 12 articles yielded an overall theme of building a strengths-based identity and four sub-themes: 1) expressing and communicating to others; 2) feeling validated by the act of someone listening; 3) reflecting and learning about oneself; and 4) being productive. The findings of this review support the use of personal narrative approaches in addressing loss of identity following TBI. Healthcare professionals and the community are encouraged to seek opportunities for survivors of TBI to share their stories.

History of childhood sexual abuse and risk of prenatal and postpartum depression or depressive symptoms: an epidemiologic review.

PubMed

Wosu, Adaeze C; Gelaye, Bizu; Williams, Michelle A

2015-10-01

The objective of this review is to summarize the literature (and to the extent possible, report the magnitude and direction of the association) concerning history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and depression or depressive symptoms among pregnant and postpartum women. Publications were identified through literature searches of seven databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PyscINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, BIOSIS, and Science Direct) using keywords including "child abuse," "depression," "pregnancy," "prenatal," "pregnancy," and "postpartum." The literature search yielded seven eligible studies on the prenatal period and another seven studies on the postpartum period. All but one prenatal study observed statistically significant positive associations of CSA with depression or depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Findings on the association of CSA with postpartum depression or depressive symptoms were inconsistent; pooled unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were 1.82 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.92, 3.60) and 1.20 (95 % CI 0.81, 1.76). In sum, findings suggest a positive association of history of CSA with depression and depressive symptoms in the prenatal period. Findings on the postpartum period were inconsistent. Clinical and public health implications of evidence from the available literature are discussed, as are desirable study design characteristics of future research.

Dark matter directionality revisited with a high pressure xenon gas detector

DOE PAGES

Mohlabeng, Gopolang; Kong, Kyoungchul; Li, Jin; ...

2015-07-20

An observation of the anisotropy of dark matter interactions in a direction-sensitive detector would provide decisive evidence for the discovery of galactic dark matter. Directional information would also provide a crucial input to understanding its distribution in the local Universe. Most of the existing directional dark matter detectors utilize particle tracking methods in a low-pressure gas time projection chamber. These low pressure detectors require excessively large volumes in order to be competitive in the search for physics beyond the current limit. In order to avoid these volume limitations, we consider a novel proposal, which exploits a columnar recombination effect inmore » a high-pressure gas time projection chamber. The ratio of scintillation to ionization signals observed in the detector carries the angular information of the particle interactions. In this paper, we investigate the sensitivity of a future directional detector focused on the proposed high-pressure Xenon gas time projection chamber. We study the prospect of detecting an anisotropy in the dark matter velocity distribution. We find that tens of events are needed to exclude an isotropic distribution of dark matter interactions at 95% confidence level in the most optimistic case with head-to-tail information. However, one needs at least 10-20 times more events without head-to-tail information for light dark matter below ~50 GeV. For an intermediate mass range, we find it challenging to observe an anisotropy of the dark matter distribution. Our results also show that the directional information significantly improves precision measurements of dark matter mass and the elastic scattering cross section for a heavy dark matter.« less

The existence of parenting styles in the owner-dog relationship

PubMed Central

van der Borg, Joanne A. M.; Naguib, Marc; Beerda, Bonne

2018-01-01

Parents interact with children following specific styles, known to influence child development. These styles represent variations in the dimensions of demandingness and responsiveness, resulting in authoritarian, authoritative, permissive or uninvolved parenting. Given the similarities in the parent to child and owner to dog relationships, we determined the extent to which parenting styles exist in the owner to dog relationship using the existing Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire for the parent-child relationship and an adapted version for dog owners. Items on the parenting of children/dogs were rated for applicability on a five-point Likert scale by 518 Dutch dog owning parents. Principal Component Analyses grouped parenting propensities into styles, with some marked differences between the findings for children and dogs. Dog-directed items grouped into an authoritarian-correction orientated style, incorporating variation in demandingness and focussing on correcting a dog for behaviour verbally/physically, and in two styles based on authoritative items. An authoritative-intrinsic value orientated style reflected variation in mainly responsiveness and oriented on the assumed needs and emotions of the animal. A second authoritative-item based style, captured variations in demandingness and responsiveness. We labelled this style authoritative-training orientated, as it orientated on manners in teaching a dog how to behave in social situations. Thus, we defined dog-directed parenting styles and constructed a Dog-Directed Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire along the lines of the existing theoretical framework on parenting styles. We did not find a dog-directed parenting style of being permissive or uninvolved, which we attribute to a study population of devoted dog owners and our findings should be interpreted with this specific study population in mind. We found evidence of dog-directed parenting styles and provide a fundament for determining their possible impact on the different aspects of a dog’s life. PMID:29474425

Treatment of Narcolepsy and other Hypersomnias of Central Origin

PubMed Central

Wise, Merrill S.; Arand, Donna L.; Auger, R. Robert; Brooks, Stephen N.; Watson, Nathaniel F.

2007-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to summarize current knowledge about treatment of narcolepsy and other hypersomnias of central origin. Methods: The task force performed a systematic and comprehensive review of the relevant literature and graded the evidence using the Oxford grading system. This paper discusses the strengths and limitations of the available evidence regarding treatment of these conditions, and summarizes key information about safety of these medications. Our findings provide the foundation for development of evidence-based practice parameters on this topic by the Standards of Practice Committee of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Results: The majority of recent papers in this field provide information about use of modafinil or sodium oxybate for treatment of sleepiness associated with narcolepsy. Several large randomized, placebo-controlled studies indicate that modafinil and sodium oxybate are effective for treatment of hypersomnia due to narcolepsy. We identified no studies that report direct comparison of these newer medications versus traditional stimulants, or that indicate what proportion of patients treated initially with these medications require transition to traditional stimulants or to combination therapy to achieve adequate alertness. As with the traditional stimulants, modafinil and sodium oxybate provide, at best, only moderate improvement in alertness rather than full restoration of alertness in patients with narcolepsy. Several large randomized placebo-controlled studies demonstrate that sodium oxybate is effective for treatment of cataplexy associated with narcolepsy, and earlier studies provide limited data to support the effectiveness of fluoxetine and tricyclic antidepressants for treatment of cataplexy. Our findings indicate that very few reports provide information regarding treatment of special populations such as children, older adults, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. The available literature provides a modest amount of information about improvement in quality of life in association with treatment, patient preferences among the different medications, or patient compliance. Conclusion: Several recent studies provide evidence that modafinil and sodium oxybate are effective for treatment of hypersomnia due to narcolepsy. No studies were identified that report direct comparison of these newer medications with traditional stimulants. Despite significant advances in understanding the pathophysiology of narcolepsy, we do not have an ideal treatment to restore full and sustained alertness. Future investigations should be directed toward development of more effective and better tolerated therapies, and primary prevention. Citation: Wise MS; Arand DL; Auger RR; Brooks SN; Watson NF. Treatment of Narcolepsy and other Hypersomnias of Central Origin. SLEEP 2007;30(12):1712-1727. PMID:18246981

Large scale food retailing as an intervention for diet and health: quasi-experimental evaluation of a natural experiment.

PubMed

Cummins, Steven; Petticrew, Mark; Higgins, Cassie; Findlay, Anne; Sparks, Leigh

2005-12-01

To assess the effect on fruit and vegetable consumption, self reported, and psychological health of a "natural experiment"-the introduction of large scale food retailing in a deprived Scottish community. Prospective quasi-experimental design comparing baseline and follow up data in an "intervention" community with a matched "comparison" community in Glasgow, UK. 412 men and women aged 16 or over for whom follow up data on fruit and vegetable consumption and GHQ-12 were available. Fruit and vegetable consumption in portions per day, poor self reported health, and poor psychological health (GHQ-12). Adjusting for age, sex, educational attainment, and employment status there was no population impact on daily fruit and vegetable consumption, self reported, and psychological health. There was some evidence for a net reduction in the prevalence of poor psychological health for residents who directly engaged with the intervention. Government policy has advocated using large scale food retailing as a social intervention to improve diet and health in poor communities. In contrast with a previous uncontrolled study this study did not find evidence for a net intervention effect on fruit and vegetable consumption, although there was evidence for an improvement in psychological health for those who directly engaged with the intervention. Although definitive conclusions about the effect of large scale retailing on diet and health in deprived communities cannot be drawn from non-randomised controlled study designs, evaluations of the impacts of natural experiments may offer the best opportunity to generate evidence about the health impacts of retail interventions in poor communities.

Combining meteorites and missions to explore Mars.

PubMed

McCoy, Timothy J; Corrigan, Catherine M; Herd, Christopher D K

2011-11-29

Laboratory studies of meteorites and robotic exploration of Mars reveal scant atmosphere, no evidence of plate tectonics, past evidence for abundant water, and a protracted igneous evolution. Despite indirect hints, direct evidence of a martian origin came with the discovery of trapped atmospheric gases in one meteorite. Since then, the study of martian meteorites and findings from missions have been linked. Although the meteorite source locations are unknown, impact ejection modeling and spectral mapping of Mars suggest derivation from small craters in terrains of Amazonian to Hesperian age. Whereas most martian meteorites are young (< 1.3 Ga), the spread of whole rock isotopic compositions results from crystallization of a magma ocean > 4.5 Ga and formation of enriched and depleted reservoirs. However, the history inferred from martian meteorites conflicts with results from recent Mars missions, calling into doubt whether the igneous histor y inferred from the meteorites is applicable to Mars as a whole. Allan Hills 84001 dates to 4.09 Ga and contains fluid-deposited carbonates. Accompanying debate about the mechanism and temperature of origin of the carbonates came several features suggestive of past microbial life in the carbonates. Although highly disputed, the suggestion spurred interest in habitable extreme environments on Earth and throughout the Solar System. A flotilla of subsequent spacecraft has redefined Mars from a volcanic planet to a hydrologically active planet that may have harbored life. Understanding the history and habitability of Mars depends on understanding the coupling of the atmosphere, surface, and subsurface. Sample return that brings back direct evidence from these diverse reservoirs is essential.

Evaluating Evidence for Association of Human Bladder Cancer with Drinking-Water Chlorination Disinfection By-Products.

PubMed

Hrudey, Steve E; Backer, Lorraine C; Humpage, Andrew R; Krasner, Stuart W; Michaud, Dominique S; Moore, Lee E; Singer, Philip C; Stanford, Benjamin D

2015-01-01

Exposure to chlorination disinfection by-products (CxDBPs) is prevalent in populations using chlorination-based methods to disinfect public water supplies. Multifaceted research has been directed for decades to identify, characterize, and understand the toxicology of these compounds, control and minimize their formation, and conduct epidemiologic studies related to exposure. Urinary bladder cancer has been the health risk most consistently associated with CxDBPs in epidemiologic studies. An international workshop was held to (1) discuss the qualitative strengths and limitations that inform the association between bladder cancer and CxDBPs in the context of possible causation, (2) identify knowledge gaps for this topic in relation to chlorine/chloramine-based disinfection practice(s) in the United States, and (3) assess the evidence for informing risk management. Epidemiological evidence linking exposures to CxDBPs in drinking water to human bladder cancer risk provides insight into causality. However, because of imprecise, inaccurate, or incomplete estimation of CxDBPs levels in epidemiologic studies, translation from hazard identification directly to risk management and regulatory policy for CxDBPs can be challenging. Quantitative risk estimates derived from toxicological risk assessment for CxDBPs currently cannot be reconciled with those from epidemiologic studies, notwithstanding the complexities involved, making regulatory interpretation difficult. Evidence presented here has both strengths and limitations that require additional studies to resolve and improve the understanding of exposure response relationships. Replication of epidemiologic findings in independent populations with further elaboration of exposure assessment is needed to strengthen the knowledge base needed to better inform effective regulatory approaches.

Combining meteorites and missions to explore Mars

PubMed Central

McCoy, Timothy J.; Corrigan, Catherine M.; Herd, Christopher D. K.

2011-01-01

Laboratory studies of meteorites and robotic exploration of Mars reveal scant atmosphere, no evidence of plate tectonics, past evidence for abundant water, and a protracted igneous evolution. Despite indirect hints, direct evidence of a martian origin came with the discovery of trapped atmospheric gases in one meteorite. Since then, the study of martian meteorites and findings from missions have been linked. Although the meteorite source locations are unknown, impact ejection modeling and spectral mapping of Mars suggest derivation from small craters in terrains of Amazonian to Hesperian age. Whereas most martian meteorites are young (< 1.3 Ga), the spread of whole rock isotopic compositions results from crystallization of a magma ocean > 4.5 Ga and formation of enriched and depleted reservoirs. However, the history inferred from martian meteorites conflicts with results from recent Mars missions, calling into doubt whether the igneous histor y inferred from the meteorites is applicable to Mars as a whole. Allan Hills 84001 dates to 4.09 Ga and contains fluid-deposited carbonates. Accompanying debate about the mechanism and temperature of origin of the carbonates came several features suggestive of past microbial life in the carbonates. Although highly disputed, the suggestion spurred interest in habitable extreme environments on Earth and throughout the Solar System. A flotilla of subsequent spacecraft has redefined Mars from a volcanic planet to a hydrologically active planet that may have harbored life. Understanding the history and habitability of Mars depends on understanding the coupling of the atmosphere, surface, and subsurface. Sample return that brings back direct evidence from these diverse reservoirs is essential. PMID:21969535

Evaluating Evidence for Association of Human Bladder Cancer with Drinking-Water Chlorination Disinfection By-Products

PubMed Central

Hrudey, Steve E.; Backer, Lorraine C.; Humpage, Andrew R.; Krasner, Stuart W.; Michaud, Dominique S.; Moore, Lee E.; Singer, Philip C.; Stanford, Benjamin D.

2015-01-01

Exposure to chlorination disinfection by-products (CxDBPs) is prevalent in populations using chlorination-based methods to disinfect public water supplies. Multifaceted research has been directed for decades to identify, characterize, and understand the toxicology of these compounds, control and minimize their formation, and conduct epidemiologic studies related to exposure. Urinary bladder cancer has been the health risk most consistently associated with CxDBPs in epidemiologic studies. An international workshop was held to (1) discuss the qualitative strengths and limitations that inform the association between bladder cancer and CxDBPs in the context of possible causation, (2) identify knowledge gaps for this topic in relation to chlorine/chloramine-based disinfection practice(s) in the United States, and (3) assess the evidence for informing risk management. Epidemiological evidence linking exposures to CxDBPs in drinking water to human bladder cancer risk provides insight into causality. However, because of imprecise, inaccurate, or incomplete estimation of CxDBPs levels in epidemiologic studies, translation from hazard identification directly to risk management and regulatory policy for CxDBPs can be challenging. Quantitative risk estimates derived from toxicological risk assessment for CxDBPs currently cannot be reconciled with those from epidemiologic studies, notwithstanding the complexities involved, making regulatory interpretation difficult. Evidence presented here has both strengths and limitations that require additional studies to resolve and improve the understanding of exposure response relationships. Replication of epidemiologic findings in independent populations with further elaboration of exposure assessment is needed to strengthen the knowledge base needed to better inform effective regulatory approaches. PMID:26309063

Directional dominance on stature and cognition in diverse human populations.

PubMed

Joshi, Peter K; Esko, Tonu; Mattsson, Hannele; Eklund, Niina; Gandin, Ilaria; Nutile, Teresa; Jackson, Anne U; Schurmann, Claudia; Smith, Albert V; Zhang, Weihua; Okada, Yukinori; Stančáková, Alena; Faul, Jessica D; Zhao, Wei; Bartz, Traci M; Concas, Maria Pina; Franceschini, Nora; Enroth, Stefan; Vitart, Veronique; Trompet, Stella; Guo, Xiuqing; Chasman, Daniel I; O'Connel, Jeffery R; Corre, Tanguy; Nongmaithem, Suraj S; Chen, Yuning; Mangino, Massimo; Ruggiero, Daniela; Traglia, Michela; Farmaki, Aliki-Eleni; Kacprowski, Tim; Bjonnes, Andrew; van der Spek, Ashley; Wu, Ying; Giri, Anil K; Yanek, Lisa R; Wang, Lihua; Hofer, Edith; Rietveld, Cornelius A; McLeod, Olga; Cornelis, Marilyn C; Pattaro, Cristian; Verweij, Niek; Baumbach, Clemens; Abdellaoui, Abdel; Warren, Helen R; Vuckovic, Dragana; Mei, Hao; Bouchard, Claude; Perry, John R B; Cappellani, Stefania; Mirza, Saira S; Benton, Miles C; Broeckel, Ulrich; Medland, Sarah E; Lind, Penelope A; Malerba, Giovanni; Drong, Alexander; Yengo, Loic; Bielak, Lawrence F; Zhi, Degui; van der Most, Peter J; Shriner, Daniel; Mägi, Reedik; Hemani, Gibran; Karaderi, Tugce; Wang, Zhaoming; Liu, Tian; Demuth, Ilja; Zhao, Jing Hua; Meng, Weihua; Lataniotis, Lazaros; van der Laan, Sander W; Bradfield, Jonathan P; Wood, Andrew R; Bonnefond, Amelie; Ahluwalia, Tarunveer S; Hall, Leanne M; Salvi, Erika; Yazar, Seyhan; Carstensen, Lisbeth; de Haan, Hugoline G; Abney, Mark; Afzal, Uzma; Allison, Matthew A; Amin, Najaf; Asselbergs, Folkert W; Bakker, Stephan J L; Barr, R Graham; Baumeister, Sebastian E; Benjamin, Daniel J; Bergmann, Sven; Boerwinkle, Eric; Bottinger, Erwin P; Campbell, Archie; Chakravarti, Aravinda; Chan, Yingleong; Chanock, Stephen J; Chen, Constance; Chen, Y-D Ida; Collins, Francis S; Connell, John; Correa, Adolfo; Cupples, L Adrienne; Smith, George Davey; Davies, Gail; Dörr, Marcus; Ehret, Georg; Ellis, Stephen B; Feenstra, Bjarke; Feitosa, Mary F; Ford, Ian; Fox, Caroline S; Frayling, Timothy M; Friedrich, Nele; Geller, Frank; Scotland, Generation; Gillham-Nasenya, Irina; Gottesman, Omri; Graff, Misa; Grodstein, Francine; Gu, Charles; Haley, Chris; Hammond, Christopher J; Harris, Sarah E; Harris, Tamara B; Hastie, Nicholas D; Heard-Costa, Nancy L; Heikkilä, Kauko; Hocking, Lynne J; Homuth, Georg; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Huang, Jinyan; Huffman, Jennifer E; Hysi, Pirro G; Ikram, M Arfan; Ingelsson, Erik; Joensuu, Anni; Johansson, Åsa; Jousilahti, Pekka; Jukema, J Wouter; Kähönen, Mika; Kamatani, Yoichiro; Kanoni, Stavroula; Kerr, Shona M; Khan, Nazir M; Koellinger, Philipp; Koistinen, Heikki A; Kooner, Manraj K; Kubo, Michiaki; Kuusisto, Johanna; Lahti, Jari; Launer, Lenore J; Lea, Rodney A; Lehne, Benjamin; Lehtimäki, Terho; Liewald, David C M; Lind, Lars; Loh, Marie; Lokki, Marja-Liisa; London, Stephanie J; Loomis, Stephanie J; Loukola, Anu; Lu, Yingchang; Lumley, Thomas; Lundqvist, Annamari; Männistö, Satu; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Masciullo, Corrado; Matchan, Angela; Mathias, Rasika A; Matsuda, Koichi; Meigs, James B; Meisinger, Christa; Meitinger, Thomas; Menni, Cristina; Mentch, Frank D; Mihailov, Evelin; Milani, Lili; Montasser, May E; Montgomery, Grant W; Morrison, Alanna; Myers, Richard H; Nadukuru, Rajiv; Navarro, Pau; Nelis, Mari; Nieminen, Markku S; Nolte, Ilja M; O'Connor, George T; Ogunniyi, Adesola; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Palmas, Walter R; Pankow, James S; Patarcic, Inga; Pavani, Francesca; Peyser, Patricia A; Pietilainen, Kirsi; Poulter, Neil; Prokopenko, Inga; Ralhan, Sarju; Redmond, Paul; Rich, Stephen S; Rissanen, Harri; Robino, Antonietta; Rose, Lynda M; Rose, Richard; Sala, Cinzia; Salako, Babatunde; Salomaa, Veikko; Sarin, Antti-Pekka; Saxena, Richa; Schmidt, Helena; Scott, Laura J; Scott, William R; Sennblad, Bengt; Seshadri, Sudha; Sever, Peter; Shrestha, Smeeta; Smith, Blair H; Smith, Jennifer A; Soranzo, Nicole; Sotoodehnia, Nona; Southam, Lorraine; Stanton, Alice V; Stathopoulou, Maria G; Strauch, Konstantin; Strawbridge, Rona J; Suderman, Matthew J; Tandon, Nikhil; Tang, Sian-Tsun; Taylor, Kent D; Tayo, Bamidele O; Töglhofer, Anna Maria; Tomaszewski, Maciej; Tšernikova, Natalia; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Uitterlinden, Andre G; Vaidya, Dhananjay; van Hylckama Vlieg, Astrid; van Setten, Jessica; Vasankari, Tuula; Vedantam, Sailaja; Vlachopoulou, Efthymia; Vozzi, Diego; Vuoksimaa, Eero; Waldenberger, Melanie; Ware, Erin B; Wentworth-Shields, William; Whitfield, John B; Wild, Sarah; Willemsen, Gonneke; Yajnik, Chittaranjan S; Yao, Jie; Zaza, Gianluigi; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Project, The BioBank Japan; Salem, Rany M; Melbye, Mads; Bisgaard, Hans; Samani, Nilesh J; Cusi, Daniele; Mackey, David A; Cooper, Richard S; Froguel, Philippe; Pasterkamp, Gerard; Grant, Struan F A; Hakonarson, Hakon; Ferrucci, Luigi; Scott, Robert A; Morris, Andrew D; Palmer, Colin N A; Dedoussis, George; Deloukas, Panos; Bertram, Lars; Lindenberger, Ulman; Berndt, Sonja I; Lindgren, Cecilia M; Timpson, Nicholas J; Tönjes, Anke; Munroe, Patricia B; Sørensen, Thorkild I A; Rotimi, Charles N; Arnett, Donna K; Oldehinkel, Albertine J; Kardia, Sharon L R; Balkau, Beverley; Gambaro, Giovanni; Morris, Andrew P; Eriksson, Johan G; Wright, Margie J; Martin, Nicholas G; Hunt, Steven C; Starr, John M; Deary, Ian J; Griffiths, Lyn R; Tiemeier, Henning; Pirastu, Nicola; Kaprio, Jaakko; Wareham, Nicholas J; Pérusse, Louis; Wilson, James G; Girotto, Giorgia; Caulfield, Mark J; Raitakari, Olli; Boomsma, Dorret I; Gieger, Christian; van der Harst, Pim; Hicks, Andrew A; Kraft, Peter; Sinisalo, Juha; Knekt, Paul; Johannesson, Magnus; Magnusson, Patrik K E; Hamsten, Anders; Schmidt, Reinhold; Borecki, Ingrid B; Vartiainen, Erkki; Becker, Diane M; Bharadwaj, Dwaipayan; Mohlke, Karen L; Boehnke, Michael; van Duijn, Cornelia M; Sanghera, Dharambir K; Teumer, Alexander; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Metspalu, Andres; Gasparini, Paolo; Ulivi, Sheila; Ober, Carole; Toniolo, Daniela; Rudan, Igor; Porteous, David J; Ciullo, Marina; Spector, Tim D; Hayward, Caroline; Dupuis, Josée; Loos, Ruth J F; Wright, Alan F; Chandak, Giriraj R; Vollenweider, Peter; Shuldiner, Alan; Ridker, Paul M; Rotter, Jerome I; Sattar, Naveed; Gyllensten, Ulf; North, Kari E; Pirastu, Mario; Psaty, Bruce M; Weir, David R; Laakso, Markku; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Takahashi, Atsushi; Chambers, John C; Kooner, Jaspal S; Strachan, David P; Campbell, Harry; Hirschhorn, Joel N; Perola, Markus; Polašek, Ozren; Wilson, James F

2015-07-23

Homozygosity has long been associated with rare, often devastating, Mendelian disorders, and Darwin was one of the first to recognize that inbreeding reduces evolutionary fitness. However, the effect of the more distant parental relatedness that is common in modern human populations is less well understood. Genomic data now allow us to investigate the effects of homozygosity on traits of public health importance by observing contiguous homozygous segments (runs of homozygosity), which are inferred to be homozygous along their complete length. Given the low levels of genome-wide homozygosity prevalent in most human populations, information is required on very large numbers of people to provide sufficient power. Here we use runs of homozygosity to study 16 health-related quantitative traits in 354,224 individuals from 102 cohorts, and find statistically significant associations between summed runs of homozygosity and four complex traits: height, forced expiratory lung volume in one second, general cognitive ability and educational attainment (P < 1 × 10(-300), 2.1 × 10(-6), 2.5 × 10(-10) and 1.8 × 10(-10), respectively). In each case, increased homozygosity was associated with decreased trait value, equivalent to the offspring of first cousins being 1.2 cm shorter and having 10 months' less education. Similar effect sizes were found across four continental groups and populations with different degrees of genome-wide homozygosity, providing evidence that homozygosity, rather than confounding, directly contributes to phenotypic variance. Contrary to earlier reports in substantially smaller samples, no evidence was seen of an influence of genome-wide homozygosity on blood pressure and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, or ten other cardio-metabolic traits. Since directional dominance is predicted for traits under directional evolutionary selection, this study provides evidence that increased stature and cognitive function have been positively selected in human evolution, whereas many important risk factors for late-onset complex diseases may not have been.

Directional dominance on stature and cognition in diverse human populations

PubMed Central

Mattsson, Hannele; Eklund, Niina; Gandin, Ilaria; Nutile, Teresa; Jackson, Anne U.; Schurmann, Claudia; Smith, Albert V.; Zhang, Weihua; Okada, Yukinori; Stančáková, Alena; Faul, Jessica D.; Zhao, Wei; Bartz, Traci M.; Concas, Maria Pina; Franceschini, Nora; Enroth, Stefan; Vitart, Veronique; Trompet, Stella; Guo, Xiuqing; Chasman, Daniel I.; O’Connel, Jeffery R.; Corre, Tanguy; Nongmaithem, Suraj S.; Chen, Yuning; Mangino, Massimo; Ruggiero, Daniela; Traglia, Michela; Farmaki, Aliki-Eleni; Kacprowski, Tim; Bjonnes, Andrew; van der Spek, Ashley; Wu, Ying; Giri, Anil K.; Yanek, Lisa R.; Wang, Lihua; Hofer, Edith; Rietveld, Cornelius A.; McLeod, Olga; Cornelis, Marilyn C.; Pattaro, Cristian; Verweij, Niek; Baumbach, Clemens; Abdellaoui, Abdel; Warren, Helen R.; Vuckovic, Dragana; Mei, Hao; Bouchard, Claude; Perry, John R.B.; Cappellani, Stefania; Mirza, Saira S.; Benton, Miles C.; Broeckel, Ulrich; Medland, Sarah E.; Lind, Penelope A.; Malerba, Giovanni; Drong, Alexander; Yengo, Loic; Bielak, Lawrence F.; Zhi, Degui; van der Most, Peter J.; Shriner, Daniel; Mägi, Reedik; Hemani, Gibran; Karaderi, Tugce; Wang, Zhaoming; Liu, Tian; Demuth, Ilja; Zhao, Jing Hua; Meng, Weihua; Lataniotis, Lazaros; van der Laan, Sander W.; Bradfield, Jonathan P.; Wood, Andrew R.; Bonnefond, Amelie; Ahluwalia, Tarunveer S.; Hall, Leanne M.; Salvi, Erika; Yazar, Seyhan; Carstensen, Lisbeth; de Haan, Hugoline G.; Abney, Mark; Afzal, Uzma; Allison, Matthew A.; Amin, Najaf; Asselbergs, Folkert W.; Bakker, Stephan J.L.; Barr, R. Graham; Baumeister, Sebastian E.; Benjamin, Daniel J.; Bergmann, Sven; Boerwinkle, Eric; Bottinger, Erwin P.; Campbell, Archie; Chakravarti, Aravinda; Chan, Yingleong; Chanock, Stephen J.; Chen, Constance; Chen, Y.-D. Ida; Collins, Francis S.; Connell, John; Correa, Adolfo; Cupples, L. Adrienne; Smith, George Davey; Davies, Gail; Dörr, Marcus; Ehret, Georg; Ellis, Stephen B.; Feenstra, Bjarke; Feitosa, Mary F.; Ford, Ian; Fox, Caroline S.; Frayling, Timothy M.; Friedrich, Nele; Geller, Frank; Scotland, Generation; Gillham-Nasenya, Irina; Gottesman, Omri; Graff, Misa; Grodstein, Francine; Gu, Charles; Haley, Chris; Hammond, Christopher J.; Harris, Sarah E.; Harris, Tamara B.; Hastie, Nicholas D.; Heard-Costa, Nancy L.; Heikkilä, Kauko; Hocking, Lynne J.; Homuth, Georg; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Huang, Jinyan; Huffman, Jennifer E.; Hysi, Pirro G.; Ikram, M. Arfan; Ingelsson, Erik; Joensuu, Anni; Johansson, Åsa; Jousilahti, Pekka; Jukema, J. Wouter; Kähönen, Mika; Kamatani, Yoichiro; Kanoni, Stavroula; Kerr, Shona M.; Khan, Nazir M.; Koellinger, Philipp; Koistinen, Heikki A.; Kooner, Manraj K.; Kubo, Michiaki; Kuusisto, Johanna; Lahti, Jari; Launer, Lenore J.; Lea, Rodney A.; Lehne, Benjamin; Lehtimäki, Terho; Liewald, David C.M.; Lind, Lars; Loh, Marie; Lokki, Marja-Liisa; London, Stephanie J.; Loomis, Stephanie J.; Loukola, Anu; Lu, Yingchang; Lumley, Thomas; Lundqvist, Annamari; Männistö, Satu; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Masciullo, Corrado; Matchan, Angela; Mathias, Rasika A.; Matsuda, Koichi; Meigs, James B.; Meisinger, Christa; Meitinger, Thomas; Menni, Cristina; Mentch, Frank D.; Mihailov, Evelin; Milani, Lili; Montasser, May E.; Montgomery, Grant W.; Morrison, Alanna; Myers, Richard H.; Nadukuru, Rajiv; Navarro, Pau; Nelis, Mari; Nieminen, Markku S.; Nolte, Ilja M.; O’Connor, George T.; Ogunniyi, Adesola; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Palmas, Walter R.; Pankow, James S.; Patarcic, Inga; Pavani, Francesca; Peyser, Patricia A.; Pietilainen, Kirsi; Poulter, Neil; Prokopenko, Inga; Ralhan, Sarju; Redmond, Paul; Rich, Stephen S.; Rissanen, Harri; Robino, Antonietta; Rose, Lynda M.; Rose, Richard; Sala, Cinzia; Salako, Babatunde; Salomaa, Veikko; Sarin, Antti-Pekka; Saxena, Richa; Schmidt, Helena; Scott, Laura J.; Scott, William R.; Sennblad, Bengt; Seshadri, Sudha; Sever, Peter; Shrestha, Smeeta; Smith, Blair H.; Smith, Jennifer A.; Soranzo, Nicole; Sotoodehnia, Nona; Southam, Lorraine; Stanton, Alice V.; Stathopoulou, Maria G.; Strauch, Konstantin; Strawbridge, Rona J.; Suderman, Matthew J.; Tandon, Nikhil; Tang, Sian-Tsun; Taylor, Kent D.; Tayo, Bamidele O.; Töglhofer, Anna Maria; Tomaszewski, Maciej; Tšernikova, Natalia; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Vaidya, Dhananjay; van Hylckama Vlieg, Astrid; van Setten, Jessica; Vasankari, Tuula; Vedantam, Sailaja; Vlachopoulou, Efthymia; Vozzi, Diego; Vuoksimaa, Eero; Waldenberger, Melanie; Ware, Erin B.; Wentworth-Shields, William; Whitfield, John B.; Wild, Sarah; Willemsen, Gonneke; Yajnik, Chittaranjan S.; Yao, Jie; Zaza, Gianluigi; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Project, The BioBank Japan; Salem, Rany M.; Melbye, Mads; Bisgaard, Hans; Samani, Nilesh J.; Cusi, Daniele; Mackey, David A.; Cooper, Richard S.; Froguel, Philippe; Pasterkamp, Gerard; Grant, Struan F.A.; Hakonarson, Hakon; Ferrucci, Luigi; Scott, Robert A.; Morris, Andrew D.; Palmer, Colin N.A.; Dedoussis, George; Deloukas, Panos; Bertram, Lars; Lindenberger, Ulman; Berndt, Sonja I.; Lindgren, Cecilia M.; Timpson, Nicholas J.; Tönjes, Anke; Munroe, Patricia B.; Sørensen, Thorkild I.A.; Rotimi, Charles N.; Arnett, Donna K.; Oldehinkel, Albertine J.; Kardia, Sharon L.R.; Balkau, Beverley; Gambaro, Giovanni; Morris, Andrew P.; Eriksson, Johan G.; Wright, Margie J.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Hunt, Steven C.; Starr, John M.; Deary, Ian J.; Griffiths, Lyn R.; Tiemeier, Henning; Pirastu, Nicola; Kaprio, Jaakko; Wareham, Nicholas J.; Pérusse, Louis; Wilson, James G.; Girotto, Giorgia; Caulfield, Mark J.; Raitakari, Olli; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Gieger, Christian; van der Harst, Pim; Hicks, Andrew A.; Kraft, Peter; Sinisalo, Juha; Knekt, Paul; Johannesson, Magnus; Magnusson, Patrik K.E.; Hamsten, Anders; Schmidt, Reinhold; Borecki, Ingrid B.; Vartiainen, Erkki; Becker, Diane M.; Bharadwaj, Dwaipayan; Mohlke, Karen L.; Boehnke, Michael; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; Sanghera, Dharambir K.; Teumer, Alexander; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Metspalu, Andres; Gasparini, Paolo; Ulivi, Sheila; Ober, Carole; Toniolo, Daniela; Rudan, Igor; Porteous, David J.; Ciullo, Marina; Spector, Tim D.; Hayward, Caroline; Dupuis, Josée; Loos, Ruth J.F.; Wright, Alan F.; Chandak, Giriraj R.; Vollenweider, Peter; Shuldiner, Alan; Ridker, Paul M.; Rotter, Jerome I.; Sattar, Naveed; Gyllensten, Ulf; North, Kari E.; Pirastu, Mario; Psaty, Bruce M.; Weir, David R.; Laakso, Markku; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Takahashi, Atsushi; Chambers, John C.; Kooner, Jaspal S.; Strachan, David P.; Campbell, Harry; Hirschhorn, Joel N.; Perola, Markus

2015-01-01

Homozygosity has long been associated with rare, often devastating, Mendelian disorders1 and Darwin was one of the first to recognise that inbreeding reduces evolutionary fitness2. However, the effect of the more distant parental relatedness common in modern human populations is less well understood. Genomic data now allow us to investigate the effects of homozygosity on traits of public health importance by observing contiguous homozygous segments (runs of homozygosity, ROH), which are inferred to be homozygous along their complete length. Given the low levels of genome-wide homozygosity prevalent in most human populations, information is required on very large numbers of people to provide sufficient power3,4. Here we use ROH to study 16 health-related quantitative traits in 354,224 individuals from 102 cohorts and find statistically significant associations between summed runs of homozygosity (SROH) and four complex traits: height, forced expiratory lung volume in 1 second (FEV1), general cognitive ability (g) and educational attainment (nominal p<1 × 10−300, 2.1 × 10−6, 2.5 × 10−10, 1.8 × 10−10). In each case increased homozygosity was associated with decreased trait value, equivalent to the offspring of first cousins being 1.2 cm shorter and having 10 months less education. Similar effect sizes were found across four continental groups and populations with different degrees of genome-wide homozygosity, providing convincing evidence for the first time that homozygosity, rather than confounding, directly contributes to phenotypic variance. Contrary to earlier reports in substantially smaller samples5,6, no evidence was seen of an influence of genome-wide homozygosity on blood pressure and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or ten other cardio-metabolic traits. Since directional dominance is predicted for traits under directional evolutionary selection7, this study provides evidence that increased stature and cognitive function have been positively selected in human evolution, whereas many important risk factors for late-onset complex diseases may not have been. PMID:26131930

The impact of foreign direct investment on CO2 emissions in Turkey: new evidence from cointegration and bootstrap causality analysis.

PubMed

Koçak, Emrah; Şarkgüneşi, Aykut

2018-01-01

Pollution haven hypothesis (PHH), which is defined as foreign direct investment inducing a raising impact on the pollution level in the hosting country, is lately a subject of discussion in the field of economics. This study, within the scope of related discussion, aims to look into the potential impact of foreign direct investments on CO 2 emission in Turkey in 1974-2013 period using environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) model. For this purpose, Maki (Econ Model 29(5):2011-2015, 2012) structural break cointegration test, Stock and Watson (Econometrica 61:783-820, 1993) dynamic ordinary least square estimator (DOLS), and Hacker and Hatemi-J (J Econ Stud 39(2):144-160, 2012) bootstrap test for causality method are used. Research results indicate the existence of a long-term balance relationship between FDI, economic growth, energy usage, and CO 2 emission. As per this relationship, in Turkey, (1) the potential impact of FDI on CO 2 emission is positive. This result shows that PHH is valid in Turkey. (2) Moreover, this is not a one-way relationship; the changes in CO 2 emission also affect FDI entries. (3) The results also provide evidence for the existence of the EKC hypothesis in Turkey. Within the frame of related findings, the study concludes several polities and presents various suggestions.

Theta Phase Synchronization Is the Glue that Binds Human Associative Memory.

PubMed

Clouter, Andrew; Shapiro, Kimron L; Hanslmayr, Simon

2017-10-23

Episodic memories are information-rich, often multisensory events that rely on binding different elements [1]. The elements that will constitute a memory episode are processed in specialized but distinct brain modules. The binding of these elements is most likely mediated by fast-acting long-term potentiation (LTP), which relies on the precise timing of neural activity [2]. Theta oscillations in the hippocampus orchestrate such timing as demonstrated by animal studies in vitro [3, 4] and in vivo [5, 6], suggesting a causal role of theta activity for the formation of complex memory episodes, but direct evidence from humans is missing. Here, we show that human episodic memory formation depends on phase synchrony between different sensory cortices at the theta frequency. By modulating the luminance of visual stimuli and the amplitude of auditory stimuli, we directly manipulated the degree of phase synchrony between visual and auditory cortices. Memory for sound-movie associations was significantly better when the stimuli were presented in phase compared to out of phase. This effect was specific to theta (4 Hz) and did not occur in slower (1.7 Hz) or faster (10.5 Hz) frequencies. These findings provide the first direct evidence that episodic memory formation in humans relies on a theta-specific synchronization mechanism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Are Early-Life Socioeconomic Conditions Directly Related to Birth Outcomes? Grandmaternal Education, Grandchild Birth Weight, and Associated Bias Analyses

PubMed Central

Huang, Jonathan Y.; Gavin, Amelia R.; Richardson, Thomas S.; Rowhani-Rahbar, Ali; Siscovick, David S.; Enquobahrie, Daniel A.

2015-01-01

Grandmaternal education may be related to grandchild birth weight (GBW) through maternal early-life development; however, conventional regression models may be endogenously confounded. Alternative models employing explicit structural assumptions may provide incrementally clearer evidence. We used data from the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (1995–2009; 1,681 mother-child pairs) to estimate “direct effects” of grandmaternal educational level (less than high school, high school diploma or equivalent, or college degree) at the time of the mother's birth on GBW, adjusted for maternal life-course factors: maltreatment as a child, education and income as an adult, prepregnancy overweight, and prenatal smoking. Using conventional and marginal structural model (MSM) approaches, we estimated 54-g (95% confidence interval: −14.0, 122.1) and 87-g (95% confidence interval: 10.9, 162.5) higher GBWs per increase in educational level, respectively. The MSM allowed simultaneous mediation by and adjustment for prepregnancy overweight. Estimates were insensitive to alternate structural assumptions and mediator parameterizations. Bias analysis suggested that a single unmeasured confounder would have to have a strong influence on GBW (approximately 150 g) or be greatly imbalanced across exposure groups (approximately 25%) to completely explain the findings. Coupling an MSM with sensitivity analyses provides some evidence that maternal early-life socioeconomic environment is directly associated with offspring birth weight. PMID:26283086

Recoil Directionality Studies in Two-Phase Liquid Argon TPC Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadeddu, Matteo; Batignani, Giovanni; Marcello Bonivento, Walter; Bottino, Bianca; Campajola, Luigi; Caravati, Mauro; Catalanotti, Sergio; Cicalò, Corrado; Cocco, Alfredo; Covone, Giovanni; De Rosa, Gianfranca; Devoto, Alberto; Dionisi, Carlo; Fiorillo, Giuliana; Giagu, Stefano; Gulino, Marisa; Kuss, Michael; Lissia, Marcello; Lista, Luca; Longo, Giuseppe; Pallavicini, Marco; Pandola, Luciano; Razeti, Marco; Rescigno, Marco; Rossi, Biagio; Rossi, Nicola; Testera, Gemma; Trinchese, Pasquale; Walker, Susan; Zullo, Maurizio

2017-12-01

Projects attempting the direct detection of WIMP dark matter share the common problem of eliminating sources of background or using techniques to distinguish background events from true signals. Although experiments such as DarkSide have achieved essentially background free exposures through careful choice of materials and application of efficient veto techniques, there will still be a high burden of proof to convince the greater scientific community when a discovery is claimed. A directional signature in the data would provide extremely strong evidence to distinguish a true WIMP signal from that of an isotropic background. Two-phase argon time projection chambers (TPCs) provide an experimental apparatus which can both be scaled to the ton-scale size required to accommodate the low cross-section expected for WIMP interactions and have an anisotropy that could be exploited to evaluate the polar angles of the resulting nuclear recoils from WIMP collisions with target nuclei. Our studies show that even a modest resolution in the polar angle reconstruction would offer a powerful tool to detect a directional signature. In this contribution, the status of the ReD experiment, which is under construction at Naples University, will be also shown. The aim of the project is to assess and enhance the directionality of two-phase argon TPCs. ReD will use a small TPC exposed to a beam of mono-energetic neutrons to study the so called "columnar recombination" in liquid argon. This development could have high impact on the future experiments in the field, opening up the potential to find conclusive evidence for dark matter or disprove the WIMP hypothesis at and above the mass range explored by planned accelerator experiments.

Efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in women with provoked vestibulodynia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Morin, Annie; Léonard, Guillaume; Gougeon, Véronique; Waddell, Guy; Bureau, Yves-André; Girard, Isabelle; Morin, Mélanie

2016-05-14

Provoked vestibulodynia is the most common form of vulvodynia. Despite its high prevalence and deleterious sexual, conjugal, and psychological repercussions, effective evidence-based interventions for provoked vestibulodynia remain limited. For a high proportion of women, significant pain persists despite the currently available treatments. Growing evidence suggests that the central nervous system (CNS) could play a key role in provoked vestibulodynia; thus, treatment targeting the CNS, rather than localized dysfunctions, may be beneficial for women suffering from provoked vestibulodynia. In this study, we aim to build on the promising results of a previous case report and evaluate whether transcranial direct-current stimulation, a non-invasive brain stimulation technique targeting the CNS, could be an effective treatment option for women with provoked vestibulodynia. This single-center, triple-blind, parallel group, randomized, controlled trial aims to compare the efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation with sham transcranial direct-current stimulation in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Forty women diagnosed with provoked vestibulodynia by a gynecologist, following a standardized treatment protocol, are randomized to either active transcranial direct-current stimulation treatment for ten sessions of 20 minutes at an intensity of 2 mA or sham transcranial direct-current stimulation over a 2-week period. Outcome measures are collected at baseline, 2 weeks after treatment and at 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome is pain during intercourse, assessed with a numerical rating scale. Secondary measurements focus on the sexual function, vestibular pain sensitivity, psychological distress, treatment satisfaction, and the patient's global impression of change. To our knowledge, this study is the first randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of transcranial direct-current stimulation in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Findings from this trial are expected to provide significant information about a promising intervention targeting the centralization of pain in women with provoked vestibulodynia. Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02543593 . Registered on September 4, 2015.

Multiple roles of the cell cycle inhibitor p21(CDKN1A) in the DNA damage response.

PubMed

Cazzalini, Ornella; Scovassi, A Ivana; Savio, Monica; Stivala, Lucia A; Prosperi, Ennio

2010-01-01

Among cell cycle regulatory proteins that are activated following DNA damage, the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(CDKN1A) plays essential roles in the DNA damage response, by inducing cell cycle arrest, direct inhibition of DNA replication, as well as by regulating fundamental processes, like apoptosis and transcription. These functions are performed through the ability of p21 to interact with a number of proteins involved in these processes. Despite an initial controversy, during the last years several lines of evidence have also indicated that p21 may be directly involved in DNA repair. In particular, the participation of p21 in nucleotide excision repair (NER), base excision repair (BER), and DNA translesion synthesis (TLS), has been suggested to occur thanks to its interaction with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a crucial protein involved in several aspects of DNA metabolism, and cell-cycle regulation. In this review, the multiple roles of p21 in the DNA damage response, including regulation of cell cycle, apoptosis and gene transcription, are discussed together with the most recent findings supporting the direct participation of p21 protein in DNA repair processes. In particular, spatio-temporal dynamics of p21 recruitment to sites of DNA damage will be considered together with several lines of evidence indicating a regulatory role for p21. In addition, the relevance of post-translational regulation in the fate (e.g. degradation) of p21 protein after cell exposure to DNA damaging agents will be analyzed. Both sets of evidence will be discussed in terms of the overall DNA damage response. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Natural selection promotes antigenic evolvability.

PubMed

Graves, Christopher J; Ros, Vera I D; Stevenson, Brian; Sniegowski, Paul D; Brisson, Dustin

2013-01-01

The hypothesis that evolvability - the capacity to evolve by natural selection - is itself the object of natural selection is highly intriguing but remains controversial due in large part to a paucity of direct experimental evidence. The antigenic variation mechanisms of microbial pathogens provide an experimentally tractable system to test whether natural selection has favored mechanisms that increase evolvability. Many antigenic variation systems consist of paralogous unexpressed 'cassettes' that recombine into an expression site to rapidly alter the expressed protein. Importantly, the magnitude of antigenic change is a function of the genetic diversity among the unexpressed cassettes. Thus, evidence that selection favors among-cassette diversity is direct evidence that natural selection promotes antigenic evolvability. We used the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, as a model to test the prediction that natural selection favors amino acid diversity among unexpressed vls cassettes and thereby promotes evolvability in a primary surface antigen, VlsE. The hypothesis that diversity among vls cassettes is favored by natural selection was supported in each B. burgdorferi strain analyzed using both classical (dN/dS ratios) and Bayesian population genetic analyses of genetic sequence data. This hypothesis was also supported by the conservation of highly mutable tandem-repeat structures across B. burgdorferi strains despite a near complete absence of sequence conservation. Diversification among vls cassettes due to natural selection and mutable repeat structures promotes long-term antigenic evolvability of VlsE. These findings provide a direct demonstration that molecular mechanisms that enhance evolvability of surface antigens are an evolutionary adaptation. The molecular evolutionary processes identified here can serve as a model for the evolution of antigenic evolvability in many pathogens which utilize similar strategies to establish chronic infections.

Natural Selection Promotes Antigenic Evolvability

PubMed Central

Graves, Christopher J.; Ros, Vera I. D.; Stevenson, Brian; Sniegowski, Paul D.; Brisson, Dustin

2013-01-01

The hypothesis that evolvability - the capacity to evolve by natural selection - is itself the object of natural selection is highly intriguing but remains controversial due in large part to a paucity of direct experimental evidence. The antigenic variation mechanisms of microbial pathogens provide an experimentally tractable system to test whether natural selection has favored mechanisms that increase evolvability. Many antigenic variation systems consist of paralogous unexpressed ‘cassettes’ that recombine into an expression site to rapidly alter the expressed protein. Importantly, the magnitude of antigenic change is a function of the genetic diversity among the unexpressed cassettes. Thus, evidence that selection favors among-cassette diversity is direct evidence that natural selection promotes antigenic evolvability. We used the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, as a model to test the prediction that natural selection favors amino acid diversity among unexpressed vls cassettes and thereby promotes evolvability in a primary surface antigen, VlsE. The hypothesis that diversity among vls cassettes is favored by natural selection was supported in each B. burgdorferi strain analyzed using both classical (dN/dS ratios) and Bayesian population genetic analyses of genetic sequence data. This hypothesis was also supported by the conservation of highly mutable tandem-repeat structures across B. burgdorferi strains despite a near complete absence of sequence conservation. Diversification among vls cassettes due to natural selection and mutable repeat structures promotes long-term antigenic evolvability of VlsE. These findings provide a direct demonstration that molecular mechanisms that enhance evolvability of surface antigens are an evolutionary adaptation. The molecular evolutionary processes identified here can serve as a model for the evolution of antigenic evolvability in many pathogens which utilize similar strategies to establish chronic infections. PMID:24244173

Consequences of violence across the lifespan: Mental health and sleep quality in pregnant women.

PubMed

Miller-Graff, Laura E; Cheng, Philip

2017-09-01

Research has demonstrated that exposure to violence and adversity has negative effects on both mental health and biobehavioral outcomes, such as sleep health. Research examining the relationship between past and recent violence exposure and mental health suggests that the effects of childhood adversity are especially pernicious, but to date, no studies have attempted to disentangle the direct, indirect and relative effects of past year versus childhood exposure to violence and adversity on sleep. The objective of the current study was to examine the direct effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and past year intimate partner violence (IPV) on different aspects of sleep health in pregnant women. A sample of high-risk pregnant women (n = 101) were interviewed. Mediation analysis with bias-corrected, bootstrapped confidence intervals was used to evaluate direct and indirect effects. Findings indicated that while ACEs had significant direct effects on mental health, past year IPV had stronger effects on sleep quality, latency, and efficiency. ACEs did, however, indirectly affect subjective sleep quality via past year psychological IPV. These findings suggest that sleep disturbance may be a regulatory stress response that is most clearly linked to past year violence and trauma. That is, though long-term sleep disturbance may be evident following childhood adversity, it is likely that this relationship is better explained by the role of childhood adversity in predicting adulthood revictimization or due to long-term mental health difficulties associated with early trauma. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Production and comprehension show divergent constituent order preferences: Evidence from elicited pantomime

PubMed Central

Hall, Matthew L.; Ahn, Y. Danbi; Mayberry, Rachel I.; Ferreira, Victor S.

2015-01-01

All natural languages develop devices to communicate who did what to whom. Elicited pantomime provides one model for studying this process, by providing a window into how humans (hearing non-signers) behave in a natural communicative modality (silent gesture) without established conventions from a grammar. Most studies in this paradigm focus on production, although they sometimes make assumptions about how comprehenders would likely behave. Here, we directly assess how naïve speakers of English (Experiments 1 & 2), Korean (Experiment 1), and Turkish (Experiment 2) comprehend pantomimed descriptions of transitive events, which are either semantically reversible (Experiments 1 & 2) or not (Experiment 2). Contrary to previous assumptions, we find no evidence that Person-Person-Action sequences are ambiguous to comprehenders, who simply adopt an agent-first parsing heuristic for all constituent orders. We do find that Person-Action-Person sequences yield the most consistent interpretations, even in native speakers of SOV languages. The full range of behavior in both production and comprehension provides counter-evidence to the notion that producers’ utterances are motivated by the needs of comprehenders. Instead, we argue that production and comprehension are subject to different sets of cognitive pressures, and that the dynamic interaction between these competing pressures can help explain synchronic and diachronic constituent order phenomena in natural human languages, both signed and spoken. PMID:25642018

Genome-wide scan of 29,141 African Americans finds no evidence of directional selection since admixture.

PubMed

Bhatia, Gaurav; Tandon, Arti; Patterson, Nick; Aldrich, Melinda C; Ambrosone, Christine B; Amos, Christopher; Bandera, Elisa V; Berndt, Sonja I; Bernstein, Leslie; Blot, William J; Bock, Cathryn H; Caporaso, Neil; Casey, Graham; Deming, Sandra L; Diver, W Ryan; Gapstur, Susan M; Gillanders, Elizabeth M; Harris, Curtis C; Henderson, Brian E; Ingles, Sue A; Isaacs, William; De Jager, Phillip L; John, Esther M; Kittles, Rick A; Larkin, Emma; McNeill, Lorna H; Millikan, Robert C; Murphy, Adam; Neslund-Dudas, Christine; Nyante, Sarah; Press, Michael F; Rodriguez-Gil, Jorge L; Rybicki, Benjamin A; Schwartz, Ann G; Signorello, Lisa B; Spitz, Margaret; Strom, Sara S; Tucker, Margaret A; Wiencke, John K; Witte, John S; Wu, Xifeng; Yamamura, Yuko; Zanetti, Krista A; Zheng, Wei; Ziegler, Regina G; Chanock, Stephen J; Haiman, Christopher A; Reich, David; Price, Alkes L

2014-10-02

The extent of recent selection in admixed populations is currently an unresolved question. We scanned the genomes of 29,141 African Americans and failed to find any genome-wide-significant deviations in local ancestry, indicating no evidence of selection influencing ancestry after admixture. A recent analysis of data from 1,890 African Americans reported that there was evidence of selection in African Americans after their ancestors left Africa, both before and after admixture. Selection after admixture was reported on the basis of deviations in local ancestry, and selection before admixture was reported on the basis of allele-frequency differences between African Americans and African populations. The local-ancestry deviations reported by the previous study did not replicate in our very large sample, and we show that such deviations were expected purely by chance, given the number of hypotheses tested. We further show that the previous study's conclusion of selection in African Americans before admixture is also subject to doubt. This is because the FST statistics they used were inflated and because true signals of unusual allele-frequency differences between African Americans and African populations would be best explained by selection that occurred in Africa prior to migration to the Americas. Copyright © 2014 The American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fear of cancer recurrence: a theoretical review and its relevance for clinical presentation and management.

PubMed

Simonelli, Laura E; Siegel, Scott D; Duffy, Nicole M

2017-10-01

There is increasing recognition of the unique physical and psychosocial concerns of the growing population of cancer survivors. An emerging literature demonstrates that fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a problematic long-term and late effect for cancer survivors. In fact, FCR is a top concern, and this article provides a necessary synthesis of the extant research evidence and theory. Literature searches were conducted using databases including MEDLINE and PsychINFO using specified search terms including 'fear of recurrence' and 'worry about recurrence'. A comprehensive narrative review summarizes early empirical findings on FCR including current definitions, assessment tools, clinical presentations, quality of life impact, prevalence, trajectory and risk factors. This paper also critically reviews the relevant theoretical frameworks to best understand these findings and considers multiple psychosocial treatment models that may have relevance for addressing FCR in the clinical setting. There is evidence of substantial prevalence and quality of life impact of FCR. Several theories (e.g. self-regulation model of illness, a family-based model, uncertainty in illness theory, social-cognitive processing theory, terror management theory) directly or indirectly help conceptualize FCR and inform potential treatment options for those with clinically significant distress or impairment resulting from FCR. Further investigation into FCR is warranted to promote evidence-based care for this significant cancer survivorship concern. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

On the applicability of low-dimensional models for convective flow reversals at extreme Prandtl numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mannattil, Manu; Pandey, Ambrish; Verma, Mahendra K.; Chakraborty, Sagar

2017-12-01

Constructing simpler models, either stochastic or deterministic, for exploring the phenomenon of flow reversals in fluid systems is in vogue across disciplines. Using direct numerical simulations and nonlinear time series analysis, we illustrate that the basic nature of flow reversals in convecting fluids can depend on the dimensionless parameters describing the system. Specifically, we find evidence of low-dimensional behavior in flow reversals occurring at zero Prandtl number, whereas we fail to find such signatures for reversals at infinite Prandtl number. Thus, even in a single system, as one varies the system parameters, one can encounter reversals that are fundamentally different in nature. Consequently, we conclude that a single general low-dimensional deterministic model cannot faithfully characterize flow reversals for every set of parameter values.

First Search for Nontensorial Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Afrough, M.; Agarwal, B.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Ajith, P.; Allen, G.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Amato, A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Antier, S.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Arun, K. G.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; AultONeal, K.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Bae, S.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Banagiri, S.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Baune, C.; Bawaj, M.; Bazzan, M.; Bécsy, B.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. 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A.; Essick, R. C.; Etienne, Z. B.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fehrmann, H.; Feicht, J.; Fejer, M. M.; Fernandez-Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fisher, R. P.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fong, H.; Forsyth, P. W. F.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J.-D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gabel, M.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Ganija, M. R.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garufi, F.; Gaudio, S.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, D.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glover, L.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gomes, S.; González, G.; Gonzalez Castro, J. M.; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Gruning, P.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannuksela, O. A.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Henry, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Horst, C.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Ingram, D. R.; Inta, R.; Intini, G.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J.-M.; Isi, M.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katolik, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kemball, A. J.; Kennedy, R.; Kent, C.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, W.; Kim, W. S.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Krämer, C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kumar, S.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Kwang, S.; Lackey, B. D.; Lai, K. H.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, H. W.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Libson, A.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lo, R. K. L.; Lockerbie, N. A.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lousto, C. O.; Lovelace, G.; Lück, H.; Lumaca, D.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña Hernandez, I.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Magaña Zertuche, L.; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markakis, C.; Markosyan, A. S.; Maros, E.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matas, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McCuller, L.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Meidam, J.; Mejuto-Villa, E.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Mezzani, F.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, A.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Minazzoli, O.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moggi, A.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, B. C.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muniz, E. A. M.; Murray, P. G.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Neri, M.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Ng, K. K. Y.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nichols, D.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; Normandin, M. E. N.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; Ochsner, E.; Oelker, E.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O'Reilly, B.; Ormiston, R.; Ortega, L. F.; O'Shaughnessy, R.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Page, M. A.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, H.; Pang, B.; Pang, P. T. H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Paris, H. R.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pitkin, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Porter, E. K.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prix, R.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Qin, J.; Qiu, S.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramirez, K. E.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Rew, H.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Ricker, P. 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F.; Whittle, C.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Wofford, J.; Wong, K. W. K.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wu, G.; Yam, W.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yap, M. J.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; ZadroŻny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zelenova, T.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.-H.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S. J.; Zhu, X. J.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; Buchner, S.; Cognard, I.; Corongiu, A.; Freire, P. C. C.; Guillemot, L.; Hobbs, G. B.; Kerr, M.; Lyne, A. G.; Possenti, A.; Ridolfi, A.; Shannon, R. M.; Stappers, B. W.; Weltevrede, P.; LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2018-01-01

We present results from the first directed search for nontensorial gravitational waves. While general relativity allows for tensorial (plus and cross) modes only, a generic metric theory may, in principle, predict waves with up to six different polarizations. This analysis is sensitive to continuous signals of scalar, vector, or tensor polarizations, and does not rely on any specific theory of gravity. After searching data from the first observation run of the advanced LIGO detectors for signals at twice the rotational frequency of 200 known pulsars, we find no evidence of gravitational waves of any polarization. We report the first upper limits for scalar and vector strains, finding values comparable in magnitude to previously published limits for tensor strain. Our results may be translated into constraints on specific alternative theories of gravity.

First Search for Nontensorial Gravitational Waves from Known Pulsars.

PubMed

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Pierro, V; Pillant, G; Pinard, L; Pinto, I M; Pitkin, M; Poggiani, R; Popolizio, P; Porter, E K; Post, A; Powell, J; Prasad, J; Pratt, J W W; Predoi, V; Prestegard, T; Prijatelj, M; Principe, M; Privitera, S; Prix, R; Prodi, G A; Prokhorov, L G; Puncken, O; Punturo, M; Puppo, P; Pürrer, M; Qi, H; Qin, J; Qiu, S; Quetschke, V; Quintero, E A; Quitzow-James, R; Raab, F J; Rabeling, D S; Radkins, H; Raffai, P; Raja, S; Rajan, C; Rakhmanov, M; Ramirez, K E; Rapagnani, P; Raymond, V; Razzano, M; Read, J; Regimbau, T; Rei, L; Reid, S; Reitze, D H; Rew, H; Reyes, S D; Ricci, F; Ricker, P M; Rieger, S; Riles, K; Rizzo, M; Robertson, N A; Robie, R; Robinet, F; Rocchi, A; Rolland, L; Rollins, J G; Roma, V J; Romano, R; Romel, C L; Romie, J H; Rosińska, D; Ross, M P; Rowan, S; Rüdiger, A; Ruggi, P; Ryan, K; Sachdev, S; Sadecki, T; Sadeghian, L; Sakellariadou, M; Salconi, L; Saleem, M; Salemi, F; Samajdar, A; Sammut, L; Sampson, L M; Sanchez, E J; Sandberg, V; Sandeen, B; Sanders, J R; Sassolas, B; Sathyaprakash, B S; Saulson, P R; Sauter, O; Savage, R L; Sawadsky, A; Schale, P; Scheuer, J; Schmidt, E; Schmidt, J; Schmidt, P; Schnabel, R; Schofield, R M S; Schönbeck, A; Schreiber, E; Schuette, D; Schulte, B W; Schutz, B F; Schwalbe, S G; Scott, J; Scott, S M; Seidel, E; Sellers, D; Sengupta, A S; Sentenac, D; Sequino, V; Sergeev, A; Shaddock, D A; Shaffer, T J; Shah, A A; Shahriar, M S; Shao, L; Shapiro, B; Shawhan, P; Sheperd, A; Shoemaker, D H; Shoemaker, D M; Siellez, K; Siemens, X; Sieniawska, M; Sigg, D; Silva, A D; Singer, A; Singer, L P; Singh, A; Singh, R; Singhal, A; Sintes, A M; Slagmolen, B J J; Smith, B; Smith, J R; Smith, R J E; Son, E J; Sonnenberg, J A; Sorazu, B; Sorrentino, F; Souradeep, T; Spencer, A P; Srivastava, A K; Staley, A; Steinke, M; Steinlechner, J; Steinlechner, S; Steinmeyer, D; Stephens, B C; Stone, R; Strain, K A; Stratta, G; Strigin, S E; Sturani, R; Stuver, A L; Summerscales, T Z; Sun, L; Sunil, S; Sutton, P J; Swinkels, B L; Szczepańczyk, M J; Tacca, M; 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Wang, G; Wang, H; Wang, J Z; Wang, M; Wang, Y-F; Wang, Y; Ward, R L; Warner, J; Was, M; Watchi, J; Weaver, B; Wei, L-W; Weinert, M; Weinstein, A J; Weiss, R; Wen, L; Wessel, E K; Weßels, P; Westphal, T; Wette, K; Whelan, J T; Whiting, B F; Whittle, C; Williams, D; Williams, R D; Williamson, A R; Willis, J L; Willke, B; Wimmer, M H; Winkler, W; Wipf, C C; Wittel, H; Woan, G; Woehler, J; Wofford, J; Wong, K W K; Worden, J; Wright, J L; Wu, D S; Wu, G; Yam, W; Yamamoto, H; Yancey, C C; Yap, M J; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M; Zadrożny, A; Zanolin, M; Zelenova, T; Zendri, J-P; Zevin, M; Zhang, L; Zhang, M; Zhang, T; Zhang, Y-H; Zhao, C; Zhou, M; Zhou, Z; Zhu, S J; Zhu, X J; Zucker, M E; Zweizig, J; Buchner, S; Cognard, I; Corongiu, A; Freire, P C C; Guillemot, L; Hobbs, G B; Kerr, M; Lyne, A G; Possenti, A; Ridolfi, A; Shannon, R M; Stappers, B W; Weltevrede, P

2018-01-19

We present results from the first directed search for nontensorial gravitational waves. While general relativity allows for tensorial (plus and cross) modes only, a generic metric theory may, in principle, predict waves with up to six different polarizations. This analysis is sensitive to continuous signals of scalar, vector, or tensor polarizations, and does not rely on any specific theory of gravity. After searching data from the first observation run of the advanced LIGO detectors for signals at twice the rotational frequency of 200 known pulsars, we find no evidence of gravitational waves of any polarization. We report the first upper limits for scalar and vector strains, finding values comparable in magnitude to previously published limits for tensor strain. Our results may be translated into constraints on specific alternative theories of gravity.

Life support decision making in critical care: Identifying and appraising the qualitative research evidence.

PubMed

Giacomini, Mita; Cook, Deborah; DeJean, Deirdre

2009-04-01

The objective of this study is to identify and appraise qualitative research evidence on the experience of making life-support decisions in critical care. In six databases and supplementary sources, we sought original research published from January 1990 through June 2008 reporting qualitative empirical studies of the experience of life-support decision making in critical care settings. Fifty-three journal articles and monographs were included. Of these, 25 reported prospective studies and 28 reported retrospective studies. We abstracted methodologic characteristics relevant to the basic critical appraisal of qualitative research (prospective data collection, ethics approval, purposive sampling, iterative data collection and analysis, and any method to corroborate findings). Qualitative research traditions represented include grounded theory (n = 15, 28%), ethnography or naturalistic methods (n = 15, 28%), phenomenology (n = 9, 17%), and other or unspecified approaches (n = 14, 26%). All 53 documents describe the research setting; 97% indicate purposive sampling of participants. Studies vary in their capture of multidisciplinary clinician and family perspectives. Thirty-one (58%) report research ethics board review. Only 49% report iterative data collection and analysis, and eight documents (15%) describe an analytically driven stopping point for data collection. Thirty-two documents (60%) indicated a method for corroborating findings. Qualitative evidence often appears outside of clinical journals, with most research from the United States. Prospective, observation-based studies follow life-support decision making directly. These involve a variety of participants and yield important insights into interactions, communication, and dynamics. Retrospective, interview-based studies lack this direct engagement, but focus on the recollections of fewer types of participants (particularly patients and physicians), and typically address specific issues (communication and stress). Both designs can provide useful reflections for improving care. Given the diversity of qualitative research in critical care, room for improvement exists regarding both the quality and transparency of reported methodology.

Effectiveness of service linkages in primary mental health care: a narrative review part 1

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background With the move to community care and increased involvement of generalist health care providers in mental health, the need for health service partnerships has been emphasised in mental health policy. Within existing health system structures the active strategies that facilitate effective partnership linkages are not clear. The objective of this study was to examine the evidence from peer reviewed literature regarding the effectiveness of service linkages in primary mental health care. Methods A narrative and thematic review of English language papers published between 1998 and 2009. Studies of analytic, descriptive and qualitative designs from Australia, New Zealand, UK, Europe, USA and Canada were included. Data were extracted to examine what service linkages have been used in studies of collaboration in primary mental health care. Findings from the randomised trials were tabulated to show the proportion that demonstrated clinical, service delivery and economic benefits. Results A review of 119 studies found ten linkage types. Most studies used a combination of linkage types and so the 42 RCTs were grouped into four broad linkage categories for meaningful descriptive analysis of outcomes. Studies that used multiple linkage strategies from the suite of "direct collaborative activities" plus "agreed guidelines" plus "communication systems" showed positive clinical (81%), service (78%) and economic (75%) outcomes. Most evidence of effectiveness came from studies of depression. Long term benefits were attributed to medication concordance and the use of case managers with a professional background who received expert supervision. There were fewer randomised trials related to collaborative care of people with psychosis and there were almost none related to collaboration with the wider human service sectors. Because of the variability of study types we did not exclude on quality or attempt to weight findings according to power or effect size. Conclusion There is strong evidence to support collaborative primary mental health care for people with depression when linkages involve "direct collaborative activity", plus "agreed guidelines" and "communication systems". PMID:21481236

Paleocene Pacific Plate reorganization mirrored in formation of the Suvarov Trough, Manihiki Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pietsch, Ricarda; Uenzelmann-Neben, Gabriele

2016-10-01

The Suvarov Trough is a graben structure that deviates from the Danger Islands Troughs within the Manihiki Plateau, a Large Igneous Province (LIP) located in the Central Pacific. New high-resolution seismic reflection data provide evidence that the graben formed in two phases during the Paleocene (65-45 Ma). In a first phase extension occurred in southwestward direction, pulling apart the northern part of the Suvarov Trough and a parallel trending unnamed trough. In a second phase a change of extensional force direction occurred from southwest to west-northwest, forming the southern part of the Suvarov Trough that extends onto the High Plateau. The formation of the Suvarov Trough is accompanied by a series of normal fault systems that apparently formed simultaneously. Comparing the seismic results to existing Pacific paleo strain reconstructions, the timing of increased strain and local deformation direction fits well to our findings. We thus suggest that the multiple strike directions of the Suvarov Trough represent an extensional structure that was caused by the major, stepwise Pacific Plate reorganization during the Paleocene.

Correlation Analysis between Spin, Velocity Shear, and Vorticity of Baryonic and Dark Matter Halos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Li-li

2017-04-01

Based on the cosmological hydrodynamic simulations, we investigate the correlations between the spin, velocity shear and vorticity in dark matter halos, as well as the relationship between the baryonic matter and the dark matter. We find that (1) the difference between the vorticity of baryonic matter and that of dark matter is evident on the scales of < 0.2 h-1 Mpc; (2) the vorticity of baryonic matter exhibits a stronger correlation with the tensor of velocity shear than the vorticity of dark matter does; and (3) the spinning direction of small-mass dark matter halos tends to be parallel to the direction of their host filaments, while the spinning direction of massive dark matter halos tends to be perpendicular to the direction of their host filaments, and the intensity of this kind correlation depends on the size of simulation box, and the simulation accuracy. These factors may cause the relationship between the the spins of dark matter halos and those of galaxies to be complicated, and affect the correlation between the galaxy spins and the nearby large-scale structures.

The implementation of mindfulness-based interventions and educational interventions to support family caregivers of patients with cancer: A systematic review.

PubMed

Al Daken, Laila I; Ahmad, Muayyad M

2018-05-10

This review aims to determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and educational interventions (EIs) as supportive care for family caregivers (FCs) of patients with cancer. Review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. The search protocol was performed using EBSCO, Google Scholar, and Science Direct for the studies published between 2007 and 2017. Little evidence is available on the usefulness of MBIs among FCs of patients with cancer. However, the available evidence supports that MBIs have the potential to enhance overall well-being and reduce the burden for FCs. EIs have shown positive outcomes on some aspects of well-being and reducing the burden. The findings provide preliminary support for effectiveness of MBIs and EIs as a supportive care for FCs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Transcriptional Activation of Mucin by Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lipopolysaccharide in the Pathogenesis of Cystic Fibrosis Lung Disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jian-Dong; Dohrman, Austin F.; Gallup, Marianne; Miyata, Susumu; Gum, James R.; Kim, Young S.; Nadel, Jay A.; Prince, Alice; Basbaum, Carol B.

1997-02-01

An unresolved question in cystic fibrosis (CF) research is how mutations of the CF transmembrane conductance regulator, a CI ion channel, cause airway mucus obstruction leading to fatal lung disease. Recent evidence has linked the CF transmembrane conductance regulator mutation to the onset and persistence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in the airways, and here we provide evidence directly linking P. aeruginosa infection to mucus overproduction. We show that P. aeruginosa lipopolysaccharide profoundly upregulates transcription of the mucin gene MUC 2 in epithelial cells via inducible enhancer elements and that this effect is blocked by the tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and tyrphostin AG 126. These findings improve our understanding of CF pathogenesis and suggest that the attenuation of mucin production by lipopolysaccharide antagonists and tyrosine kinase inhibitors could reduce morbidity and mortality in this disease.

Implementing falls prevention research into policy and practice in Australia: past, present and future.

PubMed

Lord, Stephen R; Sherrington, Catherine; Cameron, Ian D; Close, Jacqueline C T

2011-12-01

Falls in older Australians are a significant public health issue with one in three older people falling one or more times each year. Many fall prevention randomized controlled trials have been conducted in Australia as well as across the world. The findings of these studies now constitute a substantial evidence base that can provide direction for health and lifestyle interventions for preventing falls in older people. This research evidence has contributed to health policy in Australia to some extent, but is yet to be widely implemented into practice. This opinion piece overviews previous policy initiatives and describes a new Partnership research program funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), which seeks to further influence health policy and address the ongoing research-practice gap. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Theory of mind training causes honest young children to lie

PubMed Central

Ding, Xiao Pan; Wellman, Henry; Wang, Yu; Fu, Genyue; Lee, Kang

2015-01-01

Theory of mind (ToM) has long been recognized to play a major role in children’s social functioning. However, no direct evidence confirms the causal linkage between the two. Here we addressed this significant gap by examining whether ToM causes the emergence of lying, an important social skill. We showed that after participating in ToM training to learn about mental state concepts, 3-year-olds who originally had been unable to lie began to deceive consistently. This training effect lasted for more than a month. In contrast, 3-year-olds who participated in control training to learn about physical concepts were significantly less inclined to lie than the ToM trained children. These findings provide the first experimental evidence supporting the causal role of ToM in the development of social competence in early childhood. PMID:26431737

The environmental Kuznets curve in the presence of corruption in developing countries.

PubMed

Masron, Tajul Ariffin; Subramaniam, Yogeeswari

2018-05-01

Environmental degradation is at an alarming level in developing economies. The present paper examines the direct and indirect impacts of corruption on environmental deterioration using the panel data of 64 developing countries. Adopting the generalized method of moments (GMM) technique, the paper finds evidence that corruption exhibits a positive impact on pollution. Subsequently, there is also evidence indicating that the level of pollution tends to be higher in countries with a higher level of corruption, eliminating the effectiveness of income effect on environmental preservation. These results also suggest that environmental degradation is monotonically increasing with higher corruption and invalidate the presence of the EKC. Hence, a policy focuses that an anti-corruption particularly in the environmental and natural resources sector needs to be emphasized and enforced in order to reduce or possibly to totally eliminate the rent for corruption.

Self-reflection modulates the outcome evaluation process: Evidence from an ERP study.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiangru; Gu, Ruolei; Wu, Haiyan; Luo, Yuejia

2015-12-01

Recent research demonstrated structural overlap between reward and self processing, but the functional relationship that explains how self processing influences reward processing remains unclear. The present study used an experimentally constrained reflection task to investigate whether individuals' outcome evaluations in a gambling task are modulated by task-unrelated self- and other-reflection processes. The self- and other-reflection task contained descriptions of the self or others, and brain event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while 16 normal adults performed a gambling task. The ERP analysis focused on the feedback-related negativity (FRN) component. We found that the difference wave of FRN increased in the self-reflection condition compared with the other-reflection condition. The present findings provide direct evidence that self processing can influence reward processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the relationship between justice and forgiveness: are all forms of justice made equal?

PubMed

Wenzel, Michael; Okimoto, Tyler G

2014-09-01

This research investigates whether, following a wrongdoing, the restoration of justice promotes forgiveness. Three studies - one correlational recall study and two experimental scenario studies - provide evidence that while a restored sense of justice is overall positively related to forgiveness, forgiveness is highly dependent on the means of justice restoration being retributive (punitive) versus restorative (consensus-seeking) in nature. The findings showed that, overall, restorative but not retributive responses led to greater forgiveness. Although both retributive and restorative responses appeared to increase forgiveness indirectly through increased feelings of justice, for retributive responses these effects were counteracted by direct effects on forgiveness. Moreover, the experimental evidence showed that, while feelings of justice derived from restorative responses were positively related to forgiveness, feelings of justice derived from retributive responses were not. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

Utility of qualitative research findings in evidence-based public health practice.

PubMed

Jack, Susan M

2006-01-01

Epidemiological data, derived from quantitative studies, provide important information about the causes, prevalence, risk correlates, treatment and prevention of diseases, and health issues at a population level. However, public health issues are complex in nature and quantitative research findings are insufficient to support practitioners and administrators in making evidence-informed decisions. Upshur's Synthetic Model of Evidence (2001) situates qualitative research findings as a credible source of evidence for public health practice. This article answers the following questions: (1) where does qualitative research fit within the paradigm of evidence-based practice and (2) how can qualitative research be used by public health professionals? Strategies for using qualitative research findings instrumentally, conceptually, and symbolically are identified by applying Estabrooks' (1999) conceptual structure of research utilization. Different research utilization strategies are illustrated through the use of research examples from the field of work on intimate partner violence against women. Recommendations for qualitative researchers disseminating findings and for public health practitioners/policy makers considering the use of qualitative findings as evidence to inform decisions are provided.

Detailed study of upper mantle anisotropy in the upper mantle of eastern North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; Levin, V. L.; Li, Y.

2016-12-01

We collected observations of core-refracted shear waves on a 1300 km long array crossing the eastern part of the North American continent from James Bay to the Fundy Basin. We combine data from the Earthscope Transportable Array, Canadian and US permanent observatories, and the recently completed Earthscope FlexArray QMIII.Past studies found ample evidence for directional dependence (anisotropy) of seismic wave speed in the upper mantle of this region. However, to date the lateral spacing of seismic observatories made direct comparisons between anisotropic structure and tectonic divisions evident on the surface challenging. With instruments spacing 50 km, and less near major tectonic boundaries such as the Grenville Front and the Appalachian Front, we can discriminate between gradual changes in anisotropic properties due to asthenospheric flow variations, and abrupt and localized changes likely to arise from juxtaposition of distinct lithospheric blocks.To insure lateral consistency of measurements we selected core-refracted shear waves that were observed over the entire length of our array. Also, since directional dependence of splitting parameters is a well recognized signature of vertical changes in anisotropic properties we examine observations from different directions, and look for systematic changes.Most locations show evidence for some degree of splitting in observed shear waves. Delays between fast and slow components estimated using rotation-correlation method range from 0.3 to 1.5 s. At most sites delay values vary considerably between individual phases measured. Fast polarizations are predominantly NE-SW, which agrees with numerous past studies of the region. Systematic directional dependence of fast polarization is seen at all sites we studied. Furthermore, the values of fast polarization appear to be similar along the entire array for individual events but vary from event to event. Both of these observations are consistent with the previously proposed notion of layered anisotropy in the upper mantle of the North American continent. We find localized changes in splitting parameters at the Grenville Front. The Appalachian Front, or the internal divisions of the Appalachian Orogen do not have obvious changes in splitting parameters associated with them.

Evidence for different processes involved in the effects of nontemporal stimulus size and numerical digit value on duration judgments.

PubMed

Rammsayer, Thomas H; Verner, Martin

2016-05-01

Perceived duration has been shown to be positively related to task-irrelevant, nontemporal stimulus magnitude. To account for this finding, Walsh's (2003) A Theory of Magnitude (ATOM) model suggests that magnitude of time is not differentiated from magnitude of other nontemporal stimulus characteristics and collectively processed by a generalized magnitude system. In Experiment 1, we investigated the combined effects of stimulus size and numerical quantity, as two nontemporal stimulus dimensions covered by the ATOM model, on duration judgments. Participants were required to reproduce the duration of target intervals marked by Arabic digits varying in physical size and numerical value. While the effect of stimulus size was effectively moderated by target duration, the effect of numerical value appeared to require attentional resources directed to the numerical value in order to become effective. Experiment 2 was designed to further elucidate the mediating influence of attention on the effect of numerical value on duration judgments. An effect of numerical value was only observed when participants' attention was directed to digit value, but not when participants were required to pay special attention to digit parity. While the ATOM model implies a common metrics and generalized magnitude processing for time, size, and quantity, the present findings provided converging evidence for the notion of two qualitatively different mechanisms underlying the effects of nontemporal stimulus size and numerical value on duration judgments. Furthermore, our data challenge the implicit common assumption that the effect of numerical value on duration judgments represents a continuously increasing function of digit magnitude.

Detection and Molecular Characterization of 9000-Year-Old Mycobacterium tuberculosis from a Neolithic Settlement in the Eastern Mediterranean

PubMed Central

Minnikin, David E.; Besra, Gurdyal S.; Lee, Oona Y-C.; Gernaey, Angela M.; Galili, Ehud; Eshed, Vered; Greenblatt, Charles L.; Lemma, Eshetu; Bar-Gal, Gila Kahila; Spigelman, Mark

2008-01-01

Background Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the principal etiologic agent of human tuberculosis. It has no environmental reservoir and is believed to have co-evolved with its host over millennia. This is supported by skeletal evidence of the disease in early humans, and inferred from M. tuberculosis genomic analysis. Direct examination of ancient human remains for M. tuberculosis biomarkers should aid our understanding of the nature of prehistoric tuberculosis and the host/pathogen relationship. Methodology/Principal Findings We used conventional PCR to examine bone samples with typical tuberculosis lesions from a woman and infant, who were buried together in the now submerged site of Atlit-Yam in the Eastern Mediterranean, dating from 9250-8160 years ago. Rigorous precautions were taken to prevent contamination, and independent centers were used to confirm authenticity of findings. DNA from five M tuberculosis genetic loci was detected and had characteristics consistent with extant genetic lineages. High performance liquid chromatography was used as an independent method of verification and it directly detected mycolic acid lipid biomarkers, specific for the M. tuberculosis complex. Conclusions/Significance Human tuberculosis was confirmed by morphological and molecular methods in a population living in one of the first villages with evidence of agriculture and animal domestication. The widespread use of animals was not a source of infection but may have supported a denser human population that facilitated transmission of the tubercle bacillus. The similarity of the M. tuberculosis genetic signature with those of today gives support to the theory of a long-term co-existence of host and pathogen. PMID:18923677

Lasting EEG/MEG Aftereffects of Rhythmic Transcranial Brain Stimulation: Level of Control Over Oscillatory Network Activity

PubMed Central

Veniero, Domenica; Vossen, Alexandra; Gross, Joachim; Thut, Gregor

2015-01-01

A number of rhythmic protocols have emerged for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) in humans, including transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), oscillatory transcranial direct current stimulation (otDCS), and repetitive (also called rhythmic) transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). With these techniques, it is possible to match the frequency of the externally applied electromagnetic fields to the intrinsic frequency of oscillatory neural population activity (“frequency-tuning”). Mounting evidence suggests that by this means tACS, otDCS, and rTMS can entrain brain oscillations and promote associated functions in a frequency-specific manner, in particular during (i.e., online to) stimulation. Here, we focus instead on the changes in oscillatory brain activity that persist after the end of stimulation. Understanding such aftereffects in healthy participants is an important step for developing these techniques into potentially useful clinical tools for the treatment of specific patient groups. Reviewing the electrophysiological evidence in healthy participants, we find aftereffects on brain oscillations to be a common outcome following tACS/otDCS and rTMS. However, we did not find a consistent, predictable pattern of aftereffects across studies, which is in contrast to the relative homogeneity of reported online effects. This indicates that aftereffects are partially dissociated from online, frequency-specific (entrainment) effects during tACS/otDCS and rTMS. We outline possible accounts and future directions for a better understanding of the link between online entrainment and offline aftereffects, which will be key for developing more targeted interventions into oscillatory brain activity. PMID:26696834

A systematic review of the effects of neuromodulation on eating and body weight: evidence from human and animal studies.

PubMed

McClelland, Jessica; Bozhilova, Natali; Campbell, Iain; Schmidt, Ulrike

2013-11-01

Eating disorders (ED) are chronic and sometimes deadly illnesses. Existing treatments have limited proven efficacy, especially in the case of adults with anorexia nervosa (AN). Emerging neural models of ED provide a rationale for more targeted, brain-directed interventions. This systematic review has examined the effects of neuromodulation techniques on eating behaviours and body weight and assessed their potential for therapeutic use in ED. All articles in PubMed, PsychInfo and Web of Knowledge were considered and screened against a priori inclusion/exclusion criteria. The effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), transcranial direct current stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) were examined across studies in ED samples, other psychiatric and neurological disorders, and animal models. Sixty studies were identified. There is evidence for ED symptom reduction following rTMS and DBS in both AN and bulimia nervosa. Findings from studies of other psychiatric and neurological disorders and from animal studies demonstrate that increases in food intake and body weight can be achieved following DBS and that VNS has potential value as a means of controlling eating and inducing weight loss. Neuromodulation tools have potential for reducing ED symptomatology and related behaviours, and for altering food intake and body weight. In response to such findings, and emerging neural models of ED, treatment approaches are highly unlikely to remain 'brainless'. More research is required to evaluate the potential of neuromodulation procedures for improving long-term outcomes in ED. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Early outcome of early-goal directed therapy for patients with sepsis or septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaofan; Zhu, Weifeng; Tan, Jing; Nie, Heyun; Liu, Liangming; Yan, Dongmei; Zhou, Xu; Sun, Xin

2017-04-18

Various trials and meta-analyses have reported conflicting results concerning the application of early goal-directed therapy (EGDT) for sepsis and septic shock. The aim of this study was to update the evidence by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis. Multiple databases were searched from initial through August, 2016 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) which investigated the associations between the use of EGDT and mortality in patients with sepsis or septic shock. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effects model and heterogeneity was examined through subgroup analyses. The primary outcome of interest was patient all-cause mortality including hospital or ICU mortality. Seventeen RCTs including 6207 participants with 3234 in the EGDT group and 2973 in the control group were eligible for this study. Meta-analysis showed that EGDT did not significantly reduce hospital or intensive care unit (ICU) mortality (relative risk [RR] 0.89, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.02) compared with control group for patients with sepsis or septic shock. The findings of subgroup analyses stratified by study region, number of research center, year of enrollment, clinical setting, sample size, timing of EGDT almost remained constant with that of the primary analysis. Our findings provide evidence that EGDT offers neutral survival effects for patients with sepsis or septic shock. Further meta-analyses based on larger well-designed RCTs or individual patient data meta-analysis are required to explore the survival benefits of EDGT in patients with sepsis or septic shock.

Controls on development and diversity of Early Archean stromatolites

PubMed Central

Allwood, Abigail C.; Grotzinger, John P.; Knoll, Andrew H.; Burch, Ian W.; Anderson, Mark S.; Coleman, Max L.; Kanik, Isik

2009-01-01

The ≈3,450-million-year-old Strelley Pool Formation in Western Australia contains a reef-like assembly of laminated sedimentary accretion structures (stromatolites) that have macroscale characteristics suggestive of biological influence. However, direct microscale evidence of biology—namely, organic microbial remains or biosedimentary fabrics—has to date eluded discovery in the extensively-recrystallized rocks. Recently-identified outcrops with relatively good textural preservation record microscale evidence of primary sedimentary processes, including some that indicate probable microbial mat formation. Furthermore, we find relict fabrics and organic layers that covary with stromatolite morphology, linking morphologic diversity to changes in sedimentation, seafloor mineral precipitation, and inferred microbial mat development. Thus, the most direct and compelling signatures of life in the Strelley Pool Formation are those observed at the microscopic scale. By examining spatiotemporal changes in microscale characteristics it is possible not only to recognize the presence of probable microbial mats during stromatolite development, but also to infer aspects of the biological inputs to stromatolite morphogenesis. The persistence of an inferred biological signal through changing environmental circumstances and stromatolite types indicates that benthic microbial populations adapted to shifting environmental conditions in early oceans. PMID:19515817

Advancing Evidence-Based Assessment in School Mental Health: Key Priorities for an Applied Research Agenda.

PubMed

Arora, Prerna G; Connors, Elizabeth H; George, Melissa W; Lyon, Aaron R; Wolk, Courtney B; Weist, Mark D

2016-12-01

Evidence-based assessment (EBA) is a critically important aspect of delivering high-quality, school-based mental health care for youth. However, research in this area is limited and additional applied research on how best to support the implementation of EBA in school mental health (SMH) is needed. Accordingly, this manuscript seeks to facilitate the advancement of research on EBA in SMH by reviewing relevant literature on EBA implementation in schools and providing recommendations for key research priorities. Given the limited number of published studies available, findings from child and adolescent mental health and implementation science research are also included to inform a robust and comprehensive research agenda on this topic. Based on this literature review, five priorities for research on EBA in SMH are outlined: (1) effective identification of assessment targets, (2) appropriate selection of assessment measures, (3) investigation of organizational readiness for EBA, (4) study of implementation support for EBA, and (5) promotion of EBA data integration and use. Each priority area includes recommended directions for future research. A comprehensive and robust research agenda is warranted to build the science and practice of implementing EBA in SMH. Specific directions for this agenda are offered.

Pharmacogenetics in Cardiovascular Medicine

PubMed Central

Tuteja, Sony; Limdi, Nita

2017-01-01

Purpose of review Pharmacogenetics is an important component of precision medicine. Even within the genomic era, several challenges lie ahead in the road towards clinical implementation of pharmacogenetics in the clinic. This review will summarize the current state of knowledge regarding pharmacogenetics of cardiovascular drugs, focusing on those with the most evidence supporting clinical implementation- clopidogrel, warfarin and simvastatin. Recent findings There is limited translation of pharmacogenetics into clinical practice primarily due to the absence of outcomes data from prospective, randomized, genotype-directed clinical trials. There are several ongoing randomized controlled trials that will provide some answers as to the clinical utility of genotype-directed strategies. Several academic medical centers have pushed towards clinical implementation where the clinical validity data are strong. Their experiences will inform operational requirements of a clinical pharmacogenetics testing including the timing of testing, incorporation of test results into the electronic health record, reimbursement and ethical issues. Summary Pharmacogenetics of clopidogrel, warfarin and simvastatin are three examples where pharmacogenetics testing may provide added clinical value. Continued accumulation of evidence surrounding clinical utility of pharmacogenetics markers is imperative as this will inform reimbursement policy and drive adoption of pharamcogenetics into routine care. PMID:29057167

Wave energy and swimming performance shape coral reef fish assemblages

PubMed Central

Fulton, C.J; Bellwood, D.R; Wainwright, P.C

2005-01-01

Physical factors often have an overriding influence on the distribution patterns of organisms, and can ultimately shape the long-term structure of communities. Although distribution patterns in sessile marine organisms have frequently been attributed to functional characteristics interacting with wave-induced water motion, similar evidence for mobile organisms is lacking. Links between fin morphology and swimming performance were examined in three diverse coral reef fish families from two major evolutionary lineages. Among-habitat variation in morphology and performance was directly compared with quantitative values of wave-induced water motion from seven coral reef habitats of different depth and wave exposure on the Great Barrier Reef. Fin morphology was strongly correlated with both field and experimental swimming speeds in all three families. The range of observed swimming speeds coincided closely with the magnitude of water velocities commonly found on coral reefs. Distribution patterns in all three families displayed highly congruent relationships between fin morphology and wave-induced water motion. Our findings indicate a general functional relationship between fin morphology and swimming performance in labriform-swimming fishes, and provide quantitative evidence that wave energy may directly influence the assemblage structure of coral reef fishes through interactions with morphology and swimming performance. PMID:15888415

Physical Activity and Safety From Crime Among Adults: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

da Silva, Inacio C; Payne, Valerie L; Hino, Adriano Akira; Varela, Andrea Ramirez; Reis, Rodrigo S; Ekelund, Ulf; Hallal, Pedro C

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to review the evidence to date on the association between physical activity and safety from crime. Articles with adult populations of 500+ participants investigating the association between physical activity and safety from crime were included. A methodological quality assessment was conducted using an adapted version of the Downs and Black checklist. The literature search identified 15,864 articles. After assessment of titles, abstracts and full-texts, 89 articles were included. Most articles (84.3%) were derived from high-income countries and only 3 prospective articles were identified. Articles presented high methodological quality. In 38 articles (42.7%), at least one statistically significant association in the expected direction was reported (ie, safety from crime was positively associated with physical activity). Nine articles (10.1%) found an association in the unexpected direction and 42 (47.2%) did not find statistically significant associations. The results did not change when we analyzed articles separately by sex, age, type of measurement, or domains of physical activity evaluated. The current evidence, mostly based on cross-sectional studies, suggests a lack of association between physical activity and safety from crime. Prospective studies and natural experiments are needed, particularly in areas with wide crime variability.

Genre-Specific Cultivation Effects: Lagged Associations between Overall TV Viewing, Local TV News Viewing, and Fatalistic Beliefs about Cancer Prevention

PubMed Central

Niederdeppe, Jeff

2014-01-01

Cultivation theory and research has been criticized for its failure to consider variation in effects by genre, employ appropriate third-variable controls, and determine causal direction. Recent studies, controlling for a variety of demographic characteristics and media use variables, have found that exposure to local television (TV) newscasts is associated with a variety of problematic “real-world” beliefs. However, many of these studies have not adequately assessed causal direction. Redressing this limitation, we analyzed data from a two-wave national representative survey which permitted tests of lagged association between overall TV viewing, local TV news viewing, and fatalistic beliefs about cancer prevention. We first replicated the original cultivation effect and found a positive association between overall TV viewing at time 1 and increased fatalistic beliefs about cancer prevention at time 2. Analyses also provided evidence that local TV news viewing at time 1 predicts increased fatalistic beliefs about cancer prevention at time 2. There was little evidence for reverse causation in predicting changes in overall TV viewing or local TV news viewing. The paper concludes with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications of these findings. PMID:25605981

Experimental evidence for an absorbing phase transition underlying yielding of a soft glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagamanasa, K. Hima; Gokhale, Shreyas; Sood, A. K.; Ganapathy, Rajesh

2014-03-01

A characteristic feature of solids ranging from foams to atomic crystals is the existence of a yield point, which marks the threshold stress beyond which a material undergoes plastic deformation. In hard materials, it is well-known that local yield events occur collectively in the form of intermittent avalanches. The avalanche size distributions exhibit power-law scaling indicating the presence of self-organized criticality. These observations led to predictions of a non-equilibrium phase transition at the yield point. By contrast, for soft solids like gels and dense suspensions, no such predictions exist. In the present work, by combining particle scale imaging with bulk rheology, we provide a direct evidence for a non-equilibrium phase transition governing yielding of an archetypal soft solid - a colloidal glass. The order parameter and the relaxation time exponents revealed that yielding is an absorbing phase transition that belongs to the conserved directed percolation universality class. We also identified a growing length scale associated with clusters of particles with high Debye-Waller factor. Our findings highlight the importance of correlations between local yield events and may well stimulate the development of a unified description of yielding of soft solids.

A pilot test of the acceptability and efficacy of narrative and non-narrative health education materials in a low health literacy population

PubMed Central

Moran, Meghan Bridgid; Frank, Lauren B.; Chatterjee, Joyee S.; Murphy, Sheila T.; Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes

2016-01-01

Although entertainment-education narratives are increasingly being used to communicate health information to a diversity of populations, there is limited evidence examining the use of narrative health education videos in low compared with adequate health literacy populations. There are also very few studies directly comparing narrative materials to more traditional, non-narrative materials. Because individuals with low health literacy are less likely than those with adequate health literacy to benefit from health communication interventions, it is especially important to develop an evidence base supporting the use of narrative health education materials in low literacy populations. This study extends knowledge on the use of narrative health education materials in populations with low health literacy by conducting a randomized trial comparing the acceptability and efficacy (knowledge gain) of two fact-equivalent films, one in a narrative and one in a non-narrative format, on individuals with adequate and low health literacy. This study finds that while both films were well-accepted and produced knowledge gains, the narrative film was more effective in this regard. This effect occurred regardless of health literacy level, indicating that narrative health communication materials are appropriate for individuals with low health literacy and do not exacerbate existing health disparities. These findings add to a small but growing body of evidence testing narrative health education materials in individuals with low health literacy, and provide new evidence supporting narrative, entertainment-education style video as a health communication tool to help reduce health literacy-related health disparities. PMID:27872657

Applying GRADE-CERQual to qualitative evidence synthesis findings: introduction to the series.

PubMed

Lewin, Simon; Booth, Andrew; Glenton, Claire; Munthe-Kaas, Heather; Rashidian, Arash; Wainwright, Megan; Bohren, Meghan A; Tunçalp, Özge; Colvin, Christopher J; Garside, Ruth; Carlsen, Benedicte; Langlois, Etienne V; Noyes, Jane

2018-01-25

The GRADE-CERQual ('Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research') approach provides guidance for assessing how much confidence to place in findings from systematic reviews of qualitative research (or qualitative evidence syntheses). The approach has been developed to support the use of findings from qualitative evidence syntheses in decision-making, including guideline development and policy formulation. Confidence in the evidence from qualitative evidence syntheses is an assessment of the extent to which a review finding is a reasonable representation of the phenomenon of interest. CERQual provides a systematic and transparent framework for assessing confidence in individual review findings, based on consideration of four components: (1) methodological limitations, (2) coherence, (3) adequacy of data, and (4) relevance. A fifth component, dissemination (or publication) bias, may also be important and is being explored. As with the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach for effectiveness evidence, CERQual suggests summarising evidence in succinct, transparent, and informative Summary of Qualitative Findings tables. These tables are designed to communicate the review findings and the CERQual assessment of confidence in each finding. This article is the first of a seven-part series providing guidance on how to apply the CERQual approach. In this paper, we describe the rationale and conceptual basis for CERQual, the aims of the approach, how the approach was developed, and its main components. We also outline the purpose and structure of this series and discuss the growing role for qualitative evidence in decision-making. Papers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in this series discuss each CERQual component, including the rationale for including the component in the approach, how the component is conceptualised, and how it should be assessed. Paper 2 discusses how to make an overall assessment of confidence in a review finding and how to create a Summary of Qualitative Findings table. The series is intended primarily for those undertaking qualitative evidence syntheses or using their findings in decision-making processes but is also relevant to guideline development agencies, primary qualitative researchers, and implementation scientists and practitioners.

Extinction Generates Outcome-Specific Conditioned Inhibition.

PubMed

Laurent, Vincent; Chieng, Billy; Balleine, Bernard W

2016-12-05

Extinction involves altering a previously established predictive relationship between a cue and its outcome by repeatedly presenting that cue alone. Although it is widely accepted that extinction generates some form of inhibitory learning [1-4], direct evidence for this claim has been lacking, and the nature of the associative changes induced by extinction have, therefore, remained a matter of debate [5-8]. In the current experiments, we used a novel behavioral approach that we recently developed and that provides a direct measure of conditioned inhibition [9] to compare the influence of extinguished and non-extinguished cues on choice between goal-directed actions. Using this approach, we provide direct evidence that extinction generates outcome-specific conditioned inhibition. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this inhibitory learning is controlled by the infralimbic cortex (IL); inactivation of the IL using M4 DREADDs abolished outcome-specific inhibition and rendered the cue excitatory. Importantly, we found that context modulated this inhibition. Outside its extinction context, the cue was excitatory and functioned as a specific predictor of its previously associated outcome, biasing choice toward actions earning the same outcome. In its extinction context, however, the cue acted as a specific inhibitor and biased choice toward actions earning different outcomes. Context modulation of these excitatory and inhibitory memories was mediated by the dorsal hippocampus (HPC), suggesting that the HPC and IL act in concert to control the influence of conditioned inhibitors on choice. These findings demonstrate for the first time that extinction turns a cue into a net inhibitor that can influence choice via counterfactual action-outcome associations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advocacy for Health Equity: A Synthesis Review

PubMed Central

Farrer, Linden; Marinetti, Claudia; Cavaco, Yoline Kuipers; Costongs, Caroline

2015-01-01

Context Health inequalities are systematic differences in health among social groups that are caused by unequal exposure to—and distributions of—the social determinants of health (SDH). They are persistent between and within countries despite action to reduce them. Advocacy is a means of promoting policies that improve health equity, but the literature on how to do so effectively is dispersed. The aim of this review is to synthesize the evidence in the academic and gray literature and to provide a body of knowledge for advocates to draw on to inform their efforts. Methods This article is a systematic review of the academic literature and a fixed-length systematic search of the gray literature. After applying our inclusion criteria, we analyzed our findings according to our predefined dimensions of advocacy for health equity. Last, we synthesized our findings and made a critical appraisal of the literature. Findings The policy world is complex, and scientific evidence is unlikely to be conclusive in making decisions. Timely qualitative, interdisciplinary, and mixed-methods research may be valuable in advocacy efforts. The potential impact of evidence can be increased by “packaging” it as part of knowledge transfer and translation. Increased contact between researchers and policymakers could improve the uptake of research in policy processes. Researchers can play a role in advocacy efforts, although health professionals and disadvantaged people, who have direct contact with or experience of hardship, can be particularly persuasive in advocacy efforts. Different types of advocacy messages can accompany evidence, but messages should be tailored to advocacy target. Several barriers hamper advocacy efforts. The most frequently cited in the academic literature are the current political and economic zeitgeist and related public opinion, which tend to blame disadvantaged people for their ill health, even though biomedical approaches to health and political short-termism also act as barriers. These barriers could be tackled through long-term actions to raise public awareness and understanding of the SDH and through training of health professionals in advocacy. Advocates need to take advantage of “windows of opportunity,” which open and close quickly, and demonstrate expertise and credibility. Conclusions This article brings together for the first time evidence from the academic and the gray literature and provides a building block for efforts to advocate for health equity. Evidence regarding many of the dimensions is scant, and additional research is merited, particularly concerning the applicability of findings outside the English-speaking world. Advocacy organizations have a central role in advocating for health equity, given the challenges bridging the worlds of civil society, research, and policy. PMID:26044634

Difficult end-of-life treatment decisions: do other factors trump advance directives?

PubMed

Hardin, Steven B; Yusufaly, Yasmin A

2004-07-26

Advance directives are widely promoted as a means to plan for patients' decisional incapacity, yet there is little evidence of their effectiveness. We devised a study to assess physicians' compliance with hypothetical advance directives and further examine their clinical reasoning. The study consisted of an analysis of a mailed written survey containing 6 hypothetical cases of seriously ill patients. Each case contained an explicit advance directive with potential conflict between the directive and (1) prognosis, (2) wishes of family or friends, or (3) quality of life. Data were collected on the clinical treatment decisions made by physicians and the reasons for those decisions. Study participants were all internal medicine faculty and resident physicians from a single academic institution. A total of 47% analyzable surveys (117/250) were returned. Decisions by faculty and residents were not consistent with the advance directive in 65% of cases. This inconsistency was similar for faculty and residents (68% and 61%, respectively; P>.05). When physicians made decisions inconsistent with the advance directive, they were more likely to list reasons other than the directive for their decisions (89%; P<.001). Internists frequently made treatment decisions that were not consistent with an explicit advance directive. In difficult clinical situations, internists appear to consider other factors such as prognosis, perceived quality of life, and the wishes of family or friends as more determinative than the directive. Future work needs to explore the generalizability of these findings and examine how strictly patients desire their advance directives to be followed.

Conveying 3D shape with texture: recent advances and experimental findings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Interrante, Victoria; Kim, Sunghee; Hagh-Shenas, Haleh

2002-06-01

If we could design the perfect texture pattern to apply to any smooth surface in order to enable observers to more accurately perceive the surface's shape in a static monocular image taken from an arbitrary generic viewpoint under standard lighting conditions, what would the characteristics of that texture pattern be? In order to gain insight into this question, our group has developed an efficient algorithm for synthesizing a high resolution texture pattern, derived from a provided 2D sample, over an arbitrary doubly curved surface in such a way that the orientation of the texture is constrained to follow a specified underlying vector field over the surface, at a per-pixel level, without evidence of seams or projective distortion artifacts. In this paper, we report the findings of a recent experiment in which we attempt to use this new texture synthesis method to assess the shape information carrying capacity of two different types of directional texture patterns (unidirectional and bi-directional) under three different orientation conditions (following the first principal direction, following a constant uniform direction, or swirling sinusoidally in the surface). In a four alternative forced choice task, we asked participants to identify the quadrant in which two B-spline surfaces, illuminated from different random directions and simultaneously and persistently displayed, differed in their shapes. We found, after all subjects had gained sufficient training in the task, that accuracy increased fairly consistently with increasing magnitude of surface shape disparity, but that the characteristics of this increase differed under the different texture orientation conditions. Subjects were able to more reliably perceive smaller shape differences when the surfaces were textured with a pattern whose orientation followed one of the principal directions than when the surfaces were textured with a pattern that either gradually swirled in the surface or followed a constant uniform direction in the tangent plane regardless of the surface shape characteristics. These findings appear to support our hypothesis that anisotropic textures aligned with the first principal direction may facilitate shape perception, for a generic view, by making more, reliable information about the extent of the surface curvature explicitly available to the observer than would be available if the texture pattern were oriented in any other way.

How drugs get into cells: tested and testable predictions to help discriminate between transporter-mediated uptake and lipoidal bilayer diffusion

PubMed Central

Kell, Douglas B.; Oliver, Stephen G.

2014-01-01

One approach to experimental science involves creating hypotheses, then testing them by varying one or more independent variables, and assessing the effects of this variation on the processes of interest. We use this strategy to compare the intellectual status and available evidence for two models or views of mechanisms of transmembrane drug transport into intact biological cells. One (BDII) asserts that lipoidal phospholipid Bilayer Diffusion Is Important, while a second (PBIN) proposes that in normal intact cells Phospholipid Bilayer diffusion Is Negligible (i.e., may be neglected quantitatively), because evolution selected against it, and with transmembrane drug transport being effected by genetically encoded proteinaceous carriers or pores, whose “natural” biological roles, and substrates are based in intermediary metabolism. Despite a recent review elsewhere, we can find no evidence able to support BDII as we can find no experiments in intact cells in which phospholipid bilayer diffusion was either varied independently or measured directly (although there are many papers where it was inferred by seeing a covariation of other dependent variables). By contrast, we find an abundance of evidence showing cases in which changes in the activities of named and genetically identified transporters led to measurable changes in the rate or extent of drug uptake. PBIN also has considerable predictive power, and accounts readily for the large differences in drug uptake between tissues, cells and species, in accounting for the metabolite-likeness of marketed drugs, in pharmacogenomics, and in providing a straightforward explanation for the late-stage appearance of toxicity and of lack of efficacy during drug discovery programmes despite macroscopically adequate pharmacokinetics. Consequently, the view that Phospholipid Bilayer diffusion Is Negligible (PBIN) provides a starting hypothesis for assessing cellular drug uptake that is much better supported by the available evidence, and is both more productive and more predictive. PMID:25400580

Thalamic Control of Dorsomedial Striatum Regulates Internal State to Guide Goal-Directed Action Selection.

PubMed

Bradfield, Laura A; Balleine, Bernard W

2017-03-29

We (Bradfield et al., 2013) have demonstrated previously that parafascicular thalamic nucleus (PF)-controlled neurons in the posterior dorsomedial striatum (pDMS) are critical for interlacing new and existing action-outcome contingencies to control goal-directed action. Based on these findings, it was suggested that animals with a dysfunctional PF-pDMS pathway might suffer a deficit in creating or retrieving internal contexts or "states" on which such information could become conditional. To assess this hypothesis more directly, rats were given a disconnection treatment using contralateral cytotoxic lesions of the PF and pDMS (Group CONTRA) or ipsilateral control lesions (Group IPSI) and trained to press a right and left lever for sucrose and pellet outcomes, after which these contingencies were reversed. The rats were then given an outcome devaluation test (all experiments) and a test of outcome-specific reinstatement (Experiments 1 and 3). We found that devaluation performance was intact for both groups after training of initial contingencies, but impaired for Group CONTRA after reversal. However, performance was restored by additional reversal training. Furthermore, when tested a second time after reversal training, rats in both groups demonstrated responding in accordance with the original contingencies, providing direct evidence of modulation of action selection by state. Finally, we found that external context could substitute for internal state and so could rescue responding in Group CONTRA, but only in the reinstatement test. Together, these findings suggest that animals use internal state information to guide action selection and that this information is modulated by the PF-pDMS pathway. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Individuals with Parkinson's disease dementia often suffer a characteristic deficit in "cognitive flexibility." It has been suggested that neurodegeneration in the pathway between the centromedian/parafascicular thalalmic nucleus (PF) and striatum might underlie such deficits (Smith et al., 2014). In rats, we have similarly observed that a functional disconnection of the PF-posterior dorsomedial striatal pathway produces a specific impairment in the ability to alter goal-directed actions (Bradfield et al., 2013). It was suggested that this impairment could be a result of a deficit in state modulation. Here, we present four experiments that provide evidence for this hypothesis and suggest several ways (e.g., extended practice, providing external cues) in which this state modulation can be rescued. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/373721-13$15.00/0.

Unrelated Helpers in a Primitively Eusocial Wasp: Is Helping Tailored Towards Direct Fitness?

PubMed Central

Leadbeater, Ellouise; Carruthers, Jonathan M.; Green, Jonathan P.; van Heusden, Jasper; Field, Jeremy

2010-01-01

The paper wasp Polistes dominulus is unique among the social insects in that nearly one-third of co-foundresses are completely unrelated to the dominant individual whose offspring they help to rear and yet reproductive skew is high. These unrelated subordinates stand to gain direct fitness through nest inheritance, raising the question of whether their behaviour is adaptively tailored towards maximizing inheritance prospects. Unusually, in this species, a wealth of theory and empirical data allows us to predict how unrelated subordinates should behave. Based on these predictions, here we compare helping in subordinates that are unrelated or related to the dominant wasp across an extensive range of field-based behavioural contexts. We find no differences in foraging effort, defense behaviour, aggression or inheritance rank between unrelated helpers and their related counterparts. Our study provides no evidence, across a number of behavioural scenarios, that the behaviour of unrelated subordinates is adaptively modified to promote direct fitness interests. PMID:20700463

Brain-wide mapping of neural activity controlling zebrafish exploratory locomotion

PubMed Central

Dunn, Timothy W; Mu, Yu; Narayan, Sujatha; Randlett, Owen; Naumann, Eva A; Yang, Chao-Tsung; Schier, Alexander F

2016-01-01

In the absence of salient sensory cues to guide behavior, animals must still execute sequences of motor actions in order to forage and explore. How such successive motor actions are coordinated to form global locomotion trajectories is unknown. We mapped the structure of larval zebrafish swim trajectories in homogeneous environments and found that trajectories were characterized by alternating sequences of repeated turns to the left and to the right. Using whole-brain light-sheet imaging, we identified activity relating to the behavior in specific neural populations that we termed the anterior rhombencephalic turning region (ARTR). ARTR perturbations biased swim direction and reduced the dependence of turn direction on turn history, indicating that the ARTR is part of a network generating the temporal correlations in turn direction. We also find suggestive evidence for ARTR mutual inhibition and ARTR projections to premotor neurons. Finally, simulations suggest the observed turn sequences may underlie efficient exploration of local environments. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12741.001 PMID:27003593

Processing abstract language modulates motor system activity.

PubMed

Glenberg, Arthur M; Sato, Marc; Cattaneo, Luigi; Riggio, Lucia; Palumbo, Daniele; Buccino, Giovanni

2008-06-01

Embodiment theory proposes that neural systems for perception and action are also engaged during language comprehension. Previous neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies have only been able to demonstrate modulation of action systems during comprehension of concrete language. We provide neurophysiological evidence for modulation of motor system activity during the comprehension of both concrete and abstract language. In Experiment 1, when the described direction of object transfer or information transfer (e.g., away from the reader to another) matched the literal direction of a hand movement used to make a response, speed of responding was faster than when the two directions mismatched (an action-sentence compatibility effect). In Experiment 2, we used single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation to study changes in the corticospinal motor pathways to hand muscles while reading the same sentences. Relative to sentences that do not describe transfer, there is greater modulation of activity in the hand muscles when reading sentences describing transfer of both concrete objects and abstract information. These findings are discussed in relation to the human mirror neuron system.

Dynamic frontotemporal systems process space and time in working memory

PubMed Central

Adams, Jenna N.; Solbakk, Anne-Kristin; Endestad, Tor; Larsson, Pål G.; Ivanovic, Jugoslav; Meling, Torstein R.; Lin, Jack J.; Knight, Robert T.

2018-01-01

How do we rapidly process incoming streams of information in working memory, a cognitive mechanism central to human behavior? Dominant views of working memory focus on the prefrontal cortex (PFC), but human hippocampal recordings provide a neurophysiological signature distinct from the PFC. Are these regions independent, or do they interact in the service of working memory? We addressed this core issue in behavior by recording directly from frontotemporal sites in humans performing a visuospatial working memory task that operationalizes the types of identity and spatiotemporal information we encounter every day. Theta band oscillations drove bidirectional interactions between the PFC and medial temporal lobe (MTL; including the hippocampus). MTL theta oscillations directed the PFC preferentially during the processing of spatiotemporal information, while PFC theta oscillations directed the MTL for all types of information being processed in working memory. These findings reveal an MTL theta mechanism for processing space and time and a domain-general PFC theta mechanism, providing evidence that rapid, dynamic MTL–PFC interactions underlie working memory for everyday experiences. PMID:29601574

Effect of directional speech warnings on road hazard detection.

PubMed

Serrano, Jesús; Di Stasi, Leandro L; Megías, Alberto; Catena, Andrés

2011-12-01

In the last 2 decades, cognitive science and the transportation psychology field have dedicated a lot of effort to designing advanced driver support systems. Verbal warning systems are increasingly being implemented in modern automobiles in an effort to increase road safety. The study presented here investigated the impact of directional speech alert messages on the participants' speed to judge whether or not naturalistic road scenes depicted a situation of impending danger. Thirty-eight volunteers performed a computer-based key-press reaction time task. Findings indicated that semantic content of verbal warning signals can be used for increasing driving safety and improving hazard detection. Furthermore, the classical result regarding signal accuracy is confirmed: directional informative speech messages lead to faster hazard detection compared to drivers who received a high rate of false alarms. Notwithstanding some study limitations (lack of driver experience and low ecological validity), this evidence could provide important information for the specification of future Human-Machine-interaction (HMI) design guidelines.

The role of self-regulatory efficacy, moral disengagement and guilt on doping likelihood: A social cognitive theory perspective.

PubMed

Ring, Christopher; Kavussanu, Maria

2018-03-01

Given the concern over doping in sport, researchers have begun to explore the role played by self-regulatory processes in the decision whether to use banned performance-enhancing substances. Grounded on Bandura's (1991) theory of moral thought and action, this study examined the role of self-regulatory efficacy, moral disengagement and anticipated guilt on the likelihood to use a banned substance among college athletes. Doping self-regulatory efficacy was associated with doping likelihood both directly (b = -.16, P < .001) and indirectly (b = -.29, P < .001) through doping moral disengagement. Moral disengagement also contributed directly to higher doping likelihood and lower anticipated guilt about doping, which was associated with higher doping likelihood. Overall, the present findings provide evidence to support a model of doping based on Bandura's social cognitive theory of moral thought and action, in which self-regulatory efficacy influences the likelihood to use banned performance-enhancing substances both directly and indirectly via moral disengagement.

Social Work Field Training for the Community: A Student Self-Directed Approach in the Environmental Domain in Jordan

PubMed Central

Al-Makhamreh, Sahar; Alnabulsi, Hana; Asfour, Hana

2016-01-01

This article outlines innovative field training methods that foster the abilities of undergraduate social work students so that they are able to empower the local community and raise awareness of environmental issues. In this study, students were engaged in a local community assessment that sought to understand their views on environmental and community impacts of the Synchrotron-Light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) Project on the lives of the host village's residents. A students' self-directed approach was applied for the fieldwork out of which interventions were developed ( Garrison, 1997). Quantitative data were gathered by eighteen students through a survey of 361 questionnaires targeting Allan society. In addition to students' field notes, pre and post focus groups were used to collect qualitative information. Study findings highlighted the effectiveness of students' self-directed projects in cultivating culturally competent practices; ensuring sustainable development; and providing evidence-based knowledge on social work practice involving environmental issues. PMID:27559202