Emotional memory for musical excerpts in young and older adults

PubMed Central

Alonso, Irene; Dellacherie, Delphine; Samson, Séverine

2015-01-01

The emotions evoked by music can enhance recognition of excerpts. It has been suggested that memory is better for high than for low arousing music (Eschrich et al., 2005; Samson et al., 2009), but it remains unclear whether positively (Eschrich et al., 2008) or negatively valenced music (Aubé et al., 2013; Vieillard and Gilet, 2013) may be better recognized. Moreover, we still know very little about the influence of age on emotional memory for music. To address these issues, we tested emotional memory for music in young and older adults using musical excerpts varying in terms of arousal and valence. Participants completed immediate and 24 h delayed recognition tests. We predicted highly arousing excerpts to be better recognized by both groups in immediate recognition. We hypothesized that arousal may compensate consolidation deficits in aging, thus showing more prominent benefit of high over low arousing stimuli in older than younger adults on delayed recognition. We also hypothesized worst retention of negative excerpts for the older group, resulting in a recognition benefit for positive over negative excerpts specific to older adults. Our results suggest that although older adults had worse recognition than young adults overall, effects of emotion on memory do not seem to be modified by aging. Results on immediate recognition suggest that recognition of low arousing excerpts can be affected by valence, with better memory for positive relative to negative low arousing music. However, 24 h delayed recognition results demonstrate effects of emotion on memory consolidation regardless of age, with a recognition benefit for high arousal and for negatively valenced music. The present study highlights the role of emotion on memory consolidation. Findings are examined in light of the literature on emotional memory for music and for other stimuli. We finally discuss the implication of the present results for potential music interventions in aging and dementia. PMID:25814950

Systemic Allergy to Corticosteroids: Clinical Features and Cross Reactivity.

PubMed

Barbaud, Annick; Waton, Julie

2016-01-01

Systemic hypersensitivity (HS) to corticosteroids (CS) is paradoxical but does exist. Some patients with a previous contact allergy to topical CS may develop a systemic contact dermatitis (SCD) while receiving CS orally or intravenously. However, a previous contact sensitization is not mandatory for developing a systemic HS to CS. Acute or delayed urticaria can occur in immediate HS. Immediate HS can be due to excipients, mainly carboxymethylcellulose or to CS themselves. Delayed reactions, mainly maculopapular rash and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis can occur. Skin tests with systemic CS have to be standardized. It is necessary to determine if IDT with CS frequently induce skin atrophy or not and if such skin atrophy is transient by doing prospective studies using an standardized method and a limited injected volume (0.02 ml). Patch tests can be done in delayed HS, with readings at day 2, 4 and 7. In SCD, the Baeck's classification of CS in 3 chemical groups could explain cross reactivity between systemic CS. However, this classification is not applicable to explain cross-reactions between in systemic HS. According to the literature, 52/79 patients had a HS reaction to a group confirmed by a positive allergological investigations, but had a negative provocation test with another CS belonging to the same group. In case of non-severe cutaneous adverse reactions and when skin tests are negative, provocation tests have to be performed to find an alternative CS, even if it belongs to the same chemical group as those responsible for the initial reaction. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Time for pulse traversal through slabs of dispersive and negative ({epsilon}, {mu}) materials

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

Nanda, Lipsa; Ramakrishna, S. Anantha

2007-12-15

The traversal times for an electromagnetic pulse traversing a slab of dispersive and dissipative material with negative dielectric permittivity ({epsilon}) and magnetic permeability ({mu}) have been calculated by using the average flow of electromagnetic energy in the medium. The effects of bandwidth of the pulse and dissipation in the medium have been investigated. While both large bandwidth and large dissipation have similar effects in smoothening out the resonant features that appear due to Fabry-Perot resonances, large dissipation can result in very small or even negative traversal times near the resonant frequencies. We have also investigated the traversal times and Wignermore » delay times for obliquely incident pulses and evanescent pulses. The coupling to slab plasmon-polariton modes in frequency ranges with negative {epsilon} or {mu} is shown to result in large traversal times at the resonant conditions. We also find that the group velocity mainly contributes to the delay times for pulses propagating across a slab with n=-1. We have checked that the traversal times are positive and subluminal for pulses with sufficiently large bandwidths.« less

Pain Now or Later: An Outgrowth Account of Pain-Minimization

PubMed Central

Chen, Shuai; Zhao, Dan; Rao, Li-Lin; Liang, Zhu-Yuan; Li, Shu

2015-01-01

The preference for immediate negative events contradicts the minimizing loss principle given that the value of a delayed negative event is discounted by the amount of time it is delayed. However, this preference is understandable if we assume that the value of a future outcome is not restricted to the discounted utility of the outcome per se but is complemented by an anticipated negative utility assigned to an unoffered dimension, which we termed the “outgrowth.” We conducted three studies to establish the existence of the outgrowth and empirically investigated the mechanism underlying the preference for immediate negative outcomes. Study 1 used a content analysis method to examine whether the outgrowth was generated in accompaniment with the delayed negative events. The results revealed that the investigated outgrowth was composed of two elements. The first component is the anticipated negative emotions elicited by the delayed negative event, and the other is the anticipated rumination during the waiting process, in which one cannot stop thinking about the negative event. Study 2 used a follow-up investigation to examine whether people actually experienced the negative emotions they anticipated in a real situation of waiting for a delayed negative event. The results showed that the participants actually experienced a number of negative emotions when waiting for a negative event. Study 3 examined whether the existence of the outgrowth could make the minimizing loss principle work. The results showed that the difference in pain anticipation between the immediate event and the delayed event could significantly predict the timing preference of the negative event. Our findings suggest that people’s preference for experiencing negative events sooner serves to minimize the overall negative utility, which is divided into two parts: the discounted utility of the outcome itself and an anticipated negative utility assigned to the outgrowth. PMID:25747461

The magnetosphere as system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siscoe, G. L.

2012-12-01

What is a system? A group of elements interacting with each other so as to create feedback loops. A system gets complex as the number of feedback loops increases and as the feedback loops exhibit time delays. Positive and negative feedback loops with time delays can give a system intrinsic time dependence and emergent properties. A system generally has input and output flows of something (matter, energy, money), which, if time variable, add an extrinsic component to its behavior. The magnetosphere is a group of elements interacting through feedback loops, some with time delays, driven by energy and mass inflow from a variable solar wind and outflow into the atmosphere and solar wind. The magnetosphere is a complex system. With no solar wind, there is no behavior. With solar wind, there is behavior from intrinsic and extrinsic causes. As a contribution to taking a macroscopic view of magnetospheric dynamics, to treating the magnetosphere as a globally integrated, complex entity, I will discus the magnetosphere as a system, its feedback loops, time delays, emergent behavior, and intrinsic and extrinsic behavior modes.

Effects of feedback delay on learning from positive and negative feedback in patients with Parkinson's disease off medication.

PubMed

Weismüller, Benjamin; Ghio, Marta; Logmin, Kazimierz; Hartmann, Christian; Schnitzler, Alfons; Pollok, Bettina; Südmeyer, Martin; Bellebaum, Christian

2018-05-11

Phasic dopamine (DA) signals conveyed from the substantia nigra to the striatum and the prefrontal cortex crucially affect learning from feedback, with DA bursts facilitating learning from positive feedback and DA dips facilitating learning from negative feedback. Consequently, diminished nigro-striatal dopamine levels as in unmedicated patients suffering from Parkinson's Disease (PD) have been shown to lead to a negative learning bias. Recent studies suggested a diminished striatal contribution to feedback processing when the outcome of an action is temporally delayed. This study investigated whether the bias towards negative feedback learning induced by a lack of DA in PD patients OFF medication is modulated by feedback delay. To this end, PD patients OFF medication and healthy controls completed a probabilistic selection task, in which feedback was given immediately (after 800 ms) or delayed (after 6800 ms). PD patients were impaired in immediate but not delayed feedback learning. However, differences in the preference for positive/negative learning between patients and controls were seen for both learning from immediate and delayed feedback, with evidence of stronger negative learning in patients than controls. A Bayesian analysis of the data supports the conclusion that feedback timing did not affect the learning bias in the patients. These results hint at reduced, but still relevant nigro-striatal contribution to feedback learning, when feedback is delayed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic delay in Crohn's disease is associated with a complicated disease course and increased operation rate.

PubMed

Schoepfer, Alain M; Dehlavi, Mohamed-Ali; Fournier, Nicolas; Safroneeva, Ekaterina; Straumann, Alex; Pittet, Valérie; Peyrin-Biroulet, Laurent; Michetti, Pierre; Rogler, Gerhard; Vavricka, Stephan R

2013-11-01

The impact of diagnostic delay (a period from appearance of first symptoms to diagnosis) on the clinical course of Crohn's disease (CD) is unknown. We examined whether length of diagnostic delay affects disease outcomes. Data from the Swiss IBD cohort study were analyzed. Patients were recruited from university centers (68%), regional hospitals (14%), and private practices (18%). The frequencies of occurrence of bowel stenoses, internal fistulas, perianal fistulas, and CD-related surgery (intestinal and perianal) were analyzed. A total of 905 CD patients (53.4% female, median age at diagnosis 26 (20-36) years) were stratified into four groups according to the quartiles of diagnostic delay (0-3, 4-9, 10-24, and ≥25 months, respectively). Median diagnostic delay was 9 (3-24) months. The frequency of immunomodulator and/or antitumor necrosis factor drug use did not differ among the four groups. The length of diagnostic delay was positively correlated with the occurrence of bowel stenosis (odds ratio (OR) 1.76, P=0.011 for delay of ≥25 months) and intestinal surgery (OR 1.76, P=0.014 for delay of 10-24 months and OR 2.03, P=0.003 for delay of ≥25 months). Disease duration was positively associated and non-ileal disease location was negatively associated with bowel stenosis (OR 1.07, P<0.001, and OR 0.41, P=0.005, respectively) and intestinal surgery (OR 1.14, P<0.001, and OR 0.23, P<0.001, respectively). The length of diagnostic delay is correlated with an increased risk of bowel stenosis and CD-related intestinal surgery. Efforts should be undertaken to shorten the diagnostic delay.

Accelerated long-term forgetting in children with temporal lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

Gascoigne, Michael B; Smith, Mary Lou; Barton, Belinda; Webster, Richard; Gill, Deepak; Lah, Suncica

2014-07-01

Adults with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) have been found to have accelerated long-term forgetting, but this phenomenon has not yet been investigated in children. Although deficits in recall of materials after short (20- to 30-minute) delays have been shown to slowly emerge from childhood to adolescence in patients with TLE, it is unknown whether such a trend will also be found in recall of materials after long delays. This study examined the presence of accelerated long-term forgetting in children with TLE and how it relates to chronological age. Twenty-three children with TLE and 58 healthy controls of similar age, sex distribution and socioeconomic status completed a battery of neuropsychological tests, including standardised tests of story recall and design location, as well as two experimental tests requiring the learning of words and design locations to a criterion, both of which assessed recall after short (30-min) and long (7-day) delays. Word recall at the 7-day delay (relative to the 30-min recall) was significantly poorer in the TLE group, compared to the control group. The TLE group also exhibited worse 30-min recall performance on a standardised test of story recall. Individual patient analyses revealed dissociation between performance on the experimental and standardised verbal memory tests; children who were impaired on the experimental test (7-day delay) were not impaired on the standardised test (30-min delay). Compared to controls, patients with a left-hemisphere seizure focus recalled fewer words at short and long delays while patients with an abnormal hippocampus recalled fewer words at the long delay. No between-group differences were found with respect to the design location task. Age negatively correlated with the recall of words after short- and long-term delays within the TLE group, where older age was associated with worse memory. This association was not present in the control group. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show evidence of accelerated long-term forgetting in children with TLE, which could not be explained by poor performance on standardised memory tests. Additionally, these results suggest that the developmental trajectory of long-term memory in children with TLE is similar to that of short-term memory: deficits emerge gradually, therefore older children are more likely to present with long-term memory deficits. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How time delay and network design shape response patterns in biochemical negative feedback systems.

PubMed

Börsch, Anastasiya; Schaber, Jörg

2016-08-24

Negative feedback in combination with time delay can bring about both sustained oscillations and adaptive behaviour in cellular networks. Here, we study which design features of systems with delayed negative feedback shape characteristic response patterns with special emphasis on the role of time delay. To this end, we analyse generic two-dimensional delay differential equations describing the dynamics of biochemical signal-response networks. We investigate the influence of several design features on the stability of the model equilibrium, i.e., presence of auto-inhibition and/or mass conservation and the kind and/or strength of the delayed negative feedback. We show that auto-inhibition and mass conservation have a stabilizing effect, whereas increasing abruptness and decreasing feedback threshold have a de-stabilizing effect on the model equilibrium. Moreover, applying our theoretical analysis to the mammalian p53 system we show that an auto-inhibitory feedback can decouple period and amplitude of an oscillatory response, whereas the delayed feedback can not. Our theoretical framework provides insight into how time delay and design features of biochemical networks act together to elicit specific characteristic response patterns. Such insight is useful for constructing synthetic networks and controlling their behaviour in response to external stimulation.

Cavity electromagnetically induced transparency with Rydberg atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakar Ali, Abu; Ziauddin

2018-02-01

Cavity electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is revisited via the input probe field intensity. A strongly interacting Rydberg atomic medium ensemble is considered in a cavity, where atoms behave as superatoms (SAs) under the dipole blockade mechanism. Each atom in the strongly interacting Rydberg atomic medium (87 Rb) follows a three-level cascade atomic configuration. A strong control and weak probe field are employed in the cavity with the ensemble of Rydberg atoms. The features of the reflected and transmitted probe light are studied under the influence of the input probe field intensity. A transparency peak (cavity EIT) is revealed at a resonance condition for small values of input probe field intensity. The manipulation of the cavity EIT is reported by tuning the strength of the input probe field intensity. Further, the phase and group delay of the transmitted and reflected probe light are studied. It is found that group delay and phase in the reflected light are negative, while for the transmitted light they are positive. The magnitude control of group delay in the transmitted and reflected light is investigated via the input probe field intensity.

Comparison of anxiety and child-care education characteristics of mothers who have children with or without speech delays.

PubMed

Özdaş, Talih; Şahlı, Ayşe Sanem; Özdemir, Behiye Sarıkaya; Belgin, Erol

2018-01-05

Speech delay in a child could be the cause and/or result of the emotional disorder. The child rearing attitude that the parents have accepted could have both positive and negative effects on the personality of the child. The current study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic features and the mothers' anxiety of children with speech delay. One hundred five mothers with children aged between 3 and 6 years with speech delays were included in the patient group, and 105 mothers who have children aged between 3 and 6 years with normal speech and language development were included in the control group. An information form questionnaire including demographic characteristics, the Family Life and Childrearing Attitude Scale (PARI - Parental Attitude Research Instrument) and beck anxiety scale were requested from all mothers in the patient and the control groups. In the current study, there was a significant difference between the groups in terms of gender (p=0.001). According to Parental Attitude Research Instrument, the mean of mothers of the children with speech delays was higher than the mean of mothers of normal children in terms of the answers to overprotective mother aspect (p<0.01). The mothers of children with speech delays had more overprotective motherhood attitudes; however, the difference in terms of the answers to the aspects of democratic attitude and provision of equality, refusal to be a housewife, husband-wife conflict, and suppression and discipline were not statistically significant. The beck anxiety scale, a significant difference was detected between the two groups (p<0.01). It was found that the mothers of children with speech delays had more severe levels of anxiety. The social structure of the family, the attitudes and the behaviors of the mother, and the anxiety levels of the mothers have important effects on child development. Thus, it is necessary to perform further studies related to speech delays, in which many factors play a role in the etiology. Copyright © 2017 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

The temporal representation of the delay of dynamic iterated rippled noise with positive and negative gain by single units in the ventral cochlear nucleus.

PubMed

Sayles, Mark; Winter, Ian Michael

2007-09-26

Spike trains were recorded from single units in the ventral cochlear nucleus of the anaesthetised guinea-pig in response to dynamic iterated rippled noise with positive and negative gain. The short-term running waveform autocorrelation functions of these stimuli show peaks at integer multiples of the time-varying delay when the gain is +1, and troughs at odd-integer multiples and peaks at even-integer multiples of the time-varying delay when the gain is -1. In contrast, the short-term autocorrelation of the Hilbert envelope shows peaks at integer multiples of the time-varying delay for both positive and negative gain stimuli. A running short-term all-order interspike interval analysis demonstrates the ability of single units to represent the modulated pitch contour in their short-term interval statistics. For units with low best frequency (approximate < or = 1.1 kHz) the temporal discharge pattern reflected the waveform fine structure regardless of unit classification (Primary-like, Chopper). For higher best frequency units the pattern of response varied according to unit type. Chopper units with best frequency approximate > or = 1.1 kHz responded to envelope modulation; showing no difference between their response to stimuli with positive and negative gain. Primary-like units with best frequencies in the range 1-3 kHz were still able to represent the difference in the temporal fine structure between dynamic rippled noise with positive and negative gain. No unit with a best frequency above 3 kHz showed a response to the temporal fine structure. Chopper units in this high frequency group showed significantly greater representation of envelope modulation relative to primary-like units with the same range of best frequencies. These results show that at the level of the cochlear nucleus there exists sufficient information in the time domain to represent the time-varying pitch associated with dynamic iterated rippled noise.

Effect of Two-minute Application of 35% Sodium Ascorbate on Composite Bond Strength following Bleaching.

PubMed

Ismail, Eman H; Kilinc, Evren; Hardigan, Patrick C; Rothrock, James K; Thompson, Jeffrey Y; Garcia-Godoy, Cristina

2017-10-01

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of 35% sodium ascorbate on microtensile bond strength of dentin immediately after bleaching with 35% hydrogen peroxide. A total of 25 sound human 3 rd molars were collected. Teeth were randomly divided into five groups for different treatments: Group I [bleaching + immediate bonding (i.e., restoration)], group II (bleaching + delayed bonding), group III (bleaching + sodium ascorbate + immediate bonding), group IV (bleaching + sodium ascorbate + delayed bonding), and group V (bonding only). After bleaching, but before bonding, groups II and IV were stored for 1 week in deionized water at 37°C. All samples were bonded using OptiBoned FL (Kerr) and Filtek Supreme (3M/ESPE). Teeth were sectioned into 1 × 1 mm 2 bars, and microtensile bond strength was tested with a universal testing machine (Instron 8841) at a cross-head speed of 0.5 mm/minute. Microtensile bond strength differed significantly across the five groups, with a significant reduction in microtensile bond strength observed for samples in group I relative to samples in any of the other treatment groups (p < 0.05). The application of a high concentration of sodium ascorbate for a shorter time reversed the negative effect of 35% hydrogen peroxide bleaching on composite bonding strength to dentin. The negative effects of bleaching on composite bonding can be neutralized by the application of the reversing agent sodium ascorbate thus, increasing the efficiency of clinic chair time. This is clinically relevant for those patients requiring restorative treatment immediately after in-office bleaching.

Factors associated with treatment failure, dropout, and death in a cohort of tuberculosis patients in Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil.

PubMed

de Albuquerque, Maria de Fátima Pessoa Militão; Ximenes, Ricardo Arraes de Alencar; Lucena-Silva, Norma; de Souza, Wayner Vieira; Dantas, Andréa Tavares; Dantas, Odimariles Maria Souza; Rodrigues, Laura Cunha

2007-07-01

A cohort of cases initiating tuberculosis treatment from May 2001 to July 2003 was followed in Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil, to investigate biological, clinical, social, lifestyle, and healthcare access factors associated with three negative tuberculosis treatment outcomes (treatment failure, dropout, and death) separately and as a group. Treatment failure was associated with treatment delay, illiteracy, and alcohol consumption. Factors associated with dropout were age, prior TB treatment, and illiteracy. Death was associated with age, treatment delay, HIV co-infection, and head of family's income. Main factors associated with negative treatment outcomes as a whole were age, HIV co-infection, illiteracy, alcoholism, and prior TB treatment. We suggest the following strategies to increase cure rates: further training of the Family Health Program personnel in TB control, awareness-raising on the need to tailor their activities to special care for cases (e.g., literacy training); targeting use of directly observed therapy for higher risk groups; establishment of a flexible referral scheme to handle technical and psychosocial problems, including alcoholism; and increased collaboration with the HIV/AIDS program.

Memory enhancement by a semantically unrelated emotional arousal source induced after learning.

PubMed

Nielson, Kristy A; Yee, Douglas; Erickson, Kirk I

2005-07-01

It has been well established that moderate physiological or emotional arousal modulates memory. However, there is some controversy about whether the source of arousal must be semantically related to the information to be remembered. To test this idea, 35 healthy young adult participants learned a list of common nouns and afterward viewed a semantically unrelated, neutral or emotionally arousing videotape. The tape was shown after learning to prevent arousal effects on encoding or attention, instead influencing memory consolidation. Heart rate increase was significantly greater in the arousal group, and negative affect was significantly less reported in the non-arousal group after the video. The arousal group remembered significantly more words than the non-arousal group at both 30 min and 24 h delays, despite comparable group memory performance prior to the arousal manipulation. These results demonstrate that emotional arousal, even from an unrelated source, is capable of modulating memory consolidation. Potential reasons for contradictory findings in some previous studies, such as the timing of "delayed" memory tests, are discussed.

Short-term and long-term collaboration benefits on individual recall in younger and older adults

PubMed Central

Stern, Yaakov

2011-01-01

A recent study of younger adults suggests that, compared to repeated individual recall trials, repeated collaborative recall trials produce better individual recall after a short delay (Blumen & Rajaram, 2008). Our study was designed to determine if such collaboration benefits would remain after a one-week delay, in both younger and older adults. Sixty younger (M age = 24.60) and 60 older (M age = 67.35) adults studied a list of words and then completed either two collaborative recall trials followed by two individual recall trials, or four individual recall trials. A five-min delay was inserted between the first three recall trials. The fourth recall trial was administered 1 week later. Collaborative recall was completed in groups of three individuals working together. Both younger and older adults benefitted from repeated collaborative recall trials to a greater extent than repeated individual recall trials, and such collaboration benefits remained after a one-week delay. This is the first demonstration of collaboration benefits on later individual recall at delays as long as 1 week, in both younger and older adults. Findings are discussed within the context of the negative effects of collaboration associated with group memory (collaborative inhibition) and the positive effects of collaboration associated with later individual memory (collaboration benefits). PMID:21264617

Short-term and long-term collaboration benefits on individual recall in younger and older adults.

PubMed

Blumen, Helena M; Stern, Yaakov

2011-01-01

A recent study of younger adults suggests that, compared to repeated individual recall trials, repeated collaborative recall trials produce better individual recall after a short delay (Blumen & Rajaram, 2008). Our study was designed to determine if such collaboration benefits would remain after a one-week delay, in both younger and older adults. Sixty younger (M age = 24.60) and 60 older (M age = 67.35) adults studied a list of words and then completed either two collaborative recall trials followed by two individual recall trials, or four individual recall trials. A five-min delay was inserted between the first three recall trials. The fourth recall trial was administered 1 week later. Collaborative recall was completed in groups of three individuals working together. Both younger and older adults benefitted from repeated collaborative recall trials to a greater extent than repeated individual recall trials, and such collaboration benefits remained after a one-week delay. This is the first demonstration of collaboration benefits on later individual recall at delays as long as 1 week, in both younger and older adults. Findings are discussed within the context of the negative effects of collaboration associated with group memory (collaborative inhibition) and the positive effects of collaboration associated with later individual memory (collaboration benefits).

Evidence for opponent-process actions of intravenous cocaine.

PubMed

Ettenberg, A; Raven, M A; Danluck, D A; Necessary, B D

1999-11-01

The present experiment was devised to test a prediction of the Opponent-Process Theory of drug action. This theory presumes that the initial affective experience of a subject treated with cocaine would be diametrically different immediately after administration compared to some point later in time when the positive impact of the drug had subsided. A conditioned place-preference procedure was employed in which a novel environment was paired with the effects of cocaine either immediately after, 5 min after, or 15 min after an intravenous injection of 0.75 mg/kg cocaine. It was hypothesized that animals would come to prefer environments associated with the immediate positive effects of cocaine and avoid environments associated with the drug's subsequent negative effects. The results confirmed this hypothesis. While the 0-min delay and 5-min delay groups exhibited conditioned preferences for the cocaine-paired environment, the 15-min delay group came to avoid the side of the preference apparatus paired with cocaine. These data, therefore, serve as additional support for an Opponent-Process account of cocaine's actions.

Implications of delayed bone marrow aspirations at the end of treatment induction for risk stratification and outcome in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

PubMed

Zuna, Jan; Moericke, Anja; Arens, Mari; Koehler, Rolf; Panzer-Grümayer, Renate; Bartram, Claus R; Fischer, Susanna; Fronkova, Eva; Zaliova, Marketa; Schrauder, André; Stanulla, Martin; Zimmermann, Martin; Trka, Jan; Stary, Jan; Attarbaschi, Andishe; Mann, Georg; Schrappe, Martin; Cario, Gunnar

2016-06-01

Minimal residual disease (MRD) at the end of induction therapy is important for risk stratification of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), but bone marrow (BM) aspiration is often postponed or must be repeated to fulfil qualitative and quantitative criteria for morphological assessment of haematological remission and/or MRD analysis. The impact of BM aspiration delay on measured MRD levels and resulting risk stratification is currently unknown. We analysed paired MRD data of 289 paediatric ALL patients requiring a repeat BM aspiration. MRD levels differed in 108 patients (37%) with a decrease in the majority (85/108). This would have resulted in different risk group allocation in 64 of 289 patients (23%) when applying the ALL-Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster 2000 criteria. MRD change was associated with the duration of delay; 40% of patients with delay ≥7 days had a shift to lower MRD levels compared to only 18% after a shorter delay. Patients MRD-positive at the original but MRD-negative at the repeat BM aspiration (n = 50) had a worse 5-year event-free survival than those already negative at first aspiration (n = 115) (86 ± 5% vs. 94 ± 2%; P = 0·024). We conclude that BM aspirations should be pursued as scheduled in the protocol because delayed MRD sampling at end of induction may result in false-low MRD load and distort MRD-based risk assessment. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Delayed tuberculin reactivity in persons of Indochinese origin: implications for preventive therapy.

PubMed

Robertson, J M; Burtt, D S; Edmonds, K L; Molina, P L; Kiefe, C I; Ellner, J J

1996-05-01

To 1) study a variant delayed reaction to tuberculin testing as a way to enhance screening for tuberculosis among high-risk persons and 2) correlate the delayed reaction with lymphocyte blastogenesis. Cross-sectional study. 2 public health department clinics in North Carolina. 121 adults who had recently emigrated from Vietnam to North Carolina and who were ethnic Vietnamese and ethnic Dega, a minority population group from the central highlands region of Vietnam. Medical history, physical examination, laboratory evaluation, and standard purified protein derivative (PPD) testing (Mantoux method). Skin test results were read at 72 hours and again at 6 days. Variant reactivity was defined as induration of less than 10 mm at 72 hours that, when reassessed at 6 days, had increased in size to 10 mm or greater. Persons with negative (n=54) and variant (n=32) PPD results also had booster testing at 10 to 12 weeks. Serum samples were obtained from 57 participants for lymphocyte blastogenesis studies. 26% of participants had variant tuberculin reactivity. Variant reactivity was strongly associated with booster positivity: Sixty-five percent of persons with variant PPD results had booster positivity compared with 16% of persons with negative PPD results (P<0.001). The lymphocyte blastogenesis response of persons with variant PPD results was between the response of persons with negative PPD results and that of persons with positive PPD results. Variant reactivity in this high-risk group was a predictor of booster positivity. Together with the blastogenic response pattern, this association strongly suggests that variant reactivity has a high positive predictive value for tuberculous infection. Clinicians should incorporate these findings into their approach for choosing candidates for preventive therapy.

Effects of stochastic time-delayed feedback on a dynamical system modeling a chemical oscillator.

PubMed

González Ochoa, Héctor O; Perales, Gualberto Solís; Epstein, Irving R; Femat, Ricardo

2018-05-01

We examine how stochastic time-delayed negative feedback affects the dynamical behavior of a model oscillatory reaction. We apply constant and stochastic time-delayed negative feedbacks to a point Field-Körös-Noyes photosensitive oscillator and compare their effects. Negative feedback is applied in the form of simulated inhibitory electromagnetic radiation with an intensity proportional to the concentration of oxidized light-sensitive catalyst in the oscillator. We first characterize the system under nondelayed inhibitory feedback; then we explore and compare the effects of constant (deterministic) versus stochastic time-delayed feedback. We find that the oscillatory amplitude, frequency, and waveform are essentially preserved when low-dispersion stochastic delayed feedback is used, whereas small but measurable changes appear when a large dispersion is applied.

Effects of stochastic time-delayed feedback on a dynamical system modeling a chemical oscillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González Ochoa, Héctor O.; Perales, Gualberto Solís; Epstein, Irving R.; Femat, Ricardo

2018-05-01

We examine how stochastic time-delayed negative feedback affects the dynamical behavior of a model oscillatory reaction. We apply constant and stochastic time-delayed negative feedbacks to a point Field-Körös-Noyes photosensitive oscillator and compare their effects. Negative feedback is applied in the form of simulated inhibitory electromagnetic radiation with an intensity proportional to the concentration of oxidized light-sensitive catalyst in the oscillator. We first characterize the system under nondelayed inhibitory feedback; then we explore and compare the effects of constant (deterministic) versus stochastic time-delayed feedback. We find that the oscillatory amplitude, frequency, and waveform are essentially preserved when low-dispersion stochastic delayed feedback is used, whereas small but measurable changes appear when a large dispersion is applied.

Local and global stability for Lotka-Volterra systems with distributed delays and instantaneous negative feedbacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faria, Teresa; Oliveira, José J.

This paper addresses the local and global stability of n-dimensional Lotka-Volterra systems with distributed delays and instantaneous negative feedbacks. Necessary and sufficient conditions for local stability independent of the choice of the delay functions are given, by imposing a weak nondelayed diagonal dominance which cancels the delayed competition effect. The global asymptotic stability of positive equilibria is established under conditions slightly stronger than the ones required for the linear stability. For the case of monotone interactions, however, sharper conditions are presented. This paper generalizes known results for discrete delays to systems with distributed delays. Several applications illustrate the results.

A SERIES OF SUPPRESSIVE SIGNALS WITHIN THE DROSOPHILA CIRCADIAN NEURAL CIRCUIT GENERATES SEQUENTIAL DAILY OUTPUTS

PubMed Central

Liang, Xitong; Holy, Timothy E; Taghert, Paul H

2017-01-01

Summary We studied the Drosophila circadian neural circuit using whole brain imaging in vivo. Five major groups of pacemaker neurons display synchronized molecular clocks, yet each exhibits a distinct phase of daily Ca2+ activation. Light and neuropeptide PDF from morning cells (s-LNv) together delay the phase of the evening (LNd) group by ~12 h; PDF alone delays the phase of the DN3 group, by ~17 h. Neuropeptide sNPF, released from s-LNv and LNd pacemakers, produces latenight Ca2+ activation in the DN1 group. The circuit also features negative feedback by PDF to truncate the s-LNv Ca2+ wave and terminate PDF release. Both PDF and sNPF suppress basal Ca2+ levels in target pacemakers with long durations by cell autonomous actions. Thus, light and neuropeptides act dynamically at distinct hubs of the circuit to produce multiple suppressive events that create the proper tempo and sequence of circadian pacemaker neuronal activities. PMID:28552314

Narrative theory: II. Self-generated and experimenter-provided negative income shock narratives increase delay discounting.

PubMed

Mellis, Alexandra M; Snider, Sarah E; Bickel, Warren K

2018-04-01

Reading experimenter-provided narratives of negative income shock has been previously demonstrated to increase impulsivity, as measured by discounting of delayed rewards. We hypothesized that writing these narratives would potentiate their effects of negative income shock on decision-making more than simply reading them. In the current study, 193 cigarette-smoking individuals from Amazon Mechanical Turk were assigned to either read an experimenter-provided narrative or self-generate a narrative describing either the negative income shock of job loss or a neutral condition of job transfer. Individuals then completed a task of delay discounting and measures of affective response to narratives, as well as rating various narrative qualities such as personal relevance and vividness. Consistent with past research, narratives of negative income shock increased delay discounting compared to control narratives. No significant differences existed in delay discounting after self-generating compared to reading experimenter-provided narratives. Positive affect was lower and negative affect was higher in response to narratives of job loss, but affect measures did not differ based on whether narratives were experimenter-provided or self-generated. All narratives were rated as equally realistic, but self-generated narratives (whether negative or neutral) were rated as more vivid and relevant than experimenter-provided narratives. These results indicate that the content of negative income shock narratives, regardless of source, consistently drives short-term choices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationship between obesity and body compositions with respect to the timing of puberty in Chongqing adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

He, Fang; Guan, Peiyu; Liu, Qin; Crabtree, Donna; Peng, Linli; Wang, Hong

2017-08-18

It is well known that excess adiposity during childhood may influence pubertal development. However, the extent to which body compositions vary in throughout puberty in boys and girls is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether obesity and body compositions correlate with the timing of puberty in boys and girls. By random cluster sampling, our study analyzed data from 1472 students (690 girls, 782 boys) aged 6-17 years from two schools in the Chongqing area. Data were collected by physical examination of weight, height, and skinfold thicknesses. Testicular volume was measured in boys and breast development in girls. By which we got the indicators of obesity, timing of puberty and body compositions. Probit regression analysis was used to group subjects into early puberty (>P 25 ), on-time puberty (P 25  ~ P 75 ), and delayed puberty (

 0.05). In girls, delayed puberty was negatively correlated with Obesity, percentage of body fat, fat mass and fat-free mass, and positively correlated with body density. But in boys, delayed puberty was only negatively correlated with Obesity, the relation between puberty and body compositions was not found.

Cola beverage consumption delays alveolar bone healing: a histometric study in rats.

PubMed

Teófilo, Juliana Mazzonetto; Leonel, Daniel Vilela; Lamano, Teresa

2010-01-01

Epidemiological studies have suggested that cola beverage consumption may affect bone metabolism and increase bone fracture risk. Experimental evidence linking cola beverage consumption to deleterious effects on bone is lacking. Herein, we investigated whether cola beverage consumption from weaning to early puberty delays the rate of reparative bone formation inside the socket of an extracted tooth in rats. Twenty male Wistar rats received cola beverage (cola group) or tap water (control group) ad libitum from the age of 23 days until tooth extraction at 42 days and euthanasia 2 and 3 weeks later. The neoformed bone volume inside the alveolar socket was estimated in semi-serial longitudinal sections using a quantitative differential point-counting method. Histological examination suggested a decrease in the osteogenic process within the tooth sockets of rats from both cola groups, which had thinner and sparser new bone trabeculae. Histometric data confirmed that alveolar bone healing was significantly delayed in cola-fed rats at three weeks after tooth extraction (ANOVA, p = 0.0006, followed by Tukey's test, p < 0.01). Although the results of studies in rats cannot be extrapolated directly to human clinical dentistry, the present study provides evidence that cola beverage consumption negatively affect maxillary bone formation.

Delay discounting and impulsivity traits in young and older gambling disorder patients.

PubMed

Steward, Trevor; Mestre-Bach, Gemma; Fernández-Aranda, Fernando; Granero, Roser; Perales, José C; Navas, Juan Francisco; Soriano-Mas, Carles; Baño, Marta; Fernández-Formoso, Jose A; Martín-Romera, Virginia; Menchón, José M; Jiménez-Murcia, Susana

2017-08-01

Impulsivity is understood to be a multidimensional construct involving aspects such as impulsive choice and impulsive traits. Delay discounting, the tendency to place greater value in immediate rewards over larger, long-term rewards, has been associated with maladaptive choices in gambling disorder (GD). Delay discounting is known to evolve with age; though no study to date has evaluated the interactions between impulsivity, GD severity and age in treatment-seeking patients. We aimed to examine whether associations between delay discounting and impulsivity traits differed between younger and older-aged GD patients. Secondly, we sought to untangle the mediating role of impulsivity in determining gambling behavior in these two age groups. GD patients (N=335) were evaluated using the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale and a delay discounting task. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to explore associations between impulsivity measures and gambling severity in young (18-30years) and old (31-70) GD patients. No differences in delay discounting were found between young and old GD patients. Significant correlations between delay discounting and urgency levels (the tendency to act rashly under emotional states) were identified only in the young GD group. Path analyses also revealed both positive and negative urgency to be a mediator of GD severity levels in young GD patients. Significant associations between impulsive choice and positive urgency are only present in young gamblers, suggesting that positive urgency influence choice behavior to a greater degree at younger ages. Implications for targeted interventions are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Altered neural reward representations in pathological gamblers revealed by delay and probability discounting.

PubMed

Miedl, Stephan F; Peters, Jan; Büchel, Christian

2012-02-01

The neural basis of excessive delay discounting and reduced risk sensitivity of pathological gamblers with a particular focus on subjective neural reward representations has not been previously examined. To examine how pathological gamblers represent subjective reward value at a neural level and how this is affected by gambling severity. Model-based functional magnetic resonance imaging study with patients and control subjects. Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. Participants were recruited from the local community by advertisement and through self-help groups. A sample of 16 pathological gamblers (according to the DSM-IV definition) was matched by age, sex, smoking status, income, educational level, and handedness to 16 healthy controls. Pathological gamblers showed increased discounting of delayed rewards and a trend toward decreased discounting of probabilistic rewards compared with matched controls. At the neural level, a significant group × condition interaction indicated that reward representations in the gamblers were modulated in a condition-specific manner, such that they exhibited increased (delay discounting) and decreased (probability discounting) neural value correlations in the reward system. In addition, throughout the reward system, neuronal value signals for delayed rewards were negatively correlated with gambling severity. The results extend previous reports of a generally hypoactive reward system in pathological gamblers by showing that, even when subjective reward valuation is accounted for, gamblers still show altered reward representations. Furthermore, results point toward a gradual degradation of mesolimbic reward representations for delayed rewards during the course of pathological gambling.

Investigation of the influence of emotions on working memory capacity using ERP and ERSP.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Gaoyan; Liu, Baolin

2017-08-15

Recent studies have reported that there are individual differences in working memory (WM), and that WM may be affected by emotions. To date, it remains controversial whether emotions impair or facilitate WM and whether there are individual differences in their effect on WM. In this study, three emotions (negative, neutral, and positive) were induced by a video database that was established according to the emotional stimuli habit of Chinese people. A change detection paradigm was used to examine the effect of emotions on the visual WM. Participants were divided into high- and low-capacity groups according to their WM capacity. The behavioral results revealed that both negative and positive emotions may enhance WM capacity in the high-capacity group compared with the neutral emotion. In contrast, an opposite effect was observed in the low-capacity group. Analysis of the contralateral delay activity and P300 components demonstrated significantly higher amplitudes in the high-capacity group following positive and negative emotions; the effects were opposite in the low-capacity group. The event-related spectral perturbation results demonstrated a more powerful event-related synchronization in the alpha-band (300-400ms) in the low-capacity group in positive and negative emotions; opposite results were observed in the high-capacity group. The consistence of the behavioral and electrophysiological results suggests interindividual differences in the impact of emotions on the WM capacity. Moreover, both positive and negative emotions can facilitate WM capacity in the high-capacity group, while they impair WM capacity in the low-capacity group. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diabetic Driving Studies-Part 2: A Comparison of Brake Response Time Between Drivers With Diabetes With and Without Lower Extremity Sensorimotor Neuropathy.

PubMed

Spiess, Kerianne E; Sansosti, Laura E; Meyr, Andrew J

We have previously demonstrated an abnormally delayed mean brake response time and an increased frequency of abnormally delayed brake responses in a group of neuropathic drivers with diabetes compared with a control group of drivers with neither diabetes nor lower extremity neuropathy. The objective of the present case-control study was to compare the mean brake response time between 2 groups of drivers with diabetes with and without lower extremity sensorimotor neuropathy. The braking performances of the participants were evaluated using a computerized driving simulator with specific measurement of the mean brake response time and the frequency of the abnormally delayed brake responses. We compared a control group of 25 active drivers with type 2 diabetes without lower extremity neuropathy and an experimental group of 25 active drivers with type 2 diabetes and lower extremity neuropathy from an urban U.S. podiatric medical clinic. The experimental group demonstrated an 11.49% slower mean brake response time (0.757 ± 0.180 versus 0.679 ± 0.120 second; p < .001), with abnormally delayed reactions occurring at a greater frequency (57.5% versus 35.0%; p < .001). Independent of a comparative statistical analysis, diabetic drivers with neuropathy demonstrated a mean brake response time slower than a suggested safety threshold of 0.70 second, and diabetic drivers without neuropathy demonstrated a mean brake response time faster than this threshold. The results of the present investigation provide evidence that the specific onset of lower extremity sensorimotor neuropathy associated with diabetes appears to impart a negative effect on automobile brake responses. Copyright © 2017 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shiraz Verbal Learning Test (SVLT): Normative Data for Neurologically Intact Speakers of Persian.

PubMed

Rahmani, Fahimeh; Haghshenas, Hassan; Mehrabanpour, Abdolrasoul; Mani, Arash; Mahmoodi, Mohammad

2017-08-01

Memory assessment plays an important role in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders. Several tests, such as the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), have been developed for this purpose, yet a variety of different factors can affect one's performance on such tests, the most important of which are demographic and cultural variables. The present study examined the norming process performed on the CVLT-revised and aimed to devise a new test, the Shiraz Verbal Learning Test (SVLT), to better meet the needs of speakers of Persian. In order to collect normative data, a group of 1275 Persian-speaking individuals consisting of both sexes (676 women and 599 men) aged 20-89 years old were selected for this study. The results of Pearson's Correlation analysis indicated that there was a significant negative correlation between age and SVLT performance and a positive one between education and SVLT performance (p < .001) among the whole sample. Moreover, between-group analyses showed that the female participants performed significantly better than their male counterparts on nearly all subtests (Total Trails 1-5, Short-Delay Free Recall, Short-Delay Cued Recall, Long-Delay Free Recall, Long-Delay Cued Recall, and Total Learning Slope), with the only exception being Long-Delay Yes/No Recognition. These results suggest that the SVLT has the potential to be further developed among different culture and language groups. This test can also be used for clinical and research purposes for patients with neuropsychiatric disorders who need further neuropsychological assessment. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Immunotoxicological evaluation of wheat genetically modified with TaDREB4 gene on BALB/c mice.

PubMed

Liang, Chun Lai; Zhang, Xiao Peng; Song, Yan; Jia, Xu Dong

2013-08-01

To evaluate the immunotoxicological effects of genetically modified wheat with TaDREB4 gene in female BALB/c mice. Female mice weighing 18-22 g were divided into five groups (10 mice/group), which were set as negative control group, common wheat group, parental wheat group, genetically modified wheat group and cyclophosphamide positive control group, respectively. Mice in negative control group and positive control group were fed with AIN93G diet, mice in common wheat group, non-genetically modified parental wheat group and genetically modified wheat group were fed with feedstuffs added corresponding wheat (the proportion is 76%) for 30 days, then body weight, absolute and relative weight of spleen and thymus, white blood cell count, histological examination of immune organ, peripheral blood lymphocytes phenotyping, serum cytokine, serum immunoglobulin, antibody plaque-forming cell, serum half hemolysis value, mitogen-induced splenocyte proliferation, delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction and phagocytic activities of phagocytes were detected. No immunotoxicological effects related to the consumption of the genetically modified wheat were observed in BALB/c mice when compared with parental wheat group, common wheat group and negative control group. From the immunotoxicological point of view, results from this study demonstrate that genetically modified wheat with TaDREB4 gene is as safe as the parental wheat. Copyright © 2013 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

Wigner time delay in photodetachment of Tm-and in photoionization of Yb: A comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Soumyajit; Jose, Jobin; Deshmukh, Pranawa; Dolmatov, Valeriy; Kheifets, Anatoli; Manson, Steven

2017-04-01

Preliminary studies of Wigner time delay in photodetachment spectra of negative ions have been reported. Photodetachment time delay for some dipole channels of Tm- and of Cl- were calculated using relativistic random phase approximation (RRPA). Comparisons between photodetachment time delay of Cl- and photoionization time delay of Ar were made. We investigate the photodetachment time delay for all three relativistically split nd -> ɛ f channels of Tm- and for nd -> ɛ f channels of Yb (isoelectronic to Tm-) using RRPA. We study the effect of the shape resonance, brought about by the centrifugal barrier potential, on photodetachment time delay. A negative ion is a good laboratory for studying the effects of shape resonances on time delay since the phase is unaffected by the Coulomb component. Wigner time delay in photodetachment of Tm- and in photoionization of Yb: A comparative study.

"Saving Sex for Later": Developing a Parent-Child Communication Intervention to Delay Sexual Initiation among Young Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Donnell, Lydia; Wilson-Simmons, Renee; Dash, Kim; Jeanbaptiste, Varzi; Myint-U, Athi; Moss, Jesse; Stueve, Ann

2007-01-01

Young adolescents in communities with high rates of early sexual initiation are at risk of multiple negative health outcomes. Although sex education programs for this age group are often controversial, surveys document that many mothers and fathers would appreciate guidance about how to discuss sexuality with their children. This paper presents an…

Effects of Emotion on Associative Recognition: Valence and Retention Interval Matter

PubMed Central

Pierce, Benton H.; Kensinger, Elizabeth A.

2011-01-01

In two experiments, we examined the effects of emotional valence and arousal on associative binding. Participants studied negative, positive, and neutral word pairs, followed by an associative recognition test. In Experiment 1, with a short-delayed test, accuracy for intact pairs was equivalent across valences, whereas accuracy for rearranged pairs was lower for negative than for positive and neutral pairs. In Experiment 2, we tested participants after a one-week delay and found that accuracy was greater for intact negative than for intact neutral pairs, whereas rearranged pair accuracy was equivalent across valences. These results suggest that, although negative emotional valence impairs associative binding after a short delay, it may improve binding after a longer delay. The results also suggest that valence, as well as arousal, needs to be considered when examining the effects of emotion on associative memory. PMID:21401233

Trajectories of positive, negative and general psychopathology symptoms in first episode psychosis and their relationship with functioning over a 2-year follow-up period.

PubMed

Abdin, Edimansyah; Chong, Siow Ann; Vaingankar, Janhavi Ajit; Peh, Chao Xu; Poon, Lye Yin; Rao, Sujatha; Verma, Swapna; Subramaniam, Mythily

2017-01-01

Few studies have examined the trajectories of symptom severity in first episode psychosis (FEP) and their impact on functioning. This study aimed to identify discrete trajectories of positive, negative and general psychopathological symptoms and functioning, determine predictors of the identified symptom trajectories and subsequently investigate the relationship between symptom and functioning trajectories over the 2-year follow-up period. Data were extracted from the Singapore Early Psychosis Intervention Programme clinical database. Trajectories of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale over the two-year follow up were modelled using latent class growth curve modelling. Two distinct trajectories (early response and stable trajectory and delayed response trajectory) for positive symptoms, four distinct trajectories (early response and stable trajectory, early response and relapse trajectory, slower response and no response trajectory and delayed response trajectory) for negative and general psychopathology symptoms and three distinct trajectories for functioning (high functioning trajectory, moderately stable functioning trajectory and deterioration in functioning trajectory) were identified in our sample. Compared to individuals in the early response and stable trajectory, those in the delayed response trajectory for positive and negative symptoms, early response and relapse for negative and general psychopathology symptoms and slower response and no response trajectories for general psychopathology symptoms were significantly associated with higher odds of having deterioration in functioning over time. Poor symptom trajectories were also significantly predicted by younger age, male gender, unemployed and economically inactive status, lower education, longer duration of untreated psychosis and diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum and delusional disorders. The results confirm that the symptoms trajectories among patients with FEP are heterogeneous and suggest that a small group of patients may be at higher risk of deterioration in symptom severity and functioning over the 2-year follow-up.

Blood screening in a southern Nigeria City: a case study with SAVAN.

PubMed

Ehikhamenor, Edeaghe; Azodo, Clement; Chinedu, Ekeh; Festus, Eghieme

2009-10-01

Commercial motorcycle transportation and motorbike riding in Nigeria is prevalent, and road traffic accidents often result. Characteristic of such accidents is massive blood loss, thus exerting extreme pressure on the blood bank for replenishment and screening. The need to galvanize the system to design a blood bank with minimal bureaucracy and easy access led to screening for blood group. A delay in accessing blood for the victims leads to higher mortality. Our approach was to establish a pre-crash blood data for all auto-bike riders who participated in Save Accident Victims Association of Nigeria (SAVAN, an indigenous, nongovernmental organization) training program. Data used were obtained from 1250 auto-bike riders who volunteered at our workshop. Tile grouping method was used for the screening. Blood group O positive (54.3%) was the most common blood group type among the auto-bike riders studied, with A positive following at 20.3 percent, B positive at 18.8 percent, O negative at 3.7 percent, AB positive at 1.3 percent, B negative at 1.1 percent, and A negative at 0.5 percent. It was observed that none of the volunteers grouped AB negative. Blood group of auto-bike riders, pedestrians, passengers, and all potential victims should be documented in their identification card to facilitate blood transfusion during major crisis or disasters where the facilities for typing are not available.

A pilot study of prophylactic ciprofloxacin during delayed intensification in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PubMed

Yousef, Abdelmottaleb A; Fryer, Christopher J H; Chedid, Fares D; Abbas, Adil A H; Felimban, Sami K; Khattab, Taha M

2004-11-01

We hypothesized that prophylactic administration of an appropriate antibiotic following each delayed intensification (DI) in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) would reduce the episodes of fever and bacteremia associated with neutropenia, and hence reduce both the rate and duration of hospitalization. All patients in the study were treated according to a modified Medical Research Council United Kingdom ALL XI (MRC UKALL XI) protocol utilizing three DI courses. Between June and December 2000 patients received prophylactic ciprofloxacin following DI courses. The rates of hospitalization and bacteremias were compared to ALL patients who had received between one and three DI courses prior to June 2000. There were 69 patients who received a total of 194 DIs (controls 130; study group 64). The rate of hospitalization was 90% in the controls and 58% in the study group (P < 0.001). The median hospital stay was 10.1 days for controls and 6.0 for the study group (P < 0.001). Intensive care unit admissions were reduced from 12 to 1.5% (P = 0.02). The overall rate of proven bacteremia was reduced from 22 to 9% (P = 0.028). There were no Gram-negative bacteremias in the study group compared to 10 (7.7%) in the controls (P < 0.001). Compared to historical controls, patients in this study receiving prophylactic ciprofloxacin had a reduced rate and duration of hospitalization and incidence of Gram-negative bacteremia. (c) 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Resting-state Brain Activity Changes Associated with Tardive Dyskinesia in Patients with Schizophrenia: Fractional Amplitude of Low-frequency Fluctuation Decreased in the Occipital Lobe.

PubMed

Zhang, Ping; Li, Yanli; Fan, Fengmei; Li, Chiang-Shan R; Luo, Xingguang; Yang, Fude; Yao, Yin; Tan, Yunlong

2018-06-19

We explored resting-state brain activity and its potential links to clinical parameters in schizophrenic patients with tardive dyskinesia (TD) using fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 32 schizophrenic patients with TD (TD group), 31 without TD (NTD group), and 32 healthy controls (HC group). Clinical parameters including psychopathological symptoms, severity of TD, and cognitive function were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS), and Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, respectively. Pearson correlation analyses were performed to determine the relationship between the regions with altered fALFF values and clinical parameters in TD patients. The TD group showed decreased fALFF in the left middle occipital gyrus (MOG) and the right calcarine sulcus (CAL) compared to the HC group, and decreased fALFF in the left cuneus compared to the NTD group. In the TD group, fALFF values in the left MOG and the right CAL were correlated separately with the delayed memory score (r = 0.44, p = 0.027; r = 0.43, p = 0.028, respectively). The AIMS total score was negatively correlated to the visuospatial/constructional score (r = -0.53, p = 0.005). Our findings suggested that resting-state brain activity changes were associated with TD in schizophrenic patients. There was an association between the decreased brain activity in the occipital lobe and the delayed memory cognition impairment in this population. Copyright © 2018 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential chemoprevention of diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats: myrrh (Commiphora molmol) vs. turmeric (Curcuma longa).

PubMed

El-Shahat, Mohamed; El-Abd, Sabah; Alkafafy, Mohamed; El-Khatib, Gamal

2012-09-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the potential chemopreventive effects of myrrh (Commiphora molmol) vs. turmeric (Curcuma longa) in hepatocarcinogenic rats induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of diethylnitrosamine (DENA) (200 mg/kg body weight). Ninety male Wistar rats used in this study were randomly divided into six equal groups (n=15). Group 1 rats served as negative controls; group 2 received a single i.p. injection of DENA and served as positive controls. Rats in both groups were fed on basal diet. Group 3 rats were fed a diet containing 5% turmeric, whereas group 4 rats were fed a diet containing 2% myrrh. Rats in groups 5 and 6 received a single i.p. injection of DENA and were fed diets containing 5% turmeric and 2% myrrh, respectively. The study demonstrated that DENA caused a significant increase in serum indices of liver enzymes and also severe histological and immunohistochemical changes in hepatic tissues. These included disorganized hepatic parenchyma, appearance of pseudoacinar and trabecular arrays of hepatocytes and alterations in CD10-immunoreactivity. Dietary supplementation of turmeric relatively improved the biochemical parameters to values approximating those of the negative controls and delayed the initiation of carcinogenesis. In contrast, myrrh did not improve the biochemical parameters or delay the hepatocarcinogenesis. Both turmeric and myrrh induced significant biochemical and histological changes in non-treated rats. In conclusion, DENA significantly changes the biological enzymatic activities in serum and the integrity of hepatic tissues. Phytochemicals with potential hepatoprotective effects must be applied cautiously owing to their potential hepatotoxicity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Cannabis Use and Outcomes in Patients With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

PubMed

Behrouz, Réza; Birnbaum, Lee; Grandhi, Ramesh; Johnson, Jeremiah; Misra, Vivek; Palacio, Santiago; Seifi, Ali; Topel, Christopher; Garvin, Rachel; Caron, Jean-Louis

2016-05-01

The incidence of cannabis use in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and its impact on morbidity, mortality, and outcomes are unknown. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between cannabis use and outcomes in patients with aSAH. Records of consecutive patients admitted with aSAH between 2010 and 2015 were reviewed. Clinical features and outcomes of aSAH patients with negative urine drug screen and cannabinoids-positive (CB+) were compared. Regression analyses were used to assess for associations. The study group consisted of 108 patients; 25.9% with CB+. Delayed cerebral ischemia was diagnosed in 50% of CB+ and 23.8% of urine drug screen negative patients (P=0.01). CB+ was independently associated with development of delayed cerebral ischemia (odds ratio, 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-6.99; P=0.01). A significantly higher number of CB+ than urine drug screen negative patients had poor outcome (35.7% versus 13.8%; P=0.01). In univariate analysis, CB+ was associated with the composite end point of hospital mortality/severe disability (odds ratio, 2.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-8.01; P=0.04). However, after adjusting for other predictors, this effect was no longer significant. We offer preliminary data that CB+ is independently associated with delayed cerebral ischemia and possibly poor outcome in patients with aSAH. Our findings add to the growing evidence on the association of cannabis with cerebrovascular risk. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Assessment of atrial electromechanical delay and influential factors in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Yagmur, Julide; Yetkin, Ozkan; Cansel, Mehmet; Acikgoz, Nusret; Ermis, Necip; Karakus, Yasin; Tasolar, Hakan

2012-03-01

The interaction between moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cardiac arrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation (AF), is well known. We aimed to determine whether atrial electromechanical parameters assessed by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) would be affected in moderate-to-severe OSA, and detect the influential factors of atrial electromechanical parameters in these patients. Interatrial and intra-atrial electromechanical delay was measured by TDI in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA (n = 64) and control subjects (n = 39). P-wave dispersion (PWD) was calculated on the 12-lead ECG. Interatrial and intra-atrial electromechanical delay was significantly higher in the OSA group when compared with the controls (52.26 ± 12.9 vs 29.61 ± 11.26, P < 0.0001 and 18.90 ± 8.13 vs 8.71 ± 5.46, P < 0.0001; respectively). PWD was higher in the OSA group (46.09 ± 13.40 ms vs 34.10 ± 10.75 ms, P < 0.0001). Interatrial electromechanical delay had a positive correlation with PWD (r = 0.490, P < 0.0001), left atrial (LA) diameter (r = 0.383, P = 0.002), LA volume index (r = 0.354, P = 0.004), and apnea-hypopnea index (r = 0.365, P = 0.003). In addition, interatrial electromechanical delay was negatively correlated with the magnitude of the lowest oxygen saturation percentage (r = -0.498, P < 0.0001). This study showed that interatrial and intra-atrial electromechanical delay and PWD were prolonged in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA. LA dilatation, hypoxemia, and the severity of the disease may contribute a prolongation in interatrial electromechanical delay via atrial structural and electrical alterations, which may predict the risk of future AF development in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA.

Rasagiline in the Treatment of the Persistent Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Buchanan, Robert W; Weiner, Elaine; Kelly, Deanna L; Gold, James M; Keller, William R; Waltz, James A; McMahon, Robert P; Gorelick, David A

2015-07-01

The current study examined the efficacy and safety of rasagiline, a selective MAO-B inhibitor, for the treatment of persistent negative symptoms. Sixty people with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, who met a priori criteria for persistent negative symptoms, were randomized to receive rasagiline, 1mg/d (n = 31) or placebo (n = 29) in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) total score was used to assess change in negative symptoms. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), N-Back test, a probabilistic learning task, and a delayed discounting task were used to assess cognition. In a mixed model analysis of covariance (MM-ANCOVA), with time as a continuous variable, there was a significant treatment × time effect for SANS total score (F = 5.61(df = 1,40.3), P = .023). The treatment × time interaction effect was also significant for the SANS avolition subscale score (F(1,40.2) = 10.41, P = .002). In a post hoc MM-ANCOVA analyses, with time as a categorical variable, group differences were significant at week 12 for SANS total score (t(37.3) = 2.15; P = .04; d = -0.41) and SANS avolition subscale score (t(49.0) = 3.06; P = .004; d = -0.46). There was a significant difference in number of participants with a ≥20% reduction in SANS avolition score (χ(2)(1) = 10.94; P = .0009), but not in SANS total score (χ(2)(1) = 1.11; P = .29). There were no significant group differences on the RBANS, N-Back, probabilistic learning, or delayed discounting tasks. Study results support future studies of the utility of rasagiline for the treatment of negative symptoms, including avolition (clinicaltrials.gov trial number: NCT00492336). © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Rasagiline in the Treatment of the Persistent Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Buchanan, Robert W.; Weiner, Elaine; Kelly, Deanna L.; Gold, James M.; Keller, William R.; Waltz, James A.; McMahon, Robert P.; Gorelick, David A.

2015-01-01

Objective: The current study examined the efficacy and safety of rasagiline, a selective MAO-B inhibitor, for the treatment of persistent negative symptoms. Methods: Sixty people with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, who met a priori criteria for persistent negative symptoms, were randomized to receive rasagiline, 1mg/d (n = 31) or placebo (n = 29) in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) total score was used to assess change in negative symptoms. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), N-Back test, a probabilistic learning task, and a delayed discounting task were used to assess cognition. Results: In a mixed model analysis of covariance (MM-ANCOVA), with time as a continuous variable, there was a significant treatment × time effect for SANS total score (F = 5.61(df = 1,40.3), P = .023). The treatment × time interaction effect was also significant for the SANS avolition subscale score (F(1,40.2) = 10.41, P = .002). In a post hoc MM-ANCOVA analyses, with time as a categorical variable, group differences were significant at week 12 for SANS total score (t(37.3) = 2.15; P = .04; d = −0.41) and SANS avolition subscale score (t(49.0) = 3.06; P = .004; d = −0.46). There was a significant difference in number of participants with a ≥20% reduction in SANS avolition score (χ2(1) = 10.94; P = .0009), but not in SANS total score (χ2(1) = 1.11; P = .29). There were no significant group differences on the RBANS, N-Back, probabilistic learning, or delayed discounting tasks. Conclusions: Study results support future studies of the utility of rasagiline for the treatment of negative symptoms, including avolition (clinicaltrials.gov trial number: NCT00492336). PMID:25368372

Delayed prescribing for upper respiratory tract infections: a qualitative study of GPs' views and experiences

PubMed Central

Høye, Sigurd; Frich, Jan; Lindbœk, Morten

2010-01-01

Background Delayed prescribing has been promoted as a strategy that meets patients' expectations and helps to avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics in upper respiratory tract infections. Aim To explore GPs' views on and experiences with delayed prescribing in patients with acute upper respiratory tract infections. Design of study Qualitative study involving focus groups. Setting Norwegian general practice. Method Qualitative analysis of data collected from five focus groups comprising 33 GPs who took part in a quality-improvement programme of antibiotic prescribing. Results The views of GPs differed on the usefulness of delayed prescribing. GPs who endorsed the strategy emphasised shared decision making and the creation of opportunities for educating patients, whereas GPs who were negative applied the strategy mainly when being pressed to prescribe. Mild and mainly harmless conditions of a possible bacterial origin, such as acute sinusitis and acute otitis, were considered most suitable for delayed prescribing. A key argument for issuing a wait-and-see prescription was that it helped patients avoid seeking after-hours care. For issuing a wait-and-see prescription, the GPs required that the patient was ‘knowledgeable’, able to understand the indications for antibiotics, and motivated for shared decision making. GPs emphasised that patients should be informed thoroughly when receiving a wait-and-see prescription. Conclusion Not all GPs endorse delayed prescribing; however, it appears to be a feasible approach for managing patients with early symptoms of mild upper respiratory tract infections of a possible bacterial origin. Informing the patients properly while issuing wait-and-see prescriptions is essential. PMID:21144201

REM sleep and emotional face memory in typically-developing children and children with autism.

PubMed

Tessier, Sophie; Lambert, Andréane; Scherzer, Peter; Jemel, Boutheina; Godbout, Roger

2015-09-01

Relationship between REM sleep and memory was assessed in 13 neurotypical and 13 children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A neutral/positive/negative face recognition task was administered the evening before (learning and immediate recognition) and the morning after (delayed recognition) sleep. The number of rapid eye movements (REMs), beta and theta EEG activity over the visual areas were measured during REM sleep. Compared to neurotypical children, children with ASD showed more theta activity and longer reaction time (RT) for correct responses in delayed recognition of neutral faces. Both groups showed a positive correlation between sleep and performance but different patterns emerged: in neurotypical children, accuracy for recalling neutral faces and overall RT improvement overnight was correlated with EEG activity and REMs; in children with ASD, overnight RT improvement for positive and negative faces correlated with theta and beta activity, respectively. These results suggest that neurotypical and children with ASD use different sleep-related brain networks to process faces. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Delayed presentation of prolonged hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in a preterm small-for-gestational age neonate.

PubMed

Chong, Jin Ho; Chandran, Suresh; Agarwal, Prathibha; Rajadurai, Victor Samuel

2013-12-18

Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in small-for-gestational age infants usually presents in the first two postnatal days. We present a preterm, small-for-gestational age infant who had hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia on day 13 of life. A female twin infant weighing 1390 g was born at 32(+6) weeks of gestation. Her glycaemic profile was normal till day 13 of life, after which she was noted to be lethargic and hypoglycaemic and had hyperinsulinism, hypoketonaemia and hypofattyacidaemia, requiring high glucose infusion rate to maintain normoglycaemia, while negative for septic markers and metabolic screen. Initially, there was no response to diazoxide and the genetic studies for ABCC8 and KCNJ11 gene mutations were negative. Delayed response to diazoxide was followed by complete resolution of hypoglycaemia in 5 months. This case highlights the importance of glucose monitoring in small-for-date infants for hypoglycaemia till they achieve full feeds and gain weight. Early recognition and appropriate management of hypoglycaemia in this group of infants have important implications for neurodevelopmental outcome.

Nonlinear systems dynamics in cardiovascular physiology: The heart rate delay map and lower body negative pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, John C.

1990-01-01

A preliminary study of the applicability of nonlinear dynamic systems analysis techniques to low body negative pressure (LBNP) studies. In particular, the applicability of the heart rate delay map is investigated. It is suggested that the heart rate delay map has potential as a supplemental tool in the assessment of subject performance in LBNP tests and possibly in the determination of susceptibility to cardiovascular deconditioning with spaceflight.

Clinical presentation and memory function in youth with type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Semenkovich, Katherine; Bischoff, Allison; Doty, Tasha; Nelson, Suzanne; Siller, Alejandro F; Hershey, Tamara; Arbeláez, Ana Maria

2016-11-01

While cerebral edema and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in type 1 diabetes (T1DM) have well-described acute effects on cognition, little is known about the impact of clinical presentation on longer term cognitive outcomes. We hypothesized that clinical factors (degree of hyperglycemia exposure and DKA) at the time of diagnosis would relate to cognition within 3.5 months later in children with T1DM. Cognitive testing was performed on children 7-17 years old with T1DM (n = 66) within 3.5 months of diagnosis and siblings without T1DM (n = 33). Overall intelligence, processing speed, and memory (including a sensitive long-delay spatial memory test; spatial delayed response or SDR) were assessed. Medical records were reviewed for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), DKA status, and other clinical factors at diagnosis. Within the group with T1DM, 17 children presented in DKA and 49 did not. After adjusting for age, gender, and socioeconomic status, the subgroup with T1DM and DKA at diagnosis performed worse on the long-delay SDR task compared to sibling controls (p = 0.006). In addition, within the group with T1DM, higher HbA1c at diagnosis was associated with worse performance on the long-delay SDR task (p = 0.027). Performance on the other cognitive tasks was not different across groups or subgroups. DKA and degree of hyperglycemia exposure at diagnosis have implications for long-delay spatial memory function within 3.5 months of diagnosis. These findings suggest that early detection of T1DM, which decreases risk for prolonged exposure to hyperglycemia and DKA, may avoid negative effects on memory function. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Impact of Dose Reductions, Delays Between Chemotherapy Cycles, and/or Shorter Courses of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer Patients: a Single-Center Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Sgouros, Joseph; Aravantinos, Gerasimos; Kouvatseas, George; Rapti, Anna; Stamoulis, George; Bisvikis, Anastasios; Res, Helen; Samantas, Epameinondas

2015-12-01

Most stage II or III colorectal cancer patients are receiving nowadays a 4 to 6-month course of adjuvant chemotherapy. However, delays between cycles, reductions in the doses of chemotherapy drugs, or even permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles might take place due to side effects or patient's preference. We examined the impact of these treatment modifications on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). We retrospectively collected data from colorectal cancer patients who had received adjuvant chemotherapy in our Department. Patients were categorized in five groups based on whether they had or not delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions, and permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles. Three-year RFS and OS of the five different groups were compared using the log-rank test and the Sidak approach. Five hundred and eight patients received treatment. Twenty seven percent of the patients had the full course of chemotherapy; the others had delays, dose reductions, or early termination of the treatment. No statistically significant differences were observed in 3-year RFS and OS between the five groups. A trend for worse RFS was noticed with early termination of treatment. A similar trend was also noticed for OS but only for stage II patients. In colorectal cancer patients, receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions of chemotherapy drugs, or even early termination of the treatment course do not seem to have a negative impact in 3-year RFS and OS; however, due to the trend of worse RFS in patients receiving shorter courses of chemotherapy, further studies are needed.

NUCLEAR REACTOR AS THE OBJECT OF CONTROL. AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT ENGINES . B.S. Voronkev Collection of Articles

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

None

BS> The dynamics of a power reactor is treated in some detail. Although the reactor is described by a nonlinear differential equation of the seventh order, a two-group approximstion with prompt neutrons and one averaged group of delayed neutrons may be used. When the reactor is in equilibrium, the reactor equation may be linearized in two ways. The effects of positive and negative coefficients of tins of the reactor are discussed. The nonlinear character of the control rods is trested. (D.L.C.)

Examining weight concern and delay discounting in adolescent females.

PubMed

Thamotharan, Sneha; Lange, Krista; Ramos, Ashley; Fields, Sherecce

2016-04-01

Pediatric obesity is a growing public health concern that contributes to high rates of negative long-term physical and mental health outcomes. Research focused on identifying risk for pediatric obesity has linked delay discounting, or an inclination for immediate rewards, as well as weight concern to individuals with greater Body Mass Index (BMI). The current study seeks to fill a void in the literature by examining how these two variables interact to promote higher BMI in female adolescents. Adolescent (n=60) females between the ages of 13-19years (mage=17.45, SD=1.74) of age completed the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and the Delay Discounting Questionnaire. A mediation model examined whether delay discounting accounted for the relationship between weight concern and BMI. Results indicate that in the current study weight concern was negatively related to delay discounting and delay discounting was negatively related to BMI. The overall model revealed that a partial mediation occurred [b=1.28, t(60)=4.92, p<0.01]. These results suggest that while impulsivity is an important factor to consider, other constructs may also be influential in how weight concerns contribute to greater BMI. Nevertheless, the results indicate that prevention and interventions should identify females with high levels of both weight concern and impulsivity as an increased risk for experiencing pediatric obesity and long-term negative health outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Negative emotion elicited in high school students enhances consolidation of item memory, but not source memory.

PubMed

Wang, Bo

2015-05-01

The study examined the effect of negative emotion on consolidation of both item and source memory. Participants learned words read by either a male or female. Then they watched either a negative or a neutral video clip. Memory tests were carried out either 25min or 24h after learning. The study yielded the following findings. First, negative emotion enhanced consolidation of item memory as measured by recognition memory in the 25-min delay, and enhanced consolidation of item memory as measured by free recall in both the 25-min and the 24-h delay. Second, negative emotion had little effect on consolidation of source memory, either in the 25-min or the 24-h delay. These findings provide evidence for the differential effects of negative emotion on item memory and source memory and have implications for using emotion as a strategy to intervene memory consolidation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Decelerated invasion and waning-moon patterns in public goods games with delayed distribution.

PubMed

Szolnoki, Attila; Perc, Matjaž

2013-05-01

We study the evolution of cooperation in the spatial public goods game, focusing on the effects that are brought about by the delayed distribution of goods that accumulate in groups due to the continuous investments of cooperators. We find that intermediate delays enhance network reciprocity because of a decelerated invasion of defectors, who are unable to reap the same high short-term benefits as they do in the absence of delayed distribution. Long delays, however, introduce a risk because the large accumulated wealth might fall into the wrong hands. Indeed, as soon as the curvature of a cooperative cluster turns negative, the engulfed defectors can collect the heritage of many generations of cooperators and by doing so start a waning-moon pattern that nullifies the benefits of decelerated invasion. Accidental meeting points of growing cooperative clusters may also act as triggers for the waning-moon effect, thus linking the success of cooperators with their propensity to fail in a rather bizarre way. Our results highlight that "investing in the future" is a good idea only if that future is sufficiently near and not likely to be burdened by inflation.

Toxicity studies on agents Gb and Gd (Phase 2): Delayed neuropathy study of soman in SPF white leghorn chickens. Final technical report, July 1985-August 1991

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

Bucci, T.J.; Parker, R.M.; Gosnell, P.A.

1992-05-01

A dose rangefinding study, a delayed neuropathy study, and a neurotoxic esterase study, were performed in White Leghorn chickens using the organophosphate ester Soman. The hens used for the Rangefinding study were dosed once orally with 500, 250, 100, 50, 25, or 0 microns g/Kg GD, on Day 1. They were pretreated and protected daily through Day 7 with atropine. Surviving hens were euthanized with sodium pentobarbital on Day 21. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) to be used in the Delayed Neuropathy Study was chosen based upon the rangefinding data. Fifty hens were assigned to a Single Dose Delayed Neuropathymore » study. Groups of ten hens were given 14.2 (MTD), 7.1 (MTD/2), 3.5 (MTD/4), 0 (negative control) microns/Kg GD or 51 0 mg/Kg tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (TOCP) (positive control). Rangefinding study. They were evaluated for signs of neurologic toxicity/ataxia. Necropsy examination was performed on all animals. Sections of cerebellum, medulla, spinal cord (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar), both sciatic nerves and their tibial branch were examined microscopically.... Delayed neuropathy; Agents; Soman; Chickens.« less

Timing matters: negative emotion elicited 5 min but not 30 min or 45 min after learning enhances consolidation of internal-monitoring source memory.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Bukuan, Sun

2015-05-01

Two experiments examined the time-dependent effects of negative emotion on consolidation of item and internal-monitoring source memory. In Experiment 1, participants (n=121) learned a list of words. They were asked to read aloud half of the words and to think about the remaining half. They were instructed to memorize each word and its associative cognitive operation ("reading" versus "thinking"). Immediately following learning they conducted free recall and then watched a 3-min either neutral or negative video clip when 5 min, 30 min or 45 min had elapsed after learning. Twenty-four hours later they returned to take surprise tests for item and source memory. Experiment 2 was similar to Experiment 1 except that participants, without conducting an immediate test of free recall, took tests of source memory for all encoded words both immediately and 24 h after learning. Experiment 1 showed that negative emotion enhanced consolidation of item memory (as measured by retention ratio of free recall) regardless of delay of emotion elicitation and that negative emotion enhanced consolidation of source memory when it was elicited at a 5 min delay but reduced consolidation of source memory when it was elicited at a 30 min delay; when elicited at a 45 min delay, negative emotion had little effect. Furthermore, Experiment 2 replicated the enhancement effect on source memory in the 5 min delay even when participants were tested on all the encoded words. The current study partially replicated prior studies on item memory and extends the literature by providing evidence for a time-dependent effect of negative emotion on consolidation of source memory based on internal monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attention and material-specific memory in children with lateralized epilepsy.

PubMed

Engle, Jennifer A; Smith, Mary Lou

2010-01-01

Epilepsy is frequently associated with attention and memory problems. In adults, lateralization of seizure focus impacts the type of memory affected (left-sided lesions primarily impact verbal memory, while right-sided lesions primarily impact visual memory), but the relationship between seizure focus and the nature of the memory impairment is less clear in children. The current study examines the correlation between parent-reported attention problems and material-specific memory (verbal or visual-spatial) in 65 children (ages 6-16) with medically intractable lateralized epilepsy. There were no significant differences in attention and memory between those with left-lateralized epilepsy (n=25) and those with right-lateralized epilepsy (n=40). However, in the left-lateralized group attention problems were significantly negatively correlated only with delayed visual memory (r=-.450, p<.05), while the right-lateralized group demonstrated the opposite pattern (attention problems significantly negatively correlated with delayed verbal memory; r=-.331, p<.05). These findings suggest that lateralization of seizure focus may in fact impact children's memory in a material-specific manner, while problems with attention may impact memory more globally. Therefore, interventions designed to improve attention in children with epilepsy may have utility in improving certain aspects of memory, but further suggest that in children with lateralized epilepsy, material-specific memory deficits may not resolve with such interventions.

The Sooner the Better? How Symptom Interval Correlates With Outcome in Children and Adolescents With Solid Tumors: Regression Tree Analysis of the Findings of a Prospective Study.

PubMed

Ferrari, Andrea; Lo Vullo, Salvatore; Giardiello, Daniele; Veneroni, Laura; Magni, Chiara; Clerici, Carlo Alfredo; Chiaravalli, Stefano; Casanova, Michela; Luksch, Roberto; Terenziani, Monica; Spreafico, Filippo; Meazza, Cristina; Catania, Serena; Schiavello, Elisabetta; Biassoni, Veronica; Podda, Marta; Bergamaschi, Luca; Puma, Nadia; Massimino, Maura; Mariani, Luigi

2016-03-01

The potential impact of diagnostic delays on patients' outcomes is a debated issue in pediatric oncology and discordant results have been published so far. We attempted to tackle this issue by analyzing a prospective series of 351 consecutive children and adolescents with solid malignancies using innovative statistical tools. To address the nonlinear complexity of the association between symptom interval and overall survival (OS), a regression tree algorithm was constructed with sequential binary splitting rules and used to identify homogeneous patient groups vis-à-vis functional relationship between diagnostic delay and OS. Three different groups were identified: group A, with localized disease and good prognosis (5-year OS 85.4%); group B, with locally or regionally advanced, or metastatic disease and intermediate prognosis (5-year OS 72.9%), including neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, non-rhabdomyosarcoma soft tissue sarcoma, and germ cell tumor; and group C, with locally or regionally advanced, or metastatic disease and poor prognosis (5-year OS 45%), including brain tumors, rhabdomyosarcoma, and bone sarcoma. The functional relationship between symptom interval and mortality risk differed between the three subgroups, there being no association in group A (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.96), a positive linear association in group B (HR: 1.48), and a negative linear association in group C (HR: 0.61). Our analysis suggests that at least a subset of patients can benefit from an earlier diagnosis in terms of survival. For others, intrinsic aggressiveness may mask the potential effect of diagnostic delays. Based on these findings, early diagnosis should remain a goal for pediatric cancer patients. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gelation of soybean protein and polysaccharides delays digestion.

PubMed

Hu, Bing; Chen, Qing; Cai, Qimeng; Fan, Yun; Wilde, Peter J; Rong, Zhen; Zeng, Xiaoxiong

2017-04-15

Xanthan gum and carrageenan, representing the medium and highly negatively charged polysaccharides, were heated respectively together with soybean protein isolate (SPI) at different biopolymer ratios. Upon mixing with simulated stomach juice (SSJ), the xanthan-SPI and carrageenan-SPI at biopolymer ratios higher than 0.01 leads to self-assembled gelation immediately. Stronger gel is formed under higher biopolymer ratios. Highly negatively charged carrageenan forms a stronger gel than that composed with xanthan gum. SDS-PAGE results show the digestibility of SPI is delayed after incorporation with the polysaccharides, which is enhanced with the increase of the biopolymer mass ratios. And the polysaccharide with higher negative charge has stronger potential in delaying the digestion of SPI. Furthermore, the microstructure of the xanthan-SPI and carrageenan-SPI gel before and after simulated stomach digestion was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), which also confirms that the gel delays the digestion of soybean protein. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mood-congruent false memories persist over time.

PubMed

Knott, Lauren M; Thorley, Craig

2014-01-01

In this study, we examined the role of mood-congruency and retention interval on the false recognition of emotion laden items using the Deese/Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. Previous research has shown a mood-congruent false memory enhancement during immediate recognition tasks. The present study examined the persistence of this effect following a one-week delay. Participants were placed in a negative or neutral mood, presented with negative-emotion and neutral-emotion DRM word lists, and administered with both immediate and delayed recognition tests. Results showed that a negative mood state increased remember judgments for negative-emotion critical lures, in comparison to neutral-emotion critical lures, on both immediate and delayed testing. These findings are discussed in relation to theories of spreading activation and emotion-enhanced memory, with consideration of the applied forensic implications of such findings.

Global attractivity of non-autonomous Lotka-Volterra competition system without instantaneous negative feedback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, X. H.; Zou, Xingfu

We consider a non-autonomous Lotka-Volterra competition system with distributed delays but without instantaneous negative feedbacks (i.e., pure delay systems). We establish some 3/2-type and M-matrix-type criteria for global attractivity of the positive equilibrium of the system, which generalise and improve the existing ones.

Hostility, Cigarette Smoking, and Responses to a Lab-based Social Stressor

PubMed Central

Kahler, Christopher W.; Leventhal, Adam M.; Colby, Suzanne M.; Gwaltney, Chad J.; Kamarck, Thomas W.; Monti, Peter M.

2013-01-01

High trait hostility is associated with persistent cigarette smoking. To better understand mechanisms that may account for this association, we examined the effects of acute smoking abstinence and delayed versus immediate smoking reinstatement on responses to a social stressor among 48 low hostile (LH) and 48 high hostile (HH) smokers. Participants completed two laboratory sessions, one before which they had smoked ad lib and one before which they had abstained for the prior 12 hours. During each session, participants completed a stressful speaking task and then smoked immediately after the stressor or after a 15-minute delay. The effect of immediate vs. delayed smoking reinstatement on recovery in negative mood was significantly moderated by hostility. When reinstatement was delayed, HH participants showed significant increases in negative mood over time, whereas LH participants showed little change. When reinstatement was immediate, HH and LH smokers showed similar significant decreases in negative mood. Smoking abstinence did not moderate hostility effects. Cigarette smoking may prevent continuing increases in negative mood following social stress in HH smokers, which may partially explain their low rates of quitting. PMID:19968406

End-threaded intramedullary positive profile screw ended self-tapping pin (Admit pin) - A cost-effective novel implant for fixing canine long bone fractures.

PubMed

Chanana, Mitin; Kumar, Adarsh; Tyagi, Som Prakash; Singla, Amit Kumar; Sharma, Arvind; Farooq, Uiase Bin

2018-02-01

The current study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical efficacy of end-threaded intramedullary pinning for management of various long bone fractures in canines. This study was conducted in two phases, managing 25 client-owned dogs presented with different fractures. The technique of application of end-threaded intramedullary pinning in long bone fractures was initially standardized in 6 clinical patients presented with long bone fractures. In this phase, end-threaded pins of different profiles, i.e., positive and negative, were used as the internal fixation technique. On the basis of results obtained from standardization phase, 19 client-owned dogs clinically presented with different fractures were implanted with end-threaded intramedullary positive profile screw ended self-tapping pin in the clinical application phase. The patients, allocated randomly in two groups, when evaluated postoperatively revealed slight pin migration in Group-I (negative profile), which resulted in disruption of callus site causing delayed union in one case and large callus formation in other two cases whereas no pin migration was observed in Group-II (positive profile). Other observations in Group-I was reduced muscle girth and delayed healing time as compared to Group-II. In clinical application, phase 21 st and 42 nd day post-operative radiographic follow-up revealed no pin migration in any of the cases, and there was no bone shortening or fragment collapse in end-threaded intramedullary positive profile screw ended self-tapping pin. The end-threaded intramedullary positive profile screw ended self-tapping pin used for fixation of long bone fractures in canines can resist pin migration, pin breakage, and all loads acting on the bone, i.e., compression, tension, bending, rotation, and shearing to an extent with no post-operative complications.

Intraoperative boost radiation effects on early wound complications in breast cancer patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery

PubMed

Gülçelik, Mehmet Ali; Doğan, Lütfi; Karaman, Niyazi; Turan, Müjdat; Kahraman, Yavuz Selim; Akgül, Gökhan Giray; Özaslan, Cihangir

2017-08-23

Background/aim: Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) may pose a risk for wound complications. All technical aspects of IORT regarding early wound complications were evaluated. Materials and methods: Ninety-three consecutive patients operated on with the same surgical technique and given (study group) or not given (control group) IORT were included. Wound complications were evaluated in two groups. Results: Forty-three patients were treated with boost dose IORT and 50 patients were treated with breast-conserving surgery without IORT. When both groups were compared in terms of early postoperative complications, there were 11 (25.5%) patients with seroma in the IORT group and 3 patients (6%) in the control group (P = 0.04). While 9 (21%) patients were seen to have surgical site infection (SSI) in the IORT group, there was 1 (2%) SSI in the control group (P = 0.005). There were 15 (35%) patients with delayed wound healing in the IORT group and 4 patients (8%) in the control group (P = 0.006). Conclusion: IORT could have a negative effect on seroma formation, SSI, and delayed healing. It should be kept in mind, however, that in centers with IORT implementation, the complication rate could also increase. Necessary measures for better sterilization in the operating room should be taken, while patient wound healing should be monitored closely.

Accessory pathway location affects brain natriuretic peptide level in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

PubMed

Nakatani, Yosuke; Kumagai, Koji; Naito, Shigeto; Nakamura, Kohki; Minami, Kentaro; Nakano, Masahiro; Sasaki, Takehito; Kinugawa, Koichiro; Oshima, Shigeru

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the accessory pathway location and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. We divided 102 WPW syndrome patients with normal left ventricular systolic function into four groups: those with manifest right (MR, n = 14), manifest septal (MS, n = 11), manifest left (ML, n = 30), and concealed (C, n = 47) accessory pathways. BNP level and electrophysiological properties, including difference in timing of the ventricular electrogram between the His bundle area and the distal coronary sinus area (His-CS delay), which indicate intraventricular dyssynchrony, were compared. BNP levels (pg/dl) were higher in the MR and MS groups than in the ML and C groups (MR, 64 ± 58; MS, 55 ± 45; ML, 17 ± 15; C, 25 ± 21; P < 0.001). AV intervals (ms) were shorter in the MR and MS groups than in the ML and C groups (MR, 76 ± 16; MS, 83 ± 6; ML, 101 ± 19; C, 136 ± 20; P < 0.001). His-CS delay (ms) was longer in the MR group than in the other groups (MR, 50 ± 15; MS, 21 ± 7; ML, 23 ± 10; C, 19 ± 8; P < 0.001). The AV interval (P < 0.01) and the His-CS delay (P < 0.001) were negatively and positively correlated, respectively, with the BNP level. Anterograde conduction with a right or septal accessory pathway increased the BNP level in WPW syndrome patients with normal cardiac function.

Value of surgery in patients with negative imaging and sporadic Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

PubMed

Norton, Jeffrey A; Fraker, Douglas L; Alexander, H Richard; Jensen, Robert T

2012-09-01

To address the value of surgery in patients with sporadic Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) with negative imaging studies. Medical control of acid hypersecretion in patients with sporadic ZES is highly effective. This has led to these patients frequently not being sent to surgery, especially if preoperative imaging studies are negative, due, in large part, to existence of almost no data on the success of surgery in this group. Fifty-eight prospectively studied patients with sporadic ZES (17% of total studied) had negative imaging studies, and their surgical outcome was compared with 117 patients with positive imaging results. Thirty-five patients had negative imaging studies in the pre-somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (SRS) era, and 23 patients in the post-SRS era. Patients with negative imaging studies had long disease histories before surgery [mean ± SEM (from onset) = 7.9 ± 1 [range, -0.25 to 35 years]) and 25% were followed for 2 or more years from diagnosis. At surgery, gastrinoma was found in 57 of 58 patients (98%). Tumors were small (mean = 0.8 cm, 60% <1 cm). The most common primary sites were duodenal 64%, pancreatic 17%, and lymph node (10%). Fifty percent had a primary-only, 41% primary + lymph node, and 7% had liver metastases. Thirty-five of 58 patients (60%) were cured immediately postoperatively, and at last follow-up [mean = -9.4 years; range, 0.2-22 years], 27 patients (46%) remained cured. During follow-up, 3 patients died, each had liver metastases at surgery. In comparison to positive imaging patients, those with negative imaging studies had lower preoperative fasting gastrin levels; had a longer delay before surgery; more frequently had a small duodenal tumor; less frequently had a pancreatic tumor, multiple tumors, or developed a new lesion postoperatively; and had a longer survival. Sporadic ZES patients with negative imaging studies are not rare even in the post-SRS period. An experienced surgeon can find gastrinoma in almost every patient (98%) and nearly one half (46%) are cured, a rate similar to patients with positive imaging findings. Because liver metastases were found in 7%, which may have been caused by a long delay in surgery and all the disease-related deaths occurred in this group, surgery should be routinely undertaken early in ZES patients despite negative imaging studies.

Value of Surgery In Patients With Negative Imaging And Sporadic Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome (ZES)

PubMed Central

Norton, Jeffrey A.; Fraker, Douglas L.; Alexander, H. Richard; Jensen, Robert T

2012-01-01

Objectives To address the value of surgery in sporadic Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) patients with negative imaging studies. Background Medical control of acid hypersecretion in patients with sporadic Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES) is highly effective. This has led to these patients frequently not sent to surgery, especially if preoperative imaging studies are negative, due in large part because almost no data exists on the success of surgery in this group. Methods 58 prospectively studied sporadic ZES patients (17% of total studied) had negative imaging studies and their surgical outcome was compared to 117 patients with positive imaging results. Results 35 patients had negative imaging in the pre-somatostatin receptor scintigraphy era (SRS) and 23 in the post-SRS era. The image negative patients had long disease histories prior to surgery (mean±SEM, from onset=7.9±1[range −0.25-35 yrs]) and 25% were followed ≥2yrs from diagnosis. At surgery, gastrinoma was found in 57/58 patients (98%). Tumors were small (mean=0.8cm, 60% < 1 cm). The most common primary sites were: duodenal 64%, pancreatic 17%, and lymph node (LN)(10%). 50% had a primary only, 41% primary + LN, and 7% had liver metastases. 35/58(60%) were cured immediately postoperatively and at last follow-up [mean-9.4yrs, range 0.2-22yrs], 27 patients (46%) remained cured. During follow-up 3 patients died, each was found to have liver metastases at surgery. In comparison to the image positive patients, those with negative imaging had lower preop fasting gastrin levels; a longer delay prior to surgery; more frequently had a small duodenal tumors; less frequently had a pancreatic tumor, multiple tumors or developed a new lesion postoperatively and had a longer survival. Conclusions Imaging negative sporadic ZES patients are not rare even in the post-SRS period. An experienced surgeon can find gastrinoma in almost every patient (98%) and nearly one-half (46%) are cured, a rate similar to imaging positive tumor patients. Because liver metastases were found in 7%, which may have been caused by a long delay in surgery and all the disease-related deaths occurred in this group, surgery should be routinely undertaken early in ZES patients despite negative imaging studies. PMID:22868363

Neonatal blood cultures: effect of delayed entry into the blood culture machine and bacterial concentration on the time to positive growth in a simulated model.

PubMed

Jardine, Luke Anthony; Sturgess, Barbara Ruth; Inglis, Garry Donald Trevor; Davies, Mark William

2009-04-01

To determine if: time from blood culture inoculation to positive growth (total time to positive) and time from blood culture machine entry to positive growth (machine time to positive) is altered by delayed entry into the automated blood culture machine, and if the total time to positive differs by the concentration of organisms inoculated into blood culture bottles. Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli and group B beta-haemolytic streptococci were chosen as clinically significant representative organisms. Two concentrations (> or =10 colony-forming units per millilitre and <1 colony-forming units per millilitre) were inoculated into PEDS BacT/Alert blood culture bottles and randomly allocated to one of three delayed automated blood culture machine entry times (30 min/8.5 h/15.5 h). For all organisms at all concentrations, except the Staphylococcus epidermidis, the machine time to positive was significantly decreased by delayed entry. For all organisms at all concentrations, the mean total time to positive significantly increased with increasing delayed entry into the blood culture machine. Higher concentrations of group B beta-haemolytic streptococci and Escherichia coli grew significantly faster than lower concentrations. Bacterial growth in inoculated bottles, stored at room temperature, continues although at a slower rate than in those blood culture bottles immediately entered into the machine. If a blood culture specimen has been stored at room temperature for greater than 15.5 h, the currently allowed safety margin of 36 h (before declaring a result negative) may be insufficient.

[Comparative study of histological results between resection and biopsy of the prostate].

PubMed

Mathieu, R; Tibari, Y; Verhoest, G; Vincendeau, S; Manunta, A; Rioux-Leclercq, N; Bensalah, K

2014-05-01

To evaluate the histological correlation between transuretral resection chips and biopsy cores within a population of patients who underwent resection of prostate (TURP) and prostate biopsies (BPx). Clinical and tumoral data of 77 patients who had both procedures simultaneously or with a slight delay were collected. According to the presence of prostate cancer (Pca), 4 groups were defined: group 1 (TURP and BPx negative), group 2 (TURP positive, BPx negative), group 3 (TURP negative, BPx positive), group 4 (TURP and BPx positive). Means and proportions were compared using Anova and χ(2) test, respectively. The patients were older in groups 3 and 4 (79 and 76 respectively, P=0.65). The PSA was higher in the groups 3 and 4 (64 and 55 ng/mL) than the groups 1 and 2 (10.6 et 16 respectively, P=0.23). The number of positive biopsy was higher in the group 4 than the group 3 (5.6 vs. 4.6, P<0.0001), the chips were more invaded in the group 4 than the group 2 (41% vs. 11% P<0.0001), the Gleason score at TURP was higher in the group 4 than the group 2 (7.5 vs. 6.2 P<0.0001). Our study underlines that the Pca of transition and peripheral zones seems to have distinct characteristics. When chips of TURP and BPx were both invaded, it was due to an aggressive cancer. The decision to explore the peripheral zone in the case of positive TURP must take clinical context into consideration. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Negative attitude towards medication is associated with working memory impairment in schizophrenia patients.

PubMed

Goodman, Craig; Knoll, Gabriella; Isakov, Victoria; Silver, Henry

2005-03-01

A lack of insight into illness and negative attitudes towards medication are common among individuals with schizophrenia and impact clinical outcomes. This study aimed to examine the relationships between attitudes towards medication and cognitive function in schizophrenia patients. Thirty-five male forensic inpatients who were suffering from chronic schizophrenia participated in the study. A drug attitude inventory was used to evaluate the attitudes of the patients towards medication. Neuropsychological function was assessed with a comprehensive battery of tests. Patients with positive attitudes towards medication performed significantly better than those with negative attitudes on tests of verbal working memory (digit span forwards and backwards), inhibition and set shifting (Penn Inhibition test), delayed object memory and overall mental status (Mini Mental State Examination). There were no differences in age, education, hospitalizations or clinical symptoms between the groups. Our findings support an association between negative attitudes towards medication and poor cognitive performance, particularly of working memory.

Gender differences in delayed-type hypersensitivity response: effects of stress and coping in first-year law students.

PubMed

Flynn, Sarah McQueary; Schipper, Lindsey J; Roach, Abbey R; Segerstrom, Suzanne C

2009-07-01

Law students show significant deficits in emotional and physical well-being compared with groups of students in other areas of higher education. Furthermore, evidence suggests that these effects may be worse for women than for men. The use of active coping can positively affect immunity under stress, but this may be most true for men in the context of law school. The current study examined the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin responses of first-year law students (n=121) and a comparison group (n=30). Students' health behaviors, self-evaluative emotions, and coping strategies were also reported. Male law students had larger DTH responses than females, but this gender effect was not present in the comparison group. Endorsement of perseverance under stress (n=19), an active coping strategy, moderated the gender effect on immunity. Perseverance associated with larger DTH responses and more positive self-evaluative emotion, but only among men. These results indicate that active coping may be less efficacious for women than for men in law school, which in turn may limit women's opportunities to attenuate negative effects of law school.

Neoadjuvant Long-Course Chemoradiotherapy for Rectal Cancer: Does Time to Surgery Matter?

PubMed Central

Panagiotopoulou, Ioanna G.; Parashar, Deepak; Qasem, Eyas; Mezher-Sikafi, Rasha; Parmar, Jitesh; Wells, Alan D.; Bajwa, Farrukh M.; Menon, Madhav; Jephcott, Catherine R.

2015-01-01

The objective of this paper was to evaluate whether delaying surgery following long-course chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer correlates with pathologic complete response. Pre-operative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is standard practice in the UK for the management of locally advanced rectal cancer. Optimal timing of surgery following CRT is still not clearly defined. All patients with a diagnosis of rectal cancer who had undergone long-course CRT prior to surgery between January 2008 and December 2011 were included. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata 11. Fifty-nine patients received long-course CRT prior to surgery in the selected period. Twenty-seven percent (16/59) of patients showed a complete histopathologic response and 59.3% (35/59) of patients had tumor down-staging from radiologically-assessed node positive to histologically-proven node negative disease. There was no statistically significant delay to surgery after completion of CRT in the 16 patients with complete response (CR) compared with the rest of the group [IR: incomplete response; CR group median: 74.5 days (IQR: 70–87.5) and IR group median: 72 days (IQR: 57–83), P = 0.470]. Although no statistically significant predictors of either complete response or tumor nodal status down-staging were identified in logistic regression analyses, a trend toward complete response was seen with longer delay to surgery following completion of long-course CRT. PMID:26414816

Delay-controlled primary and stochastic resonances of the SD oscillator with stiffness nonlinearities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tao; Cao, Qingjie

2018-03-01

This work presents analytical studies of the stiffness nonlinearities SD (smooth and discontinuous) oscillator under displacement and velocity feedback control with a time delay. The SD oscillator can capture the qualitative characteristics of quasi-zero-stiffness and negative-stiffness. We focus mainly on the primary resonance of the quasi-zero-stiffness SD oscillator and the stochastic resonance (SR) of the negative-stiffness SD oscillator. Using the averaging method, we have been analyzed the amplitude response of the quasi-zero-stiffness SD oscillator. In this regard, the optimum time delay for changing the control intensity according to the optimization standard proposed can be obtained. For the optimum time delay, increasing the displacement feedback intensity is advantageous to suppress the vibrations in resonant regime where vibration isolation is needed, however, increasing the velocity feedback intensity is advantageous to strengthen the vibrations. Moreover, the effects of time-delayed feedback on the SR of the negative-stiffness SD oscillator are investigated under harmonic forcing and Gaussian white noise, based on the Langevin and Fokker-Planck approaches. The time-delayed feedback can enhance the SR phenomenon where vibrational energy harvesting is needed. This paper established the relationship between the parameters and vibration properties of a stiffness nonlinearities SD which provides the guidance for optimizing time-delayed control for vibration isolation and vibrational energy harvesting of the nonlinear systems.

Ancient Wheat Diet Delays Diabetes Development in a Type 2 Diabetes Animal Model

PubMed Central

Thorup, Anne C.; Gregersen, Søren; Jeppesen, Per B.

2014-01-01

AIM: The main objective was to investigate the physiological effects of ancient wheat whole grain flour diets on the development and progression of type 2 diabetes in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats, and specifically to look at the acute glycemic responses. METHODS: An intervention study was conducted, involving 40 ZDF rats consuming one of 5 different diets (emmer, einkorn, spelt, rye and refined wheat) for 9 weeks. Refined wheat flour and whole grain rye flour were included as negative and positive controls, respectively. RESULTS: After 9 weeks of intervention, a downregulation of the hepatic genes PPAR-α, GLUT2, and SREBP-1c was observed in the emmer group compared to the control wheat group. Likewise, expression of hepatic SREBP-2 was lower for emmer, einkorn, and rye compared with the control group. Furthermore, spelt and rye induced a low acute glycemic response. The wheat group had higher HDL- and total cholesterol levels. CONCLUSIONS: Ancient wheat diets caused a downregulation of key regulatory genes involved in glucose and fat metabolism, equivalent to a prevention or delay of diabetes development. Spelt and rye induced a low acute glycemic response compared to wheat. PMID:26177485

Development and validation of a parent-report measure for detection of cognitive delay in infancy.

PubMed

Schafer, Graham; Genesoni, Lucia; Boden, Greg; Doll, Helen; Jones, Rosamond A K; Gray, Ron; Adams, Eleri; Jefferson, Ros

2014-12-01

To develop a brief, parent-completed instrument (ERIC - Early Report by Infant Caregivers) for detection of cognitive delay in 10- to 24-month-olds born preterm, or of low birthweight, or with perinatal complications, and to establish ERIC's diagnostic properties. Scores for ERIC were collected from the parents of 317 children meeting ≥inclusion criterion (birthweight <1500 g, gestational age <34 completed weeks, 5 min Apgar score <7, or presence of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy) and no exclusion criteria. Children were assessed using a criterion score of below 80 on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III cognitive scale. Items were retained according to their individual associations with delay. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were estimated and a truncated ERIC was developed for use in children <14 months old. ERIC correctly detected developmental delay in 17 out of 18 children in the sample, with 94.4% sensitivity, 76.9% specificity, 19.8% positive predictive value, 99.6% negative predictive value, 4.09 likelihood ratio positive, and 0.07 likelihood ratio negative. ERIC has potential value as a quickly administered diagnostic instrument for the absence of early cognitive delay in 10- to 24-month-old preterm infants and as a screen for cognitive delay. © 2014 Mac Keith Press.

Attributions of Responsibility and Blame for Procrastination Behavior.

PubMed

Rahimi, Sonia; Hall, Nathan C; Pychyl, Timothy A

2016-01-01

The present study examined the relationship between procrastination, delay, blameworthiness, and moral responsibility. Undergraduate students (N = 240) were provided two scenarios in which the reason for inaction (procrastination, delay), the target (self, other), and the outcome (positive, negative) were manipulated, and students were asked to rate the moral responsibility and blameworthiness of the agent. Results indicated that individuals who procrastinated were seen as more morally responsible and blameworthy than those who experienced delay. More specifically, after a negative outcome, procrastination was associated with more moral responsibility, whereas delay was associated with less moral responsibility. After a positive outcome, individuals perceived procrastination as deserving of less moral responsibility, and delays as associated with more moral responsibility. Finally, a three-way interaction showed that participants rated procrastination that resulted in failure as deserving of responsibility when engaged in by others as opposed to oneself.

Superluminal propagation in a poly-chromatically driven gain assisted four-level N-type atomic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin Bacha, Bakht; Ahmad, Iftikhar; Ullah, Arif; Ali, Hazrat

2013-10-01

We investigate the behavior of light propagation in an N-type four-level gain assisted model (Agarwal and Dasgupta 2004 Phys. Rev. A 70 023802) under poly-chromatic pump fields. The system exhibits interesting results of multiple controllable pairs of the gain doublet profile with changes in the intensity of the control field. We observe multiple anomalous dispersive regions for superluminal propagation in the medium. A negative group velocity of -37.50 m s-1 with a negative time delay of -8 ms is observed between each gain doublet in anomalous dispersive regions. This generalized model and its predictions can be tested with existing experimental setups.

The influence of language deprivation in early childhood on L2 processing: An ERP comparison of deaf native signers and deaf signers with a delayed language acquisition.

PubMed

Skotara, Nils; Salden, Uta; Kügow, Monique; Hänel-Faulhaber, Barbara; Röder, Brigitte

2012-05-03

To examine which language function depends on early experience, the present study compared deaf native signers, deaf non-native signers and hearing German native speakers while processing German sentences. The participants watched simple written sentences while event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. At the end of each sentence they were asked to judge whether the sentence was correct or not. Two types of violations were introduced in the middle of the sentence: a semantically implausible noun or a violation of subject-verb number agreement. The results showed a similar ERP pattern after semantic violations (an N400 followed by a positivity) in all three groups. After syntactic violations, native German speakers and native signers of German sign language (DGS) with German as second language (L2) showed a left anterior negativity (LAN) followed by a P600, whereas no LAN but a negativity over the right hemisphere instead was found in deaf participants with a delayed onset of first language (L1) acquisition. The P600 of this group had a smaller amplitude and a different scalp distribution as compared to German native speakers. The results of the present study suggest that language deprivation in early childhood alters the cerebral organization of syntactic language processing mechanisms for L2. Semantic language processing instead was unaffected.

Autonomic functioning in mothers with interpersonal violence-related posttraumatic stress disorder in response to separation-reunion.

PubMed

Schechter, Daniel S; Moser, Dominik A; McCaw, Jaime E; Myers, Michael M

2014-05-01

This study characterizes autonomic nervous system activity reactive to separation-reunion among mothers with Interpersonal Violence-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (IPV-PTSD). Heart-rate (HR) and high frequency heart-rate-variability (HF-HRV) were measured in 17 IPV-PTSD-mothers, 22 sub-threshold-mothers, and 15 non-PTSD mother-controls while interacting with their toddlers (12-48 months). Analyses showed IPV-PTSD-mothers having generally lower HR than other groups. All groups showed negative correlations between changes in HR and HF-HRV from sitting- to standing-baseline. During initial separation, controls no longer showed a negative relationship between HR and HF-HRV. But by the second reunion, the negative relationship reappeared. IPV-PTSD- and sub-threshold-mothers retained negative HR/HF-HRV correlations during the initial separation, but stopped showing them by the second reunion. Results support that mother-controls showed a pattern of autonomic regulation suggestive of hypervigilance during initial separation that resolved by the time of re-exposure. PTSD-mothers showed delayed onset of this pattern only upon re-exposure, and were perhaps exhibiting defensive avoidance or numbing during the initial separation/reunion. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Antiretroviral Therapy for the Prevention of HIV-1 Transmission.

PubMed

Cohen, Myron S; Chen, Ying Q; McCauley, Marybeth; Gamble, Theresa; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Hakim, James G; Kumwenda, Johnstone; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Pilotto, Jose H S; Godbole, Sheela V; Chariyalertsak, Suwat; Santos, Breno R; Mayer, Kenneth H; Hoffman, Irving F; Eshleman, Susan H; Piwowar-Manning, Estelle; Cottle, Leslie; Zhang, Xinyi C; Makhema, Joseph; Mills, Lisa A; Panchia, Ravindre; Faesen, Sharlaa; Eron, Joseph; Gallant, Joel; Havlir, Diane; Swindells, Susan; Elharrar, Vanessa; Burns, David; Taha, Taha E; Nielsen-Saines, Karin; Celentano, David D; Essex, Max; Hudelson, Sarah E; Redd, Andrew D; Fleming, Thomas R

2016-09-01

An interim analysis of data from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052 trial showed that antiretroviral therapy (ART) prevented more than 96% of genetically linked infections caused by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in serodiscordant couples. ART was then offered to all patients with HIV-1 infection (index participants). The study included more than 5 years of follow-up to assess the durability of such therapy for the prevention of HIV-1 transmission. We randomly assigned 1763 index participants to receive either early or delayed ART. In the early-ART group, 886 participants started therapy at enrollment (CD4+ count, 350 to 550 cells per cubic millimeter). In the delayed-ART group, 877 participants started therapy after two consecutive CD4+ counts fell below 250 cells per cubic millimeter or if an illness indicative of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (i.e., an AIDS-defining illness) developed. The primary study end point was the diagnosis of genetically linked HIV-1 infection in the previously HIV-1-negative partner in an intention-to-treat analysis. Index participants were followed for 10,031 person-years; partners were followed for 8509 person-years. Among partners, 78 HIV-1 infections were observed during the trial (annual incidence, 0.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7 to 1.1). Viral-linkage status was determined for 72 (92%) of the partner infections. Of these infections, 46 were linked (3 in the early-ART group and 43 in the delayed-ART group; incidence, 0.5%; 95% CI, 0.4 to 0.7) and 26 were unlinked (14 in the early-ART group and 12 in the delayed-ART group; incidence, 0.3%; 95% CI, 0.2 to 0.4). Early ART was associated with a 93% lower risk of linked partner infection than was delayed ART (hazard ratio, 0.07; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.22). No linked infections were observed when HIV-1 infection was stably suppressed by ART in the index participant. The early initiation of ART led to a sustained decrease in genetically linked HIV-1 infections in sexual partners. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; HPTN 052 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00074581 .).

Delayed diagnosis of childhood deafness: the value of false negatives in the Programme for Early Detection of Neonatal Hearing Loss.

PubMed

Martínez-Pacheco, María C; Ferrán de la Cierva, Luis; García-Purriños, Francisco J

Despite its importance, the existence of false negatives (patients who are told they hear well, but they have some degree of hipacusia) is rarely evaluated in programs for early detection of hearing loss. The aim of this study is to determine the variables that can lead to a delayed diagnosis, especially the existence of false negatives and the lack of registration of risk factors. A retrospective study of prevalence has been carried out, in which the medical records of children diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss born within 2005 and 2012 in the health centers of study have been analyzed. Of the 32 children with sensorineural hearing loss, 16 passed the OAE, 12 did not passed the OAE, and in four they were not carried out. Of the children who passed the OAE, 57% have severe hearing loss. 66% of children with hearing loss presented a risk factor for hearing loss at birth, being the most frecuent family history of hearing loss, but only 7% of those with family history of hearing loss were included in the risk group. The results of the study indicate that the late diagnosis of hearing loss is related to the presence of false negatives to the OAE and the non-registration of risk factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Otorrinolaringología y Cirugía de Cabeza y Cuello. All rights reserved.

General relation between the group delay and dwell time in multicomponent electron systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Feng; Lu, Junqiang

2016-10-01

For multicomponent electron scattering states, we derive a general relation between the Wigner group delay and the Bohmian dwell time. It is found that the definition of group delay should account for the phase of the spinor wave functions of propagating modes. The difference between the group delay and dwell time comes from both the interference delay and the decaying modes. For barrier tunneling of helical electrons on a surface of topological insulators, our calculations including the trigonal-warping term show that the decaying modes can contribute greatly to the group delay. The derived relation between the group delay and the dwell time is helpful to unify the two definitions of tunneling time in a quite general situation.

The impact of sleep on true and false memory across long delays.

PubMed

Pardilla-Delgado, Enmanuelle; Payne, Jessica D

2017-01-01

While the influence of sleep on memory has a long history, sleep's role in the formation of false memories is less clear. Moreover, virtually nothing is known about the development of false memories beyond delays of about 12h. Here, for the first time, we assess post-sleep development of true and false memories across longer delay intervals of 24 and 48h. Although technically a false memory, remembering information that is related to the theme, or gist, of an experience can be considered an adaptive process. Some evidence suggests that sleep, compared to a wake period, increases both true and gist-based false memories in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) task, but not all studies have returned this result, and most studies cannot rule out the possibility that sleep is merely protecting the information from interference, as opposed to actively aiding its consolidation. Here, to equate amount of time spent awake and asleep across groups, we assess how the positioning of sleep relative to memory encoding impacts retention across longer delays of 24 and 48h. Participants encoded 16 DRM lists in the morning (WAKE 1st Groups) or evening (SLEEP 1st Groups), and were tested either 24 or 48h later at the same time of day. Results demonstrate that true memory is better when participants sleep soon after learning. Sleeping first also increased false memory, but only in low performers. Importantly, and similar to previous studies, we found a negative correlation between slow-wave sleep (SWS) and false memory, suggesting that SWS may be detrimental for semantic/gist processing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Short-term total sleep deprivation alters delay-conditioned memory in the rat.

PubMed

Tripathi, Shweta; Jha, Sushil K

2016-06-01

Short-term sleep deprivation soon after training may impair memory consolidation. Also, a particular sleep stage or its components increase after learning some tasks, such as negative and positive reinforcement tasks, avoidance tasks, and spatial learning tasks, and so forth. It suggests that discrete memory types may require specific sleep stage or its components for their optimal processing. The classical conditioning paradigms are widely used to study learning and memory but the role of sleep in a complex conditioned learning is unclear. Here, we have investigated the effects of short-term sleep deprivation on the consolidation of delay-conditioned memory and the changes in sleep architecture after conditioning. Rats were trained for the delay-conditioned task (for conditioning, house-light [conditioned stimulus] was paired with fruit juice [unconditioned stimulus]). Animals were divided into 3 groups: (a) sleep deprived (SD); (b) nonsleep deprived (NSD); and (c) stress control (SC) groups. Two-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between groups and days (training and testing) during the conditioned stimulus-unconditioned stimulus presentation. Further, Tukey post hoc comparison revealed that the NSD and SC animals exhibited significant increase in performances during testing. The SD animals, however, performed significantly less during testing. Further, we observed that wakefulness and NREM sleep did not change after training and testing. Interestingly, REM sleep increased significantly on both days compared to baseline more specifically during the initial 4-hr time window after conditioning. Our results suggest that the consolidation of delay-conditioned memory is sleep-dependent and requires augmented REM sleep during an explicit time window soon after training. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining the psychosocial determinants of women's decisions to delay childbearing.

PubMed

Kearney, Allison L; White, Katherine M

2016-08-01

What are the psychosocial determinants of women's intentions to delay childbearing until after 35 years? Attitudes, pressure from important others, perceived self-confidence and anticipated regret all influence the decision-making process of women aged 18-30 years to defer their attempts to conceive their first child until 35+ years. Research has consistently demonstrated that, for many women, the decision to delay childbearing can lead to 'unintentional childlessness' due to a failure to consider the impact of age-related fertility decline. A large body of literature has also found strong links between age-related involuntary infertility and negative psychological impacts, including an increased prevalence of anxiety, depression, guilt, stigma and poor mental health. The study initially conducted focus groups designed to ascertain important beliefs informing participants' intentions to delay childbearing. A subsequent larger-scale quantitative questionnaire followed. Participants (n = 358) were female, aged between 18 and 30 years, lived in Australia, identified as being open to the idea of having children, were heterosexual, had not already had children, were not already pregnant, and had not received a diagnosis of medical infertility prior to participating. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed strong support for psychosocial predictors of attitude, pressure from others and perceived self-confidence as predictors of women's intentions to delay childbearing, accounting for 59% of total variance. The extended model that included anticipated regret, accounted for a significant additional 4.4% variance in intention to delay childbearing past the age of 35 years. Proportionally more participants were younger, Caucasian, and were university students, thus limiting the generalizability of results to the wider Australian community. Future research in this domain is recommended to adopt a prospective design and incorporate a measure of behaviour to investigate the link between intentions to delay childbearing and future fertility behaviour. This research augments our understanding of the decision-making process and key beliefs underlying the decision to delay childbearing. Further efforts are needed to advise young women to investigate their fertility options during the peak of their reproductive years in order to prevent negative psychological consequences associated with unintentional childlessness. None. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Psychological Stress Delays Periodontitis Healing in Rats: The Involvement of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor

PubMed Central

Zhao, Ya-Juan; Li, Qiang; Cheng, Bai-Xiang; Zhang, Min; Chen, Yong-Jin

2012-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the effects of psychological stress on periodontitis healing in rats and the contribution of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression to the healing process. Methods. Ninety-six rats were randomly distributed into control group, periodontitis group, and periodontitis plus stress group. Then, the rats were sacrificed at baseline and week(s) 1, 2, and 4. The periodontitis healing condition was assessed, and the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and bFGF were tested by immunohistochemistry. Results. The stressed rats showed reduced body weight gain, behavioral changes, and increased serum corticosterone and ACTH levels (P < 0.05). The surface of inflammatory infiltrate, alveolar bone loss, attachment loss, and expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in the stress group were higher than those in the periodontitis group at weeks 2 and 4 (P < 0.05). Rats with experimental periodontitis showed decreased bFGF expression (P < 0.05), and the recovery of bFGF expression in the stress group was slower than that in the periodontitis group (P < 0.05). Negative correlations between inflammatory cytokines and bFGF were detected. Conclusion. Psychological stress could delay periodontitis healing in rats, which may be partly mediated by downregulation of the expression of bFGF in the periodontal ligament. PMID:23326020

Attachment style impacts behavior and early oculomotor response to positive, but not negative, pictures.

PubMed

Silva, Catarina; Chaminade, Thierry; David, Da Fonseca; Santos, Andreia; Esteves, Francisco; Soares, Isabel; Deruelle, Christine

2015-06-01

The present study investigated whether oculomotor behavior is influenced by attachment styles. The Relationship Scales Questionnaire was used to assess attachment styles of forty-eight voluntary university students and to classify them into attachment groups (secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing). Eye-tracking was recorded while participants engaged in a 3-seconds free visual exploration of stimuli presenting either a positive or a negative picture together with a neutral picture, all depicting social interactions. The task consisted in identifying whether the two pictures depicted the same emotion. Results showed that the processing of negative pictures was impermeable to attachment style, while the processing of positive pictures was significantly influenced by individual differences in insecure attachment. The groups highly avoidant regarding to attachment (dismissing and fearful) showed reduced accuracy, suggesting a higher threshold for recognizing positive emotions compared to the secure group. The groups with higher attachment anxiety (preoccupied and fearful) showed differences in automatic capture of attention, in particular an increased delay preceding the first fixation to a picture of positive emotional valence. Despite lenient statistical thresholds induced by the limited sample size of some groups (p < 0.05 uncorrected for multiple comparisons), the current findings suggest that the processing of positive emotions is affected by attachment styles. These results are discussed within a broader evolutionary framework. © 2015 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Attributions of Responsibility and Blame for Procrastination Behavior

PubMed Central

Rahimi, Sonia; Hall, Nathan C.; Pychyl, Timothy A.

2016-01-01

The present study examined the relationship between procrastination, delay, blameworthiness, and moral responsibility. Undergraduate students (N = 240) were provided two scenarios in which the reason for inaction (procrastination, delay), the target (self, other), and the outcome (positive, negative) were manipulated, and students were asked to rate the moral responsibility and blameworthiness of the agent. Results indicated that individuals who procrastinated were seen as more morally responsible and blameworthy than those who experienced delay. More specifically, after a negative outcome, procrastination was associated with more moral responsibility, whereas delay was associated with less moral responsibility. After a positive outcome, individuals perceived procrastination as deserving of less moral responsibility, and delays as associated with more moral responsibility. Finally, a three-way interaction showed that participants rated procrastination that resulted in failure as deserving of responsibility when engaged in by others as opposed to oneself. PMID:27547197

Time-limited effects of emotional arousal on item and source memory.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Sun, Bukuan

2015-01-01

Two experiments investigated the time-limited effects of emotional arousal on consolidation of item and source memory. In Experiment 1, participants memorized words (items) and the corresponding speakers (sources) and then took an immediate free recall test. Then they watched a neutral, positive, or negative video 5, 35, or 50 min after learning, and 24 hours later they took surprise memory tests. Experiment 2 was similar to Experiment 1 except that (a) a reality monitoring task was used; (b) elicitation delays of 5, 30, and 45 min were used; and (c) delayed memory tests were given 60 min after learning. Both experiments showed that, regardless of elicitation delay, emotional arousal did not enhance item recall memory. Second, both experiments showed that negative arousal enhanced delayed item recognition memory only at the medium elicitation delay, but not in the shorter or longer delays. Positive arousal enhanced performance only in Experiment 1. Third, regardless of elicitation delay, emotional arousal had little effect on source memory. These findings have implications for theories of emotion and memory, suggesting that emotion effects are contingent upon the nature of the memory task and elicitation delay.

How emotional pictures influence visuospatial binding in short-term memory in ageing and Alzheimer's disease?

PubMed

Borg, Céline; Leroy, Nicolas; Favre, Emilie; Laurent, Bernard; Thomas-Antérion, Catherine

2011-06-01

The present study examines the prediction that emotion can facilitate short-term memory. Nevertheless, emotion also recruits attention to process information, thereby disrupting short-term memory when tasks involve high attentional resources. In this way, we aimed to determine whether there is a differential influence of emotional information on short-term memory in ageing and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Fourteen patients with mild AD, 14 healthy older participants (NC), and 14 younger adults (YA) performed two tasks. In the first task, involving visual short-term memory, participants were asked to remember a picture among four different pictures (negative or neutral) following a brief delay. The second task, a binding memory task, required the recognition by participants of a picture according to its spatial location. The attentional cost involved was higher than for the first task. The pattern of results showed that visual memory performance was better for negative stimuli than for neutral ones, irrespective of the group. In contrast, binding memory performance was essentially poorer for the location of negative pictures in the NC group, and for the location of both negative and neutral stimuli in the AD group, in comparison to the YA group. Taken together, these results show that emotion has beneficial effects on visual short-term memory in ageing and AD. In contrast, emotion does not improve their performances in the binding condition. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tunable delay time and Hartman effect in graphene magnetic barriers

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

Ban, Yue; Wang, Lin-Jun; Chen, Xi, E-mail: xchen@shu.edu.cn

2015-04-28

Tunable group delay and Hartman effect have been investigated for massless Dirac electrons in graphene magnetic barriers. In the presence of magnetic field, dwell time is found to be equal to net group delay plus the group delay contributing from the lateral shifts. The group delay times are discussed in both cases of normal and oblique incidence, to clarify the nature of Hartman effect. In addition, the group delay in transmission can be modulated from subluminality to superluminality by adjusting the magnetic field, which may also lead to potential applications in graphene-based microelectronics.

Delay time and Hartman effect in strain engineered graphene

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

Chen, Xi, E-mail: xchen@shu.edu.cn; Deng, Zhi-Yong; Ban, Yue, E-mail: yban@shu.edu.cn

2014-05-07

Tunneling times, including group delay and dwell time, are studied for massless Dirac electrons transmitting through a one-dimensional barrier in strain-engineered graphene. The Hartman effect, the independence of group delay on barrier length, is induced by the strain effect, and associated with the transmission gap and the evanescent mode. The influence of barrier height/length and strain modulus/direction on the group delay is also discussed, which provides the flexibility to control the group delay with applications in graphene-based devices. The relationship between group delay and dwell time is finally derived to clarify the nature of the Hartman effect.

Discriminating neurological from psychiatric hypersomnia using the forced awakening test.

PubMed

Peter-Derex, L; Perrin, F; Petitjean, T; Garcia-Larrea, L; Bastuji, H

2013-06-01

Sleep inertia refers to the inability to attain full alertness following awakening from sleep and is a major component of hypersomnia. As event-related potentials (ERPs) are correlated to the degree of consciousness, they allow exploring information processing in transitional states of vigilance. Their modifications during forced awakening (FA) context have been shown to reflect sleep inertia. To assess the diagnostic value of a FA test using an oddball stimulation protocol during a nap in a representative sample of patients with excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). One hundred and seventy three patients [30 narcolepsy, 62 idiopathic hypersomnia, 33 sleep apnoea syndrome, and 48 other (mainly psychiatric) hypersomnia] performed an auditory target detection stimulation task during pre-, post-nap wakefulness, and during two successive intra-nap FA while the EEG was simultaneously recorded. Both the accuracy of target detection and the ERPs were evaluated. ERPs during forced awakening test were considered to reflect sleep inertia if they presented with a P300 delay and/or sleep negativities (N350/N550). Pre-nap behavior and ERPs were normal in all patients. Behavioral results were significantly worse during FA than during wakefulness for all groups of patients. P300 latencies were significantly delayed on FA conditions in each group of patients except the psychiatric group. Sensitivity and specificity for detection of sleep inertia were 64% and 94%, respectively, with predictive values of 96% (positive) and 50% (negative). Our results suggest that the FA test could be helpful as a diagnostic procedure for discriminating neurological from psychiatric hypersomnia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Optimism and positive and negative feelings in parents of young children with developmental delay.

PubMed

Kurtz-Nelson, E; McIntyre, L L

2017-07-01

Parents' positive and negative feelings about their young children influence both parenting behaviour and child problem behaviour. Research has not previously examined factors that contribute to positive and negative feelings in parents of young children with developmental delay (DD). The present study sought to examine whether optimism, a known protective factor for parents of children with DD, was predictive of positive and negative feelings for these parents. Data were collected from 119 parents of preschool-aged children with developmental delay. Two separate hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to determine if optimism significantly predicted positive feelings and negative feelings and whether optimism moderated relations between parenting stress and parent feelings. Increased optimism was found to predict increased positive feelings and decreased negative feelings after controlling for child problem behaviour and parenting stress. In addition, optimism was found to moderate the relation between parenting stress and positive feelings. Results suggest that optimism may impact how parents perceive their children with DD. Future research should examine how positive and negative feelings impact positive parenting behaviour and the trajectory of problem behaviour specifically for children with DD. © 2017 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The impact of therapeutic delay time on acute scintigraphic lesion and ultimate scar formation in children with first febrile UTI.

PubMed

Oh, Mi Mi; Kim, Jin Wook; Park, Min Gu; Kim, Je Jong; Yoo, Kee Hwan; Moon, Du Geon

2012-03-01

We assessed the role of therapeutic delay time (TDT) in acute renal cortical scintigraphic lesion (ASL) and ultimate scar formation (USF) in children with first febrile UTI and whether it is affected by the presence of vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR). 230 children, 90 girls and 140 boys with first febrile UTI were included. Radiologic (USG, DMSA, and VCUG), clinical (age, gender, peak fever, therapeutic delay time) and laboratory (CBC with differential count, ANC (absolute neutrophil count), BUN, Creatinine, urine analysis, gram stain, culture, CRP and ESR) variables were analysed. DMSA was performed within 5 days and after six months. VCUG was performed after acute phase of UTI. The differences in TDT according to the presence of ASL, USF and VUR were assessed. And the correlation between ASL or USF with the duration of TDT was assessed. Of 230 patients enrolled, 142 patients had refluxing UTI and 88 patients had non-refluxing UTI. TDT was the risk factor associated with ASL and USF along with presence of VUR. TDT was longer in ASL positive group compared with the ASL negative group. Also USF group showed longer TDT compared with those without USF in both refluxing UTI and non refluxing UTI. The TDT was significantly shorter in USF group with the presence of VUR. Positive linear association was noted between prevalence of ASL and USF and duration of TDT. In conclusion, the impact of UTI on formation of USF may be enhanced by the presence of VUR with shorter duration of TDT.

Impact of time delays on oscillatory dynamics of interlinked positive and negative feedback loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Bo; Tian, Xinyu; Liu, Feng; Wang, Wei

2016-11-01

Interlinking a positive feedback loop (PFL) with a negative feedback loop (NFL) constitutes a typical motif in genetic networks, performing various functions in cell signaling. How time delay in feedback regulation affects the dynamics of such systems still remains unclear. Here, we investigate three systems of interlinked PFL and NFL with time delays: a synthetic genetic oscillator, a three-node circuit, and a simplified single-node model. The stability of steady states and the routes to oscillation in the single-node model are analyzed in detail. The amplitude and period of oscillations vary with a pointwise periodicity over a range of time delay. Larger-amplitude oscillations can be induced when the PFL has an appropriately long delay, in comparison with the PFL with no delay or short delay; this conclusion holds true for all the three systems. We unravel the underlying mechanism for the above effects via analytical derivation under a limiting condition. We also develop a stochastic algorithm for simulating a single reaction with two delays and show that robust oscillations can be maintained by the PFL with a properly long delay in the single-node system. This work presents an effective method for constructing robust large-amplitude oscillators and interprets why similar circuit architectures are engaged in timekeeping systems such as circadian clocks.

Neural Correlates of Alerting and Orienting Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

PubMed Central

Vázquez-Marrufo, Manuel; Galvao-Carmona, Alejandro; González-Rosa, Javier J.; Hidalgo-Muñoz, Antonio R.; Borges, Mónica; Ruiz-Peña, Juan Luis; Izquierdo, Guillermo

2014-01-01

Background A considerable percentage of multiple sclerosis patients have attentional impairment, but understanding its neurophysiological basis remains a challenge. The Attention Network Test allows 3 attentional networks to be studied. Previous behavioural studies using this test have shown that the alerting network is impaired in multiple sclerosis. The aim of this study was to identify neurophysiological indexes of the attention impairment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients using this test. Results After general slowing had been removed in patients group to isolate the effects of each condition, some behavioral differences between them were obtained. About Contingent Negative Variation, a statistically significant decrement were found in the amplitude for Central and Spatial Cue Conditions for patient group (p<0.05). ANOVAs showed for the patient group a significant latency delay for P1 and N1 components (p<0.05) and a decrease of P3 amplitude for congruent and incongruent stimuli (p<0.01). With regard to correlation analysis, PASAT-3s and SDMT showed significant correlations with behavioral measures of the Attention Network Test (p<0.01) and an ERP parameter (CNV amplitude). Conclusions Behavioral data are highly correlated with the neuropsychological scores and show that the alerting and orienting mechanisms in the patient group were impaired. Reduced amplitude for the Contingent Negative Variation in the patient group suggests that this component could be a physiological marker related to the alerting and orienting impairment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. P1 and N1 delayed latencies are evidence of the demyelination process that causes impairment in the first steps of the visual sensory processing. Lastly, P3 amplitude shows a general decrease for the pathological group probably indexing a more central impairment. These results suggest that the Attention Network Test give evidence of multiple levels of attention impairment, which could help in the assessment and treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients. PMID:24820333

Neural correlates of alerting and orienting impairment in multiple sclerosis patients.

PubMed

Vázquez-Marrufo, Manuel; Galvao-Carmona, Alejandro; González-Rosa, Javier J; Hidalgo-Muñoz, Antonio R; Borges, Mónica; Ruiz-Peña, Juan Luis; Izquierdo, Guillermo

2014-01-01

A considerable percentage of multiple sclerosis patients have attentional impairment, but understanding its neurophysiological basis remains a challenge. The Attention Network Test allows 3 attentional networks to be studied. Previous behavioural studies using this test have shown that the alerting network is impaired in multiple sclerosis. The aim of this study was to identify neurophysiological indexes of the attention impairment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients using this test. After general slowing had been removed in patients group to isolate the effects of each condition, some behavioral differences between them were obtained. About Contingent Negative Variation, a statistically significant decrement were found in the amplitude for Central and Spatial Cue Conditions for patient group (p<0.05). ANOVAs showed for the patient group a significant latency delay for P1 and N1 components (p<0.05) and a decrease of P3 amplitude for congruent and incongruent stimuli (p<0.01). With regard to correlation analysis, PASAT-3s and SDMT showed significant correlations with behavioral measures of the Attention Network Test (p<0.01) and an ERP parameter (CNV amplitude). Behavioral data are highly correlated with the neuropsychological scores and show that the alerting and orienting mechanisms in the patient group were impaired. Reduced amplitude for the Contingent Negative Variation in the patient group suggests that this component could be a physiological marker related to the alerting and orienting impairment in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. P1 and N1 delayed latencies are evidence of the demyelination process that causes impairment in the first steps of the visual sensory processing. Lastly, P3 amplitude shows a general decrease for the pathological group probably indexing a more central impairment. These results suggest that the Attention Network Test give evidence of multiple levels of attention impairment, which could help in the assessment and treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients.

Role of Clinical Presentations and Routine CSF Analysis in the Rapid Diagnosis of Acute Bacterial Meningitis in Cases of Negative Gram Stained Smears

PubMed Central

Fouad, Rabab; El-Kholy, Badawy; Yosry, Ayman

2014-01-01

Background and Aim. Bacterial meningitis is a lethal, disabling endemic disease needing prompt antibiotic management. Gram stained smears is rapid accurate method for diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. In cases of negative gram stained smears diagnosis is delayed till culture results. We aim to assess the role of clinical presentations and routine CSF analysis in the cost-effective rapid diagnosis of negative gram stained smears bacterial meningitis. Methods. Cross sectional study including 623 acute meningitis patients divided into two groups: bacterial meningitis and nonbacterial meningitis groups. The clinical presentations, systemic inflammatory parameters, and CSF analysis were evaluated and compared in both groups. Results. Altered conscious level, localizing neurological signs, Kernig's and Brudzinski's signs together with peripheral leucocytosis (>10.000/mm3), high CRP (>6) together with high CSF protein (>50 gl/dL), CSF neutrophilic count (≥50% of total CSF leucocytic count), and low CSF glucose level (<45 gm/dL) and CSF/serum glucose ≤0.6 were significantly diagnostic in bacterial meningitis patients. From the significant CSF analysis variables CSF protein carried the higher accuracy of diagnosis 78% with sensitivity 88% and specificity 72%. Conclusions. High CSF protein (>50 mg/dL) together with plasma inflammatory markers and CSF cytochemical parameters can diagnose bacterial meningitis in gram stain negative smear till culture results. PMID:24803939

Intelligence quotient discrepancy indicates levels of motor competence in preschool children at risk for developmental delays.

PubMed

Yu, Tzu-Ying; Chen, Kuan-Lin; Chou, Willy; Yang, Shu-Han; Kung, Sheng-Chun; Lee, Ya-Chen; Tung, Li-Chen

2016-01-01

This study aimed to establish 1) whether a group difference exists in the motor competence of preschool children at risk for developmental delays with intelligence quotient discrepancy (IQD; refers to difference between verbal intelligence quotient [VIQ] and performance intelligence quotient [PIQ]) and 2) whether an association exists between IQD and motor competence. Children's motor competence and IQD were determined with the motor subtests of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers and Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence™ - Fourth Edition. A total of 291 children were included in three groups: NON-IQD (n=213; IQD within 1 standard deviation [SD]), VIQ>PIQ (n=39; VIQ>PIQ greater than 1 SD), and PIQ>VIQ (n=39; PIQ>VIQ greater than 1 SD). The results of one-way analysis of variance indicated significant differences among the subgroups for the "Gross and fine motor" subdomains of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers, especially on the subtests of "body-movement coordination" (F=3.87, P<0.05) and "visual-motor coordination" (F=6.90, P<0.05). Motor competence was significantly worse in the VIQ>PIQ group than in the NON and PIQ>VIQ groups. Significant negative correlations between IQD and most of the motor subtests (r=0.31-0.46, P<0.01) were found only in the VIQ>PIQ group. This study demonstrates that 1) IQD indicates the level of motor competence in preschoolers at risk for developmental delays and 2) IQD is negatively associated with motor competence in preschoolers with significant VIQ>PIQ discrepancy. The first finding was that preschoolers with VIQ>PIQ discrepancy greater than 1 SD performed significantly worse on motor competence than did preschoolers without significant IQD and preschoolers with PIQ>VIQ discrepancy greater than 1 SD. However, preschoolers with significant PIQ>VIQ discrepancy performed better on motor competence than did preschoolers without significant IQD, though the difference was not statistically significant. The second finding was that preschoolers with larger VIQ>PIQ discrepancy had worse motor competence in visual-motor integration and body-movement coordination. Professionals should pay attention to the motor development of children with VIQ>PIQ discrepancy and evaluate children's IQD along with their motor competence.

Intelligence quotient discrepancy indicates levels of motor competence in preschool children at risk for developmental delays

PubMed Central

Yu, Tzu-Ying; Chen, Kuan-Lin; Chou, Willy; Yang, Shu-Han; Kung, Sheng-Chun; Lee, Ya-Chen; Tung, Li-Chen

2016-01-01

Purpose This study aimed to establish 1) whether a group difference exists in the motor competence of preschool children at risk for developmental delays with intelligence quotient discrepancy (IQD; refers to difference between verbal intelligence quotient [VIQ] and performance intelligence quotient [PIQ]) and 2) whether an association exists between IQD and motor competence. Methods Children’s motor competence and IQD were determined with the motor subtests of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers and Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence™ – Fourth Edition. A total of 291 children were included in three groups: NON-IQD (n=213; IQD within 1 standard deviation [SD]), VIQ>PIQ (n=39; VIQ>PIQ greater than 1 SD), and PIQ>VIQ (n=39; PIQ>VIQ greater than 1 SD). Results The results of one-way analysis of variance indicated significant differences among the subgroups for the “Gross and fine motor” subdomains of the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers, especially on the subtests of “body-movement coordination” (F=3.87, P<0.05) and “visual-motor coordination” (F=6.90, P<0.05). Motor competence was significantly worse in the VIQ>PIQ group than in the NON and PIQ>VIQ groups. Significant negative correlations between IQD and most of the motor subtests (r=0.31–0.46, P<0.01) were found only in the VIQ>PIQ group. Conclusion This study demonstrates that 1) IQD indicates the level of motor competence in preschoolers at risk for developmental delays and 2) IQD is negatively associated with motor competence in preschoolers with significant VIQ>PIQ discrepancy. The first finding was that preschoolers with VIQ>PIQ discrepancy greater than 1 SD performed significantly worse on motor competence than did preschoolers without significant IQD and preschoolers with PIQ>VIQ discrepancy greater than 1 SD. However, preschoolers with significant PIQ>VIQ discrepancy performed better on motor competence than did preschoolers without significant IQD, though the difference was not statistically significant. The second finding was that preschoolers with larger VIQ>PIQ discrepancy had worse motor competence in visual-motor integration and body-movement coordination. Professionals should pay attention to the motor development of children with VIQ>PIQ discrepancy and evaluate children’s IQD along with their motor competence. PMID:27013876

Determination of Relevant Neuron–Neuron Connections for Neural Prosthetics Using Time-Delayed Mutual Information: Tutorial and Preliminary Results

PubMed Central

Taghva, Alexander; Song, Dong; Hampson, Robert E.; Deadwyler, Sam A.; Berger, Theodore W.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND Identification of functional dependence among neurons is a necessary component in both the rational design of neural prostheses as well as in the characterization of network physiology. The objective of this article is to provide a tutorial for neurosurgeons regarding information theory, specifically time-delayed mutual information, and to compare time-delayed mutual information, an information theoretic quantity based on statistical dependence, with cross-correlation, a commonly used metric for this task in a preliminary analysis of rat hippocampal neurons. METHODS Spike trains were recorded from rats performing delayed nonmatch-to-sample task using an array of electrodes surgically implanted into the hippocampus of each hemisphere of the brain. In addition, spike train simulations of positively correlated neurons, negatively correlated neurons, and neurons correlated by nonlinear functions were generated. These were evaluated by time-delayed mutual information (MI) and cross-correlation. RESULTS Application of time-delayed MI to experimental data indicated the optimal bin size for information capture in the CA3-CA1 system was 40 ms, which may provide some insight into the spatiotemporal nature of encoding in the rat hippocampus. On simulated data, time-delayed MI showed peak values at appropriate time lags in positively correlated, negatively correlated, and complexly correlated data. Cross-correlation showed peak and troughs with positively correlated and negatively correlated data, but failed to capture some higher order correlations. CONCLUSIONS Comparison of time-delayed MI to cross-correlation in identification of functionally dependent neurons indicates that the methods are not equivalent. Time-delayed MI appeared to capture some interactions between CA3-CA1 neurons at physiologically plausible time delays missed by cross-correlation. It should be considered as a method for identification of functional dependence between neurons and may be useful in the development of neural prosthetics. PMID:22120279

Determination of relevant neuron-neuron connections for neural prosthetics using time-delayed mutual information: tutorial and preliminary results.

PubMed

Taghva, Alexander; Song, Dong; Hampson, Robert E; Deadwyler, Sam A; Berger, Theodore W

2012-12-01

Identification of functional dependence among neurons is a necessary component in both the rational design of neural prostheses as well as in the characterization of network physiology. The objective of this article is to provide a tutorial for neurosurgeons regarding information theory, specifically time-delayed mutual information, and to compare time-delayed mutual information, an information theoretic quantity based on statistical dependence, with cross-correlation, a commonly used metric for this task in a preliminary analysis of rat hippocampal neurons. Spike trains were recorded from rats performing delayed nonmatch-to-sample task using an array of electrodes surgically implanted into the hippocampus of each hemisphere of the brain. In addition, spike train simulations of positively correlated neurons, negatively correlated neurons, and neurons correlated by nonlinear functions were generated. These were evaluated by time-delayed mutual information (MI) and cross-correlation. Application of time-delayed MI to experimental data indicated the optimal bin size for information capture in the CA3-CA1 system was 40 ms, which may provide some insight into the spatiotemporal nature of encoding in the rat hippocampus. On simulated data, time-delayed MI showed peak values at appropriate time lags in positively correlated, negatively correlated, and complexly correlated data. Cross-correlation showed peak and troughs with positively correlated and negatively correlated data, but failed to capture some higher order correlations. Comparison of time-delayed MI to cross-correlation in identification of functionally dependent neurons indicates that the methods are not equivalent. Time-delayed MI appeared to capture some interactions between CA3-CA1 neurons at physiologically plausible time delays missed by cross-correlation. It should be considered as a method for identification of functional dependence between neurons and may be useful in the development of neural prosthetics. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Regret Expression and Social Learning Increases Delay to Sexual Gratification.

PubMed

Quisenberry, Amanda J; Eddy, Celia R; Patterson, David L; Franck, Christopher T; Bickel, Warren K

2015-01-01

Modification and prevention of risky sexual behavior is important to individuals' health and public health policy. This study employed a novel sexual discounting task to elucidate the effects of social learning and regret expression on delay to sexual gratification in a behavioral task. Amazon Mechanical Turk Workers were assigned to hear one of three scenarios about a friend who engages in similar sexual behavior. The scenarios included a positive health consequence, a negative health consequence or a negative health consequence with the expression of regret. After reading one scenario, participants were asked to select from 60 images, those with whom they would have casual sex. Of the selected images, participants chose one image each for the person they most and least want to have sex with and person most and least likely to have a sexually transmitted infection. They then answered questions about engaging in unprotected sex now or waiting some delay for condom-protected sex in each partner condition. Results indicate that the negative health outcome scenario with regret expression resulted in delayed sexual gratification in the most attractive and least STI partner conditions, whereas in the least attractive and most STI partner conditions the negative health outcome with and without regret resulted in delayed sexual gratification. Results suggest that the sexual discounting task is a relevant laboratory measure and the framing of information to include regret expression may be relevant for prevention of risky sexual behavior.

Regret Expression and Social Learning Increases Delay to Sexual Gratification

PubMed Central

Quisenberry, Amanda J.; Eddy, Celia R.; Patterson, David L.; Franck, Christopher T.; Bickel, Warren K.

2015-01-01

Objective Modification and prevention of risky sexual behavior is important to individuals’ health and public health policy. This study employed a novel sexual discounting task to elucidate the effects of social learning and regret expression on delay to sexual gratification in a behavioral task. Methods Amazon Mechanical Turk Workers were assigned to hear one of three scenarios about a friend who engages in similar sexual behavior. The scenarios included a positive health consequence, a negative health consequence or a negative health consequence with the expression of regret. After reading one scenario, participants were asked to select from 60 images, those with whom they would have casual sex. Of the selected images, participants chose one image each for the person they most and least want to have sex with and person most and least likely to have a sexually transmitted infection. They then answered questions about engaging in unprotected sex now or waiting some delay for condom-protected sex in each partner condition. Results Results indicate that the negative health outcome scenario with regret expression resulted in delayed sexual gratification in the most attractive and least STI partner conditions, whereas in the least attractive and most STI partner conditions the negative health outcome with and without regret resulted in delayed sexual gratification. Conclusions Results suggest that the sexual discounting task is a relevant laboratory measure and the framing of information to include regret expression may be relevant for prevention of risky sexual behavior. PMID:26280349

Sleep Problems and Early Developmental Delay: Implications for Early Intervention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonuck, Karen; Grant, Roy

2012-01-01

Sleep disorders negatively impact behavior, cognition, and growth--the same areas targeted by early intervention. Conversely, developmental delays and disabilities may themselves precipitate sleep disorders. Young children with developmental delays experience sleep disorders at a higher rate than do typically developing children; the most common…

Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST): neuropsychological mechanisms of change.

PubMed

Hall, Louise; Orrell, Martin; Stott, Joshua; Spector, Aimee

2013-03-01

Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is an evidence-based psychosocial intervention for people with dementia consisting of 14 group sessions aiming to stimulate various areas of cognition. This study examined the effects of CST on specific cognitive domains and explored the neuropsychological processes underpinning any effects. A total of 34 participants with mild to moderate dementia were included. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. Participants completed a battery of neuropsychological tests in the week before and after the manualised seven-week CST programme. There were significant improvement pre- to post-CST group on measures of delayed verbal recall (WMS III logical memory subtest - delayed), visual memory (WMS III visual reproduction subtest - delayed), orientation (WMS III information and orientation subscale), and auditory comprehension (Token Test). There were no significant changes on measures of naming (Boston Naming Test-2), attention (Trail Making Test A/Digit Span), executive function (DKEFS verbal fluency/Trail Making Test B), praxis (WMS III visual reproduction - immediate) or on a general cognitive screen (MMSE). Memory, comprehension of syntax, and orientation appear to be the cognitive domains most impacted by CST. One hypothesis is that the language-based nature of CST enhances neural pathways responsible for processing of syntax, possibly also aiding verbal recall. Another is that the reduction in negative self-stereotypes due to the de-stigmatising effect of CST may impact on language and memory, domains that are the primary focus of CST. Further research is required to substantiate these hypotheses.

Superluminal and negative delay times in isotropic-anisotropic one-dimensional photonic crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouchani, N.; El Moussaouy, A.; Aynaou, H.; El Hassouani, Y.; El Boudouti, E. H.; Djafari-Rouhani, B.

2017-11-01

In this work, we investigate the possibility of superluminal and negative delay times for electromagnetic wave propagation in a linear and passive periodic structure consisting of alternating isotropic and anisotropic media. This phenomenon is due to the birefringence of the anisotropic layers of the structure. By adjusting the orientations of these layers, the delay times of transmitted waves can be controlled from subluminality to superluminality and vice versa. Numerical results indicate that the apparent superluminal propagation of light occurs inside the photonic band-gaps when the principal axes of the anisotropic layers are parallel or perpendicular to the fixed axes. For other orientations of these layers, tunneling and superluminal regimes appear inside the photonic bandgaps and in the allowed bands for frequencies close to the transmission minima. The effect of the number of unit cells of the photonic crystal structure on the propagation of light with superluminal and negative delay times is also investigated. We show that the structure exhibits the Hartman effect in which the tunneling delay time of the electromagnetic wave through the photonic band-gap of the structure converges asymptotically to a finite value with increasing the number of layers. The Green's function approach has been used to derive the transmission and reflection coefficients, the density of states, and the delay times of electromagnetic waves propagating through the structure. The control of the magnitude and the sign of the delay time of light propagation represent a key point in slow and fast light technologies. The proposed structure in this study represents a new system for controlling the delay times of wave propagation without a need of active or non-linear media as well as lossy or asymmetric periodic structures.

Socioeconomic and Behavioral Factors Associated with Tuberculosis Diagnostic Delay in Lima, Peru.

PubMed

Bonadonna, Lily V; Saunders, Matthew J; Guio, Heinner; Zegarra, Roberto; Evans, Carlton A

2018-06-01

Early detection and diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) is a global priority. Prolonged symptom duration before TB diagnosis is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and risk of transmission. We aimed to determine socioeconomic and behavioral factors associated with diagnostic delays among patients with TB. Data were collected from 105 patients with TB using a semi-structured interview guide in Lima, Peru. Factors associated with diagnostic delay were analyzed using negative binomial regression. The median delay from when symptoms commenced and the first positive diagnostic sample in public health facilities was 57 days (interquartile range: 28-126). In multivariable analysis, greater diagnostic delay was independently associated with patient older age, female gender, lower personal income before diagnosis, living with fewer people, and having more visits to professional health facilities before diagnosis (all P < 0.05). Patients who first sought care at a private health facility had more visits overall to professional health facilities before diagnosis than those who first sought care from public or insured employee health facilities and had longer diagnostic delay in analysis adjusted for age and gender. Patients with TB were significantly more likely to first self-medicate than to visit professional health facilities before diagnosis ( P = 0.003). Thus, diagnostic delay was prolonged, greatest among older, low-income women, and varied according to the type of care sought by individuals when their symptoms commenced. These findings suggest that TB case-finding initiatives should target vulnerable groups in informal and private health facilities, where many patients with TB first seek health care.

Amygdala volume and verbal memory performance in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Killgore, William D S; Rosso, Isabelle M; Gruber, Staci A; Yurgelun-Todd, Deborah A

2009-03-01

To clarify the relationship between amygdala-hippocampal volume and cognitive performance in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Abnormalities of the amygdala-hippocampal complex and memory deficits have been reported in both schizophrenia and bipolar illness. We examined memory performance and its relationship to the volumes of the whole brain, lateral ventricles, hippocampus, and amygdala using morphometric magnetic resonance imaging in 19 patients with schizophrenia, 11 bipolar patients, and 20 healthy controls. Schizophrenia patients performed more poorly than bipolar patients and controls on indices of memory functioning, whereas patients with bipolar disorder showed milder impairments relative to controls. The schizophrenia group showed reduced total cerebral volume and enlarged ventricles relative to controls, but no group differences were found for amygdala or hippocampal volume. Left amygdala volume was predictive of memory performance in both groups, correlating positively with better immediate and delayed verbal memory for bipolar patients and negatively with immediate and delayed verbal recall for schizophrenia patients. Amygdala volume was unrelated to memory performance in healthy subjects. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder both seem to be associated with anomalous and differential limbic volume-function relationships, such that the amygdala may facilitate hippocampal-dependent memory processes in bipolar disorder but impair these same processes in schizophrenia.

Gender Differences in Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity Response: Effects of Stress and Coping in First Year Law Students

PubMed Central

Flynn, Sarah McQueary; Schipper, Lindsey J.; Roach, Abbey R.; Segerstrom, Suzanne C.

2009-01-01

Law students show significant deficits in emotional and physical well-being compared with groups of students in other areas of higher education. Furthermore, evidence suggests that these effects may be worse for women than for men. The use of active coping can positively affect immunity under stress, but this may be most true for men in the context of law school. The current study examined the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin responses of first year law students (n=121) and a comparison group (n=30). Students' health behaviors, self-evaluative emotions, and coping strategies were also reported. Male law students had larger DTH responses than females, but this gender effect was not present in the comparison group. Endorsement of perseverance under stress (n = 19), an active coping strategy, moderated the gender effect on immunity. Perseverance associated with larger DTH responses and more positive self-evaluative emotion, but only among men. These results indicate that active coping may be less efficacious for women than for men in law school, which in turn may limit women's opportunities to attenuate negative effects of law school. PMID:19162169

The Negative Testing and Negative Generation Effects Are Eliminated by Delay

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulligan, Neil W.; Peterson, Daniel J.

2015-01-01

Although retrieval often enhances subsequent memory (the testing effect), a negative testing effect has recently been documented in which prior retrieval harms later recall compared with restudying. The negative testing effect was predicated on the negative generation effect and the item-specific-relational framework. The present experiments…

Effects of delay and noise in a negative feedback regulatory motif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palassini, Matteo; Dies, Marta

2009-03-01

The small copy number of the molecules involved in gene regulation can induce nontrivial stochastic phenomena such as noise-induced oscillations. An often neglected aspect of regulation dynamics are the delays involved in transcription and translation. Delays introduce analytical and computational complications because the dynamics is non-Markovian. We study the interplay of noise and delays in a negative feedback model of the p53 core regulatory network. Recent experiments have found pronounced oscillations in the concentrations of proteins p53 and Mdm2 in individual cells subjected to DNA damage. Similar oscillations occur in the Hes-1 and NK-kB systems, and in circadian rhythms. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this oscillatory behaviour, such as deterministic limit cycles, with and without delay, or noise-induced excursions in excitable models. We consider a generic delayed Master Equation incorporating the activation of Mdm2 by p53 and the Mdm2-promoted degradation of p53. In the deterministic limit and for large delays, the model shows a Hopf bifurcation. Via exact stochastic simulations, we find strong noise-induced oscillations well outside the limit-cycle region. We propose that this may be a generic mechanism for oscillations in gene regulatory systems.

Impatience and Grades: Delay-Discount Rates Correlate Negatively with College Gpa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, K.N.; Winston, G.C.; Santiesteban, M.

2005-01-01

Because the rewards of academic performance in college are often delayed, the delay-discounting model of impulsiveness (Ainslie (1975) [Ainslie, G. Specious reward: A behavioral theory of impulsiveness and impulse control. Psychological Bulletin, 82 (4), 463-496] predicts that academic performance should tend to decrease as people place less…

Extensive surgical history prior to cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy is associated with poor survival outcomes in patients with peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis of appendiceal origin.

PubMed

Milovanov, V; Sardi, A; Aydin, N; Nieroda, C; Sittig, M; Nunez, M; Gushchin, V

2015-07-01

Patients with PMCA commonly undergo surgery before CRS/HIPEC. We evaluated the role of extensive surgical treatment before CRS/HIPEC in terms of overall survival (OS). 105 patients with PMCA who underwent a CRS/HIPEC procedure were identified from a prospective database. Patients were divided into two groups based on Prior Surgery Score (PSS): PSS ≤ 1 limited surgery group (LSG), PSS >1 extensive surgery group (ESG). Survival of lymph node (LN) negative and positive patients was analyzed separately. 40 patients were in LSG and 65 in ESG. Mean time from diagnosis to CRS/HIPEC was 6 and 17 months for LSG and ESG, respectively (p = 0.004). Groups were well balanced in peritoneal cancer index, complete cytoreduction rate, and LN status. One, 3, and 5-year OS among LN negative patients was 95, 83, and 75% for the LSG (n = 22) group and 87, 55, and 32% for the ESG (n = 35), group respectively (p = 0.026). One, 3, and 5-year OS among LN positive patients was 69, 50, and 17% for the LSG (n = 18) group and 80, 21, and 14% for the ESG (n = 30), group respectively (p = 0.613). For all patients 1, 3, and 5-year OS was 84, 65, and 54% for the LSG (n = 40) group and 86, 43, and 26% for the ESG (n = 65) group, respectively (p = 0.029). Extensive surgical treatment before CRS/HIPEC is associated with delay of CRS/HIPEC and poorer OS overall, especially among LN negative patients. We recommend early referral of PMCA patients to a peritoneal surface malignancy center. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intraluminal polyethylene glycol stabilizes tight junctions and improves intestinal preservation in the rat.

PubMed

Oltean, M; Joshi, M; Björkman, E; Oltean, S; Casselbrant, A; Herlenius, G; Olausson, M

2012-08-01

Rapidly progressing mucosal breakdown limits the intestinal preservation time below 10 h. Recent studies indicate that intraluminal solutions containing polyethylene glycol (PEG) alleviate preservation injury of intestines stored in UW-Viaspan. We investigated whether a low-sodium PEG solution is beneficial for intestines stored in histidine-tryptophane-ketoglutarate (HTK) preservation solution. Rat intestines used as control tissue (group 1) were perfused with HTK, groups 2 and 3 received either a customized PEG-3350 (group 2) or an electrolyte solution (group 3) intraluminally before cold storage. Tissue injury, brush-border maltase activity, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and claudin-3 expression in the tight junctions (TJ) were analyzed after 8, 14 and 20 h. We measured epithelial resistance and permeability (Ussing chamber) after 8 and 14 h. Group 2 had superior morphology while maltase activity was similar in all groups. TJ proteins rapidly decreased and decolocalized in groups 1 3; these negative events were delayed in group 2, where colocalization persisted for about 14 h. Intestines in group 2 had higher epithelial resistance and lower permeability than the other groups. These results suggest that a customized PEG solution intraluminally reduces the intestinal preservation injury by improving several major epithelial characteristics without negatively affecting the brush-border enzymes or promoting edema. © Copyright 2012 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

Delayed treatment with recombinant human tissue factor pathway inhibitor improves survival in rabbits with gram-negative peritonitis.

PubMed

Camerota, A J; Creasey, A A; Patla, V; Larkin, V A; Fink, M P

1998-03-01

To determine whether treatment with recombinant human tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), an inhibitor of the extrinsic coagulation pathway, can improve survival in a clinically relevant model of gram-negative sepsis, rabbits were given an intraperitoneal inoculation of a suspension containing hemoglobin (40 microg/mL), porcine mucin (150 microg/mL), and viable Escherichia coli O18:K1 (1.0 +/- 0.5 x 10(5) cfu/kg). Treatment with gentamicin (5 mg/kg every 12 h for five doses) was instituted 4 h after induction of peritonitis. At the same time point, rabbits were randomized to receive a 24-h infusion of vehicle or one of three different doses of TFPI. Treatment groups, 7-day survival rates, and significance versus control were as follows: control, 1 of 20; TFPI(LOW DOSE) (0.1 mg/kg, then 1 microg/kg/min), 3 of 12 (P = .14); TFPI(MID DOSE), (0.5 mg/kg, then 5 microg/kg/min), 7 of 12 (P = .002); TFPI(HIGH DOSE) (10 mg/kg, then 10 microg/kg/min), 4 of 13 (P = .04). Thus, delayed treatment with TFPI improves survival in septic rabbits.

The neural correlates of impaired attentional control in social anxiety: an ERP study of inhibition and shifting.

PubMed

Judah, Matt R; Grant, DeMond M; Mills, Adam C; Lechner, William V

2013-12-01

Cognitive models of social anxiety disorder posit that maladaptive thought processes play an etiological role in symptoms. The current study tested whether socially anxious individuals (HSAs) demonstrated impaired processing efficiency at the neural and behavioral level, and whether this was exacerbated by self-focused attention. Thirty-two (16 socially anxious, 16 nonanxious controls) subjects completed a mixed-antisaccade task with an oddball instructional cue. To manipulate self-focus, participants were told that the oddball cue indicated elevated heart rate. The HSA group demonstrated delayed saccade onset compared with controls, but made fewer errors. HSAs also had lower P3b amplitude compared with controls, suggesting reduced availability of resources for discriminating cues, and later P3b latency during self-focus trials, suggesting delayed cue categorization. Additionally, HSAs had greater CNV negativity compared with controls, suggesting greater effort in response preparation, and this negativity was reduced during self-focus trials, supporting the hypothesis that self-focused attention preoccupies executive resources. The current study supports and expands cognitive theories by documenting impaired neural and behavioral functioning in social anxiety and the role of self-focused attention in these deficits.

Surgical approach to TIR3 cytology class A prospective evaluation.

PubMed

D'Alessandro, Nicola; Fasano, Giovanni Michele; Gilio, Francesco; Iside, Giovanni; Izzo, Maria Lucia; Loffredo, Andrea; Pinto, Margherita; Tramontano, Salvatore; Tramutola, Giuseppe; Citro, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has proven to be a safe and reliable method of investigation of thyroid lesions. Referencing to European classification, the associated risk of malignancy for TIR3, category reserved for aspirates that contain architectural and/or nuclear atypia, is variable in such studies. Aims of study were evaluating safety of surgical approach, assessing perioperative parameters surgically related, and estimating neoplastic rate for TIR3 group. A prospective evaluation of all TIR3 submitted to thyroidectomy was conducted by assessing histopatohologic results between January 2005 and December 2012, considering two categories, positive (neoplastic) and negative (not neoplastic) group. Intraoperative and complication rate was analyzed on TIR3 population. A total of 1514 total thyroidectomy was performed from 2005 to 2012: a total of 148 cases was considered on TIR3 group. Positive cases amounted to 64 (43.2%), 29 of which were carcinoma (19.6% of total population) and 35 of which were adenoma, while negative cases amounted to 84 (56.8%). Sensitivity and specificity of TIR3 as neoplastic screening was 43.2% and 82.1%. A total of 32 linfectomies was performed (21.6% of group). Positive group presented a significant lower mean age than negative group (42.1 vs 56.2 years) TIR3 group represents a various category, with probably different malignancy risk. Our results and neoplasms rate confirmed that surgical option should be gold standard, in order to define atypical pattern and reduce delayed diagnoses. Choice of a second FNA or a imaging monitoring should be adopted for specific condition. Fine-needle aspiration, Thyroidectomy, TIR3, Thyroid cancer.

Mode Selection Rules for a Two-Delay System with Positive and Negative Feedback Loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Kin'ya; Kobayashi, Taizo

2018-04-01

The mode selection rules for a two-delay system, which has negative feedback with a short delay time t1 and positive feedback with a long delay time t2, are studied numerically and theoretically. We find two types of mode selection rules depending on the strength of the negative feedback. When the strength of the negative feedback |α1| (α1 < 0) is sufficiently small compared with that of the positive feedback α2 (> 0), 2m + 1-th harmonic oscillation is well sustained in a neighborhood of t1/t2 = even/odd, i.e., relevant condition. In a neighborhood of the irrelevant condition given by t1/t2 = odd/even or t1/t2 = odd/odd, higher harmonic oscillations are observed. However, if |α1| is slightly less than α2, a different mode selection rule works, where the condition t1/t2 = odd/even is relevant and the conditions t1/t2 = odd/odd and t1/t2 = even/odd are irrelevant. These mode selection rules are different from the mode selection rule of the normal two-delay system with two positive feedback loops, where t1/t2 = odd/odd is relevant and the others are irrelevant. The two types of mode selection rules are induced by individually different mechanisms controlling the Hopf bifurcation, i.e., the Hopf bifurcation controlled by the "boosted bifurcation process" and by the "anomalous bifurcation process", which occur for |α1| below and above the threshold value αth, respectively.

Prospection and emotional memory: how expectation affects emotional memory formation following sleep and wake

PubMed Central

Cunningham, Tony J.; Chambers, Alexis M.; Payne, Jessica D.

2014-01-01

Successful prospective memory is necessarily driven by an expectation that encoded information will be relevant in the future, leading to its preferential placement in memory storage. Like expectation, emotional salience is another type of cue that benefits human memory formation. Although separate lines of research suggest that both emotional information and information explicitly expected to be important in the future benefit memory consolidation, it is unknown how expectation affects the processing of emotional information and whether sleep, which is known to maximize memory consolidation, plays a critical role. The purpose of this study was to investigate how expectation would impact the consolidation of emotionally salient content, and whether this impact would differ across delays of sleep and wake. Participants encoded scenes containing an emotionally charged negative or neutral foreground object placed on a plausible neutral background. After encoding, half of the participants were informed they would later be tested on the scenes (expected condition), while the other half received no information about the test (unexpected condition). At recognition, following a 12-h delay of sleep or wakefulness, the scene components (objects and backgrounds) were presented separately and one at a time, and participants were asked to determine if each component was old or new. Results revealed a greater disparity for memory of negative objects over their paired neutral backgrounds for both the sleep and wake groups when the memory test was expected compared to when it was unexpected, while neutral memory remained unchanged. Analyzing each group separately, the wake group showed a threefold increase in the magnitude of this object/background trade-off for emotional scenes when the memory test was expected compared to when it was unexpected, while those who slept performed similarly across conditions. These results suggest that emotional salience and expectation cues interact to benefit emotional memory consolidation during a delay of wakefulness. The sleeping brain, however, may automatically tag emotionally salient information as important, such that explicit instruction of an upcoming memory test does not further improve memory performance. PMID:25136328

Working memory for vibrotactile frequencies: comparison of cortical activity in blind and sighted individuals.

PubMed

Burton, Harold; Sinclair, Robert J; Dixit, Sachin

2010-11-01

In blind, occipital cortex showed robust activation to nonvisual stimuli in many prior functional neuroimaging studies. The cognitive processes represented by these activations are not fully determined, although a verbal recognition memory role has been demonstrated. In congenitally blind and sighted (10 per group), we contrasted responses to a vibrotactile one-back frequency retention task with 5-s delays and a vibrotactile amplitude-change task; both tasks involved the same vibration parameters. The one-back paradigm required continuous updating for working memory (WM). Findings in both groups confirmed roles in WM for right hemisphere dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC) and dorsal/ventral attention components of posterior parietal cortex. Negative findings in bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal cortex suggested task performance without subvocalization. In bilateral occipital cortex, blind showed comparable positive responses to both tasks, whereas WM evoked large negative responses in sighted. Greater utilization of attention resources in blind were suggested as causing larger responses in dorsal and ventral attention systems, right DLPFC, and persistent responses across delays between trials in somatosensory and premotor cortex. In sighted, responses in somatosensory and premotor areas showed iterated peaks matched to stimulation trial intervals. The findings in occipital cortex of blind suggest that tactile activations do not represent cognitive operations for nonverbal WM task. However, these data suggest a role in sensory processing for tactile information in blind that parallels a similar contribution for visual stimuli in occipital cortex of sighted. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Effect of the Pacing Strategies on the Open Water 10km World Swimming Championships Performances.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Luis; Veiga, Santiago

2017-10-16

The aim of the present research was 1) to compare the pacing strategies of different level open water swimmers during the 10km race of the FINA 2015 World Swimming Championships (WCH), and 2) to relate these pacing strategies to the race performance. Final and intermediate split times as well as intermediate race positions from the 10-kilometer race participants (69 men and 51 women) were collected from the public domain and were divided into five groups (G1 to G5) depending on their finishing positions. Medalists and finalists (G1 and G2, respectively) presented an even pacing profile with similar swimming velocities to the less successful swimmers (G3 to G5) on the initial and mid stages of the race but a 1.5-3% increase in swimming velocity in the last quarter of the race. This fast end spurt was largely related to the race performance and was not observed in the G3 and G4 (even-paced profile) or in the G5 (positive pacing profile) groups. Intermediate race positions and lap rankings were negatively related to finishing position indicating a delayed positioning of the most successful swimmers at 25%, 50% and 75% of race distance. The adoption of a conservative starting strategy by open water swimmers with a negative pacing profile and delayed partial positioning seems to increase the chances of overall race success as it allows a fast end spurt that is highly related to successful finishing race positions.

Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in High Risk Patients Undergoing Panniculectomy: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

ClinicalTrials.gov

2018-01-16

Complications Wounds; Negative Pressure Wound Therapy; Wound Healing Delayed; Incisional; Panniculectomy; Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy; Incisional Vac; Wound Vac; Obese; Renal Failure; Kidney Transplant; Complications; Wound Healing Complication

A Comparison between Chocolate Milk and a Raw Milk Honey Solution’s Influence on Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness

PubMed Central

Hatchett, Andrew; Berry, Christopher; Oliva, Claudia; Wiley, Douglas; St. Hilaire, Jacob; LaRochelle, Alex

2016-01-01

This investigation sought to examine the effect that a chocolate milk solution (CMS) and a raw milk solution (RMS) had on lower extremity induced delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS). Twenty trained male participants completed a set of questionnaires, prior to completing a lower extremity DOMS protocol, to determine the level of discomfort and functional limitations. Once the DOMS protocol was completed, participants were randomly assigned to either the CM or RM group. Once assigned, participants ingested 240 mL of the respective solution and completed the same set of questionnaires immediately post, 24-, 48- and 72-h post DOMS protocol. Additionally, for 10 days post-ingestion participants were contacted to learn if any negative effects were experienced as a result of ingesting either solution. Both groups reported an increase in lower extremity discomfort at each data collection interval post-DOMS protocol (post, 24-, 48- and 72-h). Participants assigned to the RM group reported high discomfort post and a relative decline in discomfort from immediately post-DOMS protocol to 72-h post. The RMS group reported substantially less discomfort at 72-h when compared to the CMS group. Ingestion of a raw milk solution immediately post strength exercise can substantially reduce the level of self-reported discomfort associated with DOMS. PMID:29910267

Effects of aging on control of timing and force of finger tapping.

PubMed

Sasaki, Hirokazu; Masumoto, Junya; Inui, Nobuyuki

2011-04-01

The present study examined whether the elderly produced a hastened or delayed tap with a negative or positive constant intertap interval error more frequently in self-paced tapping than in the stimulus-synchronized tapping for the 2 N target force at 2 or 4 Hz frequency. The analysis showed that, at both frequencies, the percentage of the delayed tap was larger in the self-paced tapping than in the stimulus-synchronized tapping, whereas the hastened tap showed the opposite result. At the 4 Hz frequency, all age groups had more variable intertap intervals during the self-paced tapping than during the stimulus-synchronized tapping, and the variability of the intertap intervals increased with age. Thus, although the increase in the frequency of delayed taps and variable intertap intervals in the self-paced tapping perhaps resulted from a dysfunction of movement timing in the basal ganglia with age, the decline in timing accuracy was somewhat improved by an auditory cue. The force variability of tapping at 4 Hz further increased with age, indicating an effect of aging on the control of force.

Direct-reading group-delay measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trowbridge, D. L.

1978-01-01

Technique for measuring modulation signal retardation in microwave components gives direct plot of dependence of delay time on carrier frequency. Recorder sensitivity can be adjusted to give convenient scale factor for group delay. From family of such recordings, it is possible to observe changes in group delay due to temperature, mechanical stress, and other factors.

The effects of local nitroglycerin on the surgical delay procedure in prefabricated flaps by vascular implant in rats.

PubMed

Sá, Jairo Zacchê de; Aguiar, José Lamartine de Andrade; Cruz, Adriana Ferreira; Schuler, Alexandre Ricardo Pereira; Lima, José Ricardo Alves de; Marques, Olga Martins

2012-12-01

To evaluate the effect of local nitroglycerin on the viable area of a prefabricated flap for vascular implant in rats, and to investigate the surgical delay procedure. A femoral pedicle was implanted under the skin of the abdominal wall in forty Wistar rats. The animals were divided into four groups of ten: group 1 - without surgical delay procedure and local nitroglycerin; group 2 - with surgical delay procedure, but without local nitroglycerin; group 3 - without surgical delay procedure, but with local nitroglycerin; and group 4 - with simultaneous surgical delay procedure and local nitroglycerin. The percentages of the viable areas, in relation to the total flap, were calculated using AutoCAD R 14. The mean percentage value of the viable area was 8.9% in the group 1. 49.4% in the group 2; 8.4% in the group 3 and 1.1% in the group 4. There was significant difference between groups 1 and 2 (p=0.005), 1 and 4 (p=0.024), 2 and 3 (p=0.003), 2 and 4 (p=0.001). These results support the hypothesis that the closure of the arterial venous channels is responsible for the phenomenon of surgical delay procedure. Local nitroglycerin did not cause an increase in the prefabricated viable flap area by vascular implantation and decreased the viable flap area that underwent delay procedures.

Changing Delay Discounting in the Light of the Competing Neurobehavioral Decision Systems Theory: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koffarnus, Mikhail N.; Jarmolowicz, David P.; Mueller, E. Terry; Bickel, Warren K.

2013-01-01

Excessively devaluing delayed reinforcers co-occurs with a wide variety of clinical conditions such as drug dependence, obesity, and excessive gambling. If excessive delay discounting is a trans-disease process that underlies the choice behavior leading to these and other negative health conditions, efforts to change an individual's discount rate…

Endoscopic management of suspected esophageal foreign body in adults.

PubMed

Wu, W-T; Chiu, C-T; Kuo, C-J; Lin, C-J; Chu, Y-Y; Tsou, Y-K; Su, M-Y

2011-04-01

Foreign bodies should not be allowed to remain in the esophagus beyond 24 hours after presentation. However, some patients with esophageal foreign body ingestion do not come to the hospital immediately and may delay medical intervention from the time of ingestion. The aim of this study was to investigate the outcomes of adults with suspected esophageal foreign body ingestion according to the time of ingestion and types of foreign bodies. A total of 326 adult patients (151 men and 175 women) were analyzed, and divided into two groups according to the time period: within or beyond 24 hours from ingestion to endoscopic intervention. A total of 172 patients (52.7%) were found to have ingested foreign bodies; 73.5% were removed smoothly, 10.3% were treated by push technique and 16.0% with failed retrieval received alternative treatments. A higher proportion of patients in the beyond-24 hours group suffered from odynophagia (25.9 vs. 12.9%, P < 0.05). Negative identification of esophageal foreign bodies was more frequent in the beyond-24 hours group (67 vs. 40.2%, P < 0.05), but these patients showed higher proportions of esophageal ulcers (21.1 vs. 7.2%, P < 0.05). The beyond-24 hours group also showed a significantly higher rate of foreign bodies in the lower esophagus (40.0 vs. 15.3%, P < 0.05). Patients with esophageal food bolus impaction had significant delayed endoscopic intervention, longer therapeutic endoscopic time, higher proportions of esophageal cancer, stricture and fewer complications. Endoscopic intervention within 24 hours from the time of ingestion should be considered early in adults, because delaying intervention may produce more symptomatic esophageal ulcerations with odynophagia. © 2010 Copyright the Authors. Journal compilation © 2010, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus.

Overgeneral autobiographical memory in patients with chronic pain.

PubMed

Liu, Xianhua; Liu, Yanling; Li, Li; Hu, Yiqiu; Wu, Siwei; Yao, Shuqiao

2014-03-01

Overgenerality and delay of the retrieval of autobiographical memory (AM) are well documented in a range of clinical conditions, particularly in patients with emotional disorder. The present study extended the investigation to chronic pain, attempting to identify whether the retrieval of AM in patients with chronic pain tends to be overgeneral or delayed. With an observational cross-sectional design, we evaluated the AM both in patients with chronic pain and healthy controls by Autobiographical Memory Test. Pain conditions were assessed using the pain diagnostic protocol, the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and the Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ). Emotion was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Subjects included 176 outpatients with chronic pain lasting for at least 6 months and 170 healthy controls. 1) Compared with the healthy group, the chronic pain group had more overgeneral memories (OGMs) (F = 29.061, P < 0.01) and longer latency (F = 13.602, P < 0.01). 2) In the chronic pain group, the stepwise multiple regression models for variables predicting OGM were significant (P < 0.01). Specifically, the variance in OGM scores could be predicted by the BDI score (9.7%), pain chronicity (4.3%), PSEQ score (7.1%), and Affective Index (of SF-MPQ) score (2.7%). 3) In the chronic pain group, the stepwise multiple regression models for variables predicting latency were significant (P < 0.05). Specifically, the variance in latency could be predicted by age (3.1%), pain chronicity (2.7%), pain duration (4.3%), and PSEQ score (2.0%). The retrieval of AM in patients with chronic pain tends to be overgeneral and delayed, and the retrieval style of AM may be contributed to negative emotions and chronic pain conditions. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The ignition delay times of hydrogen/silan/air mixtures at low temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tropin, D. A.; Bochenkov, E. S.; Fedorov, A. V.

2018-03-01

In the paper the ignition delay times of hydrogen-silane-air mixtures at low pressures from 0.4 atm to 1 atm and mixture temperatures from 300 K to 900 K using the detailed kinetic mechanisms were calculated. It was shown that dependencies of ignition delay time on temperature are non-monotonic. In these dependences a region of "negative temperature coefficient" is presented. The effect of the mixture pressure and the silane concentration in the mixture on the length of this region was revealed. It was shown that the increasing of the silane concentration in the mixture, as well as the increasing the mixture pressure, leads to increasing of the "negative temperature coefficient" region length.

Delayed neutron spectral data for Hansen-Roach energy group structure

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

Campbell, J.M.; Spriggs, G.D.

A detailed knowledge of delayed neutron spectra is important in reactor physics. It not only allows for an accurate estimate of the effective delayed neutron fraction {beta}{sub eff} but also is essential to calculating important reactor kinetic parameters, such as effective group abundances and the ratio of {beta}{sub eff} to the prompt neutron generation time. Numerous measurements of delayed neutron spectra for various delayed neutron precursors have been performed and reported in the literature. However, for application in reactor physics calculations, these spectra are usually lumped into one of the traditional six groups of delayed neutrons in accordance to theirmore » half-lives. Subsequently, these six-group spectra are binned into energy intervals corresponding to the energy intervals of a chosen nuclear cross-section set. In this work, the authors present a set of delayed neutron spectra that were formulated specifically to match Keepin`s six-group parameters and the 16-energy-group Hansen-Roach cross sections.« less

ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR AMONG RURAL THAI ADOLESCENTS REGARDING SEXUAL INTERCOURSE.

PubMed

Tangmunkongvorakul, Arunrat; Srithanaviboonchai, Kriengkrai; Guptarak, Marisa; Wichajarn, Monjun; Yungyuankul, Sawang; Khampan, Ratchaneekorn; Grimes, Deanna E; Grimes, Richard M

2014-11-01

Early initiation of sexual intercourse has been associated with negative consequences, such as higher rates of unwanted pregnancy and HIV infection. This study examined the attitudes and behavior of rural Thai adolescent students aged 16 to 20 years from northern Thailand regarding sexual intercourse. Differences between participants who previously had sexual intercourse and those who had not were explored. Those who had not previously had sexual intercourse were asked about the reasons why they had not had sex, their future plans for having sex and their dating experiences. More than 70% of participants stated they had not previously had sexual intercourse but one third of this group reported engaging in other sexual behavior. There were significant differences by gender, religion, ethnicity, and household income between those who had previously had sex and those who had not. Among those who had not previously had sexual intercourse, concern for their parents' feelings was the most common reason for delaying intercourse. About two-thirds of this group had plans not to have sexual intercourse until after marriage; nearly half of them reported currently having a boyfriend/girlfriend. Interventions aimed at delaying sexual intercourse should involve adolescents in their design and include their attitudes for delaying intercourse. Because of many gender differences seen in our study, interventions should be designed differently for males and females in rural northern Thailand.

PRECISION TIME-DELAY CIRCUIT

DOEpatents

Creveling, R.

1959-03-17

A tine-delay circuit which produces a delay time in d. The circuit a capacitor, an te back resistance, connected serially with the anode of the diode going to ground. At the start of the time delay a negative stepfunction is applied to the series circuit and initiates a half-cycle transient oscillatory voltage terminated by a transient oscillatory voltage of substantially higher frequency. The output of the delay circuit is taken at the junction of the inductor and diode where a sudden voltage rise appears after the initiation of the higher frequency transient oscillations.

Dysfunctional Prefrontal Function Is Associated with Impulsivity in People with Internet Gaming Disorder during a Delay Discounting Task.

PubMed

Wang, Yifan; Hu, Yanbo; Xu, Jiaojing; Zhou, Hongli; Lin, Xiao; Du, Xiaoxia; Dong, Guangheng

2017-01-01

Internet gaming disorder (IGD), defined as the persistent use of online games with ignorance of adverse consequences, has increasingly raised widespread public concerns. This study aimed at elucidating the precise mechanisms underlying IGD by comparing intertemporal decision-making process between 18 IGD participants and 21 matched healthy controls (HCs). Both behavioral and fMRI data were recorded from a delay discounting task. At the behavioral level, the IGD showed a higher discount rate k than HC; and in IGD group, both the reaction time (delay - immediate) and the discount rate k were significantly positively correlated with the severity of IGD. At the neural level, the IGD exhibited reduced brain activations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and bilateral inferior frontal gyrus compared to HC during performing delay trials relative to immediate ones. Taken together, the results suggested that IGD showed deficits in making decisions and tended to pursuit immediate satisfaction. The underlying mechanism arises from the deficient ability in evaluating between delayed reward and immediate satisfaction, and the impaired ability in impulse inhibition, which may be associated with the dysfunction of the prefrontal activation. These might be the reason why IGD continue playing online games in spite of facing severe negative consequences.

Impulsive choice and pre-exposure to delays: iv. effects of delay- and immediacy-exposure training relative to maturational changes in impulsivity.

PubMed

Renee Renda, C; Rung, Jillian M; Hinnenkamp, Jay E; Lenzini, Stephanie N; Madden, Gregory J

2018-04-23

Impulsive choice describes preference for smaller, sooner rewards over larger, later rewards. Excessive delay discounting (i.e., rapid devaluation of delayed rewards) underlies some impulsive choices, and is observed in many maladaptive behaviors (e.g., substance abuse, gambling). Interventions designed to reduce delay discounting may provide therapeutic gains. One such intervention provides rats with extended training with delayed reinforcers. When compared to a group given extended training with immediate reinforcers, delay-exposed rats make significantly fewer impulsive choices. To what extent is this difference due to delay-exposure training shifting preference toward self-control or immediacy-exposure training (the putative control group) shifting preference toward impulsivity? The current study compared the effects of delay- and immediacy-exposure training to a no-training control group and evaluated within-subject changes in impulsive choice across 51 male Wistar rats. Delay-exposed rats made significantly fewer impulsive choices than immediacy-exposed and control rats. Between-group differences in impulsive choice were not observed in the latter two groups. While delay-exposed rats showed large, significant pre- to posttraining reductions in impulsive choice, immediacy-exposed and control rats showed small reductions in impulsive choice. These results suggest that extended training with delayed reinforcers reduces impulsive choice, and that extended training with immediate reinforcers does not increase impulsive choice. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Polidocanol injection for chemical delay and its effect on the survival of rat dorsal skin flaps.

PubMed

Menevşe, Gülsüm Tetik; TeomanTellioglu, Ali; Altuntas, Nurgül; Cömert, Ayhan; Tekdemir, Ibrahim

2014-06-01

Surgical delay is an invasive method requiring a two-stage surgical procedure. Hence, methods that may serve as an alternative to surgical delay have become the focus of interest of research studies. From a conceptual view, any technique that interrupts the blood flow along the edges of a proposed flap will render the flap ischemic and induce a delay phenomenon. Polidocanol (Aethoxysklerol(®)-Kreussler) was initially used as a local anesthetic. Nowadays, it has been used as a sclerosing agent to treat telangiectasias and varicose veins. The aim of this experimental study was to investigate the effects of polidocanol injected around the periphery of a random flap as a sclerosing agent on flap delay and survival in a random flap model. A preliminary histopathologic study was performed on two rats to evaluate the sclerosing effect and distribution of polidocanol injection. After the preliminary study, the main study was carried out with three groups: group 1: dorsal flap (n = 10); group 2: dorsal flap + surgical delay (n = 10), group 3: dorsal flap + chemical delay (n = 10). Tissue samples obtained from the flap and injection area revealed destruction of intradermal vessels. The area affected with sclerosis was limited to 0.1 cm beyond the injection site. Mean viable flap areas were 52.1 ± 4.38% (44.0-58.2) in group 1, 64.8 ± 8.92% (57.2-89.2) in group 2, and 71.8 ± 5.18% (64.0-84.0) in group 3. A statistically highly significant difference was found between the surgical delay and chemical delay groups versus the group without delay (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The difference between the mean viable flap areas was not statistically significant in the surgical and chemical delay groups (p = 0.056). In conclusion, this study has shown that polidocanol injection around the dorsal flap in the rat is a safe and easy method for nonsurgical delay. The results have shown a flap survival benefit that is superior to controls and equivalent to surgical delay. The clinical application of polidocanol, already in clinical practice for occlusal of telangiectasias, for surgical delay appears feasible. Copyright © 2014 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influenza vaccine delivery delays from the perspective of primary care physicians.

PubMed

O'Leary, Sean T; Barrow, Jennifer C; McQuillan, Lon; Daley, Matthew F; Crane, Lori A; Beaty, Brenda L; Babbel, Christine I; Dickinson, L Miriam; Kempe, Allison

2011-06-01

The effects of delayed influenza vaccine delivery on primary practices are currently unknown. To describe, among primary care physicians nationally regarding the 2006-2007 influenza season: (1) how physicians defined influenza vaccine delay; (2) the extent of reported vaccine delays; and (3) the perceived effects of vaccine delays. Between March and June 2007, a total of 1268 primary care physicians nationally were surveyed. Survey response was 74% (n=940). The majority of physicians (79%) defined "influenza vaccine delay" as not receiving vaccine by November 1. Fifty-three percent reported a vaccine delay. Providers reported the following as effects of delays: reduced satisfaction of patients or parents in the practice (72%); decreased percentage in their practice who received the vaccination (65%); disruption of scheduling influenza clinics (55%); increased referral of patients elsewhere for vaccination (55%); and negative financial impact caused by unused vaccine (46%). Those who reported experiencing delays more often reported not meeting demand for vaccine (adjusted risk ratio [ARR]=1.83, 95% CI=1.64, 2.07); that grocery stores, retail outlets, or pharmacies had vaccine before their practices did (ARR=1.82, 95% CI=1.53, 2.26); not receiving all vaccine that was ordered (ARR=1.19, 95% CI=1.06, 1.36); and having leftover vaccine (ARR=1.17, 95% CI=1.04, 1.32). During the 2006-2007 influenza season, a non-shortage season, the majority of respondents reported experiencing an influenza vaccine delivery delay. Experiencing a delay was thought to decrease vaccination use, increase referrals elsewhere, and have a negative financial impact on practices. Delayed delivery of influenza vaccine is disruptive for primary care practices, and it consequently may affect vaccination coverage. Copyright © 2011 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of delay in admission on the outcome of critically ill patients presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital from low income country.

PubMed

Khan, Badar Afzal; Shakeel, Nishi; Siddiqui, Emad Uddin; Kazi, Ghazala; Khan, Irum Qamar; Khursheed, Munawer; Feroze, Asher; Ejaz, Kiran; Khan, Sumaiya Tauseeq; Adel, Hatem

2016-05-01

To assess the impact of admission delay on the outcome of critical patients. The retrospective chart review was done at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised adult patients visiting the Emergency Department during 2010. Outcome measures assessed were total hospital length of stay, total cost of the visit and in-hospital mortality. Patients admitted within 6 hours of presentation at Emergency Department were defined as non-delayed. Data was analysed using SPSS 19. Of the 49,532 patients reporting at the Emergency Department during the study period, 17,968 (36.3%) were admitted. Of them 2356(13%) were admitted to special or intensive care units, 1595(67.7%) of this sub-group stayed in the Emergency Department for >6 hours before being shifted to intensive care. The study focussed on 325(0.65%) of the total patients; 164(50.5%) in the non-delayed group and 161(49.5%) in the delayed group. The admitting diagnosis of myocardial infarction (p=0.00) and acute coronary syndrome (p=0.01) was significantly more common in the non-delayed group compared to other diagnoses like cerebrovascular attacks (p=0.03) which was significantly more common in the delayed group. There was no significant difference in the hospital length of stay between the two groups (p>0.05). The Emergency Department cost was significantly increased in the delayed group (p<0.05), but there was no difference in the overall hospital cost between the groups (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in the delayed and non-delayed groups, but long Emergency Department stays are distressing for both physicians and patients.

The influence of social-developmental context and nurse visitation intervention on self-agency change in unmarried adolescent mothers.

PubMed

DeSocio, Janiece E; Holland, Margaret L; Kitzman, Harriet J; Cole, Robert E

2013-04-01

Pregnancy among unmarried adolescents has been linked to negative personal control beliefs. In contrast, self-agency beliefs about control over future possibilities have been linked to delay in subsequent childbearing. In this secondary analysis, we examined factors associated with self-agency change in 429 unmarried adolescent mothers from intervention and control groups of a nurse home visitation study. Adolescent mothers who participated in a sustained relationship with a nurse made greater gains in self-agency than did control group mothers (p = .034). Adolescents with lower cognitive ability who were behind their age-appropriate grade level in school made the greatest self-agency gains. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Usefulness of M-B CDI-K Short Form as Screening Test in Children With Language Developmental Delay.

PubMed

Kim, Seong Woo; Jeon, Ha Ra; Park, Eun Ji; Kim, Hyo In; Jung, Da Wa; Woo, Mee Ryung

2014-06-01

To investigate the usefulness of MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories-Korean (M-B CDI-K) short form as a screening test in children with language developmental delay. From April 2010 to May 2012, a total of 87 patients visited the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation of National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital with the complaint of language developmental delay and were enrolled in this study. All patients took M-B CDI-K short form and Sequenced Language Scale for Infants (SELSI) or Preschool Receptive-Expressive Language Scale (PRES) according to their age. The study group consisted of 58 male patients and 29 female patients and the mean age was 25.9 months. The diagnosis are global developmental delay in 26 patients, selective language impairment in 31 patients, articulation disorder in 7 patients, cerebral palsy in 8 patients, autism spectrum disorder in 4 patients, motor developmental delay in 4 patients, and others in 7 patients. Seventy-one patients are diagnosed with language developmental delay in SELSI or PRES and of them showed 69 patients a high risk in the M-B CDI-K short form. Sixteen patients are normal in SELSI or PRES and of them showed 14 patients non-high risk in the M-B CDI-K short form. The M-B CDI-K short form has 97.2% sensitivity, 87.5% specificity, a positive predictive value of 0.97, and a negative predictive value of 0.88. The M-B CDI-K short form has a high sensitivity and specificity so it is considered as an useful screening tool in children with language developmental delay. Additional researches targeting normal children will be continued to supply the specificity of the M-B CDI-K short form.

Risk-Taking and the Feedback Negativity Response to Loss among At-Risk Adolescents

PubMed Central

Crowley, Michael J.; Wu, Jia; Crutcher, Clifford; Bailey, Christopher A.; Lejuez, C.W.; Mayes, Linda C.

2009-01-01

Event-related brain potentials were examined in 32 adolescents (50% female) from a high-risk sample, who were exposed to cocaine and other drugs prenatally. Adolescents were selected for extreme high- or low-risk behavior on the Balloon Analog Risk Task, a measure of real-world risk-taking propensity. The feedback error-related negativity (fERN), an event-related potential (ERP) that occurs when an expected reward does not occur, was examined in a game in which choices lead to monetary gains and losses with feedback delayed 1 or 2 s. The fERN was clearly visible in the fronto-central scalp region in this adolescent sample. Feedback type, feedback delay, risk status, and sex were all associated with fERN variability. Monetary feedback also elicited a P300-like component, moderated by delay and sex. Delaying reward feedback may provide a means for studying complementary functioning of dopamine and norepinephrine systems. PMID:19372694

Association of Arsenic Methylation Capacity with Developmental Delays and Health Status in Children: A Prospective Case-Control Trial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsueh, Yu-Mei; Chen, Wei-Jen; Lee, Chih-Ying; Chien, Ssu-Ning; Shiue, Horng-Sheng; Huang, Shiau-Rung; Lin, Ming-I.; Mu, Shu-Chi; Hsieh, Ru-Lan

2016-11-01

This case-control study identified the association between the arsenic methylation capacity and developmental delays and explored the association of this capacity with the health status of children. We recruited 120 children with developmental delays and 120 age- and sex-matched children without developmental delays. The health status of the children was assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI). The arsenic methylation capacity was determined by the percentages of inorganic arsenic (InAs%), monomethylarsonic acid (MMAV%), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAV%) through liquid chromatography and hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry. Developmental delays were significantly positively associated with the total urinary arsenic concentration, InAs%, and MMAV%, and was significantly negatively associated with DMAV% in a dose-dependent manner. MMAV% was negatively associated with the health-related quality of life (HRQOL; -1.19 to -1.46, P < 0.01) and functional performance (-0.82 to -1.14, P < 0.01), whereas DMAV% was positively associated with HRQOL (0.33-0.35, P < 0.05) and functional performance (0.21-0.39, P < 0.01-0.05) in all children and in those with developmental delays. The arsenic methylation capacity is dose-dependently associated with developmental delays and with the health status of children, particularly those with developmental delays.

Direct measurement of group delay with joint time-frequency analysis of a white-light spectral interferogram.

PubMed

Deng, Yuqiang; Yang, Weijian; Zhou, Chun; Wang, Xi; Tao, Jun; Kong, Weipeng; Zhang, Zhigang

2008-12-01

We propose and demonstrate an analysis method to directly extract the group delay rather than the phase from the white-light spectral interferogram. By the joint time-frequency analysis technique, group delay is directly read from the ridge of wavelet transform, and group-delay dispersion is easily obtained by additional differentiation. The technique shows reasonable potential for the characterization of ultra-broadband chirped mirrors.

Time and outcome framing in intertemporal tradeoffs.

PubMed

Scholten, Marc; Read, Daniel

2013-07-01

A robust anomaly in intertemporal choice is the delay-speedup asymmetry: Receipts are discounted more, and payments are discounted less, when delayed than when expedited over the same interval. We developed 2 versions of the tradeoff model (Scholten & Read, 2010) to address such situations, in which an outcome is expected at a given time but then its timing is changed. The outcome framing model generalizes the approach taken by the hyperbolic discounting model (Loewenstein & Prelec, 1992): Not obtaining a positive outcome when expected is a worse than expected state, to which people are over-responsive, or hypersensitive, and not incurring a negative outcome when expected is a better than expected state, to which people are under-responsive, or hyposensitive. The time framing model takes a new approach: Delaying a positive outcome or speeding up a negative one involves a loss of time to which people are hypersensitive, and speeding up a positive outcome or delaying a negative one involves a gain of time to which people are hyposensitive. We compare the models on their quantitative predictions of indifference data from matching and preference data from choice. The time framing model systematically outperforms the outcome framing model. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Predation and fragmentation portrayed in the statistical structure of prey time series

PubMed Central

Hendrichsen, Ditte K; Topping, Chris J; Forchhammer, Mads C

2009-01-01

Background Statistical autoregressive analyses of direct and delayed density dependence are widespread in ecological research. The models suggest that changes in ecological factors affecting density dependence, like predation and landscape heterogeneity are directly portrayed in the first and second order autoregressive parameters, and the models are therefore used to decipher complex biological patterns. However, independent tests of model predictions are complicated by the inherent variability of natural populations, where differences in landscape structure, climate or species composition prevent controlled repeated analyses. To circumvent this problem, we applied second-order autoregressive time series analyses to data generated by a realistic agent-based computer model. The model simulated life history decisions of individual field voles under controlled variations in predator pressure and landscape fragmentation. Analyses were made on three levels: comparisons between predated and non-predated populations, between populations exposed to different types of predators and between populations experiencing different degrees of habitat fragmentation. Results The results are unambiguous: Changes in landscape fragmentation and the numerical response of predators are clearly portrayed in the statistical time series structure as predicted by the autoregressive model. Populations without predators displayed significantly stronger negative direct density dependence than did those exposed to predators, where direct density dependence was only moderately negative. The effects of predation versus no predation had an even stronger effect on the delayed density dependence of the simulated prey populations. In non-predated prey populations, the coefficients of delayed density dependence were distinctly positive, whereas they were negative in predated populations. Similarly, increasing the degree of fragmentation of optimal habitat available to the prey was accompanied with a shift in the delayed density dependence, from strongly negative to gradually becoming less negative. Conclusion We conclude that statistical second-order autoregressive time series analyses are capable of deciphering interactions within and across trophic levels and their effect on direct and delayed density dependence. PMID:19419539

Treatment Quality and Outcomes of African American Versus White Breast Cancer Patients: Retrospective Analysis of Southwest Oncology Studies S8814/S8897

PubMed Central

Hershman, Dawn L.; Unger, Joseph M.; Barlow, William E.; Hutchins, Laura F.; Martino, Silvana; Osborne, C. Kent; Livingston, Robert B.; Albain, Kathy S.

2009-01-01

Purpose Women of African ancestry (AA) have lower WBC counts and are more likely to have treatment delays and discontinue adjuvant breast cancer therapy early compared with white women. We assessed the association between race and treatment discontinuation/delay, WBC counts, and survival in women enrolled onto breast cancer clinical trials. Patients and Methods AA and white women from Southwest Oncology Group adjuvant breast cancer trials (S8814/S8897) were matched by age and protocol. Only the treatment arms in which patients were scheduled to receive six cycles of chemotherapy were analyzed. Results A total of 317 pairs of patients (n = 634) were analyzed. At baseline, AA women had higher body-surface area (P < .0001) and lower WBC (P = .0009). AA women were more likely to have tumors that were ≥ 2 cm (P = .01) and hormone receptor negative (P < .0001). AA women, versus white women, were marginally more likely to discontinue treatment early (11% v 7%, respectively; P = .07) or have one or more treatment delays (85% v 79%, respectively; P = .07) and were significantly more likely to experience the combined end point (discontinuation/delay; 87% v 81%, respectively; P = .04). The mean relative dose-intensity (RDI) was similar for both groups (87% in AA women v 86% in white women); however, overall, 43% had an RDI of less than 85%. After adjusting for baseline WBC and prognostic factors in a multivariate model, AA women had worse disease-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.56; 95% CI, 1.15 to 2.11; P = .005) and overall survival (HR = 1.95; 95% CI, 1.36 to 2.78; P = .0002). The inclusion of RDI and treatment delivery/quality in the regression had little impact on the results. Conclusion On cooperative group breast cancer trials, AA and white women had similar RDIs, but AA women were more likely to experience early discontinuation or treatment delay. Despite correcting for these factors and known predictors of outcome, AA women still had worse survival. PMID:19307504

Familiar Phases: Receiver Function Study of the Lithospheric Structure Across the Eastern Margin of the Superior Craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levin, V. L.; Servali, A.; Dunham, B.; Klaser, M.

2015-12-01

A 1200 km long array of seismic observatories from James Bay to the Atlantic coast covers nearly 2 Ga in time, from the Archean Superior Province to the Paleozoic Appalachian Orogen. We use traditional (P-to-SV) receiver function analysis for detailed characterization of the lithospheric mantle along the array, focusing on the 5-15 s delay range where direct conversions from within the lithosphere and crustal multiples are expected.Superior craton sites show exceptionaly clear receiver functions dominated by the first crustal multiple. Also, a negative phase consistent with impedance decrease at the Mid-Lithospheric Discontinuity (~8 s delay) is observed north of 51°N, within the La Grande and Opinaca terranes of the Superior province. In the Opatica terrane further south we see a positive phase at similar delays instead. This implies a downward impedance increase 70-80 km deep within the lithosphere, consistent with the Hales discontinuity. In the Abitibi terrane just north of the Grenville Front we see evidence for two impedance drops in the 60-130 km depth range. Within the Proterozoic Grenvile province receiver functions vary with direction at individual sites, and lack regional consistency. Crustal multiples are noticeably weaker. South of 49°N we once again find negative phases in the 8-10 s delay range. While weak and directionally-dependent in the central Grenville province, these phases are clear near the Appalachian Front (AF), and are followed by positive phases, suggesting thin low-velocity layers in the lower part of the lithosphere. Similarity of receiver function signatures on opposite sides of the AF suggests continuity of the lithosphere beneath it.South of the AF and north of the Norumbega Fault Zone (NFZ) in Maine we find positive phases at ~10 s delays. The implied increase in impedance at ~75 km depth is puzzling. We also find previously-reported weak negative phases in the 6-8 s delay range. South of the NFZ a strong negative phase at ~9 s delay likely marks the bottom of the lithosphere.

AD/HD and the Capture of Attention by Briefly Exposed Delay-Related Cues: Evidence from a Conditioning Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J. S.; De Houwer, Jan; De Ruiter, Karen; Ajzenstzen, Michal; Holland, Sarah

2004-01-01

Background: The selective attention of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) to briefly exposed delay-related cues was examined in two experiments using a dot-probe conditioning paradigm. Method: Colour cues were paired with negatively (i.e., imposition of delay) and positively valenced cues (i.e., escape from or avoidance…

AD/HD and the capture of attention by briefly exposed delay-related cues: evidence from a conditioning paradigm.

PubMed

Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J S; De Houwer, Jan; De Ruiter, Karen; Ajzenstzen, Michal; Holland, Sarah

2004-02-01

The selective attention of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) to briefly exposed delay-related cues was examined in two experiments using a dot-probe conditioning paradigm. Colour cues were paired with negatively (i.e., imposition of delay) and positively valenced cues (i.e., escape from or avoidance of delay) during a conditioning phase. These cues were presented alongside neutral cues in a subsequent dot-probe detection phase. In experiment 1 teacher-identified children with AD/HD (N = 12), but not controls (N = 12), displayed an attentional bias towards both positively and negatively valenced cues. In experiment 2 children with a diagnosis of hyperkinetic disorder (N = 15), but not controls (N = 15), displayed a bias towards delay-related cues. However, this effect was largely carried by the response to positively valenced cues. These results confirm the dot-probe conditioning paradigm as a useful test of motivational influence on attention. They provide the first evidence of qualitative differences in the attentional style of children with AD/HD and give further support to those theories that highlight the motivational significance of delay in AD/HD.

Visual short-term memory load modulates the early attention and perception of task-irrelevant emotional faces

PubMed Central

Yang, Ping; Wang, Min; Jin, Zhenlan; Li, Ling

2015-01-01

The ability to focus on task-relevant information, while suppressing distraction, is critical for human cognition and behavior. Using a delayed-match-to-sample (DMS) task, we investigated the effects of emotional face distractors (positive, negative, and neutral faces) on early and late phases of visual short-term memory (VSTM) maintenance intervals, using low and high VSTM loads. Behavioral results showed decreased accuracy and delayed reaction times (RTs) for high vs. low VSTM load. Event-related potentials (ERPs) showed enhanced frontal N1 and occipital P1 amplitudes for negative faces vs. neutral or positive faces, implying rapid attentional alerting effects and early perceptual processing of negative distractors. However, high VSTM load appeared to inhibit face processing in general, showing decreased N1 amplitudes and delayed P1 latencies. An inverse correlation between the N1 activation difference (high-load minus low-load) and RT costs (high-load minus low-load) was found at left frontal areas when viewing negative distractors, suggesting that the greater the inhibition the lower the RT cost for negative faces. Emotional interference effect was not found in the late VSTM-related parietal P300, frontal positive slow wave (PSW) and occipital negative slow wave (NSW) components. In general, our findings suggest that the VSTM load modulates the early attention and perception of emotional distractors. PMID:26388763

Delays in Post-Remission Chemotherapy for Philadelphia Chromosome Negative Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia are Associated with Inferior Outcomes in Patients who Undergo Allogeneic Transplant: an Analysis from ECOG 2993/MRC UK ALLXII

PubMed Central

Kumar, Anita J.; Rowe, Jacob M.; Goldstone, Anthony H; Fielding, Adele; Marks, David I; Litzow, Mark; Paietta, Elisabeth; Lazarus, Hillard M.; Tallman, Martin S.; Luger, Selina M.; Loren, Alison W.

2016-01-01

Adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have a poorer prognosis than children due to a high risk of relapse. One explanation may be variable adherence to dose-intense chemotherapy. However, little is known about risk factors for delays in therapy and their impact on survival. We conducted an analysis of ECOG 2993/UKALLXII trial to study delays in post-remission chemotherapy in adults with newly-diagnosed ALL. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for a very long delay (>4 weeks, VLD) in start of intensification therapy. Cox regression was used to evaluate the impact of delays on overall and event-free survival (OS, EFS). We evaluated 1076 Philadelphia chromosome negative (Ph-) patients who completed induction chemotherapy, achieved complete remission, and started intensification. Factors independently associated with VLD included: duration of hospitalization (Odds Ratio (OR)=1.2, p<0.001) during Phase I; thrombocytopenia during Phase I (OR=1.16, p=0.004) or Phase II (OR 1.13, p=0.001); chemotherapy dose reductions during induction Phase I (OR=1.72, p<0.014); female sex (OR=1.53, p=0.010); Black (OR=3.24, p=0.003) and Asian (OR=2.26, p=0.021) race; and increasing age (OR=1.31, p<0.001). In multivariate Cox regression, patients who underwent allogeneic stem cell transplant (alloHCT) had significantly worse OS (HR 1.4, p=0.03) and EFS (HR 1.4, p=0.02) after experiencing a VLD compared to alloHCT patients who experienced <=4 weeks delay. Specific populations (female, older, Black, and Asian patients) were more likely to experience delays in chemotherapy, as were those with significant toxicity during induction. Very long delays in therapy negatively affected outcomes in patients undergoing allografting. PMID:27468137

Efficacy of Liposuction as a Delay Method for Improving Flap Survival.

PubMed

Orhan, Erkan; Erol, Yağmur Reyyan; Deren, Orgun; Altun, Serdar; Erdoğan, Bülent

2016-12-01

Flaps are often used in repairing tissue defects and partial or full flap loss is still an important morbidity cause. Several techniques have been tried to increase flap circulation but none of these could replace the delay technique. Our goal in this study is to show the efficacy of liposuction in delay of dorsal rat cutaneous flaps and improvement in flap survival. Twenty-four Wistar rats were used. The rats in group 1 received 9 × 3-sized caudally-based random pattern skin flaps. In group 2, liposuction was done under the tissue island spotted as the flap and after 14 days, standard flap surgery was done. In group 3, surgical delay was done and after 14 days, standard flap surgery was done. In group 4, liposuction was done under the tissue island spotted as the flap and standard flap surgery was done right after the liposuction. The rate of necrotic tissue in group 3 (surgical delay; mean % 13.7) was less than the rate in group 2 (liposuction delay; mean % 15.1), although the difference was not statistically significant. The necrosis rates in group 3 (surgical delay) and group 2 (liposuction delay) were less than the rates in both group 1 (only flap; mean % 41.5) and group 4 (liposuction flap; mean % 40.0) and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.0001). Liposuction can be an alternative to surgical delay as a less invasive method in the clinic. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Causes of delay in door-to-balloon time in south-east Asian patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

PubMed

Sim, Wen Jun; Ang, An Shing; Tan, Mae Chyi; Xiang, Wen Wei; Foo, David; Loh, Kwok Kong; Jafary, Fahim Haider; Watson, Timothy James; Ong, Paul Jau Lueng; Ho, Hee Hwa

2017-01-01

To evaluate causes and impact of delay in the door-to-balloon (D2B) time for patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). From January 2009 to December 2012, 1268 patients (86% male, mean age of 58 ± 12 years) presented to our hospital for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and underwent PPCI. They were divided into two groups: Non-delay defined as D2B time ≤ 90 mins and delay group defined as D2B time > 90 mins. Data were collected retrospectively on baseline clinical characteristics, mode of presentation, angiographic findings, therapeutic modality and inhospital outcome. 202 patients had delay in D2B time. There were more female patients in the delay group. They were older and tend to self-present to hospital. They were less likely to be smokers and have a higher prevalence of prior MI. The incidence of posterior MI was higher in the delay group. They also had a higher incidence of triple vessel disease. The 3 most common reasons for D2B delay was delay in the emergency department (39%), atypical clinical presentation (37.6%) and unstable medical condition requiring stabilisation/computed tomographic imaging (26.7%). The inhospital mortality was numerically higher in the delay group (7.4% versus 4.8%, p = 0.12). Delay in D2B occurred in 16% of our patients undergoing PPCI. Several key factors for delay were identified and warrant further intervention.

Ventral striatal hypoactivation is associated with apathy but not diminished expression in patients with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Kirschner, Matthias; Hager, Oliver M.; Bischof, Martin; Hartmann, Matthias N.; Kluge, Agne; Seifritz, Erich; Tobler, Philippe N.; Kaiser, Stefan

2016-01-01

Background Negative symptoms of schizophrenia can be grouped in 2 dimensions: apathy and diminished expression. Increasing evidence suggests that negative symptoms are associated with altered neural activity of subcortical and cortical regions in the brain reward system. However, the neurobiological basis of the distinct symptom dimensions within negative symptoms is still poorly understood. The primary aim of our study was to examine the neural correlates of the negative symptom dimensions apathy and diminished expression during a reward processing task. Methods Patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls underwent event-related fMRI while performing a variant of the Monetary Incentive Delay Task. We assessed negative symptom dimensions using the Brief Negative Symptom Scale. Results We included 27 patients and 25 controls in our study. Both groups showed neural activation indicated by blood oxygen–level dependent signal in the ventral striatum during reward anticipation. Ventral striatal activation during reward anticipation showed a strong negative correlation with apathy. Importantly, this effect was not driven by cognitive ability, medication, depressive or positive symptoms. In contrast, no significant correlation with the diminished expression dimension was observed. Limitations Although the results remain significant when controlling for chlorpromazine equivalents, we cannot fully exclude potential confounding effects of medication with atypical antipsychotics. Conclusion The specific correlation of ventral striatal hypoactivation during reward anticipation with apathy demonstrates a differentiation of apathy and diminished expression on a neurobiological level and provides strong evidence for different pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these 2 negative symptom dimensions. Our findings contribute to a multilevel framework in which apathy and motivational impairment in patients with schizophrenia can be described on psychopathological, behavioural and neural levels. PMID:26395814

HPV DNA testing improves CIN2+ risk stratification and detection of CIN2+ in delayed triage of ASCUS and LSIL. A population-based follow-up study from Western Norway.

PubMed

Budal, Elisabeth B; Haugland, Hans K; Skar, Robert; Maehle, Bjørn O; Bjørge, Tone; Vintermyr, Olav K

2014-02-01

In Norway, Pap smears with atypical squamous cells of uncertain significance (ASCUS) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) are triaged after 6 months. The aim of the study was to evaluate effects of implementing human papillomavirus (HPV) test (2005) in delayed triage of ASCUS and LSIL in a cohort of women from Western Norway. After a survey of 119,469 cervical Pap smears during 2005-2007, a total of 1055 women with an index ASCUS or LSIL were included in the study and followed up for 3-6 years with respect to progression into cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). Overall sensitivity for detection of CIN2+ with HPV testing and cytology was 96% and 72%, respectively. The sensitivity for detection of CIN2+ was not affected by age, but the specificity of the HPV test increased with age. Thus, for the age groups <34 years, 34-50 years, and >50 years, the specificity of a positive HPV test to detect CIN2+ was 47%, 71%, and 82%, respectively. Positive predictive values for CIN2+ in women with positive cytology, positive HPV test, negative cytology, negative HPV test, or negative HPV and cytology tests were 52%, 41%, 8%, 1.5%, and 0.4%, respectively. HPV testing resulted in a net 22% increased detection of CIN2+. Fifty-six percent of CIN2+ was detected at an earlier time point with HPV testing in triage. Implementation of HPV testing in delayed triage of ASCUS and LSIL improved the stratification of CIN2+ risk and increased CIN2+ detection and at an earlier time point than with triage by cytology alone. © 2013 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

HPV DNA testing improves CIN2+ risk stratification and detection of CIN2+ in delayed triage of ASCUS and LSIL. A population-based follow-up study from Western Norway

PubMed Central

Budal, Elisabeth B; Haugland, Hans K; Skar, Robert; Mæhle, Bjørn O; Bjørge, Tone; Vintermyr, Olav K

2014-01-01

In Norway, Pap smears with atypical squamous cells of uncertain significance (ASCUS) and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) are triaged after 6 months. The aim of the study was to evaluate effects of implementing human papillomavirus (HPV) test (2005) in delayed triage of ASCUS and LSIL in a cohort of women from Western Norway. After a survey of 119,469 cervical Pap smears during 2005–2007, a total of 1055 women with an index ASCUS or LSIL were included in the study and followed up for 3–6 years with respect to progression into cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). Overall sensitivity for detection of CIN2+ with HPV testing and cytology was 96% and 72%, respectively. The sensitivity for detection of CIN2+ was not affected by age, but the specificity of the HPV test increased with age. Thus, for the age groups <34 years, 34–50 years, and >50 years, the specificity of a positive HPV test to detect CIN2+ was 47%, 71%, and 82%, respectively. Positive predictive values for CIN2+ in women with positive cytology, positive HPV test, negative cytology, negative HPV test, or negative HPV and cytology tests were 52%, 41%, 8%, 1.5%, and 0.4%, respectively. HPV testing resulted in a net 22% increased detection of CIN2+. Fifty-six percent of CIN2+ was detected at an earlier time point with HPV testing in triage. Implementation of HPV testing in delayed triage of ASCUS and LSIL improved the stratification of CIN2+ risk and increased CIN2+ detection and at an earlier time point than with triage by cytology alone. PMID:24403090

The effects of nutrition, puberty and dancing on bone density in adolescent ballet dancers.

PubMed

Burckhardt, Peter; Wynn, Emma; Krieg, Marc-Antoine; Bagutti, Carlo; Faouzi, Mohamed

2011-06-01

Ballet dancers have on average a low bone mineral content (BMC), with elevated fracture-risk, low body mass index (BMI) for age (body mass index, kg/m2), low energy intake, and delayed puberty. This study aims at a better understanding of the interactions of these factors, especially with regard to nutrition. During a competition for pre-professional dancers we examined 127 female participants (60 Asians, 67 Caucasians). They averaged 16.7 years of age, started dancing at 5.8 years, and danced 22 hours/week. Assessments were made for BMI, BMC (DXA), and bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, pubertal stage (Tanner score), and nutritional status (EAT-40 questionnaire and a qualitative three-day dietary record). BMI for age was found to be normal in only 42.5% of the dancers, while 15.7% had a more or less severe degree of thinness (12.6% Grade2 and 3.1% Grade 3 thinness). Menarche was late (13.9 years, range 11 to 16.8 years). Food intake, evaluated by number of consumed food portions, was below the recommendations for a normally active population in all food groups except animal proteins, where the intake was more than twice the recommended amount. In this population, with low BMI and intense exercise, BMC was low and associated with nutritional factors; dairy products had a positive and non-dairy proteins a negative influence. A positive correlation between BMAD and years since menarche confirmed the importance of exposure to estrogens and the negative impact of delayed puberty. Because of this and the probable negative influence of a high intake of non-dairy proteins, such as meat, fish, and eggs, and the positive association with a high dairy intake, ballet schools should promote balanced diets and normal weight and should recognize and help dancers avoid eating disorders and delayed puberty caused by extensive dancing and inadequate nutrition.

Symmetry Breaking and Optical Negative Index of Closed Nanorings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kante, Boubacar; Park, Yong-Shik; O'Brien, Kevin; Shuldman, Daniel; Lanzillotti-Kimura, Norberto; Wong, Zi; Yin, Xiaobo; Zhang, Xiang; UC Berkeley Team

2013-03-01

We report the first experimental demonstration of broadband negative-index metamaterial made solely of closed metallic nanorings. Using symmetry breaking that negatively couples the discrete nanorings, we measured negative phase delay in our composite chess metamaterial. Our approach open avenues towards topological nanophotonics with on demand linear and non-linear responses.

Delay and probability discounting of sexual and monetary outcomes in individuals with cocaine use disorders and matched controls.

PubMed

Johnson, Matthew W; Johnson, Patrick S; Herrmann, Evan S; Sweeney, Mary M

2015-01-01

Individuals with cocaine use disorders are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, partly due to higher rates of unprotected sex. Recent research suggests delay discounting of condom use is a factor in sexual HIV risk. Delay discounting is a behavioral economic concept describing how delaying an event reduces that event's value or impact on behavior. Probability discounting is a related concept describing how the uncertainty of an event decreases its impact on behavior. Individuals with cocaine use disorders (n = 23) and matched non-cocaine-using controls (n = 24) were compared in decision-making tasks involving hypothetical outcomes: delay discounting of condom-protected sex (Sexual Delay Discounting Task), delay discounting of money, the effect of sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk on likelihood of condom use (Sexual Probability Discounting Task), and probability discounting of money. The Cocaine group discounted delayed condom-protected sex (i.e., were more likely to have unprotected sex vs. wait for a condom) significantly more than controls in two of four Sexual Delay Discounting Task partner conditions. The Cocaine group also discounted delayed money (i.e., preferred smaller immediate amounts over larger delayed amounts) significantly more than controls. In the Sexual Probability Discounting Task, both groups showed sensitivity to STI risk, however the groups did not differ. The Cocaine group did not consistently discount probabilistic money more or less than controls. Steeper discounting of delayed, but not probabilistic, sexual outcomes may contribute to greater rates of sexual HIV risk among individuals with cocaine use disorders. Probability discounting of sexual outcomes may contribute to risk of unprotected sex in both groups. Correlations showed sexual and monetary results were unrelated, for both delay and probability discounting. The results highlight the importance of studying specific behavioral processes (e.g., delay and probability discounting) with respect to specific outcomes (e.g., monetary and sexual) to understand decision making in problematic behavior.

Delay and Probability Discounting of Sexual and Monetary Outcomes in Individuals with Cocaine Use Disorders and Matched Controls

PubMed Central

Johnson, Matthew W.; Johnson, Patrick S.; Herrmann, Evan S.; Sweeney, Mary M.

2015-01-01

Individuals with cocaine use disorders are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, partly due to higher rates of unprotected sex. Recent research suggests delay discounting of condom use is a factor in sexual HIV risk. Delay discounting is a behavioral economic concept describing how delaying an event reduces that event’s value or impact on behavior. Probability discounting is a related concept describing how the uncertainty of an event decreases its impact on behavior. Individuals with cocaine use disorders (n = 23) and matched non-cocaine-using controls (n = 24) were compared in decision-making tasks involving hypothetical outcomes: delay discounting of condom-protected sex (Sexual Delay Discounting Task), delay discounting of money, the effect of sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk on likelihood of condom use (Sexual Probability Discounting Task), and probability discounting of money. The Cocaine group discounted delayed condom-protected sex (i.e., were more likely to have unprotected sex vs. wait for a condom) significantly more than controls in two of four Sexual Delay Discounting Task partner conditions. The Cocaine group also discounted delayed money (i.e., preferred smaller immediate amounts over larger delayed amounts) significantly more than controls. In the Sexual Probability Discounting Task, both groups showed sensitivity to STI risk, however the groups did not differ. The Cocaine group did not consistently discount probabilistic money more or less than controls. Steeper discounting of delayed, but not probabilistic, sexual outcomes may contribute to greater rates of sexual HIV risk among individuals with cocaine use disorders. Probability discounting of sexual outcomes may contribute to risk of unprotected sex in both groups. Correlations showed sexual and monetary results were unrelated, for both delay and probability discounting. The results highlight the importance of studying specific behavioral processes (e.g., delay and probability discounting) with respect to specific outcomes (e.g., monetary and sexual) to understand decision making in problematic behavior. PMID:26017273

Prospective randomized study of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair using an early versus delayed postoperative physical therapy protocol.

PubMed

Cuff, Derek J; Pupello, Derek R

2012-11-01

This study evaluated patient outcomes and rotator cuff healing after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair using a postoperative physical therapy protocol with early passive motion compared with a delayed protocol that limited early passive motion. The study enrolled 68 patients (average age, 63.2 years) who met inclusion criteria. All patients had a full-thickness crescent-shaped tear of the supraspinatus that was repaired using a transosseous equivalent suture-bridge technique along with subacromial decompression. In the early group, 33 patients were randomized to passive elevation and rotation that began at postoperative day 2. In the delayed group, 35 patients began the same protocol at 6 weeks. Patients were monitored clinically for a minimum of 12 months, and rotator cuff healing was assessed using ultrasound imaging. Both groups had similar improvements in preoperative to postoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores (early group: 43.9 to 91.9, P < .0001; delayed group: 41.0 to 92.8, P < .0001) and Simple Shoulder Test scores (early group: 5.5 to 11.1, P < .0001; delayed group: 5.1 to 11.1, P < .0001). There were no significant differences in patient satisfaction, rotator cuff healing, or range of motion between the early and delayed groups. Patients in the early group and delayed group both demonstrated very similar outcomes and range of motion at 1 year. There was a slightly higher rotator cuff healing rate in the delayed passive range of motion group compared with the early passive range of motion group (91% vs 85%). Copyright © 2012 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

On formation of the asymptotic spectrum of delayed neutron emitters in measuring the VVER-1000 scram system effectiveness

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

Shishkov, L. K., E-mail: slk@vver.kiae.ru; Zizin, M. N., E-mail: zizin_m@mail.ru

The process of formation of an asymptotic distribution of the neutron flux density in the reactor systems after introducing different negative reactivities is considered. The impact of two factors after the reactivity introduction is evaluated: (1) nonuniformity of perturbation of core properties, on one hand, and (2) a sharp reduction in the density of prompt neutrons, which prevents the appearance of new delayed neutron emitters distributed in accordance with the “new” prompt neutron distribution, on the other hand. The results of calculations show that the errors of measuring the scram system effectiveness using the method of inverse solution of themore » kinetics equation are caused by the fact that, after the negative reactivity insertion, the sources of prompt and delayed neutrons have different spatial distributions. In the case of high negative reactivities, this difference remains while the system still has neutrons, which can be measured.« less

Negative and positive pretrial publicity affect juror memory and decision making.

PubMed

Ruva, Christine L; McEvoy, Cathy

2008-09-01

The experiment examined the effects of exposure to pretrial publicity (PTP) and delay on juror memory and decision-making. Mock jurors read news articles containing negative PTP, positive PTP, or unrelated articles. Five days later, they viewed a videotaped murder trial, after which they made decisions about guilt. Finally, all participants independently attributed specific information as having been presented during the trial or in the news articles. Half of the jurors rendered their verdicts and completed the source-memory test immediately after the trial, while the other half did so after a 2-day delay. Exposure to PTP significantly affected guilty verdicts, perceptions of defendant credibility, juror ratings of the prosecuting and defense attorneys, and misattributions of PTP as having been presented as trial evidence. Similar effects were obtained for negative and positive PTP. Delay significantly increased source-memory errors but did not influence guilt ratings. Defendant's credibility and juror ratings of prosecuting and defense attorneys significantly mediated the effect of PTP on guilt ratings. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved.

Neighbouring-group composition and within-group relatedness drive extra-group paternity rate in the European badger (Meles meles)

PubMed Central

Annavi, G; Newman, C; Dugdale, H L; Buesching, C D; Sin, Y W; Burke, T; Macdonald, D W

2014-01-01

Extra-group paternity (EGP) occurs commonly among group-living mammals and plays an important role in mating systems and the dynamics of sexual selection; however, socio-ecological and genetic correlates of EGP have been underexplored. We use 23 years of demographic and genetic data from a high-density European badger (Meles meles) population, to investigate the relationship between the rate of EGP in litters and mate availability, mate incompatibility and mate quality (heterozygosity). Relatedness between within-group assigned mothers and candidate fathers had a negative quadratic effect on EGP, whereas the number of neighbouring-group candidate fathers had a linear positive effect. We detected no effect of mean or maximum heterozygosity of within-group candidate fathers on EGP. Consequently, EGP was associated primarily with mate availability, subject to within-group genetic effects, potentially to mitigate mate incompatibility and inbreeding. In badgers, cryptic female choice, facilitated by superfecundation, superfoetation and delayed implantation, prevents males from monopolizing within-group females. This resonates with a meta-analysis in group-living mammals, which proposed that higher rates of EGP occur when within-group males cannot monopolize within-group females. In contrast to the positive meta-analytic association, however, we found that EGP associated negatively with the number of within-group assigned mothers and the number of within-group candidate fathers; potentially a strategy to counter within-group males committing infanticide. The relationship between the rate of EGP and socio-ecological or genetic factors can therefore be intricate, and the potential for cryptic female choice must be accounted for in comparative studies. PMID:25234113

Moments of click-evoked otoacoustic emissions in human ears: group delay and spread, instantaneous frequency and bandwidth.

PubMed

Keefe, Douglas H

2012-11-01

A click-evoked otoacoustic emission (CEOAE) has group delay and spread as first- and second-order temporal moments varying over frequency, and instantaneous frequency and bandwidth as first- and second-order spectral moments varying over time. Energy-smoothed moments were calculated from a CEOAE database over 0.5-15 kHz bandwidth and 0.25-20 ms duration. Group delay and instantaneous frequency were calculated without phase unwrapping using a coherence synchrony measure that accurately classified ears with hearing loss. CEOAE moment measurements were repeatable in individual ears. Group delays were similar for CEOAEs and stimulus-frequency OAEs. Group spread is a frequency-specific measure of temporal spread in an emission, related to spatial spread across tonotopic generation sites along the cochlea. In normal ears, group delay and spread increased with frequency and decreased with level. A direct measure of cochlear tuning above 4 kHz was analyzed using instantaneous frequency and bandwidth. Synchronized spontaneous OAEs were present in most ears below 4 kHz, and confounded interpretation of moments. In ears with sensorineural hearing loss, group delay and spread varied with audiometric classification and amount of hearing loss; group delay differed between older males and females. CEOAE moments reveal clinically relevant information on cochlear tuning in ears with normal and impaired hearing.

"What If" You Earned a Diploma and Delayed Parenthood? Intergenerational Simulations of Delayed Childbearing and Increased Education. Research Brief. Publication #2014-27

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Kristin Anderson; Sacks, Vanessa Harbin; Manlove, Jennifer; Sawhill, Isabel

2014-01-01

Teen childbearing is associated with negative outcomes for teen parents, their children, and society. Teen mothers are more likely to be poor as adults, and are more likely to rely on public assistance, compared with women who delay childbearing. Children born to young mothers have poorer educational, behavioral, and health outcomes throughout…

Neurodevelopmental outcome in isolated mild fetal ventriculomegaly: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Pagani, G; Thilaganathan, B; Prefumo, F

2014-09-01

The finding of fetal ventriculomegaly is variably associated with other fetal abnormalities and, even when isolated, is thought to be linked to abnormal neurodevelopmental outcome. The aim of this study was to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis of the current literature to assess the prevalence of neurodevelopmental delay in cases of isolated mild fetal ventriculomegaly, as well as the false-negative rate of prenatal imaging for the diagnosis of associated abnormalities in patients referred for isolated mild ventriculomegaly. Studies that assessed neurodevelopmental outcome in isolated ventriculomegaly were identified from a search of scientific databases. Studies that did not check for karyotype or that excluded cases of bilateral ventriculomegaly were not included in the analysis. Ventriculomegaly was defined as mild when the width of the ventricular atrium was between 10 and 15 mm. Cases in which an associated abnormality (abnormal karyotype, structural abnormality or fetal infection) was observed either before or after birth were not considered as part of the isolated group. Neurodevelopmental delay was defined as an abnormal quotient score, according to the test used. The search yielded 961 possible citations; of these, 904 were excluded by review of the title or abstract as they did not meet the selection criteria. Full manuscripts were retrieved for 57 studies, and 20 were included in the review with a total of 699 cases of isolated mild ventriculomegaly. The overall prevalence of neurodevelopmental delay was 7.9% (95% CI, 4.7-11.1%). Of the 20 studies included in the systematic review, nine reported data on postnatal imaging, showing a prevalence of previously undiagnosed findings of 7.4% (95% CI, 3.1-11.8%). The false-negative rate of prenatal imaging is 7.4% in apparently isolated fetal ventriculomegaly of ≤ 15 mm. The incidence of neurodevelopmental delay in truly isolated ventriculomegaly of ≤ 15 mm is 7.9%. As the latter rate is similar to that noted in the general population, large prospective cohort studies assessing the prevalence of childhood disability, rather than subtle neurodevelopmental delay, are required. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Maternal Sensitivity Predicts Fewer Sleep Problems at Early Adolescence for Toddlers with Negative Emotionality: A Case of Differential Susceptibility.

PubMed

Conway, Anne; Modrek, Anahid; Gorroochurn, Prakash

2018-02-01

Theory underscores the importance of parenting in sleep development, but few studies have examined whether links vary by temperament. To address this gap, we tested whether potential links between early maternal sensitivity and early adolescent sleep problems varied by child negative emotionality and delay of gratification. Using data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 820), we found that high maternal sensitivity predicted fewer bedtime problems and longer sleep duration at 6th grade for toddlers with high negative emotionality, whereas low maternal sensitivity predicted the reverse. No differences were observed for low negative emotionality. Moreover, delay of gratification predicted fewer bedtime problems at 6th grade, but did not moderate associations between maternal sensitivity, negative emotionality, and sleep. Findings demonstrate that high, but not low, negative emotionality renders toddlers differentially susceptible and receptive to maternal sensitivity in relation to sleep.

The effects of aging on emotion-induced modulations of source retrieval ERPs: evidence for valence biases.

PubMed

Newsome, Rachel N; Dulas, Michael R; Duarte, Audrey

2012-12-01

Many behavioral studies have shown that memory is enhanced for emotionally salient events across the lifespan. It has been suggested that this mnemonic boost may be observed for both age groups, particularly the old, in part because emotional information is retrieved with less effort than neutral information. Neuroimaging evidence suggests that inefficient retrieval processing (temporally delayed and attenuated) may contribute to age-related impairments in episodic memory for neutral events. It is not entirely clear whether emotional salience may reduce these age-related changes in neural activity associated with episodic retrieval for neutral events. Here, we investigated these ideas using event-related potentials (ERPs) to assess the neural correlates of successful source memory retrieval ("old-new effects") for neutral and emotional (negative and positive) images. Behavioral results showed that older adults demonstrated source memory impairments compared to the young but that both groups showed reduced source memory accuracy for negative compared to positive and neutral images; most likely due to an arousal-induced memory tradeoff for the negative images, which were subjectively more arousing than both positive and neutral images. ERP results showed that early onsetting old-new effects, between 100 and 300 ms, were observed for emotional but not neutral images in both age groups. Interestingly, these early effects were observed for negative items in the young and for positive items in the old. These ERP findings offer support for the idea that emotional events may be retrieved more automatically than neutral events across the lifespan. Furthermore, we suggest that very early retrieval mechanisms, possibly perceptual priming or familiarity, may underlie the negativity and positivity effects sometimes observed in the young and old, respectively, for various behavioral measures of attention and memory. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do Knee Bracing and Delayed Weight Bearing Affect Mid-Term Functional Outcome after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction?

PubMed

Di Miceli, Riccardo; Marambio, Carlotta Bustos; Zati, Alessandro; Monesi, Roberta; Benedetti, Maria Grazia

2017-12-01

Purpose  The aim of this study was to assess the effect of knee bracing and timing of full weight bearing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) on functional outcomes at mid-term follow-up. Methods  We performed a retrospective study on 41 patients with ACLR. Patients were divided in two groups: ACLR group, who received isolated ACL reconstruction and ACLR-OI group who received ACL reconstruction and adjunctive surgery. Information about age at surgery, bracing, full or progressive weight bearing permission after surgery were collected for the two groups. Subjective IKDC score was obtained at follow-up. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the two groups for IKDC score. Subgroup analysis was performed to assess the effect of postoperative regimen (knee bracing and weight bearing) on functional outcomes. Results  The mean age of patients was 30.8 ± 10.6 years. Mean IKDC score was 87.4 ± 13.9. The mean follow-up was 3.5 ± 1.8 years. Twenty-two (53.7%) patients underwent ACLR only, while 19 (46.3%) also received other interventions, such as meniscal repair and/or collateral ligament suture. Analysis of overall data showed no differences between the groups for IKDC score. Patients in the ACLR group exhibited a significantly better IKDC score when no brace and full weight bearing after 4 weeks from surgery was prescribed in comparison with patients who worn a brace and had delayed full weight bearing. No differences were found with respect to the use of brace and postoperative weight bearing regimen in the ACLR-OI group. Conclusion  Brace and delayed weight bearing after ACLR have a negative influence on long-term functional outcomes. Further research is required to explore possible differences in the patients operated on ACLR and other intervention with respect to the use of a brace and the timing of full weight bearing to identify optimal recovery strategies. Level of Evidence  Level III, retrospective observational study.

Effect of timing and method of post space preparation on sealing ability of remaining root filling material: in vitro microbiological study.

PubMed

Grecca, Fabiana Soares; Rosa, Angela Rezende Gomes; Gomes, Maximiliano Schünke; Parolo, Clarissa Fatturi; Bemfica, Jules Renan Dutra; Frasca, Luis Carlos da Fontoura; Maltz, Marisa

2009-10-01

To evaluate the effect of timing (immediate versus delayed) and technique of post space preparation on the ability of the residual root canal obturation to prevent coronal bacterial leakage. Sixty-six single-rooted teeth were decoronated at the cementoenamel junction. The canals were prepared according to a step-back technique and were filled with thermoplasticized gutta-percha and AH Plus endodontic sealer (Dentsply De Trey). The root segments were randomly assigned to 8 groups. The positive controls (n = 3) were instrumented but not obturated. The negative controls (n = 3) were instrumented, obturated and sealed with Cavit (3M ESPE). In the other 6 groups (n = 10 each), the post space was prepared either immediately after obturation or 7 days later using LA Axxess burs (SybronEndo) (groups 1 and 2), heated pluggers (groups 3 and 4) or solvent delivered with a hand file (groups 5 and 6). The external surface of all roots was rendered waterproof with nail varnish. Custom-made dual-chamber devices were used to evaluate leakage. The coronal third of the prepared root canal was kept in contact with artificial saliva contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis, and the root apex was submerged in tryptic soy agar medium. The root assemblies were stored at 37 degrees C and were monitored daily over a 90-day period. The occurrence of turbidity in the medium was deemed to indicate bacterial leakage, from which failure of the seal was inferred. Throughout the experimental period, there was no significant difference (p = 0.094) among the preparation techniques, either immediate or delayed, in terms of bacterial leakage. Immediate and delayed post space preparation yielded similar outcomes in terms of the canal seal. Regardless of the timing and the technique of post space preparation, coronal bacterial leakage occurred over time.

The impact of social isolation on delayed hospital discharges of older hip fracture patients and associated costs.

PubMed

Landeiro, F; Leal, J; Gray, A M

2016-02-01

Delayed discharges represent an inefficient use of acute hospital beds. Social isolation and referral to a public-funded rehabilitation unit were significant predictors of delayed discharges while admission from an institution was a protective factor for older hip fracture patients. Preventing delays could save between 11.2 and 30.7 % of total hospital costs for this patient group. Delayed discharges of older patients from acute care hospitals are a major challenge for administrative, humanitarian, and economic reasons. At the same time, older people are particularly vulnerable to social isolation which has a detrimental effect on their health and well-being with cost implications for health and social care services. The purpose of the present study was to determine the impact and costs of social isolation on delayed hospital discharge. A prospective study of 278 consecutive patients aged 75 or older with hip fracture admitted, as an emergency, to the Orthopaedics Department of Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, Portugal, was conducted. A logistic regression model was used to examine the impact of relevant covariates on delayed discharges, and a negative binomial regression model was used to examine the main drivers of days of delayed discharges. Costs of delayed discharges were estimated using unit costs from national databases. Mean age at admission was 85.5 years and mean length of stay was 13.1 days per patient. Sixty-two (22.3 %) patients had delayed discharges, resulting in 419 bed days lost (11.5 % of the total length of stay). Being isolated or at a high risk of social isolation, measured with the Lubben social network scale, was significantly associated with delayed discharges (odds ratio (OR) 3.5) as was being referred to a public-funded rehabilitation unit (OR 7.6). These two variables also increased the number of days of delayed discharges (2.6 and 4.9 extra days, respectively, holding all else constant). Patients who were admitted from an institution were less likely to have delayed discharges (OR 0.2) with 5.5 fewer days of delay. Total costs of delayed discharges were between 11.2 and 30.7 % of total costs (€2352 and €9317 per patient with delayed discharge) conditional on whether waiting costs for placement in public-funded rehabilitation unit were included. High risk of social isolation, social isolation and referral to public-funded rehabilitation units increase delays in patients' discharges from acute care hospitals.

Now for Me, Later for Us? Effects of Group Context on Temporal Discounting

PubMed Central

Charlton, Shawn R.; Yi, Richard; Porter, Caitlin; Carter, Anne E.; Bickel, Warren; Rachlin, Howard

2013-01-01

Delayed rewards are less valuable than immediate rewards. This well-established finding has focused almost entirely on individual outcomes. However, are delayed rewards similarly discounted if they are shared by a group? The current article reports on three experiments exploring the effect of group context on delay discounting. Results indicate that discount rates of individual and group rewards were highly correlated, but that respondents were more willing to wait (decreased discounting) for shared outcomes than for individual outcomes. An explanatory model is proposed suggesting that decreased discount rates in group contexts may be due to the way the effects of both delay and social discounting are combined. That is, in a group context, a person values both a future reward (discounted by delay) and a present reward to another person (discounted by the social distance between them). The results are explained by a combined discount function containing a delay factor and a factor representing the social distance between the decision maker and group members. Practical implications of the fact that shared consequences can increase individual self-control are also discussed. PMID:23641123

Immediate recall influences the effects of pre-encoding stress on emotional episodic long-term memory consolidation in healthy young men.

PubMed

Wolf, Oliver T

2012-05-01

The stress-associated activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis influences memory. Several studies have supported the notion that post-learning stress enhances memory consolidation, while pre-retrieval stress impairs retrieval. Findings regarding the effects of pre-encoding stress, in contrast, have been rather inconsistent. In the current two studies, the impact of an immediate retrieval task on these effects was explored. In the first study, 24 healthy young male participants were exposed to a psychosocial laboratory stressor (Trier Social Stress Test) or a control condition before viewing positive, negative, and neutral photographs, which were accompanied by a brief narrative. Immediate as well as delayed (24 h later) free recall was assessed. Stress was expected to enhance emotional long-term memory without affecting immediate recall performance. Stress caused a significant increase in salivary cortisol concentrations but had no significant effects on immediate or delayed retrieval performance, even though a trend toward poorer memory of the stress group was apparent. Based on these findings, the second experiment tested the hypothesis that the beneficial effects of stress on emotional long-term memory performance might be abolished by an immediate recall test. In the second study (n = 32), the same design was used, except for the omission of the immediate retrieval test. This time stressed participants recalled significantly more negative photographs compared to the control group. The present study indicates that an immediate retrieval attempt of material studied after stress exposure can prevent or even reverse the beneficial effects of pre-encoding stress on emotional long-term memory consolidation.

Magnetoencephalographic Imaging of Auditory and Somatosensory Cortical Responses in Children with Autism and Sensory Processing Dysfunction

PubMed Central

Demopoulos, Carly; Yu, Nina; Tripp, Jennifer; Mota, Nayara; Brandes-Aitken, Anne N.; Desai, Shivani S.; Hill, Susanna S.; Antovich, Ashley D.; Harris, Julia; Honma, Susanne; Mizuiri, Danielle; Nagarajan, Srikantan S.; Marco, Elysa J.

2017-01-01

This study compared magnetoencephalographic (MEG) imaging-derived indices of auditory and somatosensory cortical processing in children aged 8–12 years with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; N = 18), those with sensory processing dysfunction (SPD; N = 13) who do not meet ASD criteria, and typically developing control (TDC; N = 19) participants. The magnitude of responses to both auditory and tactile stimulation was comparable across all three groups; however, the M200 latency response from the left auditory cortex was significantly delayed in the ASD group relative to both the TDC and SPD groups, whereas the somatosensory response of the ASD group was only delayed relative to TDC participants. The SPD group did not significantly differ from either group in terms of somatosensory latency, suggesting that participants with SPD may have an intermediate phenotype between ASD and TDC with regard to somatosensory processing. For the ASD group, correlation analyses indicated that the left M200 latency delay was significantly associated with performance on the WISC-IV Verbal Comprehension Index as well as the DSTP Acoustic-Linguistic index. Further, these cortical auditory response delays were not associated with somatosensory cortical response delays or cognitive processing speed in the ASD group, suggesting that auditory delays in ASD are domain specific rather than associated with generalized processing delays. The specificity of these auditory delays to the ASD group, in addition to their correlation with verbal abilities, suggests that auditory sensory dysfunction may be implicated in communication symptoms in ASD, motivating further research aimed at understanding the impact of sensory dysfunction on the developing brain. PMID:28603492

Assessment of atrial electromechanical delay by tissue Doppler echocardiography in obese subjects.

PubMed

Yagmur, Julide; Cansel, Mehmet; Acikgoz, Nusret; Ermis, Necip; Yagmur, Murat; Atas, Halil; Tasolar, Hakan; Karakus, Yasin; Pekdemir, Hasan; Ozdemir, Ramazan

2011-04-01

Our aim was to evaluate whether atrial electromechanical delay measured by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), which is an early predictor of atrial fibrillation (AF) development, is prolonged in obese subjects. A total of 40 obese and 40 normal-weight subjects with normal coronary angiograms were included in this study. P-wave dispersion (PWD) was calculated on the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). Systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) functions, inter- and intra-atrial electromechanical delay were measured by TDI and conventional echocardiography. Inter- and intra-atrial electromechanical delay were significantly longer in the obese subjects compared with the controls (44.08 ± 10.06 vs. 19.35 ± 5.94 ms and 23.63 ± 6.41 vs. 5.13 ± 2.67 ms, P < 0.0001 for both, respectively). PWD was higher in obese subjects (53.40 ± 5.49 vs. 35.95 ± 5.93 ms, P < 0.0001). Left atrial (LA) diameter, LA volume index and LV diastolic parameters were significantly different between the groups. Interatrial electromechanical delay was correlated with PWD (r = 0.409, P = 0.009), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels (r = 0.588, P < 0.0001). Interatrial electromechanical delay was positively correlated with LA diameter, LA volume index, and LV diastolic function parameters consisting of mitral early wave (E) deceleration time (DT) and isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRT; r = 0.323, P = 0.042; r = 0.387, P = 0.014; r = 0.339, P = 0.033; r = 0.325, P = 0.041; respectively) and, negatively correlated with mitral early (E) to late (A) wave ratio (E/A) (r = -0.380, P = 0.016) and myocardial early-to-late diastolic wave ratio (E(m)/A(m)) (r = -0.326, P = 0.040). This study showed that atrial electromechanical delay is prolonged in obese subjects. Prolonged atrial electromechanical delay is due to provoked low-grade inflammation as well as LA enlargement and early LV diastolic dysfunction in obese subjects.

Mismatch Negativity in Recent-Onset and Chronic Schizophrenia: A Current Source Density Analysis

PubMed Central

Fulham, W. Ross; Michie, Patricia T.; Ward, Philip B.; Rasser, Paul E.; Todd, Juanita; Johnston, Patrick J.; Thompson, Paul M.; Schall, Ulrich

2014-01-01

Mismatch negativity (MMN) is a component of the event-related potential elicited by deviant auditory stimuli. It is presumed to index pre-attentive monitoring of changes in the auditory environment. MMN amplitude is smaller in groups of individuals with schizophrenia compared to healthy controls. We compared duration-deviant MMN in 16 recent-onset and 19 chronic schizophrenia patients versus age- and sex-matched controls. Reduced frontal MMN was found in both patient groups, involved reduced hemispheric asymmetry, and was correlated with Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) and negative symptom ratings. A cortically-constrained LORETA analysis, incorporating anatomical data from each individual's MRI, was performed to generate a current source density model of the MMN response over time. This model suggested MMN generation within a temporal, parietal and frontal network, which was right hemisphere dominant only in controls. An exploratory analysis revealed reduced CSD in patients in superior and middle temporal cortex, inferior and superior parietal cortex, precuneus, anterior cingulate, and superior and middle frontal cortex. A region of interest (ROI) analysis was performed. For the early phase of the MMN, patients had reduced bilateral temporal and parietal response and no lateralisation in frontal ROIs. For late MMN, patients had reduced bilateral parietal response and no lateralisation in temporal ROIs. In patients, correlations revealed a link between GAF and the MMN response in parietal cortex. In controls, the frontal response onset was 17 ms later than the temporal and parietal response. In patients, onset latency of the MMN response was delayed in secondary, but not primary, auditory cortex. However amplitude reductions were observed in both primary and secondary auditory cortex. These latency delays may indicate relatively intact information processing upstream of the primary auditory cortex, but impaired primary auditory cortex or cortico-cortical or thalamo-cortical communication with higher auditory cortices as a core deficit in schizophrenia. PMID:24949859

Negative symptoms in first episode non-affective psychosis.

PubMed

Malla, Ashok K; Takhar, Jatinder J; Norman, Ross M G; Manchanda, Rahul; Cortese, Leonard; Haricharan, Raj; Verdi, Mary; Ahmed, Rashid

2002-06-01

To determine the prevalence of negative symptoms and to examine secondary sources of influence on negative symptoms and the role of specific negative symptoms in delay associated with seeking treatment in first episode non-affective psychosis. One hundred and ten patients who met Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV) criteria for a first episode of schizophrenia spectrum psychoses were rated for assessment of negative, positive, depressive and extrapyramidal symptoms, the premorbid adjustment scale and assessment of demographic and clinical characteristics including duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). Alogia/flat affect and avolition/anhedonia were strongly influenced by parkinsonian and depressive symptoms, respectively. A substantial proportion (26.8%) of patients showed at a least moderate level of negative symptoms not confounded by depression and Parkinsonism. DUP was related only to avolition/anhedonia while flat affect/alogia was related to male gender, diagnosis of schizophrenia, age of onset and the length of the prodrome. Negative symptoms that are independent of the influence of positive symptoms, depression and extra pyramidal symptoms (EPS) are present in a substantial proportion of first episode psychosis patients and delay in seeking treatment is associated mainly with avolition and anhedonia.

Gestational Trophoblastic Disease Diagnosis Delayed by the Hook Effect.

PubMed

Cormano, Julia; Mackay, Gillian; Holschneider, Christine

2015-10-01

A "hook effect" resulting from saturation of antibodies used in pregnancy tests can occur at human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels above 500,000 milliinternational units/mL, resulting in falsely negative values. A 34-year-old woman, gravida 5 para 3, presented to the emergency department after heavy bleeding. Ultrasonogram revealed a uterine mass, urine pregnancy test result was negative, and endometrial biopsy inconclusive. The patient was discharged and presented 10 days later with recurrent bleeding. Urine pregnancy test result was again negative, but serum hCG was 581 milliinternational units/mL. Serial dilution revealed an actual hCG higher than 5 million milliinternational units/mL. She was diagnosed with gestational trophoblastic disease. Awareness of the risk of a false-negative pregnancy test result when hCG levels are extremely high may prevent delayed diagnosis of gestational trophoblastic disease.

Effect of post-encoding emotion on recollection and familiarity for pictures.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Ren, Yanju

2017-07-01

Although prior studies have examined the effect of post-encoding emotional arousal on recognition memory for words, it is unknown whether the enhancement effect observed on words generalizes to pictures. Furthermore, prior studies using words have showed that the effect of emotional arousal can be modulated by stimuli valence and delay in emotion induction, but it is unclear whether such modulation can extend to pictures and whether other factors such as encoding method (incidental vs. intentional encoding) can be modulatory. Five experiments were conducted to answer these questions. In Experiment 1, participants encoded a list of neutral and negative pictures and then watched a 3-min neutral or negative video. The delayed test showed that negative arousal impaired recollection regardless of picture valence but had no effect on familiarity. Experiment 2 replicated the above findings. Experiment 3 was similar to Experiment 1 except that participants watched a 3-min neutral, negative, or positive video and conducted free recall before the recognition test. Unlike the prior two experiments, the impairment effect of negative arousal disappeared. Experiment 4, where the free recall task was eliminated, replicated the results from Experiment 3. Experiment 5 replicated Experiments 1 and 2 and further showed that the impairment effects of negative arousal could be modulated by delay in emotion induction but not by encoding method or stimuli valence. Taken together, the current study suggests that the enhancement effect observed on words may not generalize to pictures.

Group consensus control for networked multi-agent systems with communication delays.

PubMed

An, Bao-Ran; Liu, Guo-Ping; Tan, Chong

2018-05-01

This paper investigates group consensus problems in networked multi-agent systems (NMAS) with communication delays. Based on the sed state prediction scheme, the group consensus control protocol is designed to compensate the communication delay actively. In light of algebraic graph theories and matrix theories, necessary and(or) sufficient conditions of group consensus with respect to a given admissible control set are obtained for the NMAS with communication delays under mild assumptions. Finally, simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. Copyright © 2018 ISA. All rights reserved.

Is early cord clamping, delayed cord clamping or cord milking best?

PubMed

Vatansever, Binay; Demirel, Gamze; Ciler Eren, Elif; Erel, Ozcan; Neselioglu, Salim; Karavar, Hande Nur; Gundogdu, Semra; Ulfer, Gozde; Bahadir, Selcen; Tastekin, Ayhan

2018-04-01

To compare the antioxidant status of three cord clamping procedures (early clamping, delayed clamping and milking) by analyzing the thiol-disulfide balance. This randomized controlled study enrolled 189 term infants who were divided into three groups according to the cord clamping procedure: early clamping, delayed clamping and milking. Blood samples were collected from the umbilical arteries immediately after clamping, and the thiol/disulfide homeostasis was analyzed. The native and total thiol levels were significantly (p < .05) lower in the early cord clamping group compared with the other two groups. The disulfide/total thiol ratio was significantly (p = .026) lower in the delayed cord clamping and milking groups compared with the early clamping groups. Early cord clamping causes the production of more disulfide bonds and lower thiol levels, indicating that oxidation reactions are increased in the early cord clamping procedure compared with the delayed cord clamping and milking procedures. The oxidant capacity is greater with early cord clamping than with delayed clamping or cord milking. Delayed cord clamping or milking are beneficial in neonatal care, and we suggest that they be performed routinely in all deliveries.

Evaluation of atrial electromechanical delay and diastolic functions in patients with hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Sokmen, Abdullah; Acar, Gurkan; Sokmen, Gulizar; Akcay, Ahmet; Akkoyun, Murat; Koroglu, Sedat; Nacar, Alper Bugra; Ozkaya, Mesut

2013-11-01

Hyperthyroidism is a well-known cause of atrial fibrillation (AF) which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Atrial electromechanical delay (EMD) is a significant predictor of AF. The aim of this study was to assess the atrial EMD and diastolic functions in subclinical and overt hyperthyroidism by using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). The study population consisted of 3 groups: group I (30 healthy subjects), group II (38 patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism), and group III (25 patients with overt hyperthyroidism). Atrial electromechanical coupling was measured with TDI. Standard echocardiographic measurements and parameters of diastolic function were obtained by conventional echocardiography and TDI. Intra- and inter-atrial EMD were significantly prolonged in subclinical and overt hyperthyroidism compared with control group (P = 0.03 and P < 0.001 for intra-atrial EMD; P < 0.001 for inter-atrial EMD). In groups II and III, mitral A velocity (P = 0.005 and P = 0.001) and mitral E-wave deceleration time (P < 0.001 and P = 0.02) were significantly increased, and mitral E/A ratio (P = 0.005 and P = 0.001) was significantly decreased compared with the control group. The lateral mitral Em /Am ratio in group II and group III was significantly lower than controls (P = 0.001). Mitral Em /Am ratio (β = -0.32, P = 0.002) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level (β = -0.27, P = 0.009) were negatively and independently correlated with inter-atrial EMD. This study showed that intra- and inter-atrial electromechanical intervals were prolonged and diastolic function was impaired in both overt and subclinical hyperthyroidism. TSH level and mitral Em /Am ratio were found as independent predictors of atrial EMD. © 2013, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Impact of false-negative sentinel lymph node biopsy on survival in patients with cutaneous melanoma.

PubMed

Caracò, C; Marone, U; Celentano, E; Botti, G; Mozzillo, N

2007-09-01

Sentinel lymph node biopsy is widely accepted as standard care in melanoma despite lack of pertinent randomized trials results. A possible pitfall of this procedure is the inaccurate identification of the sentinel lymph node leading to biopsy and analysis of a nonsentinel node. Such a technical failure may yield a different prognosis. The purpose of this study is to analyze the incidence of false negativity and its impact on clinical outcome and to try to understand its causes. The Melanoma Data Base at National Cancer Institute of Naples was analyzed comparing results between false-negative and tumor-positive sentinel node patients focusing on overall survival and prognostic factors influencing the clinical outcome. One hundred fifty-one cases were diagnosed to be tumor-positive after sentinel lymph node biopsy and were subjected to complete lymph node dissection. Thirty-four (18.4%)patients with tumor-negative sentinel node subsequently developed lymph node metastases in the basin site of the sentinel procedure. With a median follow-up of 42.8 months the 5-year overall survival was 48.4% and 66.3% for false-negative and tumor-positive group respectively with significant statistical differences (P < .03). The sensitivity of sentinel lymph node biopsy was 81.6%, and a regional nodal basin recurrence after negative-sentinel node biopsy means a worse prognosis, compared with patients submitted to complete lymph node dissection after a positive sentinel biopsy. The evidence of higher number of tumor-positive nodes after delayed lymphadenectomy in false-negative group compared with tumor-positive sentinel node cases, confirmed the importance of an early staging of lymph nodal involvement. Further data will better clarify the role of prognostic factors to identify cases with a more aggressive biological behavior of the disease.

Delayed extubation to nasal continuous positive airway pressure in the immature baboon model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia: lung clinical and pathological findings.

PubMed

Thomson, Merran A; Yoder, Bradley A; Winter, Vicki T; Giavedoni, Luis; Chang, Ling Yi; Coalson, Jacqueline J

2006-11-01

Using the 125-day baboon model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia treated with prenatal steroid and exogenous surfactant, we hypothesized that a delay of extubation from low tidal volume positive pressure ventilation to nasal continuous positive airway pressure at 5 days (delayed nasal continuous positive airway pressure group) would not induce more lung injury when compared with baboons aggressively weaned to nasal continuous positive airway pressure at 24 hours (early nasal continuous positive airway pressure group), because both received positive pressure ventilation. After delivery by cesarean section at 125 days (term: 185 days), infants received 2 doses of Curosurf (Chiesi Farmaceutica S.p.A., Parma, Italy) and daily caffeine citrate. The delay in extubation to 5 days resulted in baboons in the delayed nasal continuous positive airway pressure group having a lower arterial to alveolar oxygen ratio, high PaCO2, and worse respiratory function. The animals in the delayed nasal continuous positive airway pressure group exhibited a poor respiratory drive that contributed to more reintubations and time on mechanical ventilation. A few animals in both groups developed necrotizing enterocolitis and/or sepsis, but infectious pneumonias were not documented. Cellular bronchiolitis and peribronchiolar alveolar wall thickening were more frequently seen in the delayed nasal continuous positive airway pressure group. Bronchoalveolar lavage levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha, and growth-regulated oncogene-alpha were significantly increased in the delayed nasal continuous positive airway pressure group. Standard and digital morphometric analyses showed no significant differences in internal surface area and nodal measurements between the groups. Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule vascular staining was not significantly different between the 2 nasal continuous positive airway pressure groups. Volutrauma and/or low-grade colonization of airways secondary to increased reintubations and ventilation times are speculated to play causative roles in the delayed nasal continuous positive airway pressure group findings.

The Effects of Financial Education on Impulsive Decision Making

PubMed Central

DeHart, William B.; Friedel, Jonathan E.; Lown, Jean M.; Odum, Amy L.

2016-01-01

Delay discounting, as a behavioral measure of impulsive choice, is strongly related to substance abuse and other risky behaviors. Therefore, effective techniques that alter delay discounting are of great interest. We explored the ability of a semester long financial education course to change delay discounting. Participants were recruited from a financial education course (n = 237) and an abnormal psychology course (n = 80). Both groups completed a delay-discounting task for $100 during the first two weeks (Time 1) of the semester as well as during the last two weeks (Time 2) of the semester. Participants also completed a personality inventory and financial risk tolerance scale both times and a delay-discounting task for $1,000 during Time 2. Delay discounting decreased in the financial education group at the end of the semester whereas there was no change in delay discounting in the abnormal psychology group. Financial education may be an effective method for reducing delay discounting. PMID:27442237

The Effects of Financial Education on Impulsive Decision Making.

PubMed

DeHart, William B; Friedel, Jonathan E; Lown, Jean M; Odum, Amy L

2016-01-01

Delay discounting, as a behavioral measure of impulsive choice, is strongly related to substance abuse and other risky behaviors. Therefore, effective techniques that alter delay discounting are of great interest. We explored the ability of a semester long financial education course to change delay discounting. Participants were recruited from a financial education course (n = 237) and an abnormal psychology course (n = 80). Both groups completed a delay-discounting task for $100 during the first two weeks (Time 1) of the semester as well as during the last two weeks (Time 2) of the semester. Participants also completed a personality inventory and financial risk tolerance scale both times and a delay-discounting task for $1,000 during Time 2. Delay discounting decreased in the financial education group at the end of the semester whereas there was no change in delay discounting in the abnormal psychology group. Financial education may be an effective method for reducing delay discounting.

Associations between immunological function and memory recall in healthy adults.

PubMed

Wang, Grace Y; Taylor, Tamasin; Sumich, Alexander; Merien, Fabrice; Borotkanics, Robert; Wrapson, Wendy; Krägeloh, Chris; Siegert, Richard J

2017-12-01

Studies in clinical and aging populations support associations between immunological function, cognition and mood, although these are not always in line with animal models. Moreover, very little is known about the relationship between immunological measures and cognition in healthy young adults. The present study tested associations between the state of immune system and memory recall in a group of relatively healthy adults. Immediate and delayed memory recall was assessed in 30 participants using the computerised cognitive battery. CD4, CD8 and CD69 subpopulations of lymphocytes, Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cortisol were assessed with blood assays. Correlation analysis showed significant negative relationships between CD4 and the short and long delay memory measures. IL-6 showed a significant positive correlation with long-delay recall. Generalized linear models found associations between differences in all recall challenges and CD4. A multivariate generalized linear model including CD4 and IL-6 exhibited a stronger association. Results highlight the interactions between CD4 and IL-6 in relation to memory function. Further study is necessary to determine the underlying mechanisms of the associations between the state of immune system and cognitive performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of duration of untreated psychosis and treatment delay on the outcomes of prolonged early intervention in psychotic disorders.

PubMed

Albert, Nikolai; Melau, Marianne; Jensen, Heidi; Hastrup, Lene Halling; Hjorthøj, Carsten; Nordentoft, Merete

2017-09-26

The duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) has been shown to have an effect on outcome after first-episode psychosis. The premise of specialized early intervention (SEI) services is that intervention in the early years of illness can affect long-term outcomes. In this study, we investigate whether DUP affects treatment response after 5 years of SEI treatment compared to 2 years of SEI treatment. As part of a randomized controlled trial testing the effect of prolonged SEI treatment 400 participants diagnosed within the schizophrenia spectrum were recruited. For this specific study participants were dichotomized based on DUP, treatment delay, and time from first symptom until start of SEI treatment. The groups were analyzed with regard to treatment response on psychopathology, level of functioning, and cognitive functioning. The participants with a short DUP had a tendency to respond better to the prolonged treatment with regards to disorganized and negative dimension. For participants with short duration from first symptom until start of SEI treatment there was a significant difference on the negative dimension favoring the prolonged OPUS treatment. The finding of an effect of prolonged treatment for participants with a short total treatment delay could mean that prolonged SEI treatment is more beneficial than treatment as usual (TAU) so long as it is provided in the early years of illness and not just in the early years after diagnosis. THE EARLIER THE BETTER: The duration of untreated psychosis influences the long-term outcomes of treatment. Nikolai Albert, at the Copenhagen Mental Health Centre, and a team of Danish researchers have investigated the effects of a specialized early intervention program (OPUS) in 400 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and compared the effects of OPUS after two and five years. Their findings suggest that five years of specialized early intervention was most beneficial when the total duration from symptom start to treatment was shorter than 6 months. The treatment was particularly effective at improving patients' disorganized behavior and negative symptoms such as blunted emotions and lack of motivation. These findings support previous studies suggesting that patients are more responsive to treatment in the early years of illness and highlight the importance of avoiding delays within the mental health service provision.

Influence of negative stereotypes and beliefs on neuropsychological test performance in a traumatic brain injury population.

PubMed

Kit, Karen A; Mateer, Catherine A; Tuokko, Holly A; Spencer-Rodgers, Julie

2014-02-01

The impact of stereotype threat and self-efficacy beliefs on neuropsychological test performance in a clinical traumatic brain injury (TBI) population was investigated. A total of 42 individuals with mild-to-moderate TBI and 42 (age-, gender-, educationally matched) healthy adults were recruited. The study consisted of a 2 (Type of injury: control, TBI) × 2 (Threat Condition: reduced threat, heightened threat) between-participants design. The purpose of the reduced threat condition was to reduce negative stereotyped beliefs regarding cognitive effects of TBI and to emphasize personal control over cognition. The heightened threat condition consisted of an opposing view. Main effects included greater anxiety, motivation, and dejection but reduced memory self-efficacy for head-injured-groups, compared to control groups. On neuropsychological testing, the TBI-heightened-threat-group displayed lower scores on Initial Encoding (initial recall) and trended toward displaying lower scores on Attention (working memory) compared to the TBI-reduced-threat-group. No effect was found for Delayed Recall measures. Memory self-efficacy mediated the relation between threat condition and neuropsychological performance, indicating a potential mechanism for the threat effect. The findings highlight the impact of stereotype threat and self-referent beliefs on neuropsychological test performance in a clinical TBI population.

Comparison of delayed versus immediate pushing during second stage of labor for nulliparous women with epidural anesthesia.

PubMed

Gillesby, Erica; Burns, Suzan; Dempsey, Amy; Kirby, Shirley; Mogensen, Kami; Naylor, Kelly; Petrella, Joann; Vanicelli, Rebecca; Whelan, Breon

2010-01-01

To determine if the use of delayed pushing after the onset of the second stage of labor decreases the time of active pushing and decreases maternal fatigue. Randomized clinical trial. Labor and delivery unit of a not-for-profit community hospital. Convenience sample of nulliparous laboring women with epidural anesthesia. Immediate or delayed pushing (2 hours) during the second stage of labor at the time of complete cervical dilatation. The length of pushing, total length of the second stage, and maternal fatigue. A total of 77 women were studied (immediate pushing group=39; delayed pushing=38). The immediate pushing group averaged 94 (± 57) minutes in active pushing, while the delayed pushing group averaged 68 (± 46) minutes, a statistically significant difference (p=.04). No significant differences were found in fatigue scores between the immediate and delayed pushing groups (p>.05). We found that by delaying the onset of active pushing for 2 hours after the beginning of the second stage of labor, the time that nulliparous women with epidural anesthesia spent in active pushing was significantly decreased by 27%. Although the delayed pushing group rested for up to 2 hours, the total time in the second stage of labor averaged only 59 minutes longer than the immediate pushing group. © 2010 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Clinical research for delayed hemorrhage after endoscopic sphincterotomy

PubMed Central

Wang, Yundong; Han, Zhen; Niu, Xiaoping; Jia, Yuliang; Yuan, Heming; Zhang, Guozheng; He, Chiyi

2015-01-01

To analyze the effect of delayed hemorrhage after endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) and compare the efficacy in improving complication between medicine treatment alone and medicine combined with endoscopic treatment. 1741 patients with EST admitted in Yijishan hospital of Wannan medical college from September 2009 to May 2014 were enrolled in this study. 32 cases suffered from delayed hemorrhage. The patients with delayed hemorrhage were evaluated through incision length of duodenal papilla, clinical manifestation, stool occult blood test and the difference of hemoglobin concentration between pre and post operation. 32 patients were divided into mild bleeding group, mild serious group and serious group through the speed and amount of bleeding. All cases in mild group accepted medicine treatment. Mild serious group were divided into medicine therapy group and medicine combined with endoscopic therapy group randomly. Serious group accepted vascular intervention therapy even traditional operation. The different treatments for delayed hemorrhage were judged by efficiency. The dates were analyzed by t-test or chi-square test. Nobody endured delayed hemorrhage who accepted small incision. Delayed hemorrhage was found in 7 patients out of 627 cases who accepted medium-large incision, 25 patients of 920 cases who accepted large incision. The patients who accepted lager EST were more dangerous than small EST (χ2=4.718, P=0.030) concerning delayed hemorrhage. 32 cases in 1741 patients suffered from delayed hemorrhage. 14 patients only have passed black stool after EST. Among 14 cases, 13 patients stop bleeding after medical therapy, and 1 case received endoscopic hemostasis. 15 cases with hematemesis or melena after EST, 7 patients who received combination therapy stop bleeding. 3 patients from 8 cases stop bleeding after single chemical treatment, 5 cases had to receive endoscopic hemostasis after ineffectual medical therapy. There are significant difference for concerning effect between combination therapy group and medical therapy group (P=0.026). 3 patients repeatedly vomited blood and develop to peripheral circulatory failure. Those patients all received vascular intervention therapy, 2 patients stop bleeding, 1 patient failed in vascular intervention therapy and given up emergency rescue and died. Large EST has more risks than small EST in concerning delayed hemorrhage. Delayed bleeding after EST should be treated by different levels. Adapted therapy should be recommend for patients with different levels bleeding. PMID:26131161

A Direct Comparison of Self-Injurious and Stereotyped Motor Behavior Between Preschool-Aged Children With and Without Developmental Delays

PubMed Central

Spofford, Lisa; Dimian, Adele; Tervo, Raymond; MacLean, William E.; Symons, Frank J.

2016-01-01

Objective To compare the prevalence of self-injurious behavior (SIB) and stereotyped motor behavior (STY) of preschool-aged children with developmental delays (DD group) and their peers without developmental delays (TD group) using a standardized caregiver report scale. Methods The Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised was completed by caregivers of children with developmental delays and their peers without developmental delays. Frequency of occurrence and severity ratings for SIB and STY were compared between groups. Results SIB and STY were reported more often and at a greater level of severity in the DD group. Older chronological age was associated with more severe STY in the DD group but not the TD group. Gender was not related to STY or SIB for either group. Conclusions Differences in STY and SIB were evident between preschoolers with and without DD. Findings are discussed from developmental and behavioral psychology perspectives regarding the expression of repetitive behavior in developmentally at-risk pediatric populations. PMID:26514642

The Group Delay and Suppression Pattern of the Cochlear Microphonic Potential Recorded at the Round Window

PubMed Central

He, Wenxuan; Porsov, Edward; Kemp, David; Nuttall, Alfred L.; Ren, Tianying

2012-01-01

Background It is commonly assumed that the cochlear microphonic potential (CM) recorded from the round window (RW) is generated at the cochlear base. Based on this assumption, the low-frequency RW CM has been measured for evaluating the integrity of mechanoelectrical transduction of outer hair cells at the cochlear base and for studying sound propagation inside the cochlea. However, the group delay and the origin of the low-frequency RW CM have not been demonstrated experimentally. Methodology/Principal Findings This study quantified the intra-cochlear group delay of the RW CM by measuring RW CM and vibrations at the stapes and basilar membrane in gerbils. At low sound levels, the RW CM showed a significant group delay and a nonlinear growth at frequencies below 2 kHz. However, at high sound levels or at frequencies above 2 kHz, the RW CM magnitude increased proportionally with sound pressure, and the CM phase in respect to the stapes showed no significant group delay. After the local application of tetrodotoxin the RW CM below 2 kHz became linear and showed a negligible group delay. In contrast to RW CM phase, the BM vibration measured at location ∼2.5 mm from the base showed high sensitivity, sharp tuning, and nonlinearity with a frequency-dependent group delay. At low or intermediate sound levels, low-frequency RW CMs were suppressed by an additional tone near the probe-tone frequency while, at high sound levels, they were partially suppressed only at high frequencies. Conclusions/Significance We conclude that the group delay of the RW CM provides no temporal information on the wave propagation inside the cochlea, and that significant group delay of low-frequency CMs results from the auditory nerve neurophonic potential. Suppression data demonstrate that the generation site of the low-frequency RW CM shifts from apex to base as the probe-tone level increases. PMID:22470560

Modeling delay in genetic networks: From delay birth-death processes to delay stochastic differential equations

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

Gupta, Chinmaya; López, José Manuel; Azencott, Robert

Delay is an important and ubiquitous aspect of many biochemical processes. For example, delay plays a central role in the dynamics of genetic regulatory networks as it stems from the sequential assembly of first mRNA and then protein. Genetic regulatory networks are therefore frequently modeled as stochastic birth-death processes with delay. Here, we examine the relationship between delay birth-death processes and their appropriate approximating delay chemical Langevin equations. We prove a quantitative bound on the error between the pathwise realizations of these two processes. Our results hold for both fixed delay and distributed delay. Simulations demonstrate that the delay chemicalmore » Langevin approximation is accurate even at moderate system sizes. It captures dynamical features such as the oscillatory behavior in negative feedback circuits, cross-correlations between nodes in a network, and spatial and temporal information in two commonly studied motifs of metastability in biochemical systems. Overall, these results provide a foundation for using delay stochastic differential equations to approximate the dynamics of birth-death processes with delay.« less

Optimal scan timing and intravenous route for contrast-enhanced computed tomography in patients after Fontan operation.

PubMed

Park, Eun-Ah; Lee, Whal; Chung, Se-Young; Yin, Yong Hu; Chung, Jin Wook; Park, Jae Hyung

2010-01-01

To determine the optimal scan timing and adequate intravenous route for patients having undergone the Fontan operation. A total of 88 computed tomographic images in 49 consecutive patients who underwent the Fontan operation were retrospectively evaluated and divided into 7 groups: group 1, bolus-tracking method with either intravenous route (n = 20); group 2, 1-minute-delay scan with single antecubital route (n = 36); group 3, 1-minute-delay scan with both antecubital routes (n = 2); group 4, 1-minute-delay scan with foot vein route (n = 3); group 5, 1-minute-delay scan with simultaneous infusion via both antecubital and foot vein routes (n = 2); group 6, 3-minute-delay scan with single antecubital route (n = 22); and group 7, 3-minute-delay scan with foot vein route (n = 3). The presence of beam-hardening artifact, uniform enhancement, and optimal enhancement was evaluated at the right pulmonary artery (RPA), left pulmonary artery (LPA), and Fontan tract. Optimal enhancement was determined when evaluation of thrombus was possible. Standard deviation was measured at the RPA, LPA, and Fontan tract. Beam-hardening artifacts of the RPA, LPA, and Fontan tract were frequently present in groups 1, 4, and 5. The success rate of uniform and optimal enhancement was highest (100%) in groups 6 and 7, followed by group 2 (75%). An SD of less than 30 Hounsfield unit for the pulmonary artery and Fontan tract was found in groups 3, 6, and 7. The optimal enhancement of the pulmonary arteries and Fontan tract can be achieved by a 3-minute-delay scan irrespective of the intravenous route location.

Influence of growth hormone therapy on selected dental and skeletal system parameters.

PubMed

Partyka, Małgorzata; Chałas, Renata; Dunin-Wilczyńska, Izabella; Drohomyretska, Myroslava; Klatka, Maria

2018-03-14

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is one of the main indications for growth hormone therapy. One characteristic of this disease is bone age delay in relation to the chronological age. Pituitary dysfunction negatively affects the growth and development of the jaws and teeth of the child. The secretion of endocrine glands regulates growth, development, and gender differentiation. It also controls the growth of bones and teeth, regulates metabolism of calcium and phosphate, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. The primary role in the endocrine system is played by the pituitary gland which is responsible for the production of somatotropin [1]. Dysfunction of the pituitary gland has a negative effect on the growth and development of long bones in the body, and may have an adverse effect on the development of maxilla, mandible and dentition of a child. There is some information in the literature that dental age is delayed in short stature children; the replacement of deciduous teeth by permanent teeth is also delayed, and newly erupted permanent teeth often require orthodontic treatment. Applying hormonal therapy positively affects the process of replacement of dentition [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The aim of the study was to assess bone and dental age, as well as analyze the state of dentition in children diagnosed with GH deficiency treated with growth hormone, depending on the duration of treatment. The study material consisted of 110 children (27 males, 83 females), hospitalized for somatotropin hypopituitarism in the Department of Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology at the Medical University of Lublin, Poland. The mean birth age was 13 years (156 months) with a standard deviation of 2 years and 6 months (30 months). 47 children (43%) started treatment with the growth hormone (group starting treatment) and 63 children (57%) whose treatment was started 2-3 years previously (group in the course of treatment). The control group consisted of 41 generally healthy children (15males, 25 females) with ENT problems, such as hypoacusis and a condition after nasal injury, hospitalized in the Department of Paediatric Otolaryngology at the Medical University of Lublin, Poland. The mean age was 11 years and 5 months (137 months) with standard deviation of 2 years and 5 months (29 months). Informed consent was obtained from the parents. The study was approved by the Bioethical Committee at the Medical University of Lublin (Resolution No. KE-0254 /216 /2012).

An experimental and modeling study investigating the ignition delay in a military diesel engine running hexadecane (cetane) fuel

DOE PAGES

Cowart, Jim S.; Fischer, Warren P.; Hamilton, Leonard J.; ...

2013-02-01

In an effort aimed at predicting the combustion behavior of a new fuel in a conventional diesel engine, cetane (n-hexadecane) fuel was used in a military engine across the entire speed–load operating range. The ignition delay was characterized for this fuel at each operating condition. A chemical ignition delay was also predicted across the speed–load range using a detailed chemical kinetic mechanism with a constant pressure reactor model. At each operating condition, the measured in-cylinder pressure and predicted temperature at the start of injection were applied to the detailed n-hexadecane kinetic mechanism, and the chemical ignition delay was predicted withoutmore » any kinetic mechanism calibration. The modeling results show that fuel–air parcels developed from the diesel spray with an equivalence ratio of 4 are the first to ignite. The chemical ignition delay results also showed decreasing igntion delays with increasing engine load and speed, just as the experimental data revealed. At lower engine speeds and loads, the kinetic modeling results show the characteristic two-stage negative temperature coefficient behavior of hydrocarbon fuels. However, at high engine speeds and loads, the reactions do not display negative temperature coefficient behavior, as the reactions proceed directly into high-temperature pathways due to higher temperatures and pressure at injection. A moderate difference between the total and chemical ignition delays was then characterized as a phyical delay period that scales inversely with engine speed. This physical delay time is representative of the diesel spray development time and is seen to become a minority fraction of the total igntion delay at higher engine speeds. In addition, the approach used in this study suggests that the ignition delay and thus start of combustion may be predicted with reasonable accuracy using kinetic modeling to determine the chemical igntion delay. Then, in conjunction with the physical delay time (experimental or modeling based), a new fuel’s acceptability in a conventional engine could be assessed by determining that the total ignition delay is not too short or too long.« less

Resolution and prevention of feline immunodeficiency virus-induced neurological deficits by treatment with the protease inhibitor TL-3.

PubMed

Huitron-Resendiz, Salvador; De Rozières, Sohela; Sanchez-Alavez, Manuel; Bühler, Bernd; Lin, Ying-Chuan; Lerner, Danica L; Henriksen, Nicholas W; Burudi, Mboya; Fox, Howard S; Torbett, Bruce E; Henriksen, Steven; Elder, John H

2004-05-01

In vivo tests were performed to assess the influence of the protease inhibitor TL-3 on feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-induced central nervous system (CNS) deficits. Twenty cats were divided into four groups of five animals each. Group 1 received no treatment, group 2 received TL-3 only, group 3 received FIV strain PPR (FIV-PPR) only, and group 4 received FIV-PPR and TL-3. Animals were monitored for immunological and virological status, along with measurements of brain stem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) changes. Groups 1 and 2 remained FIV negative, and groups 3 and 4 became virus positive and seroconverted by 3 to 5 weeks postinoculation. No adverse effects were noted with TL-3 only. The average peak viral load for the virus-only group 3 animals was 1.32 x 10(6) RNA copies/ml, compared to 6.9 x 10(4) copies/ml for TL-3-treated group 4 cats. Group 3 (virus-only) cats exhibited marked progressive delays in BAEPs starting at 2 weeks post virus exposure, which is typical of infection with FIV-PPR. In contrast, TL-3-treated cats of group 4 exhibited BAEPs similar to those of control and drug-only cats. At 97 days postinfection, treatments were switched; i.e., group 4 animals were taken off TL-3 and group 3 animals were treated with TL-3. BAEPs in group 3 animals returned to control levels, while BAEPs in group 4 animals remained at control levels. After 70 days on TL-3, group 3 was removed from the drug treatment regimen. Delays in BAEPs immediately increased to levels observed prior to TL-3 treatment. The findings show that early TL-3 treatment can effectively eliminate FIV-induced changes in the CNS. Furthermore, TL-3 can counteract FIV effects on the CNS of infected cats, although continued treatment is required to maintain unimpaired CNS function.

Resolution and Prevention of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus-Induced Neurological Deficits by Treatment with the Protease Inhibitor TL-3

PubMed Central

Huitron-Resendiz, Salvador; de Rozières, Sohela; Sanchez-Alavez, Manuel; Bühler, Bernd; Lin, Ying-Chuan; Lerner, Danica L.; Henriksen, Nicholas W.; Burudi, Mboya; Fox, Howard S.; Torbett, Bruce E.; Henriksen, Steven; Elder, John H.

2004-01-01

In vivo tests were performed to assess the influence of the protease inhibitor TL-3 on feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-induced central nervous system (CNS) deficits. Twenty cats were divided into four groups of five animals each. Group 1 received no treatment, group 2 received TL-3 only, group 3 received FIV strain PPR (FIV-PPR) only, and group 4 received FIV-PPR and TL-3. Animals were monitored for immunological and virological status, along with measurements of brain stem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) changes. Groups 1 and 2 remained FIV negative, and groups 3 and 4 became virus positive and seroconverted by 3 to 5 weeks postinoculation. No adverse effects were noted with TL-3 only. The average peak viral load for the virus-only group 3 animals was 1.32 × 106 RNA copies/ml, compared to 6.9 × 104 copies/ml for TL-3-treated group 4 cats. Group 3 (virus-only) cats exhibited marked progressive delays in BAEPs starting at 2 weeks post virus exposure, which is typical of infection with FIV-PPR. In contrast, TL-3-treated cats of group 4 exhibited BAEPs similar to those of control and drug-only cats. At 97 days postinfection, treatments were switched; i.e., group 4 animals were taken off TL-3 and group 3 animals were treated with TL-3. BAEPs in group 3 animals returned to control levels, while BAEPs in group 4 animals remained at control levels. After 70 days on TL-3, group 3 was removed from the drug treatment regimen. Delays in BAEPs immediately increased to levels observed prior to TL-3 treatment. The findings show that early TL-3 treatment can effectively eliminate FIV-induced changes in the CNS. Furthermore, TL-3 can counteract FIV effects on the CNS of infected cats, although continued treatment is required to maintain unimpaired CNS function. PMID:15078933

When avoiding unpleasant emotions might not be such a bad thing: verbal-autonomic response dissociation and midlife conjugal bereavement.

PubMed

Bonanno, G A; Keltner, D; Holen, A; Horowitz, M J

1995-11-01

It has been widely assumed that emotional avoidance during bereavement leads to either prolonged grief, delayed grief, or delayed somatic symptoms. To test this view, as well as a contrasting adaptive hypothesis, emotional avoidance was measured 6 months after a conjugal loss as negative verbal-autonomic response dissociation (low self-rated negative emotion coupled with heightened cardiovascular activity) and compared with grief measured at 6 and 14 months. The negative dissociation score evidenced reliability and validity but did not evidence the assumed link to severe grief. Rather, consistent with the adaptive hypothesis, negative dissociation at 6 months was associated with minimal grief symptoms across 14 months. Negative dissociation scores were also linked to initially high levels of somatic symptoms, which dropped to a low level by 14 months. Possible explanations for the initial cost and long-term adaptive quality of emotional avoidance during bereavement, as well as implications and limitations of the findings, are discussed.

Lie group classification of first-order delay ordinary differential equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorodnitsyn, Vladimir A.; Kozlov, Roman; Meleshko, Sergey V.; Winternitz, Pavel

2018-05-01

A group classification of first-order delay ordinary differential equations (DODEs) accompanied by an equation for the delay parameter (delay relation) is presented. A subset of such systems (delay ordinary differential systems or DODSs), which consists of linear DODEs and solution-independent delay relations, have infinite-dimensional symmetry algebras—as do nonlinear ones that are linearizable by an invertible transformation of variables. Genuinely nonlinear DODSs have symmetry algebras of dimension n, . It is shown how exact analytical solutions of invariant DODSs can be obtained using symmetry reduction.

Experimental demonstration of two methods for controlling the group delay in a system with photonic-crystal resonators coupled to a waveguide.

PubMed

Huo, Yijie; Sandhu, Sunil; Pan, Jun; Stuhrmann, Norbert; Povinelli, Michelle L; Kahn, Joseph M; Harris, James S; Fejer, Martin M; Fan, Shanhui

2011-04-15

We measure the group delay in an on-chip photonic-crystal device with two resonators side coupled to a waveguide. We demonstrate that such a group delay can be controlled by tuning either the propagation phase of the waveguide or the frequency of the resonators.

Parenting Stress and Depression in Children with Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kobe, Frank H.

1994-01-01

This study of 29 children with developmental delays found that parent ratings of children's depression were significantly associated with maternal depression, negative self-image, anxiety, and conduct problems. Data suggest that children with developmental delays exhibit a similar pattern of symptoms and associated characteristics to those found…

Amphetamine increases schedule-induced drinking reduced by negative punishment procedures.

PubMed

Pérez-Padilla, Angeles; Pellón, Ricardo

2003-05-01

d-Amphetamine has been reported to increase schedule-induced drinking punished by lick-dependent signalled delays in food delivery. This might reflect a drug-behaviour interaction dependent on the type of punisher, because no such effect has been found when drinking was reduced by lick-contingent electric shocks. However, the anti-punishment effect of amphetamine could be mediated by other behavioural processes, such as a loss of discriminative control or an increase in the value of delayed reinforcers. To test the effects of d-amphetamine on the acquisition and maintenance of schedule-induced drinking reduced by unsignalled delays in food delivery. Rats received 10-s unsignalled delays initiated by each lick after polydipsia was induced by a fixed-time 30-s food reinforcement schedule or from the outset of the experiment. Yoked-control rats received these same delays but independently of their own behaviour. d-Amphetamine (0.1-3.0 mg/kg) was then tested IP. d-Amphetamine dose-dependently increased and then decreased punished schedule-induced drinking. The drug led to dose-dependent reductions when the delays were not contingent or when they were applied from the outset of training. These results support the contention that d-amphetamine has an increasing effect on schedule-induced drinking that has been previously reduced by a negative punishment procedure. This effect cannot be attributed to other potentially involved processes, and therefore support the idea that drug effects on punished behaviour depend on punishment being delays in food or shock deliveries.

Delayed pneumothorax after stab wound to thorax and upper abdomen: Truth or myth?

PubMed

Zehtabchi, Shahriar; Morley, Eric J; Sajed, Dana; Greenberg, Oded; Sinert, Richard

2009-01-01

Stab wounds to the thorax and upper abdomen have the potential to cause pneumothorax (PTX). When a CXR (CXR) obtained during initial resuscitation is negative, a second CXR (CXR-2) is commonly performed with the goal of identifying delayed PTX. To assess the diagnostic yield of the CXR-2 in identifying delayed PTX. Prospective observational study of patients (age >or=13 years) with stab wounds to the thorax (chest/back) and upper abdomen with suspected PTX, in a level 1 trauma centre. Patients were included if they had a negative initial CXR followed by a repeat CXR 3-6h after the initial one. patients who died, were transferred out of the ED, or received chest tubes before the second CXR. The outcome of interest was delayed PTX. All CXR were read by an attending radiologist. To test the inter-observer agreement, another blinded radiologist reviewed 20% of CXR. Continuous data is presented as mean+/-standard deviation and categorical data as percentages with 95% confidence interval (CI). Kappa statistics were used to measure the inter-observer agreement between radiologists. Between January 2003 and December 2006 a total of 185 patients qualified for the enrollment (mean age: 28+/-10 years, age range: 13-65, 94% male). Only 2 patients (1.1%, 95% CI, 0.4- 4.1%) had PTX on the CXR-2. Both patients received chest tubes. The inter-observer agreement for radiology reports was high (kappa: 0.79). Occurrence of delayed PTX in patients with stab wounds to the thorax and upper abdomen and negative triage CXR is rare.

Tracking with time-delayed data in multisensor systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilton, Richard D.; Martin, David A.; Blair, William D.

1993-08-01

When techniques for target tracking are expanded to make use of multiple sensors in a multiplatform system, the possibility of time delayed data becomes a reality. When a discrete-time Kalman filter is applied and some of the data entering the filter are delayed, proper processing of these late data is a necessity for obtaining an optimal estimate of a target's state. If this problem is not given special care, the quality of the state estimates can be degraded relative to that quality provided by a single sensor. A negative-time update technique is developed using the criteria of minimum mean-square error (MMSE) under the constraint that only the results of the most recent update are saved. The performance of the MMSE technique is compared to that of the ad hoc approach employed in the Cooperative Engagement Capabilities (CEC) system for processing data from multiple platforms. It was discovered that the MMSE technique is a stable solution to the negative-time update problem, while the CEC technique was found to be less than desirable when used with filters designed for tracking highly maneuvering targets at relatively low data rates. The MMSE negative-time update technique was found to be a superior alternative to the existing CEC negative-time update technique.

Identifying differences in biased affective information processing in major depression.

PubMed

Gollan, Jackie K; Pane, Heather T; McCloskey, Michael S; Coccaro, Emil F

2008-05-30

This study investigates the extent to which participants with major depression differ from healthy comparison participants in the irregularities in affective information processing, characterized by deficits in facial expression recognition, intensity categorization, and reaction time to identifying emotionally salient and neutral information. Data on diagnoses, symptom severity, and affective information processing using a facial recognition task were collected from 66 participants, male and female between ages 18 and 54 years, grouped by major depressive disorder (N=37) or healthy non-psychiatric (N=29) status. Findings from MANCOVAs revealed that major depression was associated with a significantly longer reaction time to sad facial expressions compared with healthy status. Also, depressed participants demonstrated a negative bias towards interpreting neutral facial expressions as sad significantly more often than healthy participants. In turn, healthy participants interpreted neutral faces as happy significantly more often than depressed participants. No group differences were observed for facial expression recognition and intensity categorization. The observed effects suggest that depression has significant effects on the perception of the intensity of negative affective stimuli, delayed speed of processing sad affective information, and biases towards interpreting neutral faces as sad.

Behavior Problems in Toddlers with and without Developmental Delays: Comparison of Treatment Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holtz, Casey A.; Carrasco, Jennifer M.; Mattek, Ryan J.; Fox, Robert A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of an in-home parent management program for toddlers with behavior problems and developmental delays by comparing outcomes for a group of toddlers with developmental delays (n = 27) and a group of toddlers without developmental delays (n = 27). The majority of children lived in single…

Transfer effects of step training on stepping performance in untrained directions in older adults: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Okubo, Yoshiro; Menant, Jasmine; Udyavar, Manasa; Brodie, Matthew A; Barry, Benjamin K; Lord, Stephen R; L Sturnieks, Daina

2017-05-01

Although step training improves the ability of quick stepping, some home-based step training systems train limited stepping directions and may cause harm by reducing stepping performance in untrained directions. This study examines the possible transfer effects of step training on stepping performance in untrained directions in older people. Fifty four older adults were randomized into: forward step training (FT); lateral plus forward step training (FLT); or no training (NT) groups. FT and FLT participants undertook a 15-min training session involving 200 step repetitions. Prior to and post training, choice stepping reaction time and stepping kinematics in untrained, diagonal and lateral directions were assessed. Significant interactions of group and time (pre/post-assessment) were evident for the first step after training indicating negative (delayed response time) and positive (faster peak stepping speed) transfer effects in the diagonal direction in the FT group. However, when the second to the fifth steps after training were included in the analysis, there were no significant interactions of group and time for measures in the diagonal stepping direction. Step training only in the forward direction improved stepping speed but may acutely slow response times in the untrained diagonal direction. However, this acute effect appears to dissipate after a few repeated step trials. Step training in both forward and lateral directions appears to induce no negative transfer effects in diagonal stepping. These findings suggest home-based step training systems present low risk of harm through negative transfer effects in untrained stepping directions. ANZCTR 369066. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relation between delay and survival in 596 patients with breast cancer.

PubMed

Machiavelli, M; Leone, B; Romero, A; Perez, J; Vallejo, C; Bianco, A; Rodriguez, R; Estevez, R; Chacon, R; Dansky, C

1989-01-01

To evaluate the influence of delay between first symptom and first treatment upon survival the medical records of 596 patients with breast cancer were reviewed. The following intervals were considered: less than 3 months; 3-6 months and greater than 6 months. Patients in the less than 3 months delay group had a better distribution by clinical stages and a 10-year survival rate higher than those in the longer delay groups (p = 0.034). However, within each stage no statistically significant difference in survival according to delay was observed. A Cox multivariate analysis revealed that performance status and stage of disease were independent predictors of survival, but not delay. Assuming the best prognosis for patients with clinical stages I and II and less than 3 months delay, the group with longer delay times had 15 deaths over what would have been predicted. This adverse effect was observed almost exclusively among patients over age 50 (14/15).

Carrying the past to the future: Distinct brain networks underlie individual differences in human spatial working memory capacity.

PubMed

Liu, Siwei; Poh, Jia-Hou; Koh, Hui Li; Ng, Kwun Kei; Loke, Yng Miin; Lim, Joseph Kai Wei; Chong, Joanna Su Xian; Zhou, Juan

2018-08-01

Spatial working memory (SWM) relies on the interplay of anatomically separated and interconnected large-scale brain networks. EEG studies often observe load-associated sustained negative activity during SWM retention. Yet, whether and how such sustained negative activity in retention relates to network-specific functional activation/deactivation and relates to individual differences in SWM capacity remain to be elucidated. To cover these gaps, we recorded concurrent EEG-fMRI data in 70 healthy young adults during the Sternberg delayed-match-to-sample SWM task with three memory load levels. To a subset of participants (N = 28) that performed the task properly and had artefact-free fMRI and EEG data, we employed a novel temporo-spatial principal component analysis to derive load-dependent negative slow wave (NSW) from retention-related event-related potentials. The associations between NSW responses with SWM capacity were divergent in the higher (N = 14) and lower (N = 14) SWM capacity groups. Specifically, larger load-related increase in NSW amplitude was associated with greater SWM capacity for the higher capacity group but lower SWM capacity for the lower capacity group. Furthermore, for the higher capacity group, larger NSW amplitude was related to greater activation in bilateral parietal areas of the fronto-parietal network (FPN) and greater deactivation in medial frontal gyrus and posterior mid-cingulate cortex of the default mode network (DMN) during retention. In contrast, the lower capacity group did not show similar pattern. Instead, greater NSW was linked to higher deactivation in right posterior middle temporal gyrus. Our findings shed light on the possible differential EEG-informed neural network mechanism during memory maintenance underlying individual differences in SWM capacity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sharp conditions for global stability of Lotka-Volterra systems with distributed delays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faria, Teresa

We give a criterion for the global attractivity of a positive equilibrium of n-dimensional non-autonomous Lotka-Volterra systems with distributed delays. For a class of autonomous Lotka-Volterra systems, we show that such a criterion is sharp, in the sense that it provides necessary and sufficient conditions for the global asymptotic stability independently of the choice of the delay functions. The global attractivity of positive equilibria is established by imposing a diagonal dominance of the instantaneous negative feedback terms, and relies on auxiliary results showing the boundedness of all positive solutions. The paper improves and generalizes known results in the literature, namely by considering systems with distributed delays rather than discrete delays.

An Inequality Constrained Least-Squares Approach as an Alternative Estimation Procedure for Atmospheric Parameters from VLBI Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halsig, Sebastian; Artz, Thomas; Iddink, Andreas; Nothnagel, Axel

2016-12-01

On its way through the atmosphere, radio signals are delayed and affected by bending and attenuation effects relative to a theoretical path in vacuum. In particular, the neutral part of the atmosphere contributes considerably to the error budget of space-geodetic observations. At the same time, space-geodetic techniques become more and more important in the understanding of the Earth's atmosphere, because atmospheric parameters can be linked to the water vapor content in the atmosphere. The tropospheric delay is usually taken into account by applying an adequate model for the hydrostatic component and by additionally estimating zenith wet delays for the highly variable wet component. Sometimes, the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) approach leads to negative estimates, which would be equivalent to negative water vapor in the atmosphere and does, of course, not reflect meteorological and physical conditions in a plausible way. To cope with this phenomenon, we introduce an Inequality Constrained Least Squares (ICLS) method from the field of convex optimization and use inequality constraints to force the tropospheric parameters to be non-negative allowing for a more realistic tropospheric parameter estimation in a meteorological sense. Because deficiencies in the a priori hydrostatic modeling are almost fully compensated by the tropospheric estimates, the ICLS approach urgently requires suitable a priori hydrostatic delays. In this paper, we briefly describe the ICLS method and validate its impact with regard to station positions.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Early Versus Delayed Statin Therapy in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: ASSORT Trial (Administration of Statin on Acute Ischemic Stroke Patient).

PubMed

Yoshimura, Shinichi; Uchida, Kazutaka; Daimon, Takashi; Takashima, Ryuzo; Kimura, Kazuhiro; Morimoto, Takeshi

2017-11-01

Several studies suggested that statins during hospitalization were associated with better disability outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke, but only 1 small randomized trial is available. We conducted a multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial in patients with acute ischemic strokes in 11 hospitals in Japan. Patients with acute ischemic stroke and dyslipidemia randomly received statins within 24 hours after admission in the early group or on the seventh day in the delayed group, in a 1:1 ratio. Statins were administered for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was patient disability assessed by modified Rankin Scale at 90 days. A total of 257 patients were randomized and analyzed (early 131, delayed 126). At 90 days, modified Rankin Scale score distribution did not differ between groups ( P =0.68), and the adjusted common odds ratio of the early statin group was 0.84 (95% confidence interval, 0.53-1.3; P =0.46) compared with the delayed statin group. There were 3 deaths at 90 days (2 in the early group, 1 in the delayed group) because of malignancy. Ischemic stroke recurred in 9 patients (6.9%) in the early group and 5 patients (4.0%) in the delayed group. The safety profile was similar between groups. Our randomized trial involving patients with acute ischemic stroke and dyslipidemia did not show any superiority of early statin therapy within 24 hours of admission compared with delayed statin therapy 7 days after admission to alleviate the degree of disability at 90 days after onset. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02549846. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Delays in the operating room: signs of an imperfect system.

PubMed

Wong, Janice; Khu, Kathleen Joy; Kaderali, Zul; Bernstein, Mark

2010-06-01

Delays in the operating room have a negative effect on its efficiency and the working environment. In this prospective study, we analyzed data on perioperative system delays. One neurosurgeon prospectively recorded all errors, including perioperative delays, for consecutive patients undergoing elective procedures from May 2000 to February 2009. We analyzed the prevalence, causes and impact of perioperative system delays that occurred in one neurosurgeon's practice. A total of 1531 elective surgical cases were performed during the study period. Delays were the most common type of error (33.6%), and more than half (51.4%) of all cases had at least 1 delay. The most common cause of delay was equipment failure. The first cases of the day and cranial cases had more delays than subsequent cases and spinal cases, respectively. A delay in starting the first case was associated with subsequent delays. Delays frequently occur in the operating room and have a major effect on patient flow and resource utilization. Thorough documentation of perioperative delays provides a basis for the development of solutions for improving operating room efficiency and illustrates the principles underlying the causes of operating room delays across surgical disciplines.

Equalizer tap length requirement for mode group delay-compensated fiber link with weakly random mode coupling.

PubMed

Bai, Neng; Li, Guifang

2014-02-24

The equalizer tap length requirement is investigated analytically and numerically for differential modal group delay (DMGD) compensated fiber link with weakly random mode coupling. Each span of the DMGD compensated link comprises multiple pairs of fibers which have opposite signs of DMGD. The result reveals that under weak random mode coupling, the required tap length of the equalizer is proportional to modal group delay of a single DMGD compensated pair, instead of the total modal group delay (MGD) of the entire link. By using small DMGD compensation step sizes, the required tap length (RTL) can be potentially reduced by 2 orders of magnitude.

Galileo FOC Satellite Group Delay Estimation based on Raw Method and published IOV Metadata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reckeweg, Florian; Schönemann, Erik; Springer, Tim; Enderle, Werner

2017-04-01

In December 2016, the European GNSS Agency (GSA) published the Galileo In-Orbit Validation (IOV) satellite metadata. These metadata include among others the so-called Galileo satellite group delays, which were measured in an absolute sense by the satellite manufacturer on-ground for all three Galileo frequency bands E1, E5 and E6. Therewith Galileo is the first Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) for which absolute calibration values for satellite on-board group delays have been published. The different satellite group delays for the three frequency bands lead to the fact that the signals will not be transmitted at exactly the same epoch. Up to now, due to the lack of absolute group delays, it is common practice in GNSS analyses to estimate and apply the differences of these satellite group delays, commonly known as differential code biases (DCBs). However, this has the drawback that the determination of the "raw" clock and the absolute ionosphere is not possible. The use of absolute bias calibrations for satellites and receivers is a major step into the direction of more realistic (in a physical sense) clock and atmosphere estimates. The Navigation Support Office at the European Space Operation Centre (ESOC) was from the beginning involved in the validation process of the Galileo metadata. For the work presented in this presentation we will use the absolute bias calibrations of the Galileo IOV satellites to estimate and validate the absolute receiver group delays of the ESOC GNSS network and vice versa. The receiver group delays have exemplarily been calibrated in a calibration campaign with an IFEN GNSS Signal-Simulator at ESOC. Based on the calibrated network, making use of the ionosphere constraints given by the IOV satellites, GNSS raw observations are processed to estimate satellite group delays for the operational Galileo (Full Operational Capability) FOC satellites. In addition, "raw" satellite clock offsets are estimated, which are free of the ionosphere-free bias, which is inherent to all common satellite clock products, generated with the standard ionosphere-free linear combination processing approach. In the raw observation processing method, developed by the Navigation Support Office at ESOC, no differences or linear combinations of GNSS observations are formed and ionosphere parameters and multi-signal group delay parameters can be jointly estimated by making use of all available code and phase observations on multiple frequencies.

Time delay can facilitate coherence in self-driven interacting-particle systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yongzheng; Lin, Wei; Erban, Radek

2014-12-01

Directional switching in a self-propelled particle model with delayed interactions is investigated. It is shown that the average switching time is an increasing function of time delay. The presented results are applied to studying collective animal behavior. It is argued that self-propelled particle models with time delays can explain the state-dependent diffusion coefficient measured in experiments with locust groups. The theory is further generalized to heterogeneous groups where each individual can respond to its environment with a different time delay.

Petting away pre-exam stress: The effect of therapy dog sessions on student well-being.

PubMed

Ward-Griffin, Emma; Klaiber, Patrick; Collins, Hanne K; Owens, Rhea L; Coren, Stanley; Chen, Frances S

2018-03-12

Recently, many universities have implemented programmes in which therapy dogs and their handlers visit college campuses. Despite the immense popularity of therapy dog sessions, few randomized studies have empirically tested the efficacy of such programmes. The present study evaluates the efficacy of such a therapy dog programme in improving the well-being of university students. This research incorporates two components: (a) a pre/post within-subjects design, in which 246 participants completed a brief questionnaire immediately before and after a therapy dog session and (b) an experimental design with a delayed-treatment control group, in which all participants completed baseline measures and follow-up measures approximately 10 hr later. Only participants in the experimental condition experienced the therapy dog session in between the baseline and follow-up measures. Analyses of pre/post data revealed that the therapy dog sessions had strong immediate benefits, significantly reducing stress and increasing happiness and energy levels. In addition, participants in the experimental group reported a greater improvement in negative affect, perceived social support, and perceived stress compared with those in the delayed-treatment control group. Our results suggest that single, drop-in, therapy dog sessions have large and immediate effects on students' well-being, but also that the effects after several hours are small. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Characterization of Days Based On Analysis of National Airspace System Performance Metrics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chatterji, Gano B.; Musaffar, Bassam; Meyn, Larry A.; Quon, Leighton K.

2006-01-01

Days of operations in the National Airspace System can be described in term of traffic demand, runway conditions, equipment outages, and surface and enroute weather conditions. These causes manifest themselves in terms of departure delays, arrival delays, enroute delays and traffic flow management delays, Traffic flow management initiatives such as, ground stops, ground delay programs, miles-in-trail restrictions, rerouting and airborne holding are imposed to balance the air traffic demand with respect to the available capacity, In order to maintain operational efficiency of the National Airspace System, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintains delay sad other statistics in the Air Traffic Operations Network (OPSNET) and the Aviation System Performance Metrics (ASPM) databases. OPSNET data includes reportable delays of fifteen minutes ox more experienced by Instrument Flight Rule (IFR) flights. Numbers of aircraft affected by departure delays, enroute delays, arrival delays and traffic flow delays are recorded in the OPSNET data. ASPM data consist of number of actual departures, number of canceled departures, percentage of on time departures, percentage of on time gate arrivals, taxi-out delays. taxi-in delays, gate delays, arrival delays and block delays. Surface conditions at the major U.S. airports are classified in terms of Instrument Meteorological Condition (IMC) and Visual Meteorological Condition (VMC) as a function of the time of the day in the ASPM data. The main objective of this paper is to use OPSNET and ASPM data to classify the days in the datasets into few distinct groups, where each group is separated from the other groups in terms of a distance metric. The motivations for classifying the days are two-fold, 1) to enable selection of days of traffic with particular operational characteristics for concept evaluation using system-wide simulation systems such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Airspace Concepts Evaluation Tool (ACES) and 2) to enable evaluation of a given day with respect to the characteristics of the classified groups. The first part of the paper is devoted to the analysis of major trends seen in the OPSNET and ASPM data. The second part of the paper is devoted to describing features or measures derived from the OPSNET and ASPM data that are suitable for characterizing days, and the classification algorithm used for grouping the days. Finally, the method for evaluating the characteristics of a given day with respect to the properties of the groups is described.

Contralateral interictal and ictal EEG epileptiform activity accentuate memory impairment in unilateral mesial temporal sclerosis patients.

PubMed

Pinto, Lecio F; Adda, Carla C; Silva, Liliane C A; Banaskiwitz, Natalie H C; Passarelli, Valmir; Jorge, Carmen L; Valerio, Rosa M; Castro, Luiz H

2017-03-01

Memory impairment is a recognized complication of mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS). Epileptiform activity may negatively impact on cognition. We evaluated the impact of contralateral EEG involvement on memory in unilateral MTS (uMTS) patients. Retrospective review of 121 right-handed uMTS patients (69 left) evaluated with prolonged video-EEG and verbal and nonverbal memory tests (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and Rey-Osterrieth Complex figure), with additional very delayed trials. Patients were classified according to ictal/interictal EEG findings and MTS side as left or right concordant or discordant. Thirty-nine normal individuals who underwent the same neuropsychological battery served as controls. Demographic, disease, and treatment features did not differ among groups. On the 7-day verbal memory free recall, left discordant performed significantly worse than controls and right concordant, recognized fewer words, and had more recognition errors than all other groups, including left concordant. For nonverbal memory, right discordant performed significantly worse than controls on delayed recall, and attained lower scores than other groups on immediate and 7-day recall, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Left discordant had higher scores of memory complaints than controls and disclosed a trend toward accentuated memory impairment compared with the other groups over time. Our results suggest that contralateral electrographic involvement in uMTS was associated with more pronounced memory impairment for verbal material in left discordant patients, and to a lesser extent, for nonverbal material in right discordant patients. Left discordant group also had increased memory complaints. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Development and implementation of mass media campaigns to delay sexual initiation among African American and White youth.

PubMed

Noar, Seth M; Zimmerman, Rick S; Palmgreen, Philip; Cupp, Pamela K; Floyd, Brenikki R; Mehrotra, Purnima

2014-01-01

Reducing new HIV/STD infections among at-risk adolescents requires developing and evaluating evidence-based health communication approaches. Research overwhelmingly supports the conclusion that early sexual initiation is associated with STDs and other negative outcomes in later years (e.g., unintended pregnancy). The authors' research group secured funding from the National Institute of Mental Health to develop, implement, and rigorously evaluate televised mass media campaigns to delay initiation of sexual intercourse among African American and White adolescents in two cities in the Southeastern United States. The focus of the present study is on the development and implementation of the campaigns, including (a) rationale and theoretical underpinnings; (b) collection, screening, and assessment of existing public service announcements; (c) development of new public service announcements; (d) study design and campaign airing plan; and (e) message exposure achieved in the campaigns. Health communication campaigns hold much promise in reaching at-risk adolescent populations with targeted, timely, and relevant risk-reduction messages.

The contralateral delay activity as a neural measure of visual working memory

PubMed Central

Luria, Roy; Balaban, Halely; Awh, Edward; Vogel, Edward K.

2016-01-01

The contralateral delay activity (CDA) is a negative slow wave sensitive to the number of objects maintained in visual working memory (VWM). In recent years, a growing number of labs started to use the CDA in order to investigate VWM, leading to many fascinating discoveries. Here, we discuss the recent developments and contribution of the CDA in various research fields. Importantly, we report two meta-analyses that unequivocally validate the relationship between the set-size increase in the CDA amplitude and the individual VWM capacity, and between the CDA and filtering efficiency. We further discuss how the CDA was used to study the role of VWM in visual search, multiple object tracking, grouping, binding, and whether VWM capacity allocation is determined by the items’ resolution or instead by the number of objects regardless of their complexity. In addition, we report how the CDA has been used to characterize specific VWM deficits in special populations. PMID:26802451

Anomalous group velocity at the high energy range of real 3D photonic nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botey, Muriel; Martorell, Jordi; Lozano, Gabriel; Míguez, Hernán; Dorado, Luis A.; Depine, Ricardo A.

2010-05-01

We perform a theoretical study on the group velocity for finite thin artificial opal slabs made of a reduced number of layers in the spectral range where the light wavelength is on the order of the lattice parameter. The vector KKR method including extinction allows us to evaluate the finite-size effects on light propagation in the ΓL and ΓX directions of fcc close-packed opal films made of dielectric spheres. The group is index determined from the phase delay introduced by the structure to the forwardly transmitted electric field. We show that for certain frequencies, light propagation can either be superluminal -positive or negative- or approach zero depending on the crystal size and absorption. Such anomalous behavior can be attributed to the finite character of the structure and provides confirmation of recently emerged experimental results.

Participation Patterns of Preschool Children With Intellectual Developmental Disabilities.

PubMed

Gilboa, Yafit; Fuchs, Reut

2018-04-01

We aim to examine the pattern of participation of children with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD) or global developmental delay (GDD) in comparison with typically developing preschoolers. In addition, to identify environmental and personal factors associated with their participation, 20 children with mild to moderate GDD or IDD, and 24 age- and gender-matched controls, aged 3 to 6 years, were assessed using the Assessment of Preschool Children's Participation and the Environmental Restriction Questionnaire. Significant differences were found between the groups, both for general scales of participation and for each activity area. For the IDD/GDD group, participation was significantly negatively correlated with environmental restrictions at home. For the control group, participation was correlated with demographic variables. Typically developing children participate at a higher frequency and in a more diverse range of activities compared with children with IDD/GDD. Associations between participation and contextual factors varied depending on the child's health condition.

Effect of Delayed Bonding and Antioxidant Application on the Bond Strength to Enamel after Internal Bleaching.

PubMed

Kılınç, Halil İbrahim; Aslan, Tuğrul; Kılıç, Kerem; Er, Özgür; Kurt, Gökmen

2016-07-01

This study evaluated the effect of delayed bonding and antioxidant application (AA, 10% sodium ascorbate) after internal bleaching (35% carbamide peroxide) on the shear bond strength of an adhesive cement to enamel. Eighty-four human maxillary central incisors were endodontically treated. The control group remained unbleached with no AA. Experimental groups were all internally bleached. The buccal enamel was finished and polished with metallographic paper to a refinement of #600, in order to obtain a 5-mm(2) flat bonding area. An adhesive cement (Clearfil Esthetic) was placed into a plastic tube with internal diameter of 3 mm and a 3-mm height and cured on the enamel. Bonding occurred either immediately after bleaching (group Im), a 7-day delay (group 7), or a 14-day delay (group 14), and half the specimens were treated with antioxidant application (groups Im-AA, 7-AA, and 14-AA). Shear bond strength testing was performed on a universal testing machine, and data were analyzed with ANOVA and Fisher test (5%). Delaying of bonding is a useful factor for enhancing shear bond strength (p < 0.05), whereas AA only enhanced shear bond strength after 7 days delayed bleaching (p < 0.05). The highest bond strength was noted in groups 7-AA (20.51 ± 4.5 MPa), 14 (19.82 ± 4.6), 14-AA (20.27 ± 4.4), and control (20.51 ± 5.1), which were not significantly different from each other. After internal bleaching, adhesive cementation to enamel is recommended only when delayed 14 days, or delayed 7 days with sodium ascorbate application. © 2015 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

The educational legacy of unauthorized migration: comparisons across U.S.-immigrant groups in how parents' status affects their offspring.

PubMed

Bean, Frank D; Leach, Mark A; Brown, Susan K; Bachmeier, James D; Hipp, John R

2011-01-01

This research compares several national-origin groups in terms of how parents’ entry, legalization and naturalization (i.e., membership) statuses relate to their children’s educational attainment. In the case of Asian groups, the members of which predominantly come to the United States as permanent legal migrants, we hypothesize (1) that father’s and mother’s statuses will be relatively homogenous and few in number and (2) that these will exert minimal net effects on second-generation attainment. For Mexicans, many of whom initially come as temporary unauthorized migrants, we hypothesize (1) that parental status combinations will be heterogeneous and greater in number and (2) that marginal membership statuses will exert negative net effects on education in the second generation. To assess these ideas, we analyze unique intergenerational data from Los Angeles on the young adult members of second-generation national-origin groups and their parents. The findings show that Asian immigrant groups almost universally exhibit similar father–mother migration statuses and high educational attainment among children. By contrast, Mexicans manifest more numerous discrepant father–mother combinations, with those in which the mother remains unauthorized carrying negative implications for children’s schooling. The paper discusses the theoretical and policy implications of the delays in incorporation that result from Mexican Americans needing extra time and resources compared to the members of other groups to overcome their handicap of marginal membership status (i.e., being more likely to enter and remain unauthorized).

Spatiotemporal dissociation of brain activity underlying threat and reward in social anxiety disorder

PubMed Central

Ghane, Merage; Valdespino, Andrew; Coffman, Marika C.; Strege, Marlene V.; White, Susan W.; Ollendick, Thomas H.

2017-01-01

Abstract Social anxiety disorder (SAD) involves abnormalities in social motivation, which may be independent of well-documented differences in fear and arousal systems. Yet, the neurobiology underlying motivational difficulties in SAD is not well understood. The aim of the current study was to spatiotemporally dissociate reward circuitry dysfunction from alterations in fear and arousal-related neural activity during anticipation and notification of social and non-social reward and punishment. During fMRI acquisition, non-depressed adults with social anxiety disorder (SAD; N = 21) and age-, sex- and IQ-matched control subjects (N = 22) completed eight runs of an incentive delay task, alternating between social and monetary outcomes and interleaved in alternating order between gain and loss outcomes. Adults with SAD demonstrated significantly reduced neural activity in ventral striatum during the anticipation of positive but not negative social outcomes. No differences between the SAD and control groups were observed during anticipation of monetary gain or loss outcomes or during anticipation of negative social images. However, consistent with previous work, the SAD group demonstrated amygdala hyper-activity upon notification of negative social outcomes. Degraded anticipatory processing in bilateral ventral striatum in SAD was constrained exclusively to anticipation of positive social information and dissociable from the effects of negative social outcomes previously observed in the amygdala. Alterations in anticipation-related neural signals may represent a promising target for treatment that is not addressed by available evidence-based interventions, which focus primarily on fear extinction and habituation processes. PMID:27798252

Examining Relationships between Executive Functioning and Delay Aversion in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karalunas, Sarah L.; Huang-Pollock, Cynthia L.

2011-01-01

Although motivation and cognition are often examined separately, recent theory suggests that a delay-averse motivational style may negatively impact development of executive functions (EFs), such as working memory (WM) and response inhibition (RI) for children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD; Sonuga-Barke, 2002). This model…

Preschool Children with and without Developmental Delay: Risk, Parenting, and Child Demandingness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Mallory A.; McIntyre, Laura Lee; Crnic, Keith A.; Baker, Bruce L.; Blacher, Jan

2011-01-01

Although past literature has established relations between early child risk factors, negative parenting, and problematic child behavior, the nature of these interrelations and pathways of influence over time remains largely unknown, especially in children with developmental delays or disabilities. In the current study, data were drawn from the…

Integrated communication and control systems. II - Design considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Asok; Halevi, Yoram

1988-01-01

The ICCS design issues for nonperiodic and stochastic delays are addressed and the framework for alternative design procedures is outlined. The impact of network-induced delays on system stability is investigated and their physical significance is demonstrated using a simulation. The negative effects of vacant sampling and message rejection at the controller are demonstrated.

Effects of Morphographic Instruction on the Morphographic Analysis Skills of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trussell, Jessica W.; Easterbrooks, Susan R.

2015-01-01

Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students have delayed morphographic knowledge that negatively affects their morphographic analysis and decoding abilities. Morphographic analysis instruction may improve DHH students' morphographic knowledge delay. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of morphographic instruction on the…

The Negative Effects of Positive Reinforcement in Teaching Children with Developmental Delay.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biederman, Gerald B.; And Others

1994-01-01

This study compared the performance of 12 children (ages 4 to 10) with developmental delay, each trained in 2 tasks, one through interactive modeling (with or without verbal reinforcement) and the other through passive modeling. Results showed that passive modeling produced better rated performance than interactive modeling and that verbal…

The effect of modifying response and performance feedback parameters on the CNV in humans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otto, D. A.; Leifer, L. J.

1972-01-01

The effect on the CNV of sustained and delayed motor response with the dominant and nondominant hand in the presence and absence of visual performance feedback, was studied in 15 male adults. Monopolar scalp recordings were obtained at Fz, Cz, Pz, and bilaterally over the motor hand area. Results indicated that the magnitude of the CNV was greater in the delayed than sustained response task, greater in the presence than absence of feedback, and greater over the motor hand area contralateral to movement. Frontal CNV habituated in the sustained, but not the delayed response task, suggested that frontal negative variations in the former case signify an orienting response to novelty or uncertainty. The absence of habituation in the delay condition was interpreted in terms of the motor inhibitory function of frontal association cortex. Performance feedback appeared to enhance CNV indirectly by increasing the motivation of subjects. A multiprocess conception of CNV was proposed in which vortex-negative slow potentials reflect a multiplicity of psychophysiological processes occurring at a variety of cortical and subcortical locations in the brain preparatory to a motor or mental action.

Signal functions in delayed reinforcement

PubMed Central

Lattal, Kennon A.

1984-01-01

Three experiments were conducted with pigeons to examine the role of the signal in delay-of-reinforcement procedures. In the first, a blackout accompanying a period of nonreinforcement increased key-peck response rates maintained by immediate reinforcement. The effects of dissociating the blackout from the delay interval were examined in the second experiment. In three conditions, blackouts and unsignaled delays were negatively correlated or occurred randomly with respect to one another. A signaled delay and an unsignaled delay that omitted the blackouts were studied in two other conditions. All delay-of-reinforcement conditions generally produced response rates lower than those produced by immediate reinforcement. Signaled delays maintained higher response rates than did any of the various unsignaled-delay conditions, with or without dissociated blackouts. The effects of these latter conditions did not differ systematically from one another. The final experiment showed that response rates varied as a function of the frequency with which a blackout accompanied delay intervals. By eliminating a number of methodological difficulties present in previous delay-of-reinforcement experiments, these results suggest the importance of the signal in maintaining responding during delay-of-reinforcement procedures and, conversely, the importance of the delay interval in decreasing responding. PMID:16812387

Delayed Face Recognition in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Tehrani-Doost, Mehdi; Ghanbari-Motlagh, Maria; Shahrivar, Zahra

2012-01-01

Objective Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have great problems in social interactions including face recognition. There are many studies reporting deficits in face memory in individuals with ASDs. On the other hand, some studies indicate that this kind of memory is intact in this group. In the present study, delayed face recognition has been investigated in children and adolescents with ASDs compared to the age and sex matched typically developing group. Methods In two sessions, Benton Facial Recognition Test was administered to 15 children and adolescents with ASDs (high functioning autism and Asperger syndrome) and to 15 normal participants, ages 8-17 years. In the first condition, the long form of Benton Facial Recognition Test was used without any delay. In the second session, this test was administered with 15 seconds delay after one week. The reaction times and correct responses were measured in both conditions as the dependent variables. Results Comparison of the reaction times and correct responses in the two groups revealed no significant difference in delayed and non-delayed conditions. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed between the two conditions in ASDs patients when comparing the variables. Although a significant correlation (p<0.05) was found between delayed and non-delayed conditions, it was not significant in the normal group. Moreover, data analysis revealed no significant difference between the two groups in the two conditions when the IQ was considered as covariate. Conclusion In this study, it was found that the ability to recognize faces in simultaneous and delayed conditions is similar between adolescents with ASDs and their normal counterparts. PMID:22952545

Is immediate adjunctive CBT more beneficial than delayed CBT in treating depression?: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Rizvi, Sakina J; Zaretsky, Ari; Schaffer, Ayal; Levitt, Anthony

2015-03-01

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an efficacious first-line therapy for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Due to the limited accessibility of CBT, long wait lists result in delayed treatment, which may affect treatment outcomes. The goal of this pilot study was to obtain preliminary data from a randomized controlled trial to determine whether delayed CBT reduces the effectiveness of the therapy compared to immediate CBT in patients with MDD receiving pharmacotherapy. Patients were randomized to receive immediate CBT (n=18) or to begin CBT after 6 months (n=20) and received 14 weekly sessions, followed by two additional booster sessions. During the active treatment months, patients in the immediate group demonstrated reductions in scores on the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) that were similar to those in the delayed CBT group. However, when the analysis was performed using only data from patients in the delayed group who were still in a depressive episode, there was an overall greater decrease in BDI-II scores in the immediate group vs. the delayed group over the active treatment months, but not specifically at the 6-month endpoint. These findings suggest delays in depression treatment, similar to what occurs with real-world wait list times, may not have a significant impact on the effectiveness of CBT in patients who are already receiving treatment as usual. However, such delays may affect the effectiveness of CBT in those patients who remain depressed during the time delay. A larger trial is necessary to confirm these findings. (Journal of Psychiatric Practice 2015;21:107-113).

Consulting a traditional healer and negative illness perceptions are associated with non-adherence to treatment in Indonesian women with breast cancer.

PubMed

Iskandarsyah, Aulia; de Klerk, Cora; Suardi, Dradjat R; Sadarjoen, Sawitri S; Passchier, Jan

2014-10-01

The aim of the present study was to test the association between psychosocial factors and delay in uptake of treatment and treatment non-adherence in Indonesian women with breast cancer. Seventy consecutive patients with breast cancer who were treated at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital in Indonesia were recruited. They completed a demographic form, the non-adherence questionnaire, the Breast Cancer Knowledge Test, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scales, the Satisfaction with Cancer Information Profile and the Distress Thermometer. Seventeen (24%) out of 70 patients reported that they had delayed initiating treatment at the hospital, and nine (13%) out of 70 patients had missed two or more consecutive treatment sessions. In the bivariate analyses, we found no significant differences on any of the psychological variables between patients who delayed initiating treatment and those patients who did not, whereas patients who had missed two or more consecutive sessions had lower satisfaction with the type and timing of information provided and more negative illness perceptions than patients who had not missed their sessions. In multivariate regression analyses, consulting a traditional healer before diagnosis was associated with treatment delay (β = 1.27, p = 0.04). More negative illness perceptions (β = 0.10, p = 0.02) and whether a traditional healer had been consulted after diagnosis (β = 1.67, p = 0.03) were associated with missing treatment sessions. Indonesian health professionals need to be aware of patients' negative illness perceptions and their unrealistic belief in traditional healers. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Early language delay phenotypes and correlation with later linguistic abilities.

PubMed

Petinou, Kakia; Spanoudis, George

2014-01-01

The present study focused on examining the continuity and directionality of language skills in late talkers (LTs) and identifying factors which might contribute to language outcomes at the age of 3 years. Subjects were 23 Cypriot-Greek-speaking toddlers classified as LTs and 24 age-matched typically developing peers (TDs). Participants were assessed at 28, 32 and 36 months, using various linguistic measures such as size of receptive and expressive vocabulary, mean length of utterance (MLU) of words and number of consonants produced. Data on otitis media familial history were also analyzed. The ANOVA results indicated parallel developmental profiles between the two groups, with a language lag characterizing LTs. Concurrent correlations between measures showed that poor phonetic inventories in the LT group at 28 months predicted poor MLU at the ages of 32 and 36 months. Significant cross-lagged correlations supported the finding that poor phonetic inventories at 28 months served as a good predictor for MLU and expressive vocabulary at the age of 32 and for MLU at 36 months. The results highlight the negative effect of early language delay on language skills up to the age of 3 years and lend support to the current literature regarding the universal linguistic picture of early and persistent language delay. Based on the current results, poor phonetic inventories at the age of intake might serve as a predictive factor for language outcomes at the age of 36 months. Finally, the findings are discussed in view of the need for further research with a focus on more language-sensitive tools in testing later language outcomes. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Radiocontrast media-associated exanthema: identification of cross-reactivity and tolerability by allergologic testing.

PubMed

Seitz, Cornelia S; Pfeuffer, Petra; Raith, Petra; Bröcker, Eva-B; Trautmann, Axel

2009-10-01

All iodinated radiocontrast media (RCM) may cause hypersensitivity reactions, either immediate-type within 5-10 min of RCM injection or delayed-type, which become apparent more than 1h after RCM exposure. Delayed-type hypersensitivity to RCM may pose a problem for future radiologic investigations because due to possible immunological cross-reactivity all iodinated RCM are usually avoided. The aim of this study was not only to identify the causal RCM for the exanthema but also to demonstrate that patients may receive alternative iodinated RCM despite a history of RCM-induced allergic exanthema. We evaluated 32 patients with a history of exanthema after RCM application using standardized patch, prick and intradermal skin testing. In case of positive skin tests intravenous challenges with skin-test-negative RCM were performed to identify non-ionic monomer RCM which are tolerated. In 6 out of 32 patients skin tests strongly suggested a delayed-type non-IgE-mediated allergic hypersensitivity to the RCM iomeprol (3x), iopromide (2x), and iopamidol. In 4 patients alternative non-ionic monomer RCM (2x iosarcol, iopromide, and iomeprol) were identified by controlled challenge tests. The evaluation of patients with RCM-associated exanthema should always include appropriate skin tests ensuring that patients with a delayed-type allergic RCM-induced exanthema are not missed. Moreover, allergologic testing may identify alternative RCM of the group of non-ionic monomers, which are tolerated in future radiologic investigations.

Teaching self-control to small groups of dually diagnosed adults.

PubMed

Dixon, M R; Holcomb, S

2000-01-01

The present study examined the use of a progressive delay procedure to teach self-control to two groups of dually diagnosed adults. When given a choice between an immediate smaller reinforcer and a larger delayed reinforcer, both groups chose the smaller reinforcer during baseline. During treatment, progressive increases in work requirements for gaining access to a larger reinforcer resulted in both groups selecting larger delayed reinforcers. The results are discussed with respect to increasing cooperative work behavior and self-control.

Delayed Rapid Response Team Activation Is Associated With Increased Hospital Mortality, Morbidity, and Length of Stay in a Tertiary Care Institution.

PubMed

Barwise, Amelia; Thongprayoon, Charat; Gajic, Ognjen; Jensen, Jeffrey; Herasevich, Vitaly; Pickering, Brian W

2016-01-01

To identify whether delays in rapid response team activation contributed to worse patient outcomes (mortality and morbidity). Retrospective observational cohort study including all rapid response team activations in 2012. Tertiary academic medical center. All those 18 years old or older who had a rapid response team call activated. Vital sign data were abstracted from individual patient electronic medical records for the 24 hours before the rapid response team activation took place. Patients were considered to have a delayed rapid response team activation if more than 1 hour passed between the first appearance in the record of an abnormal vital sign meeting rapid response team criteria and the activation of an rapid response team. None. A total of 1,725 patients were included in the analysis. Data were compared between those who had a delayed rapid response team activation and those who did not. Fifty seven percent patients met the definition of delayed rapid response team activation. Patients in high-frequency physiologic monitored environments were more likely to experience delay than their floor counterparts. In the no-delay group, the most common reasons for rapid response team activation were tachycardia/bradycardia at 29% (217/748), respiratory distress/low SpO2 at 28% (213/748), and altered level of consciousness at 23% (170/748) compared with respiratory distress/low SpO2 at 43% (423/977), tachycardia/bradycardia at 33% (327/977), and hypotension at 27% (261/977) in the delayed group. The group with no delay had a higher proportion of rapid response team calls between 8:00 and 16:00, whereas those with delay had a higher proportion of calls between midnight and 08:00. The delayed group had higher hospital mortality (15% vs 8%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.6; p = 0.005); 30-day mortality (20% vs 13%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.4; p = 0.02); and hospital length of stay (7 vs 6 d; relative prolongation, 1.10; p = 0.02) compared with the no-delay group. Delays in rapid response team activation occur frequently and are independently associated with worse patient mortality and morbidity outcomes.

A dynamic and ultrafast group delay tuning mechanism in two microcavities side-coupled with a waveguide system

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

Wang, Boyun; Wang, Tao, E-mail: wangtao@hust.edu.cn; Tang, Jian

2014-10-07

We theoretically propose a dynamic and ultrafast group delay tuning mechanism in two microcavities side-coupled to a waveguide system through external optical pump beams. The optical Kerr effect modulation method is applied to improve tuning rate with response time of subpicoseconds or even femtoseconds. The group delay of an all-optical analog to electromagnetically induced transparency effect can be controlled by tuning either the frequency of photonic crystal microcavities or the propagation phase of line waveguide. Group delay is controlled between 5.88 and 70.98 ps by dynamically tuning resonant frequencies of the microcavities. Alternatively, the group delay is controlled between 1.86more » and 12.08 ps by dynamically tuning the propagation phase of line waveguide. All observed schemes are analyzed rigorously through finite-difference time-domain simulations and coupled-mode formalism. Results show a new direction toward microstructure integration optical pulse trapping and all-optical dynamical storage of light devices in optical communication and quantum information processing.« less

Factors associated with delay in trauma team activation and impact on patient outcomes.

PubMed

Connolly, Rory; Woo, Michael Y; Lampron, Jacinthe; Perry, Jeffrey J

2017-09-05

Trauma code activation is initiated by emergency physicians using physiological and anatomical criteria, mechanism of injury, and patient demographic factors. Our objective was to identify factors associated with delayed trauma team activation. We assessed consecutive cases from a regional trauma database from January 2008 to March 2014. We defined a delay in trauma code activation as a time greater than 30 minutes from the time of arrival. We conducted univariate analysis for factors potentially influencing trauma team activation, and we subsequently used multiple logistic regression analysis models for delayed activation in relation to mortality, length of stay, and time to operative management. Patients totalling 846 were included for our analysis; 4.1% (35/846) of trauma codes were activated after 30 minutes. Mean age was 40.8 years in the early group versus 49.2 in the delayed group (p=0.01). Patients were over age 70 years in 7.6% in the early activation group versus 17.1% in the delayed group (p=0.04). There was no significant difference in sex, type of injury, injury severity, or time from injury between the two groups. There was no significant difference in mortality, median length of stay, or median time to operative management. Delayed activation is linked with increasing age with no clear link to increased mortality. Given the severe injuries in the delayed cohort that required activation of the trauma team, further emphasis on the older trauma patient and interventions to recognize this vulnerable population should be made.

On the Behavioral Side of Procrastination: Exploring Behavioral Delay in Real-Life Settings

PubMed Central

Svartdal, Frode; Granmo, Sjur; Færevaag, Fredrik S.

2018-01-01

This paper examines how procrastinators behave differently from non-procrastinators in implementing intended behavior. By focusing on time-related attributes of behavior, we demonstrate in five studies (aggregated N = 965) that onset delay seems to be a preferred option for procrastinators in common daily situations. Thus, when an action possibility is available for intended behavior, procrastinators tend to delay behavior onset, both in actual behavior and in onset preferences, often instigating chains of events with negative consequences. We discuss possible mechanisms responsible for such delays and explore how such mechanisms generate and sustain dilatory behavior. We conclude that a better understanding of why behavioral delays occur in early phases of action implementation is of importance in understanding and preventing procrastination. PMID:29867696

On the Behavioral Side of Procrastination: Exploring Behavioral Delay in Real-Life Settings.

PubMed

Svartdal, Frode; Granmo, Sjur; Færevaag, Fredrik S

2018-01-01

This paper examines how procrastinators behave differently from non-procrastinators in implementing intended behavior. By focusing on time-related attributes of behavior, we demonstrate in five studies (aggregated N = 965) that onset delay seems to be a preferred option for procrastinators in common daily situations. Thus, when an action possibility is available for intended behavior, procrastinators tend to delay behavior onset, both in actual behavior and in onset preferences, often instigating chains of events with negative consequences. We discuss possible mechanisms responsible for such delays and explore how such mechanisms generate and sustain dilatory behavior. We conclude that a better understanding of why behavioral delays occur in early phases of action implementation is of importance in understanding and preventing procrastination.

Global attractivity of positive periodic solution to periodic Lotka-Volterra competition systems with pure delay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Xianhua; Cao, Daomin; Zou, Xingfu

We consider a periodic Lotka-Volterra competition system without instantaneous negative feedbacks (i.e., pure-delay systems) x(t)=x(t)[r(t)-∑j=1na(t)x(t-τ(t))], i=1,2,…,n. We establish some 3/2-type criteria for global attractivity of a positive periodic solution of the system, which generalize the well-known Wright's 3/2 criteria for the autonomous delay logistic equation, and thereby, address the open problem proposed by both Kuang [Y. Kuang, Global stability in delayed nonautonomous Lotka-Volterra type systems without saturated equilibria, Differential Integral Equations 9 (1996) 557-567] and Teng [Z. Teng, Nonautonomous Lotka-Volterra systems with delays, J. Differential Equations 179 (2002) 538-561].

Impulsive Choice, Alcohol Consumption, and Pre-Exposure to Delayed Rewards: II. Potential Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Stein, Jeffrey S.; Renda, C. Renee; Hinnenkamp, Jay E.; Madden, Gregory J.

2014-01-01

In a prior study (Stein et al., 2013), we reported that rats pre-exposed to delayed rewards made fewer impulsive choices, but consumed more alcohol (12% wt/vol), than rats pre-exposed to immediate rewards. To understand the mechanisms that produced these findings, we again pre-exposed rats to either delayed (17.5 s; n = 32) or immediate (n = 30) rewards. In post-tests, delay-exposed rats made significantly fewer impulsive choices at both 15- and 30-s delays to a larger, later food reward than the immediacy-exposed comparison group. Behavior in an open-field test provided little evidence of differential stress exposure between groups. Further, consumption of either 12% alcohol or isocaloric sucrose in subsequent tests did not differ between groups. Because Stein et al. introduced alcohol concentration gradually (3–12%), we speculate that their group differences in 12% alcohol consumption were not determined by alcohol’s pharmacological effects, but by another variable (e.g., taste) that was preserved as an artifact from lower concentrations. We conclude that pre-exposure to delayed rewards generalizes beyond the pre-exposure delay; however, this same experimental variable does not robustly influence alcohol consumption. PMID:25418607

Stoma creation: does onset of ostomy care education delay hospital length of stay?

PubMed

Rashidi, Laila; Long, Kevin; Hawkins, Melinda; Menon, Raman; Bellevue, Oliver

2016-05-01

Balancing patient safety with hospital length of stay (LOS) and associated cost is critically important. Subjectively, we have observed that patients undergoing ostomy creation early in the week have a shorter LOS. We retrospectively reviewed LOS based on day of the week the operation was performed. We reviewed 180 patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery with planned ostomy. Group 1 underwent surgery on Monday to Wednesday (n = 77), Group 2 on Thursday (n = 49), and Group 3 on Friday (n = 54). The average LOS for Group 1, 2, and 3 was 6.2, 4.9, and 7.2 days, respectively. The average number of visits with ostomy nursing for Group 1, 2, and 3 was 2.7, 1.8, and 2.3, respectively. Day of initial ostomy nursing visit was significantly correlated between the delay to initial visit and LOS with Group 3 delayed most. Patients with the longest delay to initial nurse visit had the longest LOS, with Friday operations being most delayed. A contributing factor may be absence of ostomy teaching over the weekend. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gender Difference of Gastric Emptying in Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Functional Dyspepsia.

PubMed

Mori, Hideki; Suzuki, Hidekazu; Matsuzaki, Juntaro; Taniguchi, Kanami; Shimizu, Toshiyuki; Yamane, Tsuyoshi; Masaoka, Tatsuhiro; Kanai, Takanori

2017-01-01

Delayed gastric emptying is one of the reasons why functional dyspepsia (FD) occurs. The 13C-acetate breath test is widely used to evaluate gastric emptying. Nevertheless, the standard value of 13C-acetate breath test has not taken into account the gender difference of gastric emptying among healthy individuals. The main aim of this study was to readjust the standard value of 13C-acetate breath test in the light of gender differences. In addition, we clarified the prevalence and clinical characteristics of delayed gastric emptying in patients with FD using the modified standard values of 13C-acetate breath test. Fifty-two healthy individuals and 126 patients with patients with FD were enrolled. Gastric emptying was evaluated by the 13C-acetate breath test. The cut-off points of Tmax for the diagnosis of delayed gastric emptying were determined on the basis of results from healthy individuals making a distinction of genders. Gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, dyspeptic symptoms, scores of anxiety and depression, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking and alcohol consumption were compared between the delayed gastric emptying group and the non-delayed gastric emptying group. Since gastric emptying was delayed in healthy women compared with that in healthy men (Tmax, 53.6 ± 19.3 vs. 42.7 ± 16.9 min, p = 0.04), we set the cut-off points of Tmax at 60 min in men and at 75 min in women. In patients with FD, the prevalence of delayed gastric emptying was not different between men and women with the modified standard values of 13C-acetate breath test. (31.0 vs. 27.4%, p = 0.68). BMI was lower in the delayed gastric emptying group than in the non-delayed group among the male patients. Reflux symptoms were more severe in delayed gastric emptying group than in the non-delayed group among the female patients. The standard values of 13C-acetate breath test should be modified bearing the gender difference in mind. It provides us more appropriate information to understand the mechanisms of FD. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

What Infant Memory Tells Us about Infantile Amnesia: Long-Term Recall and Deferred Imitation

PubMed Central

Meltzoff, Andrew N.

2013-01-01

Long-term recall memory was assessed using a nonverbal method requiring subjects to reenact a past event from memory (deferred imitation). A large sample of infants (N = 192), evenly divided between 14- and 16-months old, was tested across two experiments. A delay of 2 months was used in Experiment 1 and a delay of 4 months in Experiment 2. In both experiments two treatment groups were used, In one treatment group, motor practice (immediate imitation) was allowed before the delay was imposed; in the other group, subjects were prevented from motor practice before the delay. Age-matched control groups were used lo assess the spontaneous production of the target acts in the absence of exposure to the model in both experiments. The results demonstrated significant deferred imitation for both treatment groups at both delay intervals, and moreover showed that infants retained and imitated multiple acts. These findings suggest that infants have a nonverbal declarative memory system that supports the recall of past events across long-term delays. The implications of these findings for the multiple memory system debate in cognitive science and neuroscience and for theories of infantile amnesia are considered. PMID:7622990

Assessment of atrial conduction time in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

PubMed

Zehir, Regayip; Karabay, Can Yucel; Kocabay, Gonenc; Kalayci, Arzu; Kaymaz, Ozge; Aykan, Ahmet Cagrı; Karabay, Emre; Kirma, Cevat

2014-11-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is closely related to increased cardiovascular risk in women of reproductive age. Atrial conduction abnormalities in these patients have not been investigated in terms of atrial electromechanical delay measured by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) as an early predictor of atrial fibrillation development. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether TDI-derived atrial conduction time is prolonged in PCOS. The study included 51 patients with PCOS and 48 age-matched healthy controls. P-wave dispersion (PWD) was calculated on the 12-lead surface electrocardiogram. Systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) functions, atrial electromechanical coupling, intraatrial and interatrial electromechanical delays were measured with conventional echocardiography and TDI. PWD was higher in PCOS women (50.45 ± 3.7 vs 34.73 ± 6.7 ms, p = 0.008). Interatrial and intraatrial electromechanical delay were found longer in patients with PCOS compared to controls (41.9 ± 9.0 vs 22.2 ± 6.6 ms, p < 0.001; 22.6 ± 5.8 vs 5.9 ± 4.7 ms, p < 0.001, respectively). Left atrial (LA) volume index and LV diastolic parameters were significantly different between the groups. PWD was correlated with interatrial electromechanical delay (r = 0.54, p < 0.01). Interatrial electromechanical delay was strongly correlated with homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance index and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels (r = 0.68, p < 0.001; r = 0.53, p < 0.001, respectively). Interatrial electromechanical delay was positively correlated with LA volume index and deceleration time (r = 0.31, p = 0.04; r = 0.37, p = 0.021, respectively) and negatively correlated with flow propagation velocity (r = -0.38, p = 0.014). This study shows that atrial electromechanical delay is prolonged in PCOS patients. Atrial electromechanical delay prolongation is related to low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance, and LV diastolic dysfunction in PCOS.

The impact of delayed maternity on foetal growth in Spain: An assessment by population attributable fraction.

PubMed

Varea, Carlos; Terán, José Manuel; Bernis, Cristina; Bogin, Barry

2017-09-18

Delayed childbearing is considered a risk factor for maternal-foetal health. As in other higher-income countries, in Spain age at maternity has steadily increased during the last two decades. To quantify the impact of the delay in the age at maternity on small for gestational age (SGA) categories of <3rd, 3rd-5th and 5th-10th percentiles. 2,672,350 singleton live births born to Spanish mothers in 2007-2015 were analysed. Adjusted relative risk was calculated to estimate the adjusted partial population attributable fractions (PAF p ) for mothers aged 35-39 and ≥40 years for each category of SGA considering the interaction between age at maternity and parity. Primipara 35-39 years old mothers have the highest PAF p in the three categories of SGA, with the maximum value for SGA <3rd percentile (2.57%, 95% CI 2.25, 2.88). PAF p for both primipara and multipara ≥40 years old mothers were less than 1%. PAF p for primipara older mothers increased significantly in 2007-2015 for the three categories of SGA, more clearly among those aged 35-39 years. The contribution of multipara mothers of both age groups did not increase significantly during the period. Delayed maternity is a significant adjusted risk factor for SGA, contributing to the increase of its prevalence. However, results also suggest a limited clinical impact of delayed maternity on foetal growth. Positive changes in maternal profile associated with the shift in maternal age might contribute to explain the limited impact of mothers aged 35 years and older on negative birth outcome in Spain. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of Medicaid disenrollment in Tennessee on breast cancer stage at diagnosis and treatment.

PubMed

Tarazi, Wafa W; Bradley, Cathy J; Bear, Harry D; Harless, David W; Sabik, Lindsay M

2017-09-01

States routinely may consider rollbacks of Medicaid expansions to address statewide economic conditions. To the authors' knowledge, little is known regarding the effects of public insurance contractions on health outcomes. The current study examined the effects of the 2005 Medicaid disenrollment in Tennessee on breast cancer stage at the time of diagnosis and delays in treatment among nonelderly women. The authors used Tennessee Cancer Registry data from 2002 through 2008 and estimated a difference-in-difference model comparing women diagnosed with breast cancer who lived in low-income zip codes (and therefore were more likely to be subject to disenrollment) with a similar group of women who lived in high-income zip codes before and after the 2005 Medicaid disenrollment. The study outcomes were changes in stage of disease at the time of diagnosis and delays in treatment of >60 days and >90 days. Overall, nonelderly women in Tennessee were diagnosed at later stages of disease and experienced more delays in treatment in the period after disenrollment. Disenrollment was found to be associated with a 3.3-percentage point increase in late stage of disease at the time of diagnosis (P = .024), a 1.9-percentage point decrease in having a delay of >60 days in surgery (P = .024), and a 1.4-percentage point decrease in having a delay of >90 days in treatment (P = .054) for women living in low-income zip codes compared with women residing in high-income zip codes. The results of the current study indicate that Medicaid disenrollment is associated with a later stage of disease at the time of breast cancer diagnosis, thereby providing evidence of the potential negative health impacts of Medicaid contractions. Cancer 2017;123:3312-9. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Prognostic value of a CCR5 defective allele in pediatric HIV-1 infection.

PubMed Central

Romiti, M. L.; Colognesi, C.; Cancrini, C.; Mas, A.; Berrino, M.; Salvatori, F.; Orlandi, P.; Jansson, M.; Palomba, E.; Plebani, A.; Bertran, J. M.; Hernandez, M.; de Martino, M.; Amoroso, A.; Tovo, P. A.; Rossi, P.; Espanol, T.; Scarlatti, G.

2000-01-01

BACKGROUND: A deletion of 32 base pairs in the CCR5 gene (delta32 CCR5) has been linked to resistance to HIV-1 infection in exposed adults and to the delay of disease progression in infected adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To determine the role of delta32 CCR5 in disease progression of HIV-1 infected children born to seropositive mothers, we studied a polymerase chain reaction in 301 HIV-1 infected, 262 HIV-1 exposed-uninfected and 47 HIV-1 unexposed-uninfected children of Spanish and Italian origin. Infected children were further divided into two groups according to their rate of HIV-1 disease progression: rapid progressors who developed severe clinical and/or immunological conditions within the second year of life, and delayed progressors with any other evolution of disease. Among the latter were the long-term, non-progressors (LTNP) who presented with mild or no symptoms of HIV-1 infection above 8 years of age. Viral phenotype was studied for 45 delayed progressors. RESULTS: No correlation was found between delta32 CCR5 and mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1. However, the frequency of the deletion was substantially higher in LTNP, compared with delayed (p = 0.019) and rapid progressors (p = 0.0003). In children carrying the delta32 CCRS mutation, the presence of MT-2 tropic virus isolate was associated with a severe immune suppression (p = 0.028); whereas, the presence of MT-2 negative viruses correlated with LTNP (p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Given the rapidity and simplicity of the assay, the delta32 CCR5 mutation may be a useful predictive marker to identify children with delayed disease progression who, consequently, may not require immediate antiretroviral treatment. PMID:10803406

Prognostic value of a CCR5 defective allele in pediatric HIV-1 infection.

PubMed

Romiti, M L; Colognesi, C; Cancrini, C; Mas, A; Berrino, M; Salvatori, F; Orlandi, P; Jansson, M; Palomba, E; Plebani, A; Bertran, J M; Hernandez, M; de Martino, M; Amoroso, A; Tovo, P A; Rossi, P; Espanol, T; Scarlatti, G

2000-01-01

A deletion of 32 base pairs in the CCR5 gene (delta32 CCR5) has been linked to resistance to HIV-1 infection in exposed adults and to the delay of disease progression in infected adults. To determine the role of delta32 CCR5 in disease progression of HIV-1 infected children born to seropositive mothers, we studied a polymerase chain reaction in 301 HIV-1 infected, 262 HIV-1 exposed-uninfected and 47 HIV-1 unexposed-uninfected children of Spanish and Italian origin. Infected children were further divided into two groups according to their rate of HIV-1 disease progression: rapid progressors who developed severe clinical and/or immunological conditions within the second year of life, and delayed progressors with any other evolution of disease. Among the latter were the long-term, non-progressors (LTNP) who presented with mild or no symptoms of HIV-1 infection above 8 years of age. Viral phenotype was studied for 45 delayed progressors. No correlation was found between delta32 CCR5 and mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1. However, the frequency of the deletion was substantially higher in LTNP, compared with delayed (p = 0.019) and rapid progressors (p = 0.0003). In children carrying the delta32 CCRS mutation, the presence of MT-2 tropic virus isolate was associated with a severe immune suppression (p = 0.028); whereas, the presence of MT-2 negative viruses correlated with LTNP (p = 0.010). Given the rapidity and simplicity of the assay, the delta32 CCR5 mutation may be a useful predictive marker to identify children with delayed disease progression who, consequently, may not require immediate antiretroviral treatment.

Interval Between Surgery and Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy for Distal Rectal Cancer: Does Delayed Surgery Have an Impact on Outcome?

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

Habr-Gama, Angelita; Perez, Rodrigo Oliva; Proscurshim, Igor

Background: The optimal interval between neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (CRT) and surgery in the treatment of patients with distal rectal cancer is controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether this interval has an impact on survival. Methods and Materials: Patients who underwent surgery after CRT were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with a sustained complete clinical response (cCR) 1 year after CRT were excluded from this study. Clinical and pathologic characteristics and overall and disease-free survival were compared between patients undergoing surgery 12 weeks or less from CRT and patients undergoing surgery longer than 12 weeks from CRT completion andmore » between patients with a surgery delay caused by a suspected cCR and those with a delay for other reasons. Results: Two hundred fifty patients underwent surgery, and 48.4% had CRT-to-surgery intervals of 12 weeks or less. There were no statistical differences in overall survival (86% vs. 81.6%) or disease-free survival rates (56.5% and 58.9%) between patients according to interval ({<=}12 vs. >12 weeks). Patients with intervals of 12 weeks or less had significantly higher rates of Stage III disease (34% vs. 20%; p = 0.009). The delay in surgery was caused by a suspected cCR in 23 patients (interval, 48 {+-} 10.3 weeks). Five-year overall and disease-free survival rates for this subset were 84.9% and 51.6%, not significantly different compared with the remaining group (84%; p = 0.96 and 57.8%; p = 0.76, respectively). Conclusions: Delay in surgery for the evaluation of tumor response after neoadjuvant CRT is safe and does not negatively affect survival. These results support the hypothesis that shorter intervals may interrupt ongoing tumor necrosis.« less

Predictors of Course Outcomes: Early Indicators of Delay in Online Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McElroy, Barbara Woods; Lubich, Bruce H.

2013-01-01

Studies have long shown that students who begin or submit their work later tend to have negative academic outcomes. The measures of procrastination used in those studies may not have provided information timely enough for instructor intervention. This article focuses on delay in the online environment among graduate students. We propose two new…

A comprehensive review of prehospital and in-hospital delay times in acute stroke care.

PubMed

Evenson, K R; Foraker, R E; Morris, D L; Rosamond, W D

2009-06-01

The purpose of this study was to systematically review and summarize prehospital and in-hospital stroke evaluation and treatment delay times. We identified 123 unique peer-reviewed studies published from 1981 to 2007 of prehospital and in-hospital delay time for evaluation and treatment of patients with stroke, transient ischemic attack, or stroke-like symptoms. Based on studies of 65 different population groups, the weighted Poisson regression indicated a 6.0% annual decline (P<0.001) in hours/year for prehospital delay, defined from symptom onset to emergency department arrival. For in-hospital delay, the weighted Poisson regression models indicated no meaningful changes in delay time from emergency department arrival to emergency department evaluation (3.1%, P=0.49 based on 12 population groups). There was a 10.2% annual decline in hours/year from emergency department arrival to neurology evaluation or notification (P=0.23 based on 16 population groups) and a 10.7% annual decline in hours/year for delay time from emergency department arrival to initiation of computed tomography (P=0.11 based on 23 population groups). Only one study reported on times from arrival to computed tomography scan interpretation, two studies on arrival to drug administration, and no studies on arrival to transfer to an in-patient setting, precluding generalizations. Prehospital delay continues to contribute the largest proportion of delay time. The next decade provides opportunities to establish more effective community-based interventions worldwide. It will be crucial to have effective stroke surveillance systems in place to better understand and improve both prehospital and in-hospital delays for acute stroke care.

Bleak Present, Bright Future: Online Episodic Future Thinking, Scarcity, Delay Discounting, and Food Demand.

PubMed

Sze, Yan Yan; Stein, Jeffrey S; Bickel, Warren K; Paluch, Rocco A; Epstein, Leonard H

2017-07-01

Obesity is associated with steep discounting of the future and increased food reinforcement. Episodic future thinking (EFT), a type of prospective thinking, has been observed to reduce delay discounting (DD) and improve dietary decision making. In contrast, negative income shock (i.e., abrupt transitions to poverty) has been shown to increase discounting and may worsen dietary decision-making. Scalability of EFT training and protective effects of EFT against simulated negative income shock on DD and demand for food were assessed. In two experiments we showed online-administered EFT reliably reduced DD. Furthermore, EFT reduced DD and demand for fast foods even when challenged by negative income shock. Our findings suggest EFT is a scalable intervention that has implications for improving public health by reducing discounting of the future and demand for high energy dense food.

A Direct Comparison of Self-Injurious and Stereotyped Motor Behavior Between Preschool-Aged Children With and Without Developmental Delays.

PubMed

Hoch, John; Spofford, Lisa; Dimian, Adele; Tervo, Raymond; MacLean, William E; Symons, Frank J

2016-06-01

To compare the prevalence of self-injurious behavior (SIB) and stereotyped motor behavior (STY) of preschool-aged children with developmental delays (DD group) and their peers without developmental delays (TD group) using a standardized caregiver report scale. The Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised was completed by caregivers of children with developmental delays and their peers without developmental delays. Frequency of occurrence and severity ratings for SIB and STY were compared between groups. SIB and STY were reported more often and at a greater level of severity in the DD group. Older chronological age was associated with more severe STY in the DD group but not the TD group. Gender was not related to STY or SIB for either group. Differences in STY and SIB were evident between preschoolers with and without DD. Findings are discussed from developmental and behavioral psychology perspectives regarding the expression of repetitive behavior in developmentally at-risk pediatric populations. © The Author 2015. 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.

[Primary research of early oral feeding after total laryngectomy].

PubMed

Huang, N; Zhu, Y M; An, C M; Liu, Y; Xu, Z G; Liu, S Y; Zhang, Z M

2018-06-07

Objective: To explore whether early oral feeding after total laryngectomy is safe and effective by evaluating the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) and the hospital duration. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 52 patients underwent total laryngectomy, plus partial tongue base resection ( n =2), partial pharyngectomy ( n =1), or pedicle flap ( n =2) between January 2012 and October 2017. Patients who had a history of preoperative radiotherapy, chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy, previous surgery for larynx or pharynx and who had severe complications were excluded. Early oral feeding started between 48 h and 72 h postoperatively, while delayed oral feeding started within postoperative day 8-10. The incidences of PCF in two groups were compared to evaluate whether PCF and early oral feeding was related. Multi-variables analysis was conducted to evaluate risk factors for PCF. Results: PCF rate was 19.2% among all patients, 11.1% in patients with early oral feeding and 23.5% in patients with delayed oral feeding. No significant statistically difference in PCF rate was found between two groups (χ(2)=0.506, P =0.477). Multi-variables analysis showed that oral feeding time (early or delayed) was not a independent risk factor of PCF (Two classification response variable Logistic regression, P =0.200, OR =0.242, 95% CI [0.028-2.118]). But low preoperative albumin level was observed as an independent risk factor for PCF ( P =0.039, OR =0.848, 95% CI [0.726-0.992]). A negative correlation was observed between preoperative albumin level and PCF. And also there was not a significant difference in hospital duration between patients with early oral feeding and delayed oral feeding( U =268, P =0.464). Conclusion: For patients total laryngectomy with no previous history of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, early oral feeding after surgery is safe and effective.

Immunotoxicological Evaluation of Corn Genetically Modified with Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ah Gene by a 30-Day Feeding Study in BALB/c Mice

PubMed Central

Song, Yan; Liang, Chunlai; Wang, Wei; Fang, Jin; Sun, Nana; Jia, Xudong; Li, Ning

2014-01-01

This study was to investigate the immunotoxicological potential of corn genetically modified (GM) with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1Ah gene in BALB/c mice. Female BALB/c mice were randomly assigned to one of the four groups: the negative control group, the parental corn group, the GM corn group and the positive control group with 10 mice per group. Mice in the GM corn group and the parental corn group were fed with diets containing 70% corresponding corn for 30 days. Mice in the negative control group and the positive control group were fed with AIN93G diet, administered with saline or 200 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide (CY) via intraperitoneal injection 24 h before the termination of the study, respectively. At the end of the study, the immunotoxicological effects of the GM corn were evaluated through immunopathology parameters including body and organ weights, hematology and clinical chemistry parameters, histological examination, peripheral blood lymphocytes phenotype; humoral immunity including antibody plaque-forming cell, serum immunoglobulin, cytokine and half hemolysis value; cellular immunity such as mitogen-induced splenocyte proliferation, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte reaction, delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction; non-specific immunity including phagocytic activities of phagocytes, natural killer cell activity. A single dose of cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg bw) was found to have significant adverse effects on immunopathology, cellular immunity, and humoral immunity in mice. The corn genetically modified with Bt Cry1Ah gene is considered consistent with the parental corn in terms of immunopathology, humoral immunity, cellular immunity and non-specific immunity. No adverse immunotoxicological effects of GM corn with Bt Cry1Ah gene were found when feeding mice for 30 days. PMID:24520311

Clinical manifestations and treatment outcomes of syphilitic uveitis in HIV-negative patients in China: A retrospective case study.

PubMed

Zhu, Jiang; Jiang, Yuan; Shi, Yewen; Zheng, Bo; Xu, Zhiguo; Jia, Wei

2017-10-01

Syphilitic chorioretinitis should be included in differential diagnosis of any form of ocular inflammation. A significantly higher proportion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients with ocular syphilis as compared to HIV-negative cases have been reported in published studies. However, the clinical signs and symptoms are more insidious in HIV-negative patients who are easily misdiagnosed. We report a series of cases of ocular syphilis and describe the clinical manifestations and treatment outcomes of syphilitic chorioretinitis in HIV-negative patients in China.This was a retrospective case series study. The clinical records of patients with syphilis chorioretinitis were reviewed. Demographic information and findings of fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) were analyzed. All patients received the standard treatment. Ophthalmology examination and laboratory evaluation were repeated every 3 months. All changes were recorded. The treatment was considered successful if the patients had no inflammation in both eyes and rapid plasma reagin titer was negative after therapy.The study examined 41 eyes of 28 HIV-negative patients. The main complaints were blurry vision, floaters, and visual field defect. Twenty-seven eyes presented with panuveitis, and all had posterior involvement, including uveitis, vasculitis, chorioretinitis, and optic neuritis. The most common manifestations were uveitis and retinal vasculitis. Disc hyperfluorescence and persistent dark spots were the most common findings on FFA and ICGA. The ill-defined inner segment/outer segment junction was the most frequent manifestation on SD-OCT. Patients were diagnosed with syphilitic uveitis based on positive serological tests. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was improved in 34 eyes after treatment. Eleven patients were misdiagnosed before serological tests were performed. The delay in treatment led to long-standing cystoid macular edema and optic neuropathy, which were associated with poor BCVA (P = .037).The common manifestations of syphilitic chorioretinitis were uveitis, retinal vasculitis, and optic neuritis. Further diagnosis should be prompted by FFA, ICGA, and SD-OCT when ocular manifestation is suspected. The standard treatment for neurosyphilis was effective. If patients are presumed to be in low-risk groups such as HIV-negative, delays in diagnosis, and therapy may be likely. It is necessary to reiterate the importance of including syphilis uveitis as a differential diagnosis for any form of ocular inflammations, especially posterior uveitis and optic neuropathy.

Time delay and magnification centroid due to gravitational lensing by black holes and naked singularities

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

Virbhadra, K. S.; Keeton, C. R.; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University, 136 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854

We model the massive dark object at the center of the Galaxy as a Schwarzschild black hole as well as Janis-Newman-Winicour naked singularities, characterized by the mass and scalar charge parameters, and study gravitational lensing (particularly time delay, magnification centroid, and total magnification) by them. We find that the lensing features are qualitatively similar (though quantitatively different) for Schwarzschild black holes, weakly naked, and marginally strongly naked singularities. However, the lensing characteristics of strongly naked singularities are qualitatively very different from those due to Schwarzschild black holes. The images produced by Schwarzschild black hole lenses and weakly naked and marginallymore » strongly naked singularity lenses always have positive time delays. On the other hand, strongly naked singularity lenses can give rise to images with positive, zero, or negative time delays. In particular, for a large angular source position the direct image (the outermost image on the same side as the source) due to strongly naked singularity lensing always has a negative time delay. We also found that the scalar field decreases the time delay and increases the total magnification of images; this result could have important implications for cosmology. As the Janis-Newman-Winicour metric also describes the exterior gravitational field of a scalar star, naked singularities as well as scalar star lenses, if these exist in nature, will serve as more efficient cosmic telescopes than regular gravitational lenses.« less

Anxiety type modulates immediate versus delayed engagement of attention-related brain regions.

PubMed

Spielberg, Jeffrey M; De Leon, Angeline A; Bredemeier, Keith; Heller, Wendy; Engels, Anna S; Warren, Stacie L; Crocker, Laura D; Sutton, Bradley P; Miller, Gregory A

2013-09-01

Background Habituation of the fear response, critical for the treatment of anxiety, is inconsistently observed during exposure to threatening stimuli. One potential explanation for this inconsistency is differential attentional engagement with negatively valenced stimuli as a function of anxiety type. Methods The present study tested this hypothesis by examining patterns of neural habituation associated with anxious arousal, characterized by panic symptoms and immediate engagement with negatively valenced stimuli, versus anxious apprehension, characterized by engagement in worry to distract from negatively valenced stimuli. Results As predicted, the two anxiety types evidenced distinct patterns of attentional engagement. Anxious arousal was associated with immediate activation in attention-related brain regions that habituated over time, whereas anxious apprehension was associated with delayed activation in attention-related brain regions that occurred only after habituation in a worry-related brain region. Conclusions Results further elucidate mechanisms involved in attention to negatively valenced stimuli and indicate that anxiety is a heterogeneous construct with regard to attention to such stimuli.

Anxiety type modulates immediate versus delayed engagement of attention-related brain regions

PubMed Central

Spielberg, Jeffrey M; De Leon, Angeline A; Bredemeier, Keith; Heller, Wendy; Engels, Anna S; Warren, Stacie L; Crocker, Laura D; Sutton, Bradley P; Miller, Gregory A

2013-01-01

Background Habituation of the fear response, critical for the treatment of anxiety, is inconsistently observed during exposure to threatening stimuli. One potential explanation for this inconsistency is differential attentional engagement with negatively valenced stimuli as a function of anxiety type. Methods The present study tested this hypothesis by examining patterns of neural habituation associated with anxious arousal, characterized by panic symptoms and immediate engagement with negatively valenced stimuli, versus anxious apprehension, characterized by engagement in worry to distract from negatively valenced stimuli. Results As predicted, the two anxiety types evidenced distinct patterns of attentional engagement. Anxious arousal was associated with immediate activation in attention-related brain regions that habituated over time, whereas anxious apprehension was associated with delayed activation in attention-related brain regions that occurred only after habituation in a worry-related brain region. Conclusions Results further elucidate mechanisms involved in attention to negatively valenced stimuli and indicate that anxiety is a heterogeneous construct with regard to attention to such stimuli. PMID:24392275

Selective processing of linguistic and pictorial food stimuli in females with anorexia and bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Stormark, Kjell Morten; Torkildsen, Øivind

2004-01-01

This study investigated subjects with eating disorders' selective attention to linguistic and pictorial representations of food stimuli in a version of the Stroop color-naming task. If subjects with eating disorders' attention really are biased by food stimuli, one would expect equally delayed color-naming latencies to food pictures as previous studies have found to food words. Twenty females with eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or a combination of both) and 24 female controls identified the color of Stroop versions of linguistic and pictorial representations of color, food, emotional, and neutral stimuli. The eating disorder group was slower than the controls in identifying the color of all words (including the food words) and the pictures depicting food stimuli (but not any of the other pictures). The eating disorder group was also slower in identifying the color of both food and emotional than neutral stimuli, both for the linguistic and pictorial stimuli. These findings indicate that females with bulimia and anorexia nervosa's biased attention to food stimuli are not restricted to linguistic representations. The delayed responses to the emotional words and pictures suggest that processing of negative emotional stimuli, in addition to dysfunctional concerns about stimuli related to food and eating, is important in the maintenance of eating disorders.

Newborn infants detect cues of concurrent sound segregation.

PubMed

Bendixen, Alexandra; Háden, Gábor P; Németh, Renáta; Farkas, Dávid; Török, Miklós; Winkler, István

2015-01-01

Separating concurrent sounds is fundamental for a veridical perception of one's auditory surroundings. Sound components that are harmonically related and start at the same time are usually grouped into a common perceptual object, whereas components that are not in harmonic relation or have different onset times are more likely to be perceived in terms of separate objects. Here we tested whether neonates are able to pick up the cues supporting this sound organization principle. We presented newborn infants with a series of complex tones with their harmonics in tune (creating the percept of a unitary sound object) and with manipulated variants, which gave the impression of two concurrently active sound sources. The manipulated variant had either one mistuned partial (single-cue condition) or the onset of this mistuned partial was also delayed (double-cue condition). Tuned and manipulated sounds were presented in random order with equal probabilities. Recording the neonates' electroencephalographic responses allowed us to evaluate their processing of the sounds. Results show that, in both conditions, mistuned sounds elicited a negative displacement of the event-related potential (ERP) relative to tuned sounds from 360 to 400 ms after sound onset. The mistuning-related ERP component resembles the object-related negativity (ORN) component in adults, which is associated with concurrent sound segregation. Delayed onset additionally led to a negative displacement from 160 to 200 ms, which was probably more related to the physical parameters of the sounds than to their perceptual segregation. The elicitation of an ORN-like response in newborn infants suggests that neonates possess the basic capabilities of segregating concurrent sounds by detecting inharmonic relations between the co-occurring sounds. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Patients' perception of DED and its relation with time to diagnosis and quality of life: an international and multilingual survey.

PubMed

Labetoulle, Marc; Rolando, Maurizio; Baudouin, Christophe; van Setten, Gysbert

2017-08-01

To improve understanding of patients' experience and perception of dry eye disease (DED) and its impact on quality of life (QoL). This survey was observational, non-interventional and cross-sectional. The survey was conducted online on 706 patients with DED from five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK). All patients met the following inclusion criteria: 40 years or older with DED diagnosed by a healthcare professional (HCP), not wearing contact lenses and using tear substitutes daily for at least 6 months. The survey (performed in the five native languages) included 9 screening questions (inclusion criteria) and 26 complementary questions about patients' demography, disease history, DED diagnosis, use of relief treatments, perceptions of DED condition and its impact on QoL. Overall, 218 of 706 (31%) patients perceived DED as a 'disease' or even a 'handicap', and 468 of 706 (66%) as a 'discomfort'. High impact of DED on patients' QoL was associated with negative perception, delay in diagnosis, visits to more than one HCP before diagnosis and high frequency of treatment use. This survey also provided us with a list of language-specific keywords that patients used most frequently to spontaneously describe their condition. Findings showed that negative perception of DED, delayed diagnosis and high frequency of treatment use were inter-related, and that all have a negative impact on patients' QoL. The generated language-specific keywords used to describe DED could serve as the basis for a comprehensive QoL questionnaire to be used in clinical settings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

The effect of topical minoxidil pretreatment on nonsurgical delay of rat cutaneous flaps: further studies.

PubMed

Gümüş, Nazım; Odemiş, Yusuf; Tuncer, Ersin; Yılmaz, Sarper

2013-08-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of topically applied minoxidil in the pharmacological delay phenomenon and to demonstrate the comparable microscopic and macroscopic changes between minoxidil-pretreated flaps and surgically delayed flaps. A modified version of the McFarlane flap was used. Group 1 rats, in which a caudally based dorsal skin flap was raised and sutured back, were the control group. In group II, minoxidil solution was spread over the marked skin flap area for 7 days. On the 7th day, a caudally based dorsal skin flap was elevated and then sutured back. Group III rats underwent a surgical delay procedure alone. On the 7th day after flap elevation, evaluation was done by histologic examination and calculation of the flap survival areas in all groups. The lowest flap survival rate appeared in group I and was statistically different from groups II and III. The mean surviving skin flap area in the minoxidil-pretreated group was significantly larger than that in the control group. After histologic evaluation, moderate angiogenesis was also detected in group II. We also found that surgical delay significantly reduced flap necrosis when compared to the minoxidil pretreatment group. According to our study, minoxidil may be considered an effective vasoactive agent for the stimulation of angiogenesis in rat cutaneous flaps and capable of achieving pharmacological delay and increasing flap survival. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

The long-term outcome of displaced mid-third clavicle fractures on scapular and shoulder function: variations between immediate surgery, delayed surgery, and nonsurgical management.

PubMed

George, Daniel M; McKay, Bartholomew P; Jaarsma, Ruurd L

2015-05-01

Conservative management for uncomplicated displaced clavicle fractures is common practice. Delay of surgical fixation may result in less favorable outcomes. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of 60 patients with a closed mid-third clavicle fracture that did not meet current operative or nonoperative guidelines; 20 primary (plate fixation <6 weeks), 20 delayed (plate fixation >6 weeks), and 20 matched conservative patients were included. Each patient completed 2 questionnaires, the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, as well as visual analog scales for pain, cosmetic satisfaction, and overall satisfaction. In addition, 10 patients from each group underwent clinical review of scapular rotation by the lateral scapular slide test, clinical impingement, range of motion assessment, and radiologic review of clavicle union and length. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons patient self-reported questionnaire demonstrated a median score of 5.5 for the delayed group, 2 for the primary group, and 1 for the conservative group (P = .032). The median Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score was 7.92 for the delayed group, 3.32 for the primary group, and 1.67 for the conservative group (P = .212). Six patients in the delayed group had scapular malrotation compared with 2 in the primary group and none in the conservative group (P = .008). Flexion and external rotation in 90° abduction were decreased in the conservative group (P = .049 and .041, respectively). We support the conservative management of uncomplicated displaced clavicle fractures but recognize that a lower threshold for early surgery should be considered where optimal shoulder function is required. Copyright © 2015 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Numerical modelling of multimode fibre-optic communication lines

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

Sidelnikov, O S; Fedoruk, M P; Sygletos, S

The results of numerical modelling of nonlinear propagation of an optical signal in multimode fibres with a small differential group delay are presented. It is found that the dependence of the error vector magnitude (EVM) on the differential group delay can be reduced by increasing the number of ADC samples per symbol in the numerical implementation of the differential group delay compensation algorithm in the receiver. The possibility of using multimode fibres with a small differential group delay for data transmission in modern digital communication systems is demonstrated. It is shown that with increasing number of modes the strong couplingmore » regime provides a lower EVM level than the weak coupling one. (fibre-optic communication lines)« less

Impact of paid work on the academic performance of nursing students

PubMed Central

García-Vargas, Mery Constanza; Cortés-Castell, Ernesto

2016-01-01

Background. Little research exists on the impact of paid work on academic performance of students of health sciences. No research exists on this subject for students in Colombia. Objectives. This paper seeks to analyze the impact of paid work on academic performance among nursing students. Design, settings and participants: cross-sectional research, involving 430 of nursing students from the National University of Colombia (N = 566). Methods. Variables analyzed: sex, age, work activity, attendance, current semester, degree subjects studied and unavailable, lost credits, grades during the second semester of 2013, and delayed semesters. Subgroups analyzed: (i) according to labor activity: do not work, work up to 20 h and work more than 20 h per week; (ii) Grade point average: failing is considered as less than 3.0 and passing 3.0 or above out of 5.0. Percentage of delayed semesters were calculated. Qualitative and quantitative variables were analyzed for groups by work activity. The percentage and probability of students getting a grade point average less than 3.0 and delaying semesters were calculated by multivariate logistic regression. Results. A total of 219 of the students work (50.9%), the main reason is socioeconomic, of which 99 (45.2%) work more than 20 h per week and have an increased risk of failing, which is higher in the first semester. They also get lower grades, lose more credits and take longer to finish the degree. The logistic bivariate regressions of success (grade point average, credits gained, courses gained and not having delayed semesters) reduce with work, above all in those who work more than 20 h per week and increase as the number of semesters completed increases, independent of sex. Conclusion. A high percentage of nursing students work more than 20 h per week. The compatibility of paid work with studies in university nursing students has a negative impact on academic performance, more so when they work more than 20 h per week. This negative impact diminishes as the student completes semesters, irrespective of the sex of the students. PMID:27069788

Impact of paid work on the academic performance of nursing students.

PubMed

García-Vargas, Mery Constanza; Rizo-Baeza, Mercedes; Cortés-Castell, Ernesto

2016-01-01

Background. Little research exists on the impact of paid work on academic performance of students of health sciences. No research exists on this subject for students in Colombia. Objectives. This paper seeks to analyze the impact of paid work on academic performance among nursing students. cross-sectional research, involving 430 of nursing students from the National University of Colombia (N = 566). Methods. Variables analyzed: sex, age, work activity, attendance, current semester, degree subjects studied and unavailable, lost credits, grades during the second semester of 2013, and delayed semesters. Subgroups analyzed: (i) according to labor activity: do not work, work up to 20 h and work more than 20 h per week; (ii) Grade point average: failing is considered as less than 3.0 and passing 3.0 or above out of 5.0. Percentage of delayed semesters were calculated. Qualitative and quantitative variables were analyzed for groups by work activity. The percentage and probability of students getting a grade point average less than 3.0 and delaying semesters were calculated by multivariate logistic regression. Results. A total of 219 of the students work (50.9%), the main reason is socioeconomic, of which 99 (45.2%) work more than 20 h per week and have an increased risk of failing, which is higher in the first semester. They also get lower grades, lose more credits and take longer to finish the degree. The logistic bivariate regressions of success (grade point average, credits gained, courses gained and not having delayed semesters) reduce with work, above all in those who work more than 20 h per week and increase as the number of semesters completed increases, independent of sex. Conclusion. A high percentage of nursing students work more than 20 h per week. The compatibility of paid work with studies in university nursing students has a negative impact on academic performance, more so when they work more than 20 h per week. This negative impact diminishes as the student completes semesters, irrespective of the sex of the students.

Parenting Predictors of Delay Inhibition in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Preschoolers

PubMed Central

Merz, Emily C.; Landry, Susan H.; Zucker, Tricia A.; Barnes, Marcia A.; Assel, Michael; Taylor, Heather B.; Lonigan, Christopher J.; Phillips, Beth M.; Clancy-Menchetti, Jeanine; Eisenberg, Nancy; Spinrad, Tracy L.; Valiente, Carlos; de Villiers, Jill; Consortium, the School Readiness Research

2016-01-01

This study examined longitudinal associations between specific parenting factors and delay inhibition in socioeconomically disadvantaged preschoolers. At Time 1, parents and 2- to 4-year-old children (mean age = 3.21 years; N = 247) participated in a videotaped parent-child free play session, and children completed delay inhibition tasks (gift delay-wrap, gift delay-bow, and snack delay tasks). Three months later, at Time 2, children completed the same set of tasks. Parental responsiveness was coded from the parent-child free play sessions, and parental directive language was coded from transcripts of a subset of 127 of these sessions. Structural equation modeling was used, and covariates included age, gender, language skills, parental education, and Time 1 delay inhibition. Results indicated that in separate models, Time 1 parental directive language was significantly negatively associated with Time 2 delay inhibition, and Time 1 parental responsiveness was significantly positively associated with Time 2 delay inhibition. When these parenting factors were entered simultaneously, Time 1 parental directive language significantly predicted Time 2 delay inhibition whereas Time 1 parental responsiveness was no longer significant. Findings suggest that parental language that modulates the amount of autonomy allotted the child may be an important predictor of early delay inhibition skills. PMID:27833461

40 CFR 798.6560 - Subchronic delayed neuro-toxicity of organophosphorus substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... employed. (2) Number of animals. Ten hens should be used for each treatment and control group. (3) Control group—(i) General. A concurrent control group should be used. This group should be treated in a manner... control group(s). The highest dose level should result in toxic effects, preferably delayed neurotoxicity...

40 CFR 798.6560 - Subchronic delayed neuro-toxicity of organophosphorus substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... employed. (2) Number of animals. Ten hens should be used for each treatment and control group. (3) Control group—(i) General. A concurrent control group should be used. This group should be treated in a manner... control group(s). The highest dose level should result in toxic effects, preferably delayed neurotoxicity...

40 CFR 798.6560 - Subchronic delayed neuro-toxicity of organophosphorus substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... employed. (2) Number of animals. Ten hens should be used for each treatment and control group. (3) Control group—(i) General. A concurrent control group should be used. This group should be treated in a manner... control group(s). The highest dose level should result in toxic effects, preferably delayed neurotoxicity...

40 CFR 798.6560 - Subchronic delayed neuro-toxicity of organophosphorus substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... employed. (2) Number of animals. Ten hens should be used for each treatment and control group. (3) Control group—(i) General. A concurrent control group should be used. This group should be treated in a manner... control group(s). The highest dose level should result in toxic effects, preferably delayed neurotoxicity...

40 CFR 798.6560 - Subchronic delayed neuro-toxicity of organophosphorus substances.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... employed. (2) Number of animals. Ten hens should be used for each treatment and control group. (3) Control group—(i) General. A concurrent control group should be used. This group should be treated in a manner... control group(s). The highest dose level should result in toxic effects, preferably delayed neurotoxicity...

Memory for emotional images differs according to the presence of depressive symptoms in individuals at risk for dementia.

PubMed

Callahan, Brandy L; Laforce, Robert; Dugas, Michel; Hudon, Carol

2017-04-01

Studies of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and late-life depression (LLD) have examined the similarities and differences between these syndromes, but few have investigated how the cognitive profile of comorbid aMCI and subclinical depressive symptoms (aMCI/D+) may compare to that of aMCI or LLD. Memory biases for certain types of emotional information may distinguish these groups. A total of 35 aMCI, 23 aMCI/D+, 13 LLD, and 17 elderly controls (CONT) rated the valence (positive, negative, or neutral) of 30 pictures from the International Affective Picture System. Mean percent positive, negative, and neutral images recalled was compared within groups immediately and 30 minutes later. Overall memory performance was comparable in aMCI and aMCI/D+, and both recalled fewer items than CONT and LLD. Group differences emerged when valence ratings were considered: at immediate and delayed recall, positive and negative pictures were generally better-remembered than neutral pictures by CONT, aMCI, and LLD, but valence was not associated with recall in aMCI/D+. Follow-up analyses suggested that the perceived intensity of stimuli may explain the emotional enhancement effect in CONT, aMCI, and LLD. Results support previous research suggesting that the neuropsychological profile of aMCI/D+ is different from that of aMCI and LLD. Although depressed and non-depressed individuals with aMCI recall comparable quantities of information, the quality of the recalled information differs significantly. On theoretical grounds, this suggests the existence of distinct neurobiological or neurofunctional manifestations in both groups. Practically, these differences may guide the development of personalized emotion-focused encoding strategies in cognitive training programs.

The differences in clinical aspect between specific language impairment and global developmental delay.

PubMed

Kim, Seong Woo; Jeon, Ha Ra; Park, Eun Ji; Chung, Hee Jung; Song, Jung Eun

2014-12-01

To compare and analyze the clinical characteristics of children with delayed language acquisition due to two different diagnoses, which were specific language impairment (SLI, a primarily delayed language development) and global developmental delay (GDD, a language delay related to cognitive impairment). Among 1,598 children who had visited the developmental delay clinic from March 2005 to February 2011, 467 children who were diagnosed with GDD and 183 children who were diagnosed with SLI were included in this study. All children were questioned about past, family, and developmental history, and their language competences and cognitive function were assessed. Some children got electroencephalography (EEG), in case of need. The presence of the perinatal risk factors showed no difference in two groups. In the children with GDD, they had more delayed acquisition of independent walking and more frequent EEG abnormalities compared with the children with SLI (p<0.01). The positive family history of delayed language development was more prevalent in children with SLI (p<0.01). In areas of language ability, the quotient of receptive language and expressive language did not show any meaningful statistical differences between the two groups. Analyzing in each group, the receptive language quotient was higher than expressive language quotient in both group (p<0.01). In the GDD group, the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II (BSID-II) showed a marked low mental and motor quotient while the Wechsler Intelligence Scale showed low verbal and nonverbal IQ. In the SLI group, the BSID-II and Wechsler Intelligence Scale showed low scores in mental area and verbal IQ but sparing motor area and nonverbal IQ. The linguistic profiles of children with language delay could not differentiate between SLI and GDD. The clinicians needed to be aware of these developmental issues, and history taking and clinical evaluation, including cognitive assessment, could be helpful to diagnose adequately and set the treatment plan for each child.

Transfer effects of manipulating temporal constraints on learning a two-choice reaction time task with low stimulus-response compatibility.

PubMed

Chen, David D; Pei, Laura; Chan, John S Y; Yan, Jin H

2012-10-01

Recent research using deliberate amplification of spatial errors to increase motor learning leads to the question of whether amplifying temporal errors may also facilitate learning. We investigated transfer effects caused by manipulating temporal constraints on learning a two-choice reaction time (CRT) task with varying degrees of stimulus-response compatibility. Thirty-four participants were randomly assigned to one of the three groups and completed 120 trials during acquisition. For every fourth trial, one group was instructed to decrease CRT by 50 msec. relative to the previous trial and a second group was instructed to increase CRT by 50 msec. The third group (the control) was told not to change their responses. After a 5-min. break, participants completed a 40-trial no-feedback transfer test. A 40-trial delayed transfer test was administered 24 hours later. During acquisition, the Decreased Reaction Time group responded faster than the two other groups, but this group also made more errors than the other two groups. In the 5-min. delayed test (immediate transfer), the Decreased Reaction Time group had faster reaction times than the other two groups, while for the 24-hr. delayed test (delayed transfer), both the Decreased Reaction Time group and Increased Reaction Time group had significantly faster reaction times than the control. For delayed transfer, both Decreased and Increased Reaction Time groups reacted significantly faster than the control group. Analyses of error scores in the transfer tests indicated revealed no significant group differences. Results were discussed with regard to the notion of practice variability and goal-setting benefits.

Subband-Based Group Delay Segmentation of Spontaneous Speech into Syllable-Like Units

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagarajan, T.; Murthy, H. A.

2004-12-01

In the development of a syllable-centric automatic speech recognition (ASR) system, segmentation of the acoustic signal into syllabic units is an important stage. Although the short-term energy (STE) function contains useful information about syllable segment boundaries, it has to be processed before segment boundaries can be extracted. This paper presents a subband-based group delay approach to segment spontaneous speech into syllable-like units. This technique exploits the additive property of the Fourier transform phase and the deconvolution property of the cepstrum to smooth the STE function of the speech signal and make it suitable for syllable boundary detection. By treating the STE function as a magnitude spectrum of an arbitrary signal, a minimum-phase group delay function is derived. This group delay function is found to be a better representative of the STE function for syllable boundary detection. Although the group delay function derived from the STE function of the speech signal contains segment boundaries, the boundaries are difficult to determine in the context of long silences, semivowels, and fricatives. In this paper, these issues are specifically addressed and algorithms are developed to improve the segmentation performance. The speech signal is first passed through a bank of three filters, corresponding to three different spectral bands. The STE functions of these signals are computed. Using these three STE functions, three minimum-phase group delay functions are derived. By combining the evidence derived from these group delay functions, the syllable boundaries are detected. Further, a multiresolution-based technique is presented to overcome the problem of shift in segment boundaries during smoothing. Experiments carried out on the Switchboard and OGI-MLTS corpora show that the error in segmentation is at most 25 milliseconds for 67% and 76.6% of the syllable segments, respectively.

Impact of delay to treatment upon survival in 1067 patients with breast-cancer.

PubMed

Rabinovich, M; Vallejo, C; Perez, J; Rodriguez, R; Cuevas, M; Machiavelli, M; Lacava, J; Leone, B; Romero, A; Mickiewicz, E; Chacon, R; Estevez, R

1993-02-01

The medical records of 1067 patients with breast cancer were reviewed to evaluate the influence of delay between first symptom and first treatment upon survival. Three delay intervals were considered: <3 months; 3-6 months and >6 months. At a follow-up of 120 months, survival analyses identified a statistically significant difference (p=0.029) favoring patients with <3 months delay in the whole cohort, and in the group of women aged 50 or older (p=0.001). No differences were found when survival according to delay was considered within each clinical stage. A Cox multivariate analysis revealed that performance status, stage, age and menopausal status were significant predictors of survival for the whole group of patients. However, delay was an independent prognostic factor in patients with age greater-than-or-equal-to 50. In summary, 38/1067 patients (3.1%) could have been adversely affected by a >3 months delay between first symptom and first treatment. Better survival rate for patients with a short delay would obey to a greater number of patients in favorable stages and a higher proportion of women aged 50 or older in this group.

Altering impulsive decision making with an acceptance-based procedure.

PubMed

Morrison, Kate L; Madden, Gregory J; Odum, Amy L; Friedel, Jonathan E; Twohig, Michael P

2014-09-01

Delay discounting is one facet of impulsive decision making and involves subjectively devaluing a delayed outcome. Steeply discounting delayed rewards is correlated with substance abuse and other problematic behaviors. To the extent that steep delay discounting underlies these clinical disorders, it would be advantageous to find psychosocial avenues for reducing delay discounting. Acceptance-based interventions may prove useful as they may help to decrease the distress that arises while waiting for a delayed outcome. The current study was conducted to determine if a 60-90 minute acceptance-based training would change delay discounting rates among 30 undergraduate university students in comparison to a waitlist control. Measures given at pre- and posttraining included a hypothetical monetary delay discounting task, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), and the Distress Tolerance Scale. Those assigned to the treatment group decreased their discounting of delayed money, but not distress intolerance or psychological inflexibility when compared to the waitlist control group. After the waiting period, the control group received the intervention. Combining all participants' pre- to posttreatment data, the acceptance-based treatment significantly decreased discounting of monetary rewards and increased distress tolerance. The difference in AAQ-II approached significance. Acceptance-based treatments may be a worthwhile option for decreasing delay discounting rates and, consequently, affecting the choices that underlie addiction and other problematic behaviors. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Enhanced equivalence class formation by the delay and relational functions of meaningful stimuli.

PubMed

Arntzen, Erik; Nartey, Richard K; Fields, Lanny

2015-05-01

Undergraduates in six groups of 10 attempted to form three 3-node 5-member equivalence classes (A → B → C → D → E) under the simultaneous protocol. In five of six groups, all stimuli were abstract shapes; in the PIC group, C stimuli were pictures with the remainder being abstract shapes. Before class formation, participants in the Identity-S and Identity-D groups were given preliminary training to form identity conditional discriminations with the C stimuli using simultaneous and 6 s delayed matching-to-sample procedures, respectively. In the Arbitrary-S and Arbitrary-D groups, before class formation, arbitrary conditional discriminations were formed between C and X stimuli using simultaneous and 6 s delayed matching-to-sample procedures, respectively. With no preliminary training, classes in the PIC and ABS groups were formed by 80% and 0% of participants, respectively. After preliminary training, class formation (yield) increased with delay, regardless of relational type. For each of the two delays, yield was slightly greater after forming arbitrary- instead of identity-relations. Yield was greatest, however, when a class contained a meaningful stimulus (PIC). During failed class formation, probes produced experimenter-defined relations, participant-defined relations, and unsystematic responding; delay, but not the relation type in preliminary training influenced relational and indeterminate responding. These results suggest how meaningful stimuli enhance equivalence class formation. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Effects of computing time delay on real-time control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shin, Kang G.; Cui, Xianzhong

1988-01-01

The reliability of a real-time digital control system depends not only on the reliability of the hardware and software used, but also on the speed in executing control algorithms. The latter is due to the negative effects of computing time delay on control system performance. For a given sampling interval, the effects of computing time delay are classified into the delay problem and the loss problem. Analysis of these two problems is presented as a means of evaluating real-time control systems. As an example, both the self-tuning predicted (STP) control and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control are applied to the problem of tracking robot trajectories, and their respective effects of computing time delay on control performance are comparatively evaluated. For this example, the STP (PID) controller is shown to outperform the PID (STP) controller in coping with the delay (loss) problem.

Delay of gratification: a comparison study of children with Down syndrome, moderate intellectual disability and typical development.

PubMed

Cuskelly, M; Gilmore, L; Glenn, S; Jobling, A

2016-09-01

Self-regulation has been found to be an important contributor to a range of outcomes, with delay of gratification (a self-regulatory skill) predicting better academic, social and personal functioning. There is some evidence that individuals with Down syndrome have difficulty with delay of gratification. We investigated the question of whether this difficulty is common to intellectual disability irrespective of aetiology, or whether it presents a particular problem for those with Down syndrome. The latter was considered a possibility because of language difficulties in this group. Three groups of children with a mean MA between 36 and 60 months participated in the study: children with Down syndrome (n = 32), children with a moderate intellectual disability from a cause other than Down syndrome (n = 26) and typically developing children (n = 50). Children completed a series of measures of language and cognitive functioning and participated in a delay of gratification task. The group of children with Down syndrome delayed for a significantly shorter time than either of the other two groups that did not differ from each other. Receptive language was associated with delay time for the children with Down syndrome but not for the typically developing group, nor for the group with moderate intellectual disability. Children with Down syndrome appear to have a particular difficulty with delay of gratification. Language abilities would seem to be implicated in this difficulty, although further examination of this hypothesis is required. © 2016 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Can Early Rehabilitation after Total Hip Arthroplasty Reduce Its Major Complications and Medical Expenses? Report from a Nationally Representative Cohort.

PubMed

Chiung-Jui Su, Daniel; Yuan, Kuo-Shu; Weng, Shih-Feng; Hong, Rong-Bin; Wu, Ming-Ping; Wu, Hing-Man; Chou, Willy

2015-01-01

To investigate whether early rehabilitation reduces the occurrence of posttotal hip arthroplasty (THA) complications, adverse events, and medical expenses within one postoperative year. We retrospectively retrieve data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients who had undergone THA during the period from 1998 to 2010 were recruited, matched for propensity scores, and divided into 2 groups: early rehabilitation (Early Rehab) and delayed rehabilitation (Delayed Rehab). Eight hundred twenty of 999 THA patients given early rehabilitation treatments were matched to 205 of 233 THA patients given delayed rehabilitation treatments. The Delayed Rehab group had significantly (all p < 0.001) higher medical and rehabilitation expenses and more outpatient department (OPD) visits than the Early Rehab group. In addition, the Delayed Rehab group was associated with more prosthetic infection (odds ratio (OR): 3.152; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.211-8.203; p < 0.05) than the Early Rehab group. Early rehabilitation can significantly reduce the incidence of prosthetic infection, total rehabilitation expense, total medical expenses, and number of OPD visits within the first year after THA.

Influence of age on delayed surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures

PubMed Central

Gomes, Lisiane Pinto; do Nascimento, Leandra Delfim; Campos, Tulio Vinicius de Oliveira; Paiva, Edson Barreto; de Andrade, Marco Antonio Percope; Guimarães, Henrique Cerqueira

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE : To investigate the influence of patients' age on the delay between diagnosis and surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures METHODS : This is a retrospective study, con-ducted at a tertiary university hospital, including all patients admitted with proximal femoral fractures between March 2013 and March 2014. The participants were categorized into four groups according to age levels. The groups were compared according to demographics, comorbidities, fracture type, trau-ma circumstances, and time between diagnosis and surgical procedure RESULTS : One hundred and sixty one patients were included, 37 adults and 124 elderly. Among adults, the mean delay between diagnosis and surgical procedure was 6.4±5.3 days; among elderly the delay was 9.5±7.6 days. There was a progressive increase in the delay from the young-adults group through the elderly individuals (Kruskal-Wallis: 13.7; p=0.003) CONCLUSION : In spite of being the patients most susceptible to complications due to surgical delay, the elderly individuals pre-sented the longest delays from admission to surgical treatment. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Study. PMID:27057145

Is It Possible to Increase Flap Viability by Hydrostatic Dilation?: An Experimental Study in the Rat Abdominal Fasciocutaneous Flap Model.

PubMed

Sahin, Cihan; Aysal, Bilge Kagan; Ergun, Ozge

2016-08-01

Ergun et al previously demonstrated the efficacy of hydrostatic dilation in a TRAM flap model in an experimental study. We investigated the effect of hydrostatic dilation on a fasciocutaneous flap model. Eighteen female Wistar rats were equally divided into 3 groups, of which 1 served as a control. In the second, the abdominal fasciocutaneous flap surgical delay procedure was performed by division of the left superficial inferior epigastric (SIE) vessels. In the third, hydrostatic dilation was performed on the left SIE artery and vein, with a mean pressure of 300 mm Hg, while elevating the flap on the right-sided SIE pedicle. The groups were compared by microangiography and by the survival ratio of abdominal flaps 7 days after elevation. The mean (SD) flap necrosis rates were as follows: control group, 44.75% (4.31%); delay group, 33.32% (7.11%); and hydrostatic dilation group, 32.51% (5.03%). There was a significant difference between the control group and the other 2 groups (P < 0.05). There was no difference between the delay and hydrostatic dilation groups with respect to surface area necrosis. The microangiographies showed remarkable increased vascularity in the delay and hydrostatic dilation groups. Hydrostatic dilation is a new method of enhancing flap viability that could be used in clinical cases in place of surgical delay once further studies and clinical trials are completed.

Effects of Delay Duration on the WMS Logical Memory Performance of Older Adults with Probable Alzheimer's Disease, Probable Vascular Dementia, and Normal Cognition.

PubMed

Montgomery, Valencia; Harris, Katie; Stabler, Anthony; Lu, Lisa H

2017-05-01

To examine how the duration of time delay between Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS) Logical Memory I and Logical Memory II (LM) affected participants' recall performance. There are 46,146 total Logical Memory administrations to participants diagnosed with either Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), or normal cognition in the National Alzheimer's Disease Coordinating Center's Uniform Data Set. Only 50% of the sample was administered the standard 20-35 min of delay as specified by WMS-R and WMS-III. We found a significant effect of delay time duration on proportion of information retained for the VaD group compared to its control group, which remained after adding LMI raw score as a covariate. There was poorer retention of information with longer delay for this group. This association was not as strong for the AD and cognitively normal groups. A 24.5-min delay was most optimal for differentiating AD from VaD participants (47.7% classification accuracy), an 18.5-min delay was most optimal for differentiating AD versus normal participants (51.7% classification accuracy), and a 22.5-min delay was most optimal for differentiating VaD versus normal participants (52.9% classification accuracy). Considering diagnostic implications, our findings suggest that test administration should incorporate precise tracking of delay periods. We recommend a 20-min delay with 18-25-min range. Poor classification accuracy based on LM data alone is a reminder that story memory performance is only one piece of data that contributes to complex clinical decisions. However, strict adherence to the recommended range yields optimal data for diagnostic decisions. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The impact of slow graft function on graft outcome is comparable to delayed graft function in deceased donor kidney transplantation.

PubMed

Shin, Jung-Ho; Koo, Eun Hee; Ha, Sung Hae; Park, Ji Hyeon; Jang, Hye Ryoun; Lee, Jung Eun; Park, Jae-Berm; Kim, Sung Joo; Jung, Sin-Ho; Kim, Yoon-Goo; Kim, Dae Joong; Oh, Ha Young; Huh, Wooseong

2016-03-01

Slow graft function (SGF) can influence overall prognosis in patients receiving deceased donor kidney transplantation (DKT). However, the impact of SGF on renal function remains uncertain. We investigated retrospectively renal function in cases with SGF compared with early graft function (EGF) and delayed graft function (DGF). Renal function after transplantation was analyzed in 199 patients who underwent DKT. Patients were classified into 130 (65.3 %) cases with EGF, 27 (13.6 %) cases with SGF, 6 (3.0 %) cases with DGF and one dialysis (DGF1), and 36 (18.1 %) cases with DGF and two or more dialyses (DGF2). The 1-year estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the SGF group was lower than that in the EGF group (P = 0.027), but the rate of eGFR decline did not differ between the groups. The risk factors for renal function were evaluated using the area under the eGFR curve over 3 years (AUCeGFR). Donor age was negatively, and recipient age and the number of HLA matches were positively correlated with the AUCeGFR (all P < 0.05). A multivariate analysis revealed that the AUCeGFR was lower in cases of younger recipient age, older donor age, and acute rejection (all P < 0.05). The AUCeGFR was significantly lower in the SGF and DGF2 groups compared with the EGF group (P = 0.031 and 0.006, respectively). SGF may be an independent risk factor for poor renal function after DKT. Moreover, it was comparable to DGF. Efforts should be dedicated to minimizing the development of SGF and DGF.

Stress and reward processing in bipolar disorder: an fMRI study

PubMed Central

Berghorst, Lisa H; Kumar, Poornima; Greve, Doug N; Deckersbach, Thilo; Ongur, Dost; Dutra, Sunny; Pizzagalli, Diego A

2016-01-01

Objectives A link between negative life stress and the onset of mood episodes in bipolar disorder (BD) has been established, but processes underlying such a link remain unclear. Growing evidence suggests that stress can negatively affect reward processing and related neurobiological substrates, indicating that a dysregulated reward system may provide a partial explanation. The aim of this study was to test the impact of stress on reward-related neural functioning in BD. Methods Thirteen euthymic or mildly depressed individuals with BD and 15 controls performed a Monetary Incentive Delay task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging during no-stress and stress (negative psychosocial stressor involving poor performance feedback and threat of monetary deductions) conditions. Results In hypothesis-driven region-of- interest-based analyses, a significant group by condition interaction emerged in the amygdala during reward anticipation. Relative to controls, while anticipating a potential reward, subjects with BD were characterized by amygdalar hyperactivation in the no-stress condition but hypoactivation during stress. Moreover, relative to controls, subjects with BD had significantly larger amygdala volumes. After controlling for structural differences, the effects of stress on amygdalar function remained, whereas groups no longer differed during the no-stress condition. During reward consumption, a group by condition interaction emerged in the putamen due to increased putamen activation to rewards in participants with BD during stress, but an opposite pattern in controls. Conclusions Overall, findings highlight possible impairments in using reward-predicting cues to adaptively engage in goal-directed actions in BD, combined with stress-induced hypersensitivity to reward consumption. Potential clinical implications are discussed. PMID:27870507

Caudate responses to reward anticipation associated with delay discounting behavior in healthy youth

PubMed Central

Benningfield, Margaret M.; Blackford, Jennifer U.; Ellsworth, Melissa E.; Samanez-Larkin, Gregory R.; Martin, Peter R.; Cowan, Ronald L.; Zald, David H.

2014-01-01

Background Choices requiring delay of gratification made during adolescence can have significant impact on life trajectory. Willingness to delay gratification can be measured using delay discounting tasks that require a choice between a smaller immediate reward and a larger delayed reward. Individual differences in the subjective value of delayed rewards are associated with risk for development of psychopathology including substance abuse. The neurobiological underpinnings related to these individual differences early in life are not fully understood. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we tested the hypothesis that individual differences in delay discounting behavior in healthy youth are related to differences in responsiveness to potential reward. Method Nineteen 10 to 14 year-olds performed a monetary incentive delay task to assess neural sensitivity to potential reward and a questionnaire to measure discounting of future monetary rewards. Results Left ventromedial caudate activation during anticipation of potential reward was negatively correlated with delay discounting behavior. There were no regions where brain responses during notification of reward outcome were associated with discounting behavior. Conclusions Brain activation during anticipation of potential reward may serve as a marker for individual differences in ability or willingness to delay gratification in healthy youth. PMID:24309299

Carprofen for perioperative analgesia causes early anastomotic leakage in the rat ileum.

PubMed

van der Vijver, Rozemarijn J; van Laarhoven, Cees J H M; Lomme, Roger M L M; Hendriks, Thijs

2012-12-27

There is increasing evidence that perioperative use of NSAIDs may compromise the integrity of intestinal anastomoses. This study aims to characterize the negative effects of carprofen on early anastomotic healing in the rat ileum. In 159 male Wistar rats an anastomosis was constructed in the ileum. In experiment 1 eighty-four rats were divided over control and experimental groups, which received daily buprenorphine or carprofen, respectively, as an analgesic and were killed on day 1, 2 or 3 after surgery. In experiment 2 three groups of 15 rats received carprofen either immediately after surgery or with a delay of 1 or 2 days. Animals were killed after 3 days of carprofen administration. In experiment 3 three groups of 10 rats received different doses (full, half or quarter) of carprofen from surgery. In significant contrast to buprenorphine, which never did so, carprofen induced frequent signs of anastomotic leakage, which were already present at day 1. If first administration was delayed for 48 hours, the leakage rate was significantly reduced (from 80 to 20%; p = 0.0028). Throughout the study, the anastomotic bursting pressure was lowest in animals who displayed signs of anastomotic leakage. Loss of anastomotic integrity did not coincide with reduced levels of hydroxyproline or increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases. Carprofen interferes with wound healing in the rat ileum at a very early stage. Although the mechanisms responsible remain to be fully elucidated, one should be aware of the potential of NSAIDs to interfere with the early phase of wound repair.

Reward and loss anticipation in panic disorder: An fMRI study.

PubMed

Held-Poschardt, Dada; Sterzer, Philipp; Schlagenhauf, Florian; Pehrs, Corinna; Wittmann, Andre; Stoy, Meline; Hägele, Claudia; Knutson, Brian; Heinz, Andreas; Ströhle, Andreas

2018-01-30

Anticipatory anxiety and harm avoidance are essential features of panic disorder (PD) and may involve deficits in the reward system of the brain, in particular in the ventral striatum. While neuroimaging studies on PD have focused on fearful and negative affective stimulus processing, no investigations have directly addressed deficits in reward and loss anticipation. To determine whether the ventral striatum shows abnormal neural activity in PD patients during anticipation of loss or gain, an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment using a monetary incentive delay task was employed in 10 patients with PD and 10 healthy controls. A repeated-measures ANOVA to identify effects of group (PD vs. Control) and condition (anticipation of loss vs. gain vs. neutral outcome) revealed that patients with PD showed significantly reduced bilateral ventral striatal activation during reward anticipation but increased activity during loss anticipation. Within the patient group, the degree of activation in the ventral striatum during loss-anticipation was positively correlated with harm avoidance and negatively correlated with novelty seeking. These findings suggest that behavioural impairments in panic disorder may be related to abnormal neural processing of motivational cues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language Delay in 3-Year-Old Children With ADHD Symptoms.

PubMed

Rohrer-Baumgartner, Nina; Zeiner, Pål; Eadie, Patricia; Egeland, Jens; Gustavson, Kristin; Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ted; Aase, Heidi

2016-10-01

Little is known about cognition in preschoolers with ADHD and language delay (LD). The objective was to investigate cognitive functions in preschoolers with ADHD symptoms and LD compared with children with ADHD symptoms only and to estimate the frequency of children with ADHD symptoms, co-occurring language delay, and delays on cognitive measures. Participants were recruited from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. The teacher report of expressive language and the cognitive tests from 119 3-year-old children with parent reported ADHD symptoms and LD were compared with those of 258 children with ADHD symptoms only. The ADHD + LD group performed significantly worse than the ADHD group on most language-related measures. There were no differences between the groups on most nonverbal measures. Single measures had a limited potential of differentiating between the groups. ADHD symptoms and co-occurring LD in preschoolers were characterized by cognitive deficits associated with both disorders, not with global neurodevelopmental delay. © The Author(s) 2013.

Role of working memory in transformation of visual and motor representations for use in mental simulation.

PubMed

Gabbard, Carl; Lee, Jihye; Caçola, Priscila

2013-01-01

This study examined the role of visual working memory when transforming visual representations to motor representations in the context of motor imagery. Participants viewed randomized number sequences of three, four, and five digits, and then reproduced the sequence by finger tapping using motor imagery or actually executing the movements; movement duration was recorded. One group viewed the stimulus for three seconds and responded immediately, while the second group had a three-second view followed by a three-second blank screen delay before responding. As expected, delay group times were longer with each condition and digit load. Whereas correlations between imagined and executed actions (temporal congruency) were significant in a positive direction for both groups, interestingly, the delay group's values were significantly stronger. That outcome prompts speculation that delay influenced the congruency between motor representation and actual execution.

Feedback in Action--The Mechanism of the Iris.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pingnet, B.; And Others

1988-01-01

Describes two demonstration experiments. Outlines a demonstration of the general principle of positive and negative feedback and the influence of time delays in feedback circuits. Elucidates the principle of negative feedback with a model of the iris of the eye. Emphasizes the importance of feedback in biological systems. (CW)

Operative Outcome and Patient Satisfaction in Early and Delayed Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy for Acute Cholecystitis

PubMed Central

Hokkam, Emad N.

2014-01-01

Introduction. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is usually associated with reduced hospital stay, sick leave, and health care expenditures. Early diagnosis and treatment of acute cholecystitis reduce both mortality and morbidity and the accurate diagnosis requires specific diagnostic criteria of clinical data and imaging studies. Objectives. To compare early versus delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy regarding the operative outcome and patient satisfaction. Patients and Methods. Patients with acute cholecystitis were divided into two groups, early (A) and delayed (B) cholecystectomy. Diagnosis of acute cholecystitis was confirmed by clinical examination, laboratory data, and ultrasound study. The primary end point was operative and postoperative outcome and the secondary was patient's satisfaction. Results. The number of readmissions in delayed treatment group B was three times in 10% of patients, twice in 23.3%, and once in 66.7% while the number of readmissions was once only in patients in group A and the mean total hospital stays were higher in group B than in group A. The overall patient's satisfaction was 92.66 ± 6.8 in group A compared with 75.34 ± 12.85 in group B. Conclusion. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy resulted in significant reduction in length of hospital stay and accepted rate of operative complications and conversion rates when compared with delayed techniques. PMID:25197568

Spatiotemporal dissociation of brain activity underlying threat and reward in social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

A Richey, John; Ghane, Merage; Valdespino, Andrew; Coffman, Marika C; Strege, Marlene V; White, Susan W; Ollendick, Thomas H

2017-01-01

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) involves abnormalities in social motivation, which may be independent of well-documented differences in fear and arousal systems. Yet, the neurobiology underlying motivational difficulties in SAD is not well understood. The aim of the current study was to spatiotemporally dissociate reward circuitry dysfunction from alterations in fear and arousal-related neural activity during anticipation and notification of social and non-social reward and punishment. During fMRI acquisition, non-depressed adults with social anxiety disorder (SAD; N = 21) and age-, sex- and IQ-matched control subjects (N = 22) completed eight runs of an incentive delay task, alternating between social and monetary outcomes and interleaved in alternating order between gain and loss outcomes. Adults with SAD demonstrated significantly reduced neural activity in ventral striatum during the anticipation of positive but not negative social outcomes. No differences between the SAD and control groups were observed during anticipation of monetary gain or loss outcomes or during anticipation of negative social images. However, consistent with previous work, the SAD group demonstrated amygdala hyper-activity upon notification of negative social outcomes. Degraded anticipatory processing in bilateral ventral striatum in SAD was constrained exclusively to anticipation of positive social information and dissociable from the effects of negative social outcomes previously observed in the amygdala. Alterations in anticipation-related neural signals may represent a promising target for treatment that is not addressed by available evidence-based interventions, which focus primarily on fear extinction and habituation processes. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Abnormal neural activation patterns underlying working memory impairment in chronic phencyclidine-treated mice.

PubMed

Arime, Yosefu; Akiyama, Kazufumi

2017-01-01

Working memory impairment is a hallmark feature of schizophrenia and is thought be caused by dysfunctions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and associated brain regions. However, the neural circuit anomalies underlying this impairment are poorly understood. The aim of this study is to assess working memory performance in the chronic phencyclidine (PCP) mouse model of schizophrenia, and to identify the neural substrates of working memory. To address this issue, we conducted the following experiments for mice after withdrawal from chronic administration (14 days) of either saline or PCP (10 mg/kg): (1) a discrete paired-trial variable-delay task in T-maze to assess working memory, and (2) brain-wide c-Fos mapping to identify activated brain regions relevant to this task performance either 90 min or 0 min after the completion of the task, with each time point examined under working memory effort and basal conditions. Correct responses in the test phase of the task were significantly reduced across delays (5, 15, and 30 s) in chronic PCP-treated mice compared with chronic saline-treated controls, suggesting delay-independent impairments in working memory in the PCP group. In layer 2-3 of the prelimbic cortex, the number of working memory effort-elicited c-Fos+ cells was significantly higher in the chronic PCP group than in the chronic saline group. The main effect of working memory effort relative to basal conditions was to induce significantly increased c-Fos+ cells in the other layers of prelimbic cortex and the anterior cingulate and infralimbic cortex regardless of the different chronic regimens. Conversely, this working memory effort had a negative effect (fewer c-Fos+ cells) in the ventral hippocampus. These results shed light on some putative neural networks relevant to working memory impairments in mice chronically treated with PCP, and emphasize the importance of the layer 2-3 of the prelimbic cortex of the PFC.

Abnormal neural activation patterns underlying working memory impairment in chronic phencyclidine-treated mice

PubMed Central

Akiyama, Kazufumi

2017-01-01

Working memory impairment is a hallmark feature of schizophrenia and is thought be caused by dysfunctions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and associated brain regions. However, the neural circuit anomalies underlying this impairment are poorly understood. The aim of this study is to assess working memory performance in the chronic phencyclidine (PCP) mouse model of schizophrenia, and to identify the neural substrates of working memory. To address this issue, we conducted the following experiments for mice after withdrawal from chronic administration (14 days) of either saline or PCP (10 mg/kg): (1) a discrete paired-trial variable-delay task in T-maze to assess working memory, and (2) brain-wide c-Fos mapping to identify activated brain regions relevant to this task performance either 90 min or 0 min after the completion of the task, with each time point examined under working memory effort and basal conditions. Correct responses in the test phase of the task were significantly reduced across delays (5, 15, and 30 s) in chronic PCP-treated mice compared with chronic saline-treated controls, suggesting delay-independent impairments in working memory in the PCP group. In layer 2–3 of the prelimbic cortex, the number of working memory effort-elicited c-Fos+ cells was significantly higher in the chronic PCP group than in the chronic saline group. The main effect of working memory effort relative to basal conditions was to induce significantly increased c-Fos+ cells in the other layers of prelimbic cortex and the anterior cingulate and infralimbic cortex regardless of the different chronic regimens. Conversely, this working memory effort had a negative effect (fewer c-Fos+ cells) in the ventral hippocampus. These results shed light on some putative neural networks relevant to working memory impairments in mice chronically treated with PCP, and emphasize the importance of the layer 2–3 of the prelimbic cortex of the PFC. PMID:29253020

Effects of direction of rotation in continuous and discontinuous 8 hour shift systems

PubMed Central

Tucker, P.; Smith, L.; Macdonald, I.; Folkard, S.

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES—Previous research has produced conflicting evidence on the relative merits of advancing and delaying shift systems. The current study assessed the effects of the direction of shift rotation within 8 hour systems, upon a range of measures including sleep, on shift alertness, physical health, and psychological wellbeing.
METHODS—An abridged version of the standard shiftwork index which included retrospective alertness ratings was completed by four groups of industrial shiftworkers on relatively rapidly rotating 8 hour systems (n=611). Two groups worked continuous systems that were either advancing or delaying; the other two groups worked discontinuous systems that were either advancing or delaying.
RESULTS—Few effects were found of direction of rotation on chronic measures of health and wellbeing, even when the systems incorporated "quick returns" (a break of only 8 hours when changing from one shift to another). This was despite the use of measures previously shown to be sensitive to the effects of a broad range of features of shift systems. However, advancing continuous systems seemed to be associated with marginally steeper declines in alertness across the shift (F (3,1080)=2.87, p<0.05). They were also associated with shorter sleeps between morning shifts (F (1,404)=4.01, p<0.05), but longer sleeps between afternoons (F (1,424)=4.16, p<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS—The absence of negative effects of advancing shifts upon the chronic outcome measures accorded with previous evidence that advancing shifts may not be as harmful as early research indicated. However, this interpretation is tempered by the possibility that difficult shift systems self select those workers most able to cope with their deleterious effects. The presence of quick returns in advancing continuous systems seemed to impact upon some of the acute measures such as duration of sleep, although the associated effects on alertness seemed to be marginal.


Keywords: shift rotation; health; alertness PMID:10984340

Second Language Processing Shows Increased Native-Like Neural Responses after Months of No Exposure

PubMed Central

Morgan-Short, Kara; Finger, Ingrid; Grey, Sarah; Ullman, Michael T.

2012-01-01

Although learning a second language (L2) as an adult is notoriously difficult, research has shown that adults can indeed attain native language-like brain processing and high proficiency levels. However, it is important to then retain what has been attained, even in the absence of continued exposure to the L2—particularly since periods of minimal or no L2 exposure are common. This event-related potential (ERP) study of an artificial language tested performance and neural processing following a substantial period of no exposure. Adults learned to speak and comprehend the artificial language to high proficiency with either explicit, classroom-like, or implicit, immersion-like training, and then underwent several months of no exposure to the language. Surprisingly, proficiency did not decrease during this delay. Instead, it remained unchanged, and there was an increase in native-like neural processing of syntax, as evidenced by several ERP changes—including earlier, more reliable, and more left-lateralized anterior negativities, and more robust P600s, in response to word-order violations. Moreover, both the explicitly and implicitly trained groups showed increased native-like ERP patterns over the delay, indicating that such changes can hold independently of L2 training type. The results demonstrate that substantial periods with no L2 exposure are not necessarily detrimental. Rather, benefits may ensue from such periods of time even when there is no L2 exposure. Interestingly, both before and after the delay the implicitly trained group showed more native-like processing than the explicitly trained group, indicating that type of training also affects the attainment of native-like processing in the brain. Overall, the findings may be largely explained by a combination of forgetting and consolidation in declarative and procedural memory, on which L2 grammar learning appears to depend. The study has a range of implications, and suggests a research program with potentially important consequences for second language acquisition and related fields. PMID:22470434

Classic conditioning in aged rabbits: delay, trace, and long-delay conditioning.

PubMed

Solomon, P R; Groccia-Ellison, M E

1996-06-01

Young (0.5 years) and aged (2+, 3+, and 4+ years) rabbits underwent acquisition of the classically conditioned nictitating membrane response in a delay (500-ms conditioned stimulus [CS], 400-ms interstimulus interval [ISI]), long-delay (1,000-ms CS, 900-ms ISI), or trace (500-ms CS, 400-ms stimulus-free period) paradigm. Collapsing across age groups, there is a general tendency for animals to acquire trace conditioning more slowly than delay conditioning. Collapsing across conditioning paradigms, there is a general tendency for aged animals to acquire more slowly than younger animals. Of greater significance, however, are the age differences in the different conditioning paradigms. In the delay and long-delay paradigms, significant conditioning deficits first appeared in the 4(+)-year-old group. In the trace conditioning paradigm, significant conditioning deficits became apparent in the 2(+)-year-old animals.

Changes in the natural history of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in HIV-negative lymphoproliferative disorders: impact of novel therapies.

PubMed

García-Suárez, Julio; de Miguel, Dunia; Krsnik, Isabel; Bañas, Helena; Arribas, Ignacio; Burgaleta, Carmen

2005-12-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate the clinical characteristics of HIV-negative patients affected by lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD) who developed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), to delineate the risk factors, and to analyze whether the new antineoplastic therapies are changing the natural history of this infectious disease. We retrospectively analyzed 46 cases with confirmed LPD-associated PML published from 1958 to 2004. Patients were stratified according to two different time periods: group A included patients diagnosed before 1989, and group B included patients diagnosed since 1990, after introduction of purine analogues. Group A patients (n = 22) had received alkylating agents and/or radiotherapy, and the majority (63.6%) had advanced Hodgkin disease. At univariate analysis, uncontrolled Hodgkin disease was the only risk factor for PML. In group B patients (n = 24), the most frequent treatments received were purine analogues (58.3%) and high-dose therapy with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (33.3%; HDT/HSCT). B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (45.8%) and aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (24.9%) were the most frequent underlying LPDs. Patients treated with purine analogues were more likely to have active LPD, lower CD4 cell counts, and to be older and male than were HSCT recipients. The median interval from purine analogues or HDT/HSCT to PML was 11 months. In HDT/HSCT recipients, this interval was delayed for 10 months when peri-transplantation rituximab was used. Univariate analysis identified age >55 years, male sex, and CD4 cell counts

Long-term natural history of liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection: an analysis using the Markov chain model.

PubMed

Tada, Toshifumi; Kumada, Takashi; Toyoda, Hidenori; Ohisa, Masayuki; Akita, Tomoyuki; Tanaka, Junko

2018-04-19

The relationship between the hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion and the long-term natural history of liver disease has not been sufficiently investigated. A total of 408 [4352 person-year (PY) units] patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) without antiviral therapy were enrolled. The study patients were divided into three groups, as follows: Group A (2666 PY units), seroconverted of HBeAg at age < 40; Group B (413 PY units), seroconverted of HBeAg at age ≥ 40; Group C (1273 PY units), persistently HBeAg positive. Yearly transition probabilities from each liver state [chronic HBV infection, chronic hepatitis B, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) negativity] were calculated using the Markov chain model. In the analysis of 1 year liver disease state transition probabilities, the liver states remained almost the same in Group A. In Groups B and C, each liver state tended to progress to a worse state. Assuming a chronic hepatitis B state at age 40 as the starting condition for simulation over the next 40 years, the chronic hepatitis B state accounted for approximately 60% of males aged ≥ 50 and approximately 40% of females aged ≥ 60 in Group A, and the HBsAg-negative state accounted for approximately 30-40% of males and females aged ≥ 60. In Groups B and C, the probabilities of patients with cirrhosis and HCC gradually increased with age. Not only patients with persistent HBeAg positive, but also patients with delayed HBeAg seroconversion showed poor prognosis of liver-related natural history.

Social Reinforcement Delays in Free-Flying Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)

PubMed Central

Craig, David Philip Arthur; Grice, James W.; Varnon, Chris A.; Gibson, B.; Sokolowski, Michel B. C.; Abramson, Charles I.

2012-01-01

Free-flying honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) reactions were observed when presented with varying schedules of post-reinforcement delays of 0 s, 300 s, or 600 s. We measured inter-visit-interval, response length, inter-response-time, and response rate. Honey bees exposed to these post-reinforcement delay intervals exhibit one of several patterns compared to groups not encountering delays, and had longer inter-visit-intervals. We observed no group differences in inter-response time. Honey bees with higher response rates tended to not finish the experiment. The removal of the delay intervals increased response rates for those subjects that completed the trials. PMID:23056425

The Problem of Delayed Causation in a Video Game: Constant, Varied, and Filled Delays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Michael E.; Nguyen, Nam

2009-01-01

A first-person shooter video game was adapted for the study of causal decision making within dynamic environments. The video game included groups of three potential targets. Participants chose which of the three targets in each group was producing distal explosions. The actual source of the explosion effect varied in the delay between the firing…

[Comparison of effect between early and delayed in primary intramedullary nailing combined with locked plate fixation for the treatment of multi-segments tibial fractures of type].

PubMed

Gao, Wei-qiang; Hu, Jiang-hai; Gu, Zhu-chao; Zhang, Huai-xian; Min, Peng; Zhang, Lin-jun; Yu, Wen-wen; Wang, Guang-lin

2015-02-01

To compare the clinical results of early and delayed intramedullary nailing and locked plating for the treatment of multi-segments tibial fractures of type AO/ASIF-42C2. Between January 2010 and January 2013,45 patients with multi-segments closed tibial fractures of AO/ASIF-42C2 were treated by early primary intramedullary nailing and locked plating in 20 cases as early group and delayed in 25 cases as delayed group. In early group,20 cases included 13 males and 7 females with an average age of (37.9±14.3) years old ranging from 20 to 56 years;according to soft tissue injury Tscherne classification, 8 fractures were frade I,12 were grade II. In delayed group, 25 cases included 17 males and 8 females with an average age of (38.7±17.2) years old ranging from 24 to 55 years,4 fractures were grade I ,19 were grade II ,2 were grade III. The operative time, blood loss, hospital stay,fracture healing time and complications were recorded. At final follow-up, the Johner-Wruhs score were used to evaluate functional efficacy, and the posterior-anterior and lateral X-ray to evaluate fracture reduction and alignment. All the patients were followed up for (12.5±2.5) months in early group and (13.2±2.8) months in delayed group (P>0.05). No wounds infections were happened. At the last follow-up, the mean range of knee joint was 10°-0°-120°. According to Johner-Wruhs scoring,there were 15 cases in excellent,3 in good,fair in 2 in early group; 21 in excellent,2 in good,2 in fair. The average operative time,blood loss had no significant differences between two groups (P>0.05), but hospital stay in early group was significantly shorter than those in delayed group(P<0.05). Average fracture healing time of early group and delayed group were (5.3±2.6) months and (6.0±2.9) months, respectively (P>0.05). For multi-segments tibial fractures of type AO/ASIF-42C2 with preoperative minor soft tissue injuries lighter of Tscherne grade I or II, early primary intramedullary nailing and locked plating does not significantly increase the postoperative incidence of soft tissue complications for patients. The early and delayed primary intramedullary nailing and locked plating for treatment of AO/ASIF-42C2 proximal third tibial fractures can get similar curative effect.

Term babies with delayed cord clamping: an approach in preventing anemia (.).

PubMed

Ertekin, Arif Aktug; Nihan Ozdemir, Nilufer; Sahinoglu, Zeki; Gursoy, Tugba; Erbil, Nazan; Kaya, Erdal

2016-09-01

We investigated the effects of delayed and early clamping of the cord on the hematologic status of the baby at birth and at the end of second month. Umbilical cord of 74 babies were clamped in the first 30 s (Group 1) and 76 were clamped at 90-120 s (Group 2). Levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, iron and ferritin were analyzed from the umbilical cord blood at birth and from the venous samples at the end of second month. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, iron and ferritin levels of cord blood were similar in both groups. However, their levels other than ferritin were higher in Group 2 at the end of second month. Two babies had respiratory distress and twelve neonates received phototherapy in Group 2 whereas only five neonates received phototherapy in Group 1. Term babies to whom delayed cord clamping was performed had improved hematological parameters at the end of second month. Therefore, delaying cord clamping in these babies may be a favorible approach in preventing anemia.

Neuroprotective effects of silymarin on ischemia-induced delayed neuronal cell death in rat hippocampus.

PubMed

Hirayama, Koki; Oshima, Hideki; Yamashita, Akiko; Sakatani, Kaoru; Yoshino, Atsuo; Katayama, Yoichi

2016-09-01

We examined the effects of silymarin, which was extracted from Silybum marianum, on delayed neuronal cell death in the rat hippocampus. Rats were divided into four groups: sham-operated rats (sham group), rats which underwent ischemic surgery (control group), rats which were treated with silymarin before and after ischemic surgery (pre group), and rats which were treated with silymarin after ischemic surgery only (post group). We performed the ischemic surgery by occluding the bilateral carotid arteries for 20min and sacrificed the rats one week after the surgery. Silymarin was administered orally at 200mg/kg body weight. Smaller numbers of delayed cell deaths were noted in the rat CA1 region of the pre- and post-groups, and no significant difference was observed between these groups. There were few apoptotic cell deaths in all groups. Compared to the control group, significantly fewer cell deaths by autophagy were found in the pre- and post-group. We concluded that silymarin exerts a preservation effect on delayed neuronal cell death in the rat hippocampus and this effect has nothing to do with the timing of administering of silymarin. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial correlates of immediate versus delayed reconstruction of the breast.

PubMed

Wellisch, D K; Schain, W S; Noone, R B; Little, J W

1985-11-01

Two groups of consecutive patients from two different plastic surgical practice populations were evaluated to determine psychosocial differences between those who underwent immediate (n = 25) versus delayed (n = 38) breast reconstruction. Psychological assessment consisted of a standardized symptom inventory (BSI) and a specially designed self-report questionnaire investigating reactions unique to mastectomy and reconstruction. Both groups were extremely equivalent with regard to sociodemographic data, with the typical subject being a well-educated and employed Caucasian wife. Verbal reports of physical complaints revealed no significant differences between the two groups except for difficulty with arm movement, which was statistically higher for the immediate group (p = 0.006.). This difference most likely was due to the axillary dissection being performed simultaneously at the time of reconstruction. The relationship between timing of reconstruction and self-reported distress over the mastectomy experience revealed that only 25 percent of the women who underwent immediate repair reported "high distress" in recalling their mastectomy surgery compared with 60 percent of the delayed reconstruction group (p = 0.02). In reference to the two scales measuring psychological symptoms, a general trend was present, with the delayed group scoring higher (although not statistically significantly) on 9 of our 12 scales. Ninety-six percent of the immediate group and 89 percent of the delayed group reported satisfaction with results.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effect of healing time on bone-implant contact of orthodontic micro-implants: a histologic study.

PubMed

Ramazanzadeh, Barat Ali; Fatemi, Kazem; Dehghani, Mahboobe; Mohtasham, Nooshin; Jahanbin, Arezoo; Sadeghian, Hamed

2014-01-01

Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of immediate and delayed loading of orthodontic micro-implants on bone-implant contact. Materials and Methods. Sixty four micro-implants were implanted in dog's jaw bone. The micro-implants were divided into loaded and unloaded (control) groups. The control group had two subgroups: four and eight weeks being implanted. The loaded group had two subgroups of immediate loading and delayed (after four weeks healing) loading. Loaded samples were subjected to 200g load for four weeks. After sacrificing the animals micro-implants and surrounding tissues were observed histologically. Bone-implant contact ratios (BIC) were calculated and different groups' results were compared by three-way ANOVA. Results. Mean survival rate was 96.7% in general. Survival rates were 96.7%, 94.4% and 100% for control, immediate and delayed loaded groups, respectively. BIC values were not significantly different in loaded and control groups, immediate and delayed loading groups, and pressure and tension sides. Mandibular micro-implants had significantly higher BIC than maxillary ones in immediate loading, 4-weeks control, and 8-weeks control groups (P = 0.021, P = 0.009, P = 0.003, resp.). Conclusion Immediate or delayed loading of micro-implants in dog did not cause significant difference in Bone-implant contact which could be concluded that healing time had not significant effect on micro-implant stability.

Effect of Healing Time on Bone-Implant Contact of Orthodontic Micro-Implants: A Histologic Study

PubMed Central

Ramazanzadeh, Barat Ali; Fatemi, Kazem; Dehghani, Mahboobe; Mohtasham, Nooshin; Jahanbin, Arezoo; Sadeghian, Hamed

2014-01-01

Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of immediate and delayed loading of orthodontic micro-implants on bone-implant contact. Materials and Methods. Sixty four micro-implants were implanted in dog's jaw bone. The micro-implants were divided into loaded and unloaded (control) groups. The control group had two subgroups: four and eight weeks being implanted. The loaded group had two subgroups of immediate loading and delayed (after four weeks healing) loading. Loaded samples were subjected to 200g load for four weeks. After sacrificing the animals micro-implants and surrounding tissues were observed histologically. Bone-implant contact ratios (BIC) were calculated and different groups' results were compared by three-way ANOVA. Results. Mean survival rate was 96.7% in general. Survival rates were 96.7%, 94.4% and 100% for control, immediate and delayed loaded groups, respectively. BIC values were not significantly different in loaded and control groups, immediate and delayed loading groups, and pressure and tension sides. Mandibular micro-implants had significantly higher BIC than maxillary ones in immediate loading, 4-weeks control, and 8-weeks control groups (P = 0.021, P = 0.009, P = 0.003, resp.). Conclusion Immediate or delayed loading of micro-implants in dog did not cause significant difference in Bone-implant contact which could be concluded that healing time had not significant effect on micro-implant stability. PMID:25006463

Feedback enhances the positive effects and reduces the negative effects of multiple-choice testing.

PubMed

Butler, Andrew C; Roediger, Henry L

2008-04-01

Multiple-choice tests are used frequently in higher education without much consideration of the impact this form of assessment has on learning. Multiple-choice testing enhances retention of the material tested (the testing effect); however, unlike other tests, multiple-choice can also be detrimental because it exposes students to misinformation in the form of lures. The selection of lures can lead students to acquire false knowledge (Roediger & Marsh, 2005). The present research investigated whether feedback could be used to boost the positive effects and reduce the negative effects of multiple-choice testing. Subjects studied passages and then received a multiple-choice test with immediate feedback, delayed feedback, or no feedback. In comparison with the no-feedback condition, both immediate and delayed feedback increased the proportion of correct responses and reduced the proportion of intrusions (i.e., lure responses from the initial multiple-choice test) on a delayed cued recall test. Educators should provide feedback when using multiple-choice tests.

Effects of nisin on growth of bacteria attached to meat.

PubMed Central

Chung, K T; Dickson, J S; Crouse, J D

1989-01-01

Nisin had an inhibitory effect on gram-positive bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus lactis) but did not have an inhibitory effect on gram-negative bacteria (Serratia marcescens, Salmonella typhimurium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) attached to meat. Nisin delayed bacterial growth on meats which were artificially inoculated with L. monocytogenes or Staphylococcus aureus for at least 1 day at room temperature. If the incubation temperature was 5 degrees C, growth of L. monocytogenes was delayed for more than 2 weeks, and growth of Staphylococcus aureus did not occur. We also found that the extractable activity of nisin decreased rapidly when the meats were incubated at ambient temperatures and that this decrease was inversely related to the observed inhibitory effect. These findings disclosed that nisin delays the growth of some gram-positive bacteria attached to meat. However, nisin alone may not be sufficient to prevent meat spoilage because of the presence of gram-negative and other nisin-resistant gram-positive bacteria. PMID:2764559

Pharmacology for the treatment of premature ejaculation.

PubMed

Giuliano, François; Clèment, Pierre

2012-07-01

Male sexual response comprises four phases: excitement, including erection; plateau; ejaculation, usually accompanied by orgasm; and resolution. Ejaculation is a complex sexual response involving a sequential process consisting of two phases: emission and expulsion. Ejaculation, which is basically a spinal reflex, requires a tight coordination between sympathetic, parasympathetic, and somatic efferent pathways originating from different segments and area in the spinal cord and innervating pelvi-perineal anatomical structures. A major relaying and synchronizing role is played by a group of lumbar neurons described as the spinal generator of ejaculation. Excitatory and inhibitory influences from sensory genital and cerebral stimuli are integrated and processed in the spinal cord. Premature ejaculation (PE) can be defined by ≤1-min ejaculatory latency, an inability to delay ejaculation, and negative personal consequences. Because there is no physiological impairment in PE, any pharmacological agent with central or peripheral mechanism of action that is delaying the ejaculation is a drug candidate for the treatment of PE. Ejaculation is centrally mediated by a variety of neurotransmitter systems, involving especially serotonin and serotonergic pathways but also dopaminergic and oxytocinergic systems. Pharmacological delay of ejaculation can be achieved either by inhibiting excitatory or reinforcing inhibitory pathways from the brain or the periphery to the spinal cord. PE can be treated with long-term use of selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or tricyclic antidepressants. Dapoxetine, a short-acting SSRI, is the first treatment registered for the on-demand treatment of PE. Anesthetics applied on the glans penis have the ability to lengthen the time to ejaculation. Targeting oxytocinergic, neurokinin-1, dopaminergic, and opioid receptors represent future avenues to delaying ejaculation.

Low density lipoprotein delays clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein by human subcutaneous adipose tissue

PubMed Central

Bissonnette, Simon; Salem, Huda; Wassef, Hanny; Saint-Pierre, Nathalie; Tardif, Annie; Baass, Alexis; Dufour, Robert; Faraj, May

2013-01-01

Delayed clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (TRL) by white adipose tissue (WAT) promotes hypertriglyceridemia and elevated apoB-lipoproteins, which are primarily in the form of LDL. This study examines whether LDL promotes delayed clearance of TRL by WAT. Following the ingestion of a 13C-triolein-labeled high-fat meal, obese women with high plasma apoB (> median 0.93 g/l, N = 11, > 98% as IDL/LDL) had delayed clearance of postprandial 13C-triglyceride and 13C-NEFA over 6 h compared with controls. AUC6 h of plasma 13C-triglyceride and 13C-NEFA correlated with plasma apoB but not with LDL diameter or adipocyte area. There was no group difference in 13C-triolein oxidation rate, which suggests lower 13C-NEFA storage in peripheral tissue in women with high apoB. Ex vivo/in vitro plasma apoB correlated negatively with WAT 3H-lipid following a 4 h incubation of women's WAT with synthetic 3H-triolein-TRL. LDL-differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes had lower 3H-TRL hydrolysis and 3H-NEFA storage. Treatment of women's WAT with their own LDL decreased 3H-TRL hydrolysis and 3H-NEFA uptake. Finally, LDL, although not an LPL substrate, reduced LPL-mediated 3H-TRL hydrolysis as did VLDL and HDL. Exposure to LDL decreases TRL clearance by human WAT ex vivo. This may promote production of apoB-lipoproteins and hypertriglyceridemia through a positive-feedback mechanism in vivo. PMID:23417739

Exposure to Enriched Environment Decreases Neurobehavioral Deficits Induced by Neonatal Glutamate Toxicity

PubMed Central

Horvath, Gabor; Reglodi, Dora; Vadasz, Gyongyver; Farkas, Jozsef; Kiss, Peter

2013-01-01

Environmental enrichment is a popular strategy to enhance motor and cognitive performance and to counteract the effects of various harmful stimuli. The protective effects of enriched environment have been shown in traumatic, ischemic and toxic nervous system lesions. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a commonly used taste enhancer causing excitotoxic effects when given in newborn animals. We have previously demonstrated that MSG leads to a delay in neurobehavioral development, as shown by the delayed appearance of neurological reflexes and maturation of motor coordination. In the present study we aimed at investigating whether environmental enrichment is able to decrease the neurobehavioral delay caused by neonatal MSG treatment. Newborn pups were treated with MSG subcutaneously on postnatal days 1, 5 and 9. For environmental enrichment, we placed rats in larger cages, supplemented with different toys that were altered daily. Normal control and enriched control rats received saline treatment only. Physical parameters such as weight, day of eye opening, incisor eruption and ear unfolding were recorded. Animals were observed for appearance of reflexes such as negative geotaxis, righting reflexes, fore- and hindlimb grasp, fore- and hindlimb placing, sensory reflexes and gait. In cases of negative geotaxis, surface righting and gait, the time to perform the reflex was also recorded daily. For examining motor coordination, we performed grid walking, footfault, rope suspension, rota-rod, inclined board and walk initiation tests. We found that enriched environment alone did not lead to marked alterations in the course of development. On the other hand, MSG treatment caused a slight delay in reflex development and a pronounced delay in weight gain and motor coordination maturation. This delay in most signs and tests could be reversed by enriched environment: MSG-treated pups kept under enriched conditions showed no weight retardation, no reflex delay in some signs and performed better in most coordination tests. These results show that environmental enrichment is able to decrease the neurobehavioral delay caused by neonatal excitotoxicity. PMID:24065102

Lights … action: Comparison of trauma films for use in the trauma film paradigm.

PubMed

Arnaudova, Inna; Hagenaars, Muriel A

2017-06-01

Affective films are often used in emotion research and negative films are frequently used as an analogue for trauma (trauma film paradigm). However, different films are used with possibly distinct consequences. We aimed to investigate specific effects of four negative films covering distinct themes (physical, sexual, traffic and food), and tested neutral and positive films with matching content. Self-reported emotional responses and heart rate during the films were examined (immediate responses) as well as intrusions of the films in the subsequent week (delayed responses). Within each theme, negative films were rated as more unpleasant than the positive and neutral counterparts. They also evoked more negative emotions and more intrusive memories. Across themes, the four negative films did not differ in terms of valence and arousal, but clearly differed on immediate (e.g., disgust, embarrassment, heart rate) and delayed (intrusions) effects. Thus, we urge researchers to carefully select negative films for their studies, as different films seem to evoke distinct emotional responses. In addition, using positive films within the same themes is recommended in order to control for effects of arousal. In general, the specific film material should be considered when comparing effects across studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding stigma as a barrier to accessing cancer treatment in South Africa: implications for public health campaigns

PubMed Central

Blasco, Drew; He, Emily; Huang, Debbie; Schear, Rebekkah; McGoldrick, Devon; Link, Bruce; Yang, Lawrence Hsin

2018-01-01

Introduction Cancer contributes to significant illness burden in South Africa, with delayed diagnosis resulting from limited knowledge of cancer, lack of biomedical treatment and stigma. This study examines ways in which people are identified as having cancer through perspectives of traditional healing or the biomedical model. Additionally, we sought to understand the stigma associated with cancer, including stereotypes, anticipated discrimination and coping styles. Methods Livestrong Foundation conducted 11 semi-structured focus groups with key community stakeholders in three South African townships. Interviews examined the negative consequences of being labeled with a cancer diagnosis as well as causes of, possible prevention of and barriers and methods to improve access to cancer treatment. Analyses were completed using directed content analysis. Results Revealed three main labeling mechanisms: physical appearance of perceived signs/symptoms of cancer, diagnosis by a traditional healer, or a biomedical diagnosis by a Western physician. Being labeled led to anticipated discrimination in response to prevalent cancer stereotypes. This contributed to delayed treatment, use of traditional healers instead of biomedical treatment and secrecy of symptoms and/or diagnosis. Further, perceptions of cancer were commonly conflated with HIV/TB owing to prior educational campaigns. Conclusion Our study deepens the understanding of the cancer labeling process in South Africa and the resulting negative effects of stigma. Future anti-stigma interventions should partner with traditional healers due to their respected community status and consider how previous health interventions may significantly impact current understandings of illness. PMID:29875954

Influence of stimulant medication and response speed on lateralization of movement-related potentials in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Bender, Stephan; Resch, Franz; Klein, Christoph; Renner, Tobias; Fallgatter, Andreas J; Weisbrod, Matthias; Romanos, Marcel

2012-01-01

Hyperactivity is one of the core symptoms in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, it remains unclear in which way the motor system itself and its development are affected by the disorder. Movement-related potentials (MRP) can separate different stages of movement execution, from the programming of a movement to motor post-processing and memory traces. Pre-movement MRP are absent or positive during early childhood and display a developmental increase of negativity. We examined the influences of response-speed, an indicator of the level of attention, and stimulant medication on lateralized MRP in 16 children with combined type ADHD compared to 20 matched healthy controls. We detected a significantly diminished lateralisation of MRP over the pre-motor and primary motor cortex during movement execution (initial motor potential peak, iMP) in patients with ADHD. Fast reactions (indicating increased visuo-motor attention) led to increased lateralized negativity during movement execution only in healthy controls, while in children with ADHD faster reaction times were associated with more positive amplitudes. Even though stimulant medication had some effect on attenuating group differences in lateralized MRP, this effect was insufficient to normalize lateralized iMP amplitudes. A reduced focal (lateralized) motor cortex activation during the command to muscle contraction points towards an immature motor system and a maturation delay of the (pre-) motor cortex in children with ADHD. A delayed maturation of the neuronal circuitry, which involves primary motor cortex, may contribute to ADHD pathophysiology.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy in treatment of delayed bone-tendon healing.

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Qin, Ling; Lu, Hong-bin; Cheung, Wing-hoi; Yang, Hu; Wong, Wan-nar; Chan, Kai-ming; Leung, Kwok-sui

2008-02-01

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is indicated for treatment of chronic injuries of soft tissues and delayed fracture healing and nonunion. No investigation has been conducted to study the effect of shock wave on delayed healing at the bone-tendon junction. Shock wave promotes osteogenesis, regeneration of fibrocartilage zone, and remodeling of healing tissue in delayed healing of bone-tendon junction surgical repair. Controlled laboratory study. Twenty-eight mature rabbits were used for establishing a delayed healing model at the patella-patellar tendon complex after partial patellectomy and then divided into control and shock wave groups. In the shock wave group, a single shock wave treatment was given at week 6 postoperatively to the patella-patellar tendon healing complex. Seven samples were harvested at week 8 and 7 samples at week 12 for radiologic, densitometric, histologic, and mechanical evaluations. Radiographic measurements showed 293.4% and 185.8% more new bone formation at the patella-patellar tendon healing junction in the shock wave group at weeks 8 and 12, respectively. Significantly better bone mineral status was found in the week 12 shock wave group. Histologically, the shock wave group showed more advanced remodeling in terms of better alignment of collagen fibers and thicker and more mature regenerated fibrocartilage zone at both weeks 8 and 12. Mechanical testing showed 167.7% and 145.1% higher tensile load and strength in the shock wave group at week 8 and week 12, respectively, compared with controls. Extracorporeal shock wave promotes osteogenesis, regeneration of fibrocartilage zone, and remodeling in the delayed bone-to-tendon healing junction in rabbits. These results provide a foundation for future clinical studies toward establishment of clinical indication for treatment of delayed bone-to-tendon junction healing.

The effect of Amifostine (Ethyol) on intestinal anastomosis in rats with radiation enteritis.

PubMed

Ozdemir, C S; Burgazli, K M; Beken-Ozdemir, E; Akdere, H; Mericliler, M; Ozcelik, M F

2013-05-01

Preoperative radiotherapy in colorectal cancers is being used as an adjuvant therapy with increasing frequency. Postoperative complications in early and late periods in various ratios are reported. It has also been shown that radiation has a delaying effect on wound healing and this effect is dose-dependent. This study investigated the effects of the Amifostine on healing of the irradiated colonic anastomosis. 30 female Wistar rats were divided randomly into three groups equally (n=10). Colonic anastomosis were performed to all rats. Group I served as a control. 800 rad abdominopelvic irradiation on the 5th day of preoperation was given to group II and III. Rats in the group III, prior to radiation, were given Amifostine at a dose of 200 mg/kg. On the 5th postoperative day all the rats were sacrificed and the healing of anastomosis was measured with bursting pressure, hydroxyproline levels and histopathological evaluations. Statistical analyses were expressed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and p < 0.05 was regarded as significant. In group II, all parameters were found lower compared with control group and Amifostine+Radiation group. As compared with hydroxyproline values and the anastomotic wound healing scores, except group II, no significantly difference were determined between the two other groups. In bursting pressure levels, Group I and III were higher than group II, but not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In group III (Amifostine+Radiation group), the hydroxyproline levels and anastomotic wound healing scores were found significantly higher than group II (p < 0.05), and no significant difference were found between the control group. It is determined that radiation given on the 5th preoperative day has a negative effect on anastomotic wound healing and administered Amifostine prevent this negative effect. In the light of these data, the Amifostine may have a positive effect on preoperative irradiated colonic anastomosis and may play an important role in future on the supporting of the colonic anastomosis.

Objective measures of sleep and dim light melatonin onset in adolescents and young adults with delayed sleep phase disorder compared to healthy controls.

PubMed

Saxvig, Ingvild W; Wilhelmsen-Langeland, Ane; Pallesen, Ståle; Vedaa, Oystein; Nordhus, Inger H; Sørensen, Eli; Bjorvatn, Bjørn

2013-08-01

Delayed sleep phase disorder is characterized by a delay in the timing of the major sleep period relative to conventional norms. The sleep period itself has traditionally been described as normal. Nevertheless, it is possible that sleep regulatory mechanism disturbances associated with the disorder may affect sleep duration and/or architecture. Polysomnographic data that may shed light on the issue are scarce. Hence, the aim of this study was to examine polysomnographic measures of sleep in adolescents and young adults with delayed sleep phase disorder, and to compare findings to that of healthy controls. A second aim was to estimate dim light melatonin onset as a marker of circadian rhythm and to investigate the phase angle relationship (time interval) between dim light melatonin onset and the sleep period. Data from 54 adolescents and young adults were analysed, 35 diagnosed with delayed sleep phase disorder and 19 healthy controls. Results show delayed timing of sleep in participants with delayed sleep phase disorder, but once sleep was initiated no group differences in sleep parameters were observed. Dim light melatonin onset was delayed in participants with delayed sleep phase disorder, but no difference in phase angle was observed between the groups. In conclusion, both sleep and dim light melatonin onset were delayed in participants with delayed sleep phase disorder. The sleep period appeared to occur at the same circadian phase in both groups, and once sleep was initiated no differences in sleep parameters were observed. © 2013 European Sleep Research Society.

The role of impulsivity traits and delayed reward discounting in dysregulated eating and drinking among heavy drinkers

PubMed Central

Stojek, Monika M.; Fischer, Sarah; Murphy, Cara M.; MacKillop, James

2016-01-01

Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct that has been linked to dysregulated eating and problematic alcohol use. The UPPS model identifies five personality-based impulsivity traits that have unique predictive utility: Negative Urgency, Perseverance, Premeditation, Sensation Seeking, and Positive Urgency. Delayed reward discounting (DRD) is an index of impulsive decision making characterized by preference for smaller immediate gains at the cost of larger delayed gains. In the current study, we sought to refine the influence of impulsive personality traits and DRD on disordered eating patterns and problematic drinking. One hundred and eight treatment-seeking heavy drinkers were assessed for UPPS impulsivity traits, DRD, disordered eating, alcohol use, and demographic information. With regard to disordered eating patterns, DRD predicted higher levels of Dietary Restraint and Weight and Shape Concerns. Negative Urgency predicted binge eating and Weight and Shape Concerns. Positive Urgency predicted Eating Concerns. Female sex predicted Eating, Weight, and Shape Concerns. When considering problematic alcohol use, only Negative Urgency and Sensation Seeking were predictive. This is the first study to examine both personality-based impulsivity and DRD in relation to pathological eating and drinking behavior. The results suggest the importance of disentangling the contributions of various impulsivity constructs on dysregulated eating. PMID:24816318

Never Say No … How the Brain Interprets the Pregnant Pause in Conversation

PubMed Central

Bögels, Sara; Kendrick, Kobin H.; Levinson, Stephen C.

2015-01-01

In conversation, negative responses to invitations, requests, offers, and the like are more likely to occur with a delay–conversation analysts talk of them as dispreferred. Here we examine the contrastive cognitive load ‘yes’ and ‘no’ responses make, either when relatively fast (300 ms after question offset) or delayed (1000 ms). Participants heard short dialogues contrasting in speed and valence of response while having their EEG recorded. We found that a fast ‘no’ evokes an N400-effect relative to a fast ‘yes’; however, this contrast disappeared in the delayed responses. 'No' responses, however, elicited a late frontal positivity both if they were fast and if they were delayed. We interpret these results as follows: a fast ‘no’ evoked an N400 because an immediate response is expected to be positive–this effect disappears as the response time lengthens because now in ordinary conversation the probability of a ‘no’ has increased. However, regardless of the latency of response, a ‘no’ response is associated with a late positivity, since a negative response is always dispreferred. Together these results show that negative responses to social actions exact a higher cognitive load, but especially when least expected, in immediate response. PMID:26699335

The role of impulsivity traits and delayed reward discounting in dysregulated eating and drinking among heavy drinkers.

PubMed

Stojek, Monika M; Fischer, Sarah; Murphy, Cara M; MacKillop, James

2014-09-01

Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct that has been linked to dysregulated eating and problematic alcohol use. The UPPS model identifies five personality-based impulsivity traits that have unique predictive utility: Negative Urgency, Perseverance, Premeditation, Sensation Seeking, and Positive Urgency. Delayed reward discounting (DRD) is an index of impulsive decision making characterized by preference for smaller immediate gains at the cost of larger delayed gains. In the current study, we sought to refine the influence of impulsive personality traits and DRD on disordered eating patterns and problematic drinking. One hundred and eight treatment-seeking heavy drinkers were assessed for UPPS impulsivity traits, DRD, disordered eating, alcohol use, and demographic information. With regard to disordered eating patterns, DRD predicted higher levels of Dietary Restraint and Weight and Shape Concerns. Negative Urgency predicted binge eating and Weight and Shape Concerns. Positive Urgency predicted Eating Concerns. Female sex predicted Eating, Weight, and Shape Concerns. When considering problematic alcohol use, only Negative Urgency and Sensation Seeking were predictive. This is the first study to examine both personality-based impulsivity and DRD in relation to pathological eating and drinking behavior. The results suggest the importance of disentangling the contributions of various impulsivity constructs on dysregulated eating. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Periodic, Quasi-periodic and Chaotic Dynamics in Simple Gene Elements with Time Delays

PubMed Central

Suzuki, Yoko; Lu, Mingyang; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Onuchic, José N.

2016-01-01

Regulatory gene circuit motifs play crucial roles in performing and maintaining vital cellular functions. Frequently, theoretical studies of gene circuits focus on steady-state behaviors and do not include time delays. In this study, the inclusion of time delays is shown to entirely change the time-dependent dynamics for even the simplest possible circuits with one and two gene elements with self and cross regulations. These elements can give rise to rich behaviors including periodic, quasi-periodic, weak chaotic, strong chaotic and intermittent dynamics. We introduce a special power-spectrum-based method to characterize and discriminate these dynamical modes quantitatively. Our simulation results suggest that, while a single negative feedback loop of either one- or two-gene element can only have periodic dynamics, the elements with two positive/negative feedback loops are the minimalist elements to have chaotic dynamics. These elements typically have one negative feedback loop that generates oscillations, and another unit that allows frequent switches among multiple steady states or between oscillatory and non-oscillatory dynamics. Possible dynamical features of several simple one- and two-gene elements are presented in details. Discussion is presented for possible roles of the chaotic behavior in the robustness of cellular functions and diseases, for example, in the context of cancer. PMID:26876008

Periodic, Quasi-periodic and Chaotic Dynamics in Simple Gene Elements with Time Delays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Yoko; Lu, Mingyang; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Onuchic, José N.

2016-02-01

Regulatory gene circuit motifs play crucial roles in performing and maintaining vital cellular functions. Frequently, theoretical studies of gene circuits focus on steady-state behaviors and do not include time delays. In this study, the inclusion of time delays is shown to entirely change the time-dependent dynamics for even the simplest possible circuits with one and two gene elements with self and cross regulations. These elements can give rise to rich behaviors including periodic, quasi-periodic, weak chaotic, strong chaotic and intermittent dynamics. We introduce a special power-spectrum-based method to characterize and discriminate these dynamical modes quantitatively. Our simulation results suggest that, while a single negative feedback loop of either one- or two-gene element can only have periodic dynamics, the elements with two positive/negative feedback loops are the minimalist elements to have chaotic dynamics. These elements typically have one negative feedback loop that generates oscillations, and another unit that allows frequent switches among multiple steady states or between oscillatory and non-oscillatory dynamics. Possible dynamical features of several simple one- and two-gene elements are presented in details. Discussion is presented for possible roles of the chaotic behavior in the robustness of cellular functions and diseases, for example, in the context of cancer.

Subjective value of risky foods for individual domestic chicks: a hierarchical Bayesian model.

PubMed

Kawamori, Ai; Matsushima, Toshiya

2010-05-01

For animals to decide which prey to attack, the gain and delay of the food item must be integrated in a value function. However, the subjective value is not obtained by expected profitability when it is accompanied by risk. To estimate the subjective value, we examined choices in a cross-shaped maze with two colored feeders in domestic chicks. When tested by a reversal in food amount or delay, chicks changed choices similarly in both conditions (experiment 1). We therefore examined risk sensitivity for amount and delay (experiment 2) by supplying one feeder with food of fixed profitability and the alternative feeder with high- or low-profitability food at equal probability. Profitability varied in amount (groups 1 and 2 at high and low variance) or in delay (group 3). To find the equilibrium, the amount (groups 1 and 2) or delay (group 3) of the food in the fixed feeder was adjusted in a total of 18 blocks. The Markov chain Monte Carlo method was applied to a hierarchical Bayesian model to estimate the subjective value. Chicks undervalued the variable feeder in group 1 and were indifferent in group 2 but overvalued the variable feeder in group 3 at a population level. Re-examination without the titration procedure (experiment 3) suggested that the subjective value was not absolute for each option. When the delay was varied, the variable option was often given a paradoxically high value depending on fixed alternative. Therefore, the basic assumption of the uniquely determined value function might be questioned.

Evaluation of takayasu arteritis with delayed contrast-enhanced MR imaging by a free-breathing 3D IR turbo FLASH.

PubMed

Liu, Min; Liu, Weifang; Li, Haoyuan; Shu, Xiaoming; Tao, Xincao; Zhai, Zhenguo

2017-12-01

The primary aim of our case-control study was to observe delayed contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA) in comparison with magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Twenty-seven patients including 15 with active TA and 12 with stable TA who underwent both aortic MRA and DCE-MRI were included. A total of 27 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled as the control group. MRA were obtained with T1WI-volume-interpolated breath-hold examination sequence or fast low-angle shot (FLASH) sequence. DCE-MRI was acquired with a free-breathing three-dimensional inversion recovery Turbo fast low-angle shot (3D IR Turbo FLASH). Neither stenosis nor delayed enhancement of arterial wall was shown in the control group. In patients with stable TA, arterial stenosis was observed on MRA. On DCE-MR, delayed enhancement of arterial walls could be observed in the active TA group but not in the stable TA group or the control group. Stenotic arteries on MRA were comparable in the active TA and stable TA (χ = 2.70, P = .259); however, delayed enhancement of arterial walls in the active-TA group were more than those in the stable group (χ = 27.00, P < .001). Our results suggest that DCE-MRI with the free-breathing 3D IR Turbo FLASH sequence could assess TA and delayed enhancement on DCE-MRI is one characteristics of the active TA. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

The dopamine antagonist cis-flupenthixol blocks the expression of the conditioned positive but not the negative effects of cocaine in rats

PubMed Central

Wenzel, Jennifer M.; Su, Zu-In; Shelton, Kerisa; Dominguez, Hiram M.; von Furstenberg, Victoria A.; Ettenberg, Aaron

2013-01-01

Human cocaine users report that the initial “high” produced by cocaine administration is followed by an anxiogenic “crash”. Given that cocaine has such robust and opposing properties, it is likely that both the positive and negative effects of cocaine contribute to an individual’s motivation to administer the drug. Despite this likelihood, the neurobiology underlying cocaine’s dual processes remains unclear. While much literature supports a role for dopamine (DA) in cocaine reward, it is uncertain if DA also contributes to the drug’s negative effects. Our laboratory has extensively utilized a modified conditioned place test to explore cocaine’s opponent processes. In this paradigm rats develop conditioned place preferences (CPPs) for an environment paired with the immediate/positive effects of cocaine, and conditioned place aversions (CPAs) for an environment paired with the delayed/negative effects present 15-min after i.v. injection. In the current study rats were conditioned to associate an environment with either the immediate or delayed effects of i.v. cocaine (1 mg/kg/0.1 ml) three hours after i.p. pre-treatment with either the DA D1/D2 receptor antagonist cis-flupenthixol (0.5 mg/kg/ml) or saline vehicle. As expected, vehicle-treated control animals developed the normal pattern of CPPs for cocaine’s immediate effects or CPAs for the delayed effects of cocaine. However, while DA receptor antagonism prevented the expression of cocaine CPPs it did not alter the expression of cocaine-induced CPAs. These data confirm a role for DA transmission in cocaine reward but suggest that different neural pathways mediate the drug’s negative/anxiogenic properties. PMID:24012795

The reality of cancer treatment in a developing country: the effects of delayed TKI treatment on survival, cytogenetic and molecular responses in chronic myeloid leukaemia patients.

PubMed

Kurtovic-Kozaric, Amina; Hasic, Azra; Radich, Jerald P; Bijedic, Vildan; Nefic, Hilada; Eminovic, Izet; Kurtovic, Sabira; Colakovic, Ferida; Kozaric, Mirza; Vranic, Semir; Bovan, Nada S

2016-02-01

Cancer patients in developing and low-income countries have limited access to target therapies. For example, tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy for chronic myeloid leukaemia patients (CML) is often delayed. In Bosnia, 16% of patients received immediate TKI treatment (<3 months of diagnosis), while 66% of patients received therapy after a median 14-month wait period. To assess the effect of delayed treatment on outcome, three patient groups were studied according to the time they received TKI treatment (0-5 months, 6-12 months and >13 months delay). The primary endpoints were complete cytogenetic (CCyR) and major molecular response (MMR) at 12 months. At 12 months of therapy, CCyR and MMR rates on imatinib decreased significantly: CCyR was achieved in 67% of patients in the immediate imatinib treatment group, 18% of patients in 6-12 months group and 15% of patients in >13 months wait group. MMR rates at 12 months occurred in 10% of patients with immediate treatment, 6% of those in 6-12 months group and 0% of patients in >13 months wait group. However, CCyR and MMR rates in patients on nilotinib were not associated with duration of treatment delay. Our data suggests that the deleterious effect of a prolonged TKI therapy delay may be ameliorated by the more active TKI nilotinib. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cognitive-behavioural treatment for women who binge eat.

PubMed

Shelley-Ummenhofer, Jill; MacMillan, Peter D

2007-01-01

A dietitian-administered, shortened form of the Apple and Agras cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) method was evaluated in a group setting to determine its effect on improving obese women's self-esteem and reducing binge-eating behaviours, depression, and negative body image. Participants were recruited through newspaper and radio advertisements. Respondents who met study selection criteria were randomly assigned to either a CBT group (n=13) or a delayed group (D-CBT) (n=9). The treatment was administered over six weekly sessions to the CBT group, and then twice weekly over three weeks to the D-CBT group. Two measures of bingeing behaviour (severity and frequency), three measures of mood (depression, body image, and self-esteem), and body weight were assessed. The intervention did not result in any changes in body weight. There were statistically significant and clinically important changes after treatment (p<0.05) for all five measures. Binge-eating severity and frequency decreased, depression decreased, body image improved, and self-esteem improved. All changes were greater in the six-week treatment group. The dietitian-administered, group setting CBT program is effective for reducing binge eating and improving emotional state in obese women.

Appropriate use of CT perfusion following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a Bayesian analysis approach.

PubMed

Killeen, R P; Gupta, A; Delaney, H; Johnson, C E; Tsiouris, A J; Comunale, J; Fink, M E; Mangat, H S; Segal, A Z; Mushlin, A I; Sanelli, P C

2014-03-01

In recent years CTP has been used as a complementary diagnostic tool in the evaluation of delayed cerebral ischemia and vasospasm. Our aim was to determine the test characteristics of CTP for detecting delayed cerebral ischemia and vasospasm in SAH, and then to apply Bayesian analysis to identify subgroups for its appropriate use. Our retrospective cohort comprised consecutive patients with SAH and CTP performed between days 6 and 8 following aneurysm rupture. Delayed cerebral ischemia was determined according to primary outcome measures of infarction and/or permanent neurologic deficits. Vasospasm was determined by using DSA. The test characteristics of CTP and its 95% CIs were calculated. Graphs of conditional probabilities were constructed by using Bayesian techniques. Local treatment thresholds (posttest probability of delayed cerebral ischemia needed to initiate induced hypertension, hypervolemia, and hemodilution or intra-arterial therapy) were determined via a survey of 6 independent neurologists. Ninety-seven patients with SAH were included in the study; 39% (38/97) developed delayed cerebral ischemia. Qualitative CTP deficits were seen in 49% (48/97), occurring in 84% (32/38) with delayed cerebral ischemia and 27% (16/59) without. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (95% CI) for CTP were 0.84 (0.73-0.96), 0.73 (0.62-0.84), 0.67 (0.51-0.79), and 0.88 (0.74-0.94), respectively. A subgroup of 57 patients underwent DSA; 63% (36/57) developed vasospasm. Qualitative CTP deficits were seen in 70% (40/57), occurring in 97% (35/36) with vasospasm and 23% (5/21) without. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values (95% CI) for CTP were 0.97 (0.92-1.0), 0.76 (0.58-0.94), 0.88 (0.72-0.95), and 0.94 (0.69-0.99), respectively. Treatment thresholds were determined as 30% for induced hypertension, hypervolemia, and hemodilution and 70% for intra-arterial therapy. Positive CTP findings identify patients who should be carefully considered for induced hypertension, hypervolemia, and hemodilution and/or intra-arterial therapy while negative CTP findings are useful in guiding a no-treatment decision.

Educating health care professionals on human trafficking.

PubMed

Grace, Aimee M; Lippert, Suzanne; Collins, Kristin; Pineda, Noelle; Tolani, Alisha; Walker, Rebecca; Jeong, Monica; Trounce, Milana Boukhman; Graham-Lamberts, Caroline; Bersamin, Melina; Martinez, Jeremy; Dotzler, Jennifer; Vanek, John; Storfer-Isser, Amy; Chamberlain, Lisa J; Horwitz, Sarah M

2014-12-01

The US Department of State estimates that there are between 4 and 27 million individuals worldwide in some form of modern slavery. Recent studies have demonstrated that 28% to 50% of trafficking victims in the United States encountered health care professionals while in captivity, but were not identified and recognized. This study aimed to determine whether an educational presentation increased emergency department (ED) providers' recognition of human trafficking (HT) victims and knowledge of resources to manage cases of HT. The 20 largest San Francisco Bay Area EDs were randomized into intervention (10 EDs) or delayed intervention comparison groups (10 EDs) to receive a standardized educational presentation containing the following: background about HT, relevance of HT to health care, clinical signs in potential victims, and referral options for potential victims. Participants in the delayed intervention group completed a pretest in the period the immediate intervention group received the educational presentation, and all participants were assessed immediately before (pretest) and after (posttest) the intervention. The intervention effect was tested by comparing the pre-post change in the intervention group to the change in 2 pretests in the delayed intervention group adjusted for the effect of clustering within EDs. The 4 primary outcomes were importance of knowledge of HT to the participant's profession (5-point Likert scale), self-rated knowledge of HT (5-point Likert scale), knowledge of who to call for potential HT victims (yes/no), and suspecting that a patient was a victim of HT (yes/no). There were 258 study participants from 14 EDs; 141 from 8 EDs in the intervention group and 117 from 7 EDs in the delayed intervention comparison group, of which 20 served as the delayed intervention comparison group. Participants in the intervention group reported greater increases in their level of knowledge about HT versus those in the delayed intervention comparison group (1.42 vs -0.15; adjusted difference = 1.57 [95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.12]; P < 0.001). Pretest ratings of the importance of knowledge about HT to the participant's profession were high in both groups and there was no intervention effect (0.31 vs 0.55; -0.24 [-0.90-0.42], P = 0.49). Knowing who to call for potential HT victims increased from 7.2% to 59% in the intervention group and was unchanged (15%) in the delayed intervention comparison group (61.4% [28.5%-94.4%]; P < 0.01). The proportion of participants who suspected their patient was a victim of HT increased from 17% to 38% in the intervention group and remained unchanged (10%) in the delayed intervention comparison group (20.9 [8.6%-33.1%]; P < 0.01). A brief educational intervention increased ED provider knowledge and self-reported recognition of HT victims.

The effectiveness of parent participation in occupational therapy for children with developmental delay

PubMed Central

Lin, Chien-Lin; Lin, Chin-Kai; Yu, Jia-Jhen

2018-01-01

Introduction This study aims to explore the impact of Parent Participation Program on the development of developmental delay children. Methods Pretest-posttest equivalent-group experimental design study was used in this paper. A total of 30 pairs of developmental delay children aged 0–72 months and their parents participated into this study. They were divided into two groups, namely control group and experimental group, according to parents’ wishes. The objects of study in control group received 16 courses of direct rehabilitation therapy; those in experimental group received 8 courses of direct rehabilitation therapy and 8 courses of instruction and tracking of Parent Participation Program. The duration of the intervention was 8 weeks. All cases should be evaluated before and after the intervention, to analyze the difference before and after intervention and among groups. The statistical methods in this paper included descriptive analysis, Chi-square test, independent sample t-test, pair-sample t-test. Results and conclusion The intervention of Parent Participation Occupational Program has positive impact on the development of developmental delay children in various fields. Among all the intervention results, the progress of the experimental group is 1.895 times more than that of the control group. With parent involvement, Parent Participation Occupational Therapy can promote the cognitive ability, language ability, action ability (gross and fine movement), social competence and self-care ability of children with developmental delay. Finally, the researcher presents suggestions and directions for future research in accordance with the results. PMID:29503546

Interaural delay sensitivity and the classification of low best-frequency binaural responses in the inferior colliculus of the guinea pig.

PubMed

McAlpine, D; Jiang, D; Palmer, A R

1996-08-01

Monaural and binaural response properties of single units in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the guinea pig were investigated. Neurones were classified according to the effect of monaural stimulation of either ear alone and the effect of binaural stimulation. The majority (309/334) of IC units were excited (E) by stimulation of the contralateral ear, of which 41% (127/309) were also excited by monaural ipsilateral stimulation (EE), and the remainder (182/309) were unresponsive to monaural ipsilateral stimulation (EO). For units with best frequencies (BF) up to 3 kHz, similar proportions of EE and EO units were observed. Above 3 kHz, however, significantly more EO than EE units were observed. Units were also classified as either facilitated (F), suppressed (S), or unaffected (O) by binaural stimulation. More EO than EE units were suppressed or unaffected by binaural stimulation, and more EE than EO units were facilitated. There were more EO/S units above 1.5 kHz than below. Binaural beats were used to examine the interaural delay sensitivity of low-BF (BF < 1.5 kHz) units. The distributions of preferred interaural phases and, by extension, interaural delays, resembled those seen in other species, and those obtained using static interaural delays in the IC of the guinea pig. Units with best phase (BP) angles closer to zero generally showed binaural facilitation, whilst those with larger BPs generally showed binaural suppression. The classification of units based upon binaural stimulation with BF tones was consistent with their interaural-delay sensitivity. Characteristic delays (CD) were examined for 96 low-BF units. A clear relationship between BF and CD was observed. CDs of units with very low BFs (< 200 Hz) were long and positive, becoming progressively shorter as BF increased until, for units with BFs between 400 and 800 Hz, the majority of CDs were negative. Above 800 Hz, both positive and negative CDs were observed. A relationship between CD and characteristic phase (CP) was also observed, with CPs increasing in value as CDs became more negative. These results demonstrate that binaural processing in the guinea pig at low frequencies is similar to that reported in all other species studied. However, the dependence of CD on BF would suggest that the delay line system that sets up the interaural-delay sensitivity in the lower brainstem varies across frequency as well as within each frequency band.

Immediate Extinction Attenuates Spontaneous Recovery and Reinstatement in a Passive Avoidance Paradigm.

PubMed

Briggs, James F; Fava, Devin A

2016-08-01

Recent research suggests that extinction occurring shortly after fear conditioning attenuates spontaneous recovery and reinstatement of fear. Two experiments investigated whether immediate extinction would prevent spontaneous recovery and reinstatement of fear using a passive avoidance paradigm. In Experiment 1, naive female adult rats (N = 40) received extinction training either immediately or 24 hours (delayed) after fear conditioning. Both extinction groups showed a significant reduction in fear at a 1-day test. At a 15-day test, spontaneous recovery was observed in the delayed extinction group while the immediate extinction group continued to show significant extinction. In Experiment 2, using a naive group of adult female rats (N = 16), the extinction result was replicated in both the immediate and delayed extinction groups at the 1-day interval. Reinstatement of fear, elicited by foot-shock in a neutral environment, was observed for the delayed group but not for the immediate group. By utilizing the passive-avoidance paradigm, these experiments replicate and extend previous findings that immediate extinction attenuates spontaneous recovery and reinstatement of fear. © The Author(s) 2016.

Seeing the forest through the trees: improving decision making on the Iowa gambling task by shifting focus from short- to long-term outcomes

PubMed Central

Buelow, Melissa T.; Okdie, Bradley M.; Blaine, Amber L.

2013-01-01

Introduction: The present study sought to examine two methods by which to improve decision making on the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT): inducing a negative mood and providing additional learning trials. Method: In the first study, 194 undergraduate students [74 male; Mage = 19.44 (SD = 3.69)] were randomly assigned to view a series of pictures to induce a positive, negative, or neutral mood immediately prior to the IGT. In the second study, 276 undergraduate students [111 male; Mage = 19.18 (SD = 2.58)] completed a delay discounting task and back-to-back administrations of the IGT. Results: Participants in an induced negative mood selected more from Deck C during the final trials than those in an induced positive mood. Providing additional learning trials resulted in better decision making: participants shifted their focus from the frequency of immediate gains/losses (i.e., a preference for Decks B and D) to long-term outcomes (i.e., a preference for Deck D). In addition, disadvantageous decision making on the additional learning trials was associated with larger delay discounting (i.e., a preference for more immediate but smaller rewards). Conclusions: The present results indicate that decision making is affected by negative mood state, and that decision making can be improved by increasing the number of learning trials. In addition, the current results provide evidence of a relationship between performance on the IGT and on a separate measure of decision making, the delay discounting task. Moreover, the present results indicate that improved decision making on the IGT can be attributed to shifting focus toward long-term outcomes, as evidenced by increased selections from advantageous decks as well as correlations between the IGT and delay discounting task. Implications for the assessment of decision making using the IGT are discussed. PMID:24151485

Phase and group delay of S-band megawatt Cassegrain diplexer and S-band megawatt transmit filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lay, R.

1977-01-01

The phase characteristics and group delay of the S-band Megawatt Cassegrain Diplexer (MCD) and S-band Megawatt Transmit Filter (MTF) are reported. These phase measurements on the MCD and MTF were done in response to the need to obtain the total DSS hardware ground delay required for very long baseline interferometry and ranging radio metric measurements.

Early Compared With Delayed Physician Rounds on Patient Satisfaction of Postpartum Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Roberts, Robyn P; Blackwell, Sean C; Brown, Kelly M; Pedroza, Claudia; Sibai, Baha M; Tyson, Jon E

2016-08-01

To investigate whether delayed timing of physician rounds improves patient satisfaction for postpartum women. Women were randomized to early (5-7 AM) or delayed (8-10 AM) physician rounding. Women with stillbirth, high-risk pregnancy, or complications precluding delayed rounding were excluded. At discharge, women completed a modified Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. The primary outcome was rating of the hospital. Secondary outcomes included patient assessment of patient-physician communication, various hospital experiences, and timing of maternal and neonatal discharge. We estimated that 74 women were needed to detect a 20% difference in rating of the hospital (0-10 score) between groups (assumption P=.05, power 90%). Given limited information on primary outcome, an a priori plan was in place to conduct the study for 2 months. One hundred fifty-two women were randomized (n=76 early rounding; n=76 delayed rounding). More women had a cesarean delivery in the early compared with the delayed rounding group (47.4% compared with 22.4%). Median rating of the hospital was higher in the delayed as compared with the early rounding group (9.0 [7.0-9.0] compared with 7.0 [6.0-8.0]; P<.01). Median scores regarding physician communication and perception of hospital experiences were higher in the delayed compared with the early group (8.0 [7.0-9.0] compared with 6.0 [5.0-7.0]; P<.001). Adjustment for delivery mode did not alter results (P<.01). No differences in timing of maternal (P=.47) or neonatal hospital discharge (P=.35) were observed. Postpartum women receiving delayed physician rounding were more satisfied with their hospital experience and patient-physician communication without prolonging maternal or neonatal discharge. ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02432573.

Detection and characterization of Budd-Chiari syndrome with inferior vena cava obstruction: Comparison of fixed and flexible delayed scan time of computed tomography venography.

PubMed

Zhou, Peng-Li; Wu, Gang; Han, Xin-Wei; Bi, Yong-Hua; Zhang, Wen-Guang; Wu, Zheng-Yang

2017-06-01

To compare the results of computed tomography venography (CTV) with a fixed and a flexible delayed scan time for Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) with inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction. A total of 209 consecutive BCS patients with IVC obstruction underwent either a CTV with a fixed delayed scan time of 180s (n=87) or a flexible delayed scan time for good image quality according to IVC blood flow in color Doppler ultrasonography (n=122). The IVC blood flow velocity was measured using a color Doppler ultrasound prior to CT scan. Image quality was classified as either good, moderate, or poor. Image quality, surrounding structures and the morphology of the IVC obstruction were compared between the two groups using a χ 2 -test or paired or unpaired t-tests as appropriate. Inter-observer agreement was assessed using Kappa statistics. There was no significant difference in IVC blood flow velocity between the two groups. Overall image quality, surrounding structures and IVC obstruction morphology delineation on the flexible delayed scan time of CTV images were rated better relative to those obtained by fixed delayed scan time of CTV images (p<0.001). Evaluation of CTV data sets was significantly facilitated with flexible delayed scan time of CTV. There were no significant differences in Kappa statistics between Group A and Group B. The flexible delayed scan time of CTV was associated with better detection and more reliable characterization of BCS with IVC obstruction compared to a fixed delayed scan time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparing Motor Skills in Autism Spectrum Individuals With and Without Speech Delay

PubMed Central

Barbeau, Elise B.; Meilleur, Andrée‐Anne S.; Zeffiro, Thomas A.

2015-01-01

Movement atypicalities in speed, coordination, posture, and gait have been observed across the autism spectrum (AS) and atypicalities in coordination are more commonly observed in AS individuals without delayed speech (DSM‐IV Asperger) than in those with atypical or delayed speech onset. However, few studies have provided quantitative data to support these mostly clinical observations. Here, we compared perceptual and motor performance between 30 typically developing and AS individuals (21 with speech delay and 18 without speech delay) to examine the associations between limb movement control and atypical speech development. Groups were matched for age, intelligence, and sex. The experimental design included: an inspection time task, which measures visual processing speed; the Purdue Pegboard, which measures finger dexterity, bimanual performance, and hand‐eye coordination; the Annett Peg Moving Task, which measures unimanual goal‐directed arm movement; and a simple reaction time task. We used analysis of covariance to investigate group differences in task performance and linear regression models to explore potential associations between intelligence, language skills, simple reaction time, and visually guided movement performance. AS participants without speech delay performed slower than typical participants in the Purdue Pegboard subtests. AS participants without speech delay showed poorer bimanual coordination than those with speech delay. Visual processing speed was slightly faster in both AS groups than in the typical group. Altogether, these results suggest that AS individuals with and without speech delay differ in visually guided and visually triggered behavior and show that early language skills are associated with slower movement in simple and complex motor tasks. Autism Res 2015, 8: 682–693. © 2015 The Authors Autism Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Autism Research PMID:25820662

Pre-chirp managed nonlinear amplification in fibers delivering 100  W, 60  fs pulses.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Schimpf, Damian N; Eidam, Tino; Limpert, Jens; Tünnermann, Andreas; Kärtner, Franz X; Chang, Guoqing

2015-01-15

We demonstrate a pre-chirp managed Yb-doped fiber laser system that outputs 75 MHz, 130 W spectrally broadened pulses, which are compressed by a diffraction-grating pair to 60 fs with average powers as high as 100 W. Fine tuning the pulse chirp prior to amplification leads to high-quality compressed pulses. Detailed experiments and numerical simulation reveal that the optimum pre-chirp group-delay dispersion increases from negative to positive with increasing output power for rod-type high-power fiber amplifiers. The resulting laser parameters are suitable for extreme nonlinear optics applications such as frequency conversion in femtosecond enhancement cavities.

Chirped-cavity dispersion-compensation filter design.

PubMed

Li, Ya-Ping; Chen, Sheng-Hui; Lee, Cheng-Chung

2006-03-01

A new basic structure of a dispersive-compensation filter, called a chirped-cavity dispersion-compensator (CCDC) filter, was designed to offer the advantages of small ripples in both reflectance and group-delay dispersion (GDD). This filter provides a high dispersion compensation, like the Gires-Tournois interferometer (GTI) filter, and a wide working bandwidth, like the chirped mirror (CM). The structure of the CCDC is a cavity-type Fabry-Perot filter with a spacer layer (2 mH or 2 mL) and a chirped high reflector. The CCDC filter can provide a negative GDD of -50 fs2 over a bandwidth of 56 THz with half the optical thickness of the CM or the GTI.

Chirped-cavity dispersion-compensation filter design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ya-Ping; Chen, Sheng-Hui; Lee, Cheng-Chung

2006-03-01

A new basic structure of a dispersive-compensation filter, called a chirped-cavity dispersion-compensator (CCDC) filter, was designed to offer the advantages of small ripples in both reflectance and group-delay dispersion (GDD). This filter provides a high dispersion compensation, like the Gires-Tournois interferometer (GTI) filter, and a wide working bandwidth, like the chirped mirror (CM). The structure of the CCDC is a cavity-type Fabry-Perot filter with a spacer layer (2 mH or 2 mL) and a chirped high reflector. The CCDC filter can provide a negative GDD of -50 fs2 over a bandwidth of 56 THz with half the optical thickness of the CM or the GTI.

Interaction of sleep and emotional content on the production of false memories.

PubMed

McKeon, Shannon; Pace-Schott, Edward F; Spencer, Rebecca M C

2012-01-01

Sleep benefits veridical memories, resulting in superior recall relative to off-line intervals spent awake. Sleep also increases false memory recall in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. Given the suggestion that emotional veridical memories are prioritized for consolidation over sleep, here we examined whether emotion modulates sleep's effect on false memory formation. Participants listened to semantically related word lists lacking a critical lure representing each list's "gist." Free recall was tested after 12 hours containing sleep or wake. The Sleep group recalled more studied words than the Wake group but only for emotionally neutral lists. False memories of both negative and neutral critical lures were greater following sleep relative to wake. Morning and Evening control groups (20-minute delay) did not differ ruling out circadian accounts for these differences. These results support the adaptive function of sleep in both promoting the consolidation of veridical declarative memories and in extracting unifying aspects from memory details.

Interaction of Sleep and Emotional Content on the Production of False Memories

PubMed Central

McKeon, Shannon; Pace-Schott, Edward F.; Spencer, Rebecca M. C.

2012-01-01

Sleep benefits veridical memories, resulting in superior recall relative to off-line intervals spent awake. Sleep also increases false memory recall in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm. Given the suggestion that emotional veridical memories are prioritized for consolidation over sleep, here we examined whether emotion modulates sleep’s effect on false memory formation. Participants listened to semantically related word lists lacking a critical lure representing each list’s “gist.” Free recall was tested after 12 hours containing sleep or wake. The Sleep group recalled more studied words than the Wake group but only for emotionally neutral lists. False memories of both negative and neutral critical lures were greater following sleep relative to wake. Morning and Evening control groups (20-minute delay) did not differ ruling out circadian accounts for these differences. These results support the adaptive function of sleep in both promoting the consolidation of veridical declarative memories and in extracting unifying aspects from memory details. PMID:23145159

Negative and Positive Pretrial Publicity Affect Juror Memory and Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruva, Christine L.; McEvoy, Cathy

2008-01-01

The experiment examined the effects of exposure to pretrial publicity (PTP) and delay on juror memory and decision-making. Mock jurors read news articles containing negative PTP, positive PTP, or unrelated articles. Five days later, they viewed a videotaped murder trial, after which they made decisions about guilt. Finally, all participants…

The use of clopidogrel (Plavix) in patients undergoing nonelective orthopaedic surgery.

PubMed

Nydick, Jason A; Farrell, Eric D; Marcantonio, Andrew J; Hume, Eric L; Marburger, Robert; Ostrum, Robert F

2010-06-01

To assess the effects of Plavix on patients requiring nonelective orthopaedic surgery. Retrospective cohort study. University-affiliated teaching institutions. The orthopaedic trauma registry was used to retrospectively identify all patients taking clopidogrel (Plavix; Bristol-Myers Squibb/Sanofi Pharmaceuticals, Bridgewater, NJ) who required nonelective orthopaedic surgery from 2004 to 2008. Twenty-nine patients were identified on Plavix (PG) and 32 matched patients in the control group not taking Plavix (NPG). The Plavix group was separated into those with a surgical delay less than 5 days of the last dose (PG < 5) (n = 28) and a delay greater than 5 days (PG > 5) (n = 1). A randomized age- and injury-matched control group not on Plavix was separated with surgical delay less than 5 days (NPG < 5) (n = 29) and delay greater than 5 days (NPG > 5) (n = 3). A retrospective review was performed comparing pre- and postoperative hemoglobin, blood transfusion requirements, surgical delay, 30-day mortality, and postoperative complications. Statistical analyses were performed using the Student t test and chi square test to identify differences between the groups. : The mean preoperative hemoglobin of the PG and the NPG was 11.2 g/dL and 12.3 g/dL (P = 0.03). Transfusion rates were similar with 18 of 28 in the PG compared with 13 of 29 in the NPG (P = 0.22). The mean surgical delay between the PG and NPG was 1.88 and 1.68 days (P = 0.64). Overall complications between the PG and NPG was nine of 28 and nine of 29 (P = 0.92). In both groups, two patients had postoperative wound drainage, which resolved without intervention. One patient in each group required revision surgery for nonunion. The 30-day mortality in the Plavix group was zero of 28 (0%) compared with one of 29 (3%) in the control group (cardiac arrest) (P = 0.32). In this study, there were no serious complications or increased transfusion requirements in the Plavix group. Avoiding surgical delay for patients on Plavix requiring nonelective orthopaedic surgery appears to be safe. The goal should be early operative intervention to decrease the morbidity and mortality of surgical delay. This is especially true for patients with hip fractures, which was the most common nonelective orthopaedic surgery required of patients on Plavix in this study.

Paediatric and adolescent traumatic gastrointestinal injuries: results of a European multicentre analysis.

PubMed

Fischerauer, E E; Zötsch, S; Capito, C; Bonnard, A; Sárközy, S; Berndt, J; Hosie, S; Beltra Pico, R; Steinau, G; Wiejek, A; Czauderna, P; Çelik, A; Lain Fernandez, A; Ibanez, V M; Esposito, C; Saxena, A K

2013-10-01

Paediatric gastrointestinal injuries (GIIs) are rare, and the aim of this multicentre study was to evaluate their outcomes in a large cohort. Hospital databases of 10 European paediatric surgical centres were reviewed for paediatric traumatic GIIs managed between 2000-2010. Ninety-seven patients with a median age of 9 years (0-17 years) were identified, with 72 blunt and 25 penetrating GIIs. Initial diagnostics in 90 patients led to correct diagnosis in 71%. Diagnostics were delayed in 26 patients (median 24 h). Eighty-two patients required surgery (67 laparotomy, 12 laparoscopy and three other approaches). There was a 50% conversion in the laparoscopic group. Median hospital stay was 10 days (range 1-137 days), with longer duration influenced by associated injuries (n = 41). Diagnosis <24 h was associated with significantly shorter hospital stay compared to more than 24 h (p = 0.011). In one-third of patients, morbidities were not related to a diagnostic delay or type of injury. There were five lethal outcomes, four due to associated injuries. Initial diagnostics in traumatic paediatric GIIs provide false negatives in one-third of patients. Diagnostic delay <24 h is associated with a significantly shorter hospital stay. Although laparoscopy is associated with a conversion rate of 50%, it can be used for diagnosis in suspected cases to avoid nontherapeutic laparotomy. ©2013 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Longitudinal Associations Among Religiousness, Delay Discounting, and Substance Use Initiation in Early Adolescence.

PubMed

Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen; McCullough, Michael E; Bickel, W K; Farley, Julee P; Longo, Gregory S

2015-03-01

Prior research indicates that religiousness is related negatively to adolescent health risk behaviors, yet how such protective effects operate is not well understood. This study examined the longitudinal associations among organizational and personal religiousness, delay discounting, and substance use initiation (alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use). The sample comprised 106 early adolescents (10-13 years of age, 52% female) who were not using substances at Time 1. Path analyses suggested that high levels of personal religiousness at Time 1 were related to low levels of substance use at Time 2 (2.4 years later), mediated by low levels of delay discounting. Delay discounting appears to be an important contributor to the protective effect of religiousness on the development of substance use among adolescents.

Formation Control over Delayed Communication Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Secchi, Cristian; Fantuzzi, Cesare

In this Chapter we address the problem of formation control of a group of robots that exchange information over a communication network characterized by a non negligible delay. We consider the Virtual Body Artificial Potential approach for stabilizing a group of robots at a desired formation. We show that it is possible to model the controlled group of robots as a port-Hamiltonian system and we exploit the scattering framework to achieve a passive behavior of the controlled system and to stabilize the robots in the desired formation independently of any communication delay.

Survey of Neurological Disorders in Children Aged 9-15 Years in Northern India.

PubMed

Kumar, Rashmi; Bhave, Anupama; Bhargava, Roli; Agarwal, G G

2016-04-01

The prevalence of neurological disorders in resource-poor settings, although likely to be high, is largely unexplored. The prevalence and risk factors for neurological disorders, including epilepsy and intellectual, motor, vision, and hearing deficits, in children aged 9 to 15 years in the community were investigated. A new instrument was developed, validated, and used in a 2-stage community survey for neurological disorders in Lucknow, India. Screen-positives and random proportion of screen-negatives were validated using predefined criteria. Prevalence of different neurological disorders was calculated by weighted proportions. Of 6431 children screened, 221 were positive. A total of 214 screen-positives and 251 screen-negatives were validated. Prevalence of neurological disorders was 31.3 per 1000 children of this age group (weighted 95% confidence interval = 16.5, 46.4). The final model for risk factors included age, mud house, delayed cry at birth, and previous head injury. The prevalence of neurological disorders is high in this region. Predictors of neurological disorders are largely modifiable. © The Author(s) 2015.

Is adolescent-onset first-episode psychosis different from adult onset?

PubMed

Ballageer, Trevor; Malla, Ashok; Manchanda, Rahul; Takhar, Jatinder; Haricharan, Raj

2005-08-01

To examine whether first-episode psychosis patients with onset during adolescence (ages 15-18) differ significantly from those with young-adult onset (ages 19-30). Consecutive patients presenting with first-episode psychosis (N = 242) were assessed for demographic and illness characteristics such as duration of untreated psychosis, diagnosis, length of prodromal period, premorbid adjustment, level of psychotic, negative, depressive, anxiety, and extrapyramidal symptoms, and alcohol and drug use. Eighty-two patients (40.8%) had an onset of psychosis during adolescence (ages 15-18) and 119 (59.2%) during young adulthood (ages 19-30). The adolescent-onset group experienced longer delays in treatment of psychosis (duration of untreated psychosis) (p < .02), showed modestly worse premorbid functioning during late adolescence (p < .05), and were more likely to present with bizarre behavior (p < .01) and primary negative symptoms (p < .01). Patients with adolescent onset of psychosis are more likely to present with clinical characteristics that portend a poorer outcome and may require a different approach to early identification and treatment.

The Importance of Motherhood among Women in the Contemporary United States

PubMed Central

McQuillan, Julia; Greil, Arthur L.; Scheffler, Karina M.; Tichenor, Veronica

2010-01-01

We contribute to feminist and gender scholarship on cultural notions of motherhood by analyzing the importance of motherhood among mothers and non-mothers. Using a national probability sample (N = 2,519) of U.S. women ages 25–45, we find a continuous distribution of scores measuring perceptions of the importance of motherhood among both groups. Employing OLS multiple regression, we examine why some women place more importance on motherhood, focusing on interests that could compete with valuing motherhood (e.g., education, work success, leisure), and controlling for characteristics associated with becoming a mother. Contrary to cultural schemas that view mother and worker identities as competing, we find that education level is not associated with the importance of motherhood for either group and that valuing work success is positively associated with valuing motherhood among mothers. Consistent with feminist explanations for delayed fertility, valuing leisure is negatively associated with valuing motherhood for non-mothers. PMID:20407592

Avoiding delayed diagnosis of significant blunt bowel and mesenteric injuries: Can a scoring tool make the difference? A 7-year retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Zingg, Tobias; Agri, Fabio; Bourgeat, Mylène; Yersin, Bertrand; Romain, Benoît; Schmidt, Sabine; Keller, Nathalie; Demartines, Nicolas

2018-01-01

Significant blunt bowel and mesenteric injuries (sBBMI) are frequently missed despite the widespread use of computed tomography (CT). Early treatment improves the outcome related to these injuries. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of sBBMI, the incidence of delayed diagnosis and to test the performance of the Bowel Injury Prediction Score (BIPS), determined by the white blood cell (WBC) count, presence or absence of abdominal tenderness and CT grade of mesenteric injury. Single-centre, registry-based retrospective cohort study, screening all consecutive trauma patients admitted to Lausanne University Hospital Trauma Centre from 2008 to 2015 after a road traffic accident. All patients with reliable information about the presence or absence of sBBMI who underwent abdominal CT and for whom calculation of the BIPS was possible were included for analysis. The incidence of delayed (>24h after admission) diagnosis in the patient group with sBBMI was determined and the diagnostic performance of the BIPS for sBBMI was assessed. For analysis, 766 patients with reliable information about the presence or absence of sBBMI were included. The prevalence of sBBMI was 3.1% (24/766). In 24% (5/21) of stable trauma patients undergoing CT, a diagnostic delay of more than 24h occurred. Abdominal tenderness (p<0.0001) and CT grade ≥4 (p<0.0001) were associated with sBBMI, whereas CT grade 4 alone (p=0.93) and WBC count ≥17G/l (p=0.30) were not. A BIPS ≥2 had a sensitivity of 89% (95% CI, 67-99), specificity of 89% (95% CI, 86-91), positive likelihood ratio of 8 (95% CI, 6.1-10), negative likelihood ratio of 0.12 (95% CI, 0.03-0.44), positive predictive value (PPV) of 19% (95% CI, 15-24) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.7% (95% CI, 98.7-99.9). CT alone identified 79% (15/19) and the BIPS 89% (17/19) of patients with sBBMI (p=0.66). Diagnostic delays in patients with sBBMI are common (24%), despite the routine use of abdominal CT. Application of the BIPS on the present cohort would have led to a high number of non-therapeutic abdominal explorations without identifying significantly more sBBMI early than CT alone. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparison of pecking generated by serial, delay, and trace autoshaping procedures1

PubMed Central

Newlin, Robert J.; LoLordo, Vincent M.

1976-01-01

Pigeons were exposed to serial, delay, and trace autoshaping procedures. In Experiment I, all conditioned stimuli (CSs) were changes in illumination of the response key. The number of trials to acquisition of the keypeck increased from serial, to 4-sec delay, 8-sec delay, and 8-sec trace procedures, in that order. In Experiment II, which used a longer intertrial interval, trials to criterion increased from 8-sec delay, to 28-sec delay, 8-sec trace, and 28-sec trace procedures, in that order. In Experiment III, two groups received serial procedures in which the first CS was either a tone or a houselight, and the second was a keylight. The tone group acquired the key peck more rapidly than the houselight group. Early in conditioning in these experiments, and when the conditioned stimulus was a change in the keylight, there was a short latency to the onset of pecking and pecking was directed at the CS. After extensive conditioning, or when the CS was relatively diffuse, pecking still occurred, but had a longer latency and was not reliably directed toward the conditioned stimulus. PMID:16811907

Stable group delay cable

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clements, P. A.

1975-01-01

It was found that group delay is function of pressure in air dielectric coaxial cable. For example, 600-ft air dielectric cable will change phase 10 deg at 150 MHz when air pressure in cable changes from zero to 20 psi.

Three-dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Anterolateral Ligament of the Knee: An Evaluation of Intact and Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Deficient Knees From the Scientific Anterior Cruciate Ligament Network International (SANTI) Study Group.

PubMed

Muramatsu, Koichi; Saithna, Adnan; Watanabe, Hiroki; Sasaki, Kana; Yokosawa, Kenta; Hachiya, Yudo; Banno, Tatsuo; Helito, Camilo Partezani; Sonnery-Cottet, Bertrand

2018-05-02

To determine the visualization rate of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) in uninjured and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knees using 3-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to characterize the spectrum of ALL injury observed in ACL-deficient knees, as well as determine the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of a 3D MRI classification of ALL injury. A total of 100 knees (60 ACL deficient and 40 uninjured) underwent 3D MRI. The ALL was evaluated by 2 blinded orthopaedic surgeons. The ALL was classified as follows: type A, continuous, clearly defined low-signal band; type B, warping, thinning, or iso-signal changes; and type C, without clear continuity. The comparison between imaging performed early after ACL injury (<1 month) and delayed imaging (>1 month) was evaluated, as was intraobserver and interobserver reliability. Complete visualization of the ALL was achieved in all uninjured knees. In the ACL-deficient group, 24 knees underwent early imaging, with 87.5% showing evidence of ALL injury (3 normal, or type A, knees [12.5%], 18 type B [75.0%], and 3 type C [12.5%]). The remaining 36 knees underwent delayed imaging, with 55.6% showing evidence of injury (16 type A [44.4%], 18 type B [50.0%], and 2 type C [5.6%]). The difference in the rate of injury between the 2 groups was significant (P = .03). Multivariate analysis showed that the delay from ACL injury to MRI was the only factor (negatively) associated with the rate of injury to the ALL. Interobserver reliability and intraobserver reliability of the classification of ALL type were good (κ = 0.86 and κ = 0.93, respectively). Three-dimensional MRI allows full visualization of the ALL in all normal knees. The rate of injury to the ALL in acutely ACL-injured knees identified on 3D MRI is higher than previous reports using standard MRI techniques. This rate is significantly higher than the rate of injury to the ALL identified on delayed imaging of ACL-injured knees. Level IV, diagnostic, case-control study. Copyright © 2018 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pain and discomfort following immediate and delayed loading by overdentures in the single mandibular implant study (SMIS).

PubMed

Mundt, T; Passia, N; Att, W; Heydecke, G; Freitag-Wolf, S; Luthardt, R G; Kappel, S; Konstantinidis, I K; Stiesch, M; Wolfart, S; Kern, M

2017-03-01

This randomized clinical trial compares immediate and delayed loading of single implants to support mandibular overdentures. The aim of this preliminary analysis is to test the hypothesis whether patients with immediate loading will experience less pain and discomfort through the intervention than patients with delayed loading. Edentulous patients in nine German dental schools received a midline implant with a length of 11 mm. Implants with a minimum insertion torque of 30 Ncm and an implant stability quotient of ≥60 were randomly allocated to group A for immediate loading using ball attachments or to group B for delayed loading after 3 months. Patients completed questionnaires with 100-mm visual analogue scales about the items pain, pain during chewing, swelling, bleeding, and perception of the intervention at the day of surgery and 1, 2, 3, and 7 days, thereafter. Groups were compared by Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests (P ≤ 0.05). The questionnaires of 81 patients in group A and 74 patients in group B were completed. The medians for pain and discomfort were moderate (<30). Participants of group A felt significantly more pain from the first day and more swelling from the third day after implantation than participants of group B. The individual perception of interventions showed no significant differences between groups. Immediate loading evoked more postoperative pain and swelling than the two stages of delayed loading. Immediate loading of a single mandibular midline implant supporting overdentures should be carefully considered.

Analysis of Bone Height Changes after Maxillary Sinus Augmentation with Simultaneous and Delayed Placement of Dental Implants: A Clinical and Radiographic Study.

PubMed

Yin, Lihua; Yu, Zhanhai; Chen, Zhuofan; Huang, Baoxin; Zhang, Kailiang; Zhou, Ailing; Li, Xiangxin

2016-08-01

To retrospectively assess the changes of the vertical height of the maxillary sinus floor after augmentation with simultaneous and delayed placement of implants. In total, 38 patients with 76 implants were involved; vertical bone height of the sinus floor was radiographically measured at different stages including preoperation, immediately postsurgery, 6 and 12 months postsurgery, and 6 and 24 months postfunctional loading. Sinus augmentation significantly increased vertical bone height of the sinus floor for both the simultaneous and delayed groups. The survival rate was 100% in the simultaneous group and 95.46% in the delayed group. For simultaneous placement, the vertical bone height of the sinus floor at 6 and 12 months postsurgery was significantly less than that immediately postsurgery. For both groups, augmented bone height of the sinus floor showed significant decrease from 6 months to 24 months postfunctional loading. The mean value of final bone augmentation was 5.85 mm for simultaneous placement and 5.80 mm for delayed placements. Sinus augmentation with simultaneous and delayed placement of implants led to similar survival rates and bone augmentation. Resorption of augmentative bone was evident at 24 months postfunctional loading in both cases. © 2015 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Delayed avalanche breakdown of high-voltage silicon diodes: Various structures exhibit different picosecond-range switching behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brylevskiy, Viktor; Smirnova, Irina; Gutkin, Andrej; Brunkov, Pavel; Rodin, Pavel; Grekhov, Igor

2017-11-01

We present a comparative study of silicon high-voltage diodes exhibiting the effect of delayed superfast impact-ionization breakdown. The effect manifests itself in a sustainable picosecond-range transient from the blocking to the conducting state and occurs when a steep voltage ramp is applied to the p+-n-n+ diode in the reverse direction. Nine groups of diodes with graded and abrupt pn-junctions have been specially fabricated for this study by different techniques from different Si substrates. Additionally, in two groups of these structures, the lifetime of nonequilibrium carriers was intentionally reduced by electron irradiation. All diodes have identical geometrical parameters and similar stationary breakdown voltages. Our experimental setup allows measuring both device voltage and current during the kilovolt switching with time resolution better than 50 ps. Although all devices are capable of forming a front with kilovolt amplitude and 100 ps risetime in the in-series load, the structures with graded pn-junctions have anomalously large residual voltage. The Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy study of all diode structures has been performed in order to evaluate the effect of deep centers on device performance. It was found that the presence of deep-level electron traps negatively correlates with parameters of superfast switching, whereas a large concentration of recombination centers created by electron irradiation has virtually no influence on switching characteristics.

A Preliminary Study of Bully and Victim Behavior in Old-for-Grade Students: Another Potential Hidden Cost of Grade Retention or Delayed School Entry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crothers, Laura M.; Schreiber, James B.; Schmitt, Ara J.; Bell, G. Ronald; Blasik, Jessica; Comstock, Leigh A.; Greisler, Michael J.; Keener, Dana; King, Jamie M.; Lipinski, John

2010-01-01

Mounting evidence suggests that being an old-for-grade student, as a result of grade retention or delayed school entry, is related to negative outcomes across various domains of functioning. No known study has examined the relations between old-for-grade status and specific childhood/adolescent bully and victim behaviors. The first purpose of this…

Stability of formation control using a consensus protocol under directed communications with two time delays and delay scheduling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cepeda-Gomez, Rudy; Olgac, Nejat

2016-01-01

We consider a linear algorithm to achieve formation control in a group of agents which are driven by second-order dynamics and affected by two rationally independent delays. One of the delays is in the position and the other in the velocity information channels. These delays are taken as constant and uniform throughout the system. The communication topology is assumed to be directed and fixed. The formation is attained by adding a supplementary control term to the stabilising consensus protocol. In preparation for the formation control logic, we first study the stability of the consensus, using the recent cluster treatment of characteristic roots (CTCR) paradigm. This effort results in a unique depiction of the non-conservative stability boundaries in the domain of the delays. However, CTCR requires the knowledge of the potential stability switching loci exhaustively within this domain. The creation of these loci is done in a new surrogate coordinate system, called the 'spectral delay space (SDS)'. The relative stability is also investigated, which has to do with the speed of reaching consensus. This step leads to a paradoxical control design concept, called the 'delay scheduling', which highlights the fact that the group behaviour may be enhanced by increasing the delays. These steps lead to a control strategy to establish a desired group formation that guarantees spacing among the agents. Example case studies are presented to validate the underlying analytical derivations.

Changes in tuberculosis notifications and treatment delay in Zambia when introducing a digital X-ray service

PubMed Central

Schaap, A.; Muyoyeta, M.; Mulenga, D.; Brown, J.; Ayles, H.

2012-01-01

Setting: In August 2009, a digital chest X-ray (CXR) machine was installed at a busy urban health centre in Lusaka, Zambia. Objective: To describe the changes in tuberculosis (TB) notifications and treatment delay ≥7 days in Zambia after introducing a digital X-ray service. Design: Operational retrospective research of TB notification, laboratory and CXR data for Q4 2008 (prior to digital CXR) compared to Q4 2009. Results: Notifications for sputum smear-negative TB increased by 8.1%, from 370/527 (70.2%) in Q4 2008 to 425/544 (78.1%) in Q4 2009, despite a 6.7% decrease in sputum smear positivity in Q4 2009. TB treatment delay decreased from 75/412 (18.2%) in Q4 2008 to 52/394 (13.2%) in Q4 2009 (P = 0.05). Conclusion: In Q4 2009, sputum smear-negative TB notifications increased and treatment delay decreased. However, accurate diagnosis of TB is challenging in this setting, and misdiagnosis and overtreatment may occur. Moreover, other factors in addition to the introduction of the digital X-ray service could have contributed to these findings. Nonetheless, we found that the digital X-ray service had many advantages and that it may aid in more efficient TB diagnosis. PMID:26392952

Both Low Temperature and Shorter Duration of Food Availability Delay Testicular Regression and Affect the Daily Cycle in Body Temperature in a Songbird.

PubMed

Dawson, Alistair

Photoperiodic control of reproduction in birds is based on two processes, a positive effect leading to gonadal maturation and an inhibitory effect subsequently inducing regression. Nonphotoperiodic cues can modulate photoperiodic control, particularly the inhibitory process. In previous studies of common starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), (1) restriction of food availability to 8 h after dawn had little effect on testicular maturation but dramatically delayed subsequent regression and (2) lower ambient temperature also had little effect during maturation but delayed regression. Could the effects of food restriction and temperature share a common underlying mechanism? Four groups of starlings were kept on a simulated natural cycle in photoperiod in a 2 × 2 factorial experimental design. Two groups were held under an ambient temperature of 16°C, and the other two were held under 6°C. One of each of these groups had food provided ad lib., and in the other two groups access to food was denied 7 h after dawn. In both the ad lib. food groups and the food-restricted groups, lower temperature had little effect on testicular maturation but delayed subsequent regression and molt. In both the 16°C groups and the 6°C groups, food restriction had no effect on testicular maturation but delayed regression and molt. The daily cycle in body temperature was recorded in all groups when the photoperiod had reached 12L∶12D, the photoperiod at which regression is initiated. In both 6°C groups, nighttime body temperature was lower than in the 16°C groups, a characteristic of shorter photoperiods. In the two ad lib. food groups high daytime temperature was maintained until dusk, whereas in the two food-restricted groups body temperature began to decrease after food withdrawal. Thus, both lower temperature and food restriction delayed regression, as if the photoperiod was shorter than it actually was, and both resulted in daily cycles in body temperature that reflected cycles under shorter photoperiods. This implies that the daily cycle in body temperature is possibly a common pathway through which nonphotoperiodic cues may operate.

Ethanol induces impulsive-like responding in a delay-of-reward operant choice procedure: impulsivity predicts autoshaping.

PubMed

Tomie, A; Aguado, A S; Pohorecky, L A; Benjamin, D

1998-10-01

Autoshaping conditioned responses (CRs) are reflexive and targeted motor responses expressed as a result of experience with reward. To evaluate the hypothesis that autoshaping may be a form of impulsive responding, within-subjects correlations between performance on autoshaping and impulsivity tasks were assessed in 15 Long-Evans hooded rats. Autoshaping procedures [insertion of retractable lever conditioned stimulus (CS) followed by the response-independent delivery of food (US)] were followed by testing for impulsive-like responding in a two-choice lever-press operant delay-of-reward procedure (immediate small food reward versus delayed large food reward). Delay-of-reward functions revealed two distinct subject populations. Subjects in the Sensitive group (n=7) were more impulsive-like, increasing immediate reward choices at longer delays for large reward, while those in the Insensitive group (n=8) responded predominantly on only one lever. During the prior autoshaping phase, the Sensitive group had performed more autoshaping CRs, and correlations revealed that impulsive subjects acquired the autoshaping CR in fewer trials. In the Sensitive group, acute injections of ethanol (0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50 g/kg) given immediately before delay-of-reward sessions yielded an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve with increased impulsivity induced by the 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 g/kg doses of ethanol, while choice strategy of the Insensitive group was not influenced by ethanol dose. Ethanol induced impulsive-like responding only in rats that were flexible in their response strategy (Sensitive group), and this group also performed more autoshaping CRs. Data support the hypothesis that autoshaping and impulsivity are linked.

Views on the Effects of the Spanish Dependency Law on Caregivers' Quality of Life Using Concept Mapping.

PubMed

Salvador-Piedrafita, María; Malmusi, Davide; Mehdipanah, Roshanak; Rodríguez-Sanz, Maica; Espelt, Albert; Pérez, Cristina; Solf, Elisabeth; Abajo Del Rincón, María; Borrell, Carme

2017-04-01

In 2006 the Spanish Dependency Law established new rights for people in situation of dependency. The impact of the Law could have also affected the quality of life of their carers. This study aims to understand how the Law may have influenced caregivers' quality of life through their own perceptions and those of Primary Health Care professionals, and to compare both perspectives. The study used Concept Mapping, a mixed methods technique. In total, 16 caregivers and 21 professionals participated. Both groups identified a mix of positive and negative effects. Uncertainties and delays in granting benefits were reported. However, several advantages were identified, such as the possibility of sharing the burden of care, thus reducing its physical, mental and social consequences, while at the same time being able to maintain responsibility. Most of the mechanisms identified were common to both caregivers and professionals; the most notable differences were that the latter attached more importance to economic support and less to the negative effects of implementation of the Law. This study reveals positive effects of the Law on caregivers' quality of life and the potential for improvement of some negative aspects in its implementation related with the context of austerity.

Tailored nutrition education and food assistance improve adherence to HIV antiretroviral therapy: evidence from Honduras.

PubMed

Martinez, Homero; Palar, Kartika; Linnemayr, Sebastian; Smith, Alexandria; Derose, Kathryn Pitkin; Ramírez, Blanca; Farías, Hugo; Wagner, Glenn

2014-10-01

Food insecurity and malnutrition negatively affect adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and are associated with poor HIV clinical outcomes. We examined the effect of providing household food assistance and nutrition education on ART adherence. A 12-month prospective clinical trial compared the effect of a monthly household food basket (FB) plus nutrition education (NE) versus NE alone on ART adherence on 400 HIV patients at four clinics in Honduras. Participants had been receiving ART for an average of 3.7 years and were selected because they had suboptimal adherence. Primary outcome measures were missed clinic appointments, delayed prescription refills, and self-reported missed doses of ART. These three adherence measures improved for both groups over 12 months (p < 0.01), mostly within 6 months. On-time prescription refills improved for the FB plus NE group by 19.6 % more than the group receiving NE alone after 6 months (p < 0.01), with no further change at 12 months. Change in missed appointments and self-reported missed ART doses did not significantly differ by intervention group.

The treatment of early-morning awakening insomnia with 2 evenings of bright light.

PubMed

Lack, Leon; Wright, Helen; Kemp, Kristyn; Gibbon, Samantha

2005-05-01

To assess the effectiveness of brief bright-light therapy for the treatment of early-morning awakening insomnia. Twenty-four healthy adults with early-morning awakening insomnia were assigned to either the bright-light condition (2,500-lux white light) or the control (dim red light) condition. The circadian phase of rectal temperature and urinary melatonin rhythms were assessed with 26-hour constant routines before and after 2 evenings of light therapy. Sleep and daytime functioning were monitored using sleep diaries, activity monitors, and mood scales before light therapy and for 4 weeks during the follow-up period. While there were no significant circadian phase changes in the dim-light control group, the bright-light group had significant 2-hour phase delays of circadian temperature and melatonin rhythm. Compared to pretreatment measures, over the 4-week follow-up period, the bright-light group had a greater reduction of time awake after sleep onset, showed a trend toward waking later, and had a greater increase of total sleep time. Participants in the bright-light condition also tended to report greater reductions of negative daytime symptoms, including significantly fewer days of feeling depressed at the 4-week follow-up, as compared with the control group. Two evenings of bright-light exposure phase delayed the circadian rhythms of early-morning awakening insomniacs. It also improved diary and actigraphy sleep measures and improved some indexes of daytime functioning for up to 1 month after light exposure. The study suggests that a brief course of evening bright-light therapy can be an effective treatment for early-morning awakening insomniacs who have relatively phase advanced circadian rhythms.

Robust changes in reward circuitry during reward loss in current and former cocaine users during performance of a monetary incentive delay task.

PubMed

Patel, Krishna T; Stevens, Michael C; Meda, Shashwath A; Muska, Christine; Thomas, Andre D; Potenza, Marc N; Pearlson, Godfrey D

2013-10-01

Abnormal function in reward circuitry in cocaine addiction could predate drug use as a risk factor, follow drug use as a consequence of substance-induced alterations, or both. We used a functional magnetic resonance imaging monetary incentive delay task (MIDT) to investigate reward-loss neural response differences among 42 current cocaine users, 35 former cocaine users, and 47 healthy subjects who also completed psychological measures and tasks related to impulsivity and reward. We found various reward processing-related group differences in several MIDT phases. Across task phases we found a control > current user > former user activation pattern, except for loss outcome, where former compared with current cocaine users activated ventral tegmental area more robustly. We also found regional prefrontal activation differences during loss anticipation between cocaine-using groups. Both groups of cocaine users scored higher than control subjects on impulsivity, compulsivity and reward-punishment sensitivity factors. In addition, impulsivity-related factors correlated positively with activation in amygdala and negatively with anterior cingulate activation during loss anticipation. Compared with healthy subjects, both former and current users displayed abnormal brain activation patterns during MIDT performance. Both cocaine groups differed similarly from healthy subjects, but differences between former and current users were localized to the ventral tegmental area during loss outcome and to prefrontal regions during loss anticipation, suggesting that long-term cocaine abstinence does not normalize most reward circuit abnormalities. Elevated impulsivity-related factors that relate to loss processing in current and former users suggest that these tendencies and relationships may pre-exist cocaine addiction. © 2013 Society of Biological Psychiatry.

An open-label, parallel, multiple-dose study comparing the pharmacokinetics and gastric acid suppression of rabeprazole extended-release with esomeprazole 40 mg and rabeprazole delayed-release 20 mg in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Morelli, G; Chen, H; Rossiter, G; Rege, B; Lu, Y

2011-04-01

Novel rabeprazole extended-release (ER) formulations were developed to provide prolonged gastric acid suppression and potentially improved clinical outcomes in GERD patients. To evaluate the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of six rabeprazole-ER formulations vs. esomeprazole 40 mg and rabeprazole delayed-release (DR) 20 mg. Helicobacter pylori-negative healthy subjects were randomised to receive one of eight treatments once daily for 5 days. Twenty-four-hour intragastric pH was monitored on days -1, 1 and 5. Rabeprazole plasma concentrations were measured on day 5. A total of 248 subjects (N=31/group) were enrolled in the study. On day 5, rabeprazole-ER groups provided mean durations of 18.5-20.2 h (77.0-84.1% of 24-h) with intragastric pH >4.0 vs. esomeprazole 40 mg (15.9 h/66.1% of 24-h) and rabeprazole-DR 20 mg (15.2 h/63.2% of 24-h). A similar increase was observed on day 1. While percentage of daytime (8 am-10 pm) with intragastric pH >4.0 on day 5 was overall similar across the groups, percentage of night-time (10 pm-8 am) with intragastric pH >4.0 was higher with the rabeprazole-ER groups (57.0-72.4%) vs. esomeprazole 40 mg (32.8%) and rabeprazole-DR 20 mg (34.0%). Rabeprazole-ER once daily for 5 days demonstrated a significantly longer duration of gastric acid suppression in 24 h vs. esomeprazole 40 mg and rabeprazole-DR 20 mg. The increase in acid suppression was predominantly due to prolonged acid suppression during the night-time; this was supported by the extended-release pharmacokinetic characteristics. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Dominant-Negative Mutations in α-II Spectrin Cause West Syndrome with Severe Cerebral Hypomyelination, Spastic Quadriplegia, and Developmental Delay

PubMed Central

Saitsu, Hirotomo; Tohyama, Jun; Kumada, Tatsuro; Egawa, Kiyoshi; Hamada, Keisuke; Okada, Ippei; Mizuguchi, Takeshi; Osaka, Hitoshi; Miyata, Rie; Furukawa, Tomonori; Haginoya, Kazuhiro; Hoshino, Hideki; Goto, Tomohide; Hachiya, Yasuo; Yamagata, Takanori; Saitoh, Shinji; Nagai, Toshiro; Nishiyama, Kiyomi; Nishimura, Akira; Miyake, Noriko; Komada, Masayuki; Hayashi, Kenji; Hirai, Syu-ichi; Ogata, Kazuhiro; Kato, Mitsuhiro; Fukuda, Atsuo; Matsumoto, Naomichi

2010-01-01

A de novo 9q33.3-q34.11 microdeletion involving STXBP1 has been found in one of four individuals (group A) with early-onset West syndrome, severe hypomyelination, poor visual attention, and developmental delay. Although haploinsufficiency of STXBP1 was involved in early infantile epileptic encephalopathy in a previous different cohort study (group B), no mutations of STXBP1 were found in two of the remaining three subjects of group A (one was unavailable). We assumed that another gene within the deletion might contribute to the phenotype of group A. SPTAN1 encoding α-II spectrin, which is essential for proper myelination in zebrafish, turned out to be deleted. In two subjects, an in-frame 3 bp deletion and a 6 bp duplication in SPTAN1 were found at the initial nucleation site of the α/β spectrin heterodimer. SPTAN1 was further screened in six unrelated individuals with WS and hypomyelination, but no mutations were found. Recombinant mutant (mut) and wild-type (WT) α-II spectrin could assemble heterodimers with β-II spectrin, but α-II (mut)/β-II spectrin heterodimers were thermolabile compared with the α-II (WT)/β-II heterodimers. Transient expression in mouse cortical neurons revealed aggregation of α-II (mut)/β-II and α-II (mut)/β-III spectrin heterodimers, which was also observed in lymphoblastoid cells from two subjects with in-frame mutations. Clustering of ankyrinG and voltage-gated sodium channels at axon initial segment (AIS) was disturbed in relation to the aggregates, together with an elevated action potential threshold. These findings suggest that pathological aggregation of α/β spectrin heterodimers and abnormal AIS integrity resulting from SPTAN1 mutations were involved in pathogenesis of infantile epilepsy. PMID:20493457

Perturbations of linear delay differential equations at the verge of instability.

PubMed

Lingala, N; Namachchivaya, N Sri

2016-06-01

The characteristic equation for a linear delay differential equation (DDE) has countably infinite roots on the complex plane. This paper considers linear DDEs that are on the verge of instability, i.e., a pair of roots of the characteristic equation lies on the imaginary axis of the complex plane and all other roots have negative real parts. It is shown that when small noise perturbations are present, the probability distribution of the dynamics can be approximated by the probability distribution of a certain one-dimensional stochastic differential equation (SDE) without delay. This is advantageous because equations without delay are easier to simulate and one-dimensional SDEs are analytically tractable. When the perturbations are also linear, it is shown that the stability depends on a specific complex number. The theory is applied to study oscillators with delayed feedback. Some errors in other articles that use multiscale approach are pointed out.

Interference effects on commonly used memory tasks.

PubMed

Brophy, Linda M; Jackson, Martin; Crowe, Simon F

2009-02-01

This paper reports two studies which investigated the effect of interference on delayed recall scores of the WMS-III and other commonly used memory measures. In Study 1, participants completed the immediate and delayed components of the WMS-III, with or without the introduction of conceptually similar memory tasks between the recall trials. In Study 2, this order of administration was reversed, with the WMS-III subtests used as the interference items. The results indicated that the introduction of interference items during the delay negatively affected delayed recall performance on almost all sub-tests. In addition, equal effects of proactive and retroactive interference were demonstrated. These findings raise concerns regarding the standardization process for memory tasks and highlight the need to consider interference effects in clinical practice, and stand as a caution in the use of memory-related materials during the delay interval in memory testing.

Consequences of Feeder Delays for the Success of A380 Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruehle, Jens; Goetsch, Bjoern; Koch, Benjamin

2006-01-01

Due to existing slot and infrastructure constraints at international hub-and-spoke airports, an increase in feeder traffic seems only possible if larger feeder aircraft are used. Using a case study of Lufthansa German Airlines at Frankfurt International Airport, three possible A380 routes (Beijing, Tokyo-Narita, Los Angeles) were examined to assess the extent to which delays of feeder traffic may impact the economic performance of very large aircraft. On the basis of today s delays and anticipated traffic growth in the future, we found that between 9.5% and 13.5% of connecting passengers are unable to transfer to their respective intercontinental flights. In addition, the results demonstrate that a further increase in delays can be detrimental to the profitable operation of very large aircraft, as demonstrated by two out of three simulated routes. We suggest options for airlines operating very large aircraft to counteract the negative impacts of feeder delays.

The impact of postoperative expansion initiation timing on breast expander capsular characteristics: a prospective combined clinical and scanning electron microscopy study.

PubMed

Paek, Laurence S; Giot, Jean-Philippe; Tétreault-Paquin, Jean-Olivier; St-Jacques, Samuel; Nelea, Monica; Danino, M Alain

2015-04-01

In the first stage of expander-to-implant breast reconstruction, postoperative expansion is classically initiated at 10 to 14 days (conventional approach). The authors hypothesized that it may be beneficial to wait 6 weeks postoperatively before initiating serial expansion (delayed approach). Clinical and ultrastructural periprosthetic capsule analysis is first required before determining whether a delayed approach ultimately improves capsular tissue adherence and expansion process predictability. Patients undergoing two-stage implant-based breast reconstruction were enrolled prospectively in this study. During expander-to-implant exchange, the clinical presence of "Velcro" effect, biofilm, and double capsule was noted. Periprosthetic capsule samples were also sent for scanning electron microscopic observation of three parameters: surface relief, cellularity, and biofilm. Samples were divided into four groups for data analysis (group 1, conventional/Biocell; group 2, delayed/Biocell; group 3, conventional/Siltex; and group 4, delayed/Siltex). Fifty-six breast reconstructions were included. Each group comprised between 13 and 15 breasts. In group 1, no cases exhibited the Velcro effect and there was a 53.8 percent incidence of both biofilm and double capsule. In group 2, all cases demonstrated the Velcro effect and there were no incidences of biofilm or double capsule. Group 3 and group 4 cases did not exhibit a Velcro effect or double-capsule formation; however, biofilm was present in up to 20.0 percent. All group 2 samples revealed more pronounced three-dimensional relief on scanning electron microscopy. Variations in expansion protocols can lead to observable modifications in periprosthetic capsular architecture. There may be real benefits to delaying expander inflation until 6 weeks postoperatively with Biocell expanders.

Acute Cellular Rejection in ABO-Incompatible Renal Transplant Recipients Receiving Rituximab Is Associated with Delayed-Onset Neutropenia.

PubMed

Uchida, Junji; Iwai, Tomoaki; Nishide, Shunji; Kabei, Kazuya; Kuwabara, Nobuyuki; Yamasaki, Takeshi; Naganuma, Toshihide; Kumada, Norihiko; Takemoto, Yoshiaki; Nakatani, Tatsuya

2017-07-25

BACKGROUND Rituximab induces long-lasting B cell depletion in the peripheral blood and increases the levels of proinflammatory cytokines associated with regulatory B cell depletion. Previous reports showed that B cell-related cytokine release after administration of rituximab may induce acute cellular rejection (ACR) and delayed-onset neutropenia. The present study was conducted to investigate the correlation between acute rejection and delayed-onset neutropenia in ABO-incompatible renal transplant recipients who underwent administration of rituximab for 1 year after transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS From June 2006 to July 2015, 47 patients with chronic renal failure received ABO-incompatible renal transplant with rituximab induction at Osaka City University Hospital. All 47 patients underwent plasmapheresis due to removal of anti-A/B antibodies and administration of rituximab, and their transplants were carried out successfully. We investigated the correlation between ACR and delayed-onset neutropenia in ABO-incompatible renal transplant recipients who underwent administration of rituximab for 1 year after transplantation. RESULTS Fourteen patients (29.8%) experienced ACR (group A), and 33 recipients did not develop ACR (group B). The frequency of delayed-onset neutropenia was higher in group A than in group B (p=0.0503). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the frequency of ACR correlated significantly with the prevalence of delayed-onset neutropenia. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicated that ACR in ABO-incompatible renal transplant recipients receiving rituximab was associated with delayed-onset neutropenia.

[Comparison on Oral versus Intravenous Proton Pump Inhibitors for Prevention of Bleeding after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection of Gastric Lesions].

PubMed

Jung, Yeoun Su; Kim, Kyeong Ok; Lee, Si Hyung; Jang, Byung Ik; Kim, Tae Nyeun

2016-02-01

Although intravenous proton pump inhibitor (PPI) has been used for the prevention of post endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) bleeding, the route of administration has not been confirmed. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of intravenous and oral PPI administration for the prevention of delayed post ESD bleeding. Total 166 consecutive patients were randomly assigned to 30 mg lansoprazol twice a day (PO group) and 120 mg pantoprazole intravenous injection (IV group) for 48 hours. Finally, 65 patients in PO group and 87 patients in IV group were analyzed. After ESD, all patients underwent follow up endoscopy after 24 hours and were observed the symptoms of bleeding up to 60 days after ESD. Age, sex and use of anticoagulants were not different between groups. At follow up endoscopy after 24 hours, oozing and exposed vessel was noted in 4.6% of PO group and 8.0% of IV group and there was no significant difference. Delayed bleeding occurred in 4 of 65 patients (6.2%) in the PO group and 8 of 87 patients (9.2%) in the IV group (p>0.999). By multivariate analysis, oozing or exposed vessels at follow up endoscopy were risk factors for delayed bleeding (OR=17.5, p=0.022). There was no significant difference in the delayed bleeding, length of hospital stay according to the administration route. Bleeding stigmata at follow up endoscopy was risk factor of delayed bleeding. Oral PPI administration can cost-effectively replace IV PPI for prevention of post ESD bleeding.

Effect of early realignment on length and delayed repair of postpelvic fracture urethral injury.

PubMed

Koraitim, Mamdouh M

2012-04-01

To determine the effect of early realignment of posterior urethral injury on the length and delayed repair of ensuing urethral defect. We reviewed the medical records of 120 patients with a pelvic fracture urethral defect who were referred for delayed repair from elsewhere from 1995 to 2009. The review was focused on 5 variables: initial management of urethral injury, length of urethral defect, type of delayed repair, continence, and erectile function. Of the patients, 26 were excluded from the study and 94 were categorized as having been initially treated by realignment (42 patients, group 1) or suprapubic cystostomy (52 patients, group 2). Urethral defects ≤ 2 cm in length were found in 28 patients (67%) in group 1 versus 22 (42%) in group 2. Defects >2 cm were found in 14 patients (33%) in group 1 versus 30 (58%) in group 2. The repair was accomplished by a simple perineal operation in 32 (76%) and 30 (58%) patients in groups 1 and 2, respectively. An elaborated perineal or perineo-abdominal procedure was required in 10 (24%) and 22 (42%) patients in groups 1 and 2, respectively (all P < .05). Incontinence occurred in 1 patient in group 1. Impotence developed in 10 (28%) of 36 realigned adults and in 2 (5%) of 38 adults with suprapubic cystostomy. Early realignment of posterior urethral injury decreases the length of the ensuing urethral defect and facilitates its delayed repair. Incontinence and impotence appear to result from the injury itself and not the treatment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The value of auditing negative lower GI investigations preceding a final diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Somasekar, A; James, L; Stephenson, B M; Thompson, I W; Vellacott, K D; Allison, M C

2009-09-01

To review all preceding 'negative' large bowel investigations in patients with a final diagnosis of colorectal cancer, and to examine whether delayed diagnosis was associated with worse outcome. Details were gathered on all patients with a new diagnosis of colorectal adenocarcinoma presenting over 4.5 years. For each patient the hospital's clinical workstation and radiology and endoscopy databases were interrogated for all flexible sigmoidoscopies, colonoscopies and barium enemas during the 5 years prior to diagnosis. Among the 570 patients, 28 (5%) had undergone colonoscopy and/or flexible sigmoidoscopy that had not shown colorectal cancer during the 5 years preceding final diagnosis, and a further 28 (5%) had undergone 'negative' barium enemas. Polyp surveillance might have missed four lesions destined to become malignant. Correspondingly there were three patients undergoing IBD surveillance found to have CRC, having had a negative complete colonoscopy within the preceding 5 years. Among patients undergoing de novo colonoscopy for diagnosis the true miss rate was only one patient per year. At August 2007, 29 (58%) of those with delayed diagnosis were still alive, compared with 216 (42%) of those diagnosed during initial investigation (chi2 = 5.04, P < 0.05). Colonoscopic miss rates are in line with previous studies. The application of simple clinical ground rules will avoid most pitfalls. The methodology described herein may assist in auditing the quality assurance of lower gastrointestinal diagnostic services. Despite the delay, late diagnosis was found to be associated with improved survival and a lower likelihood of metastatic disease.

Stress and reward processing in bipolar disorder: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Berghorst, Lisa H; Kumar, Poornima; Greve, Doug N; Deckersbach, Thilo; Ongur, Dost; Dutra, Sunny J; Pizzagalli, Diego A

2016-11-01

A link between negative life stress and the onset of mood episodes in bipolar disorder (BD) has been established, but processes underlying such a link remain unclear. Growing evidence suggests that stress can negatively affect reward processing and related neurobiological substrates, indicating that a dysregulated reward system may provide a partial explanation. The aim of this study was to test the impact of stress on reward-related neural functioning in BD. Thirteen euthymic or mildly depressed individuals with BD and 15 controls performed a Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging during no-stress and stress (negative psychosocial stressor involving poor performance feedback and threat of monetary deductions) conditions. In hypothesis-driven region-of-interest analyses, a significant group-by-condition interaction emerged in the amygdala during reward anticipation. Relative to controls, while anticipating a potential reward, subjects with BD were characterized by amygdalar hyperactivation in the no-stress condition but hypoactivation during stress. Moreover, relative to controls, subjects with BD had significantly larger amygdala volumes. After controlling for structural differences, the effects of stress on amygdalar function remained, whereas groups no longer differed during the no-stress condition. During reward consumption, a group-by-condition interaction emerged in the putamen due to increased putamen activation in response to rewards in participants with BD during stress, but an opposite pattern in controls. Overall, findings highlight possible impairments in using reward-predicting cues to adaptively engage in goal-directed actions in BD, combined with stress-induced hypersensitivity to reward consumption. Potential clinical implications are discussed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The treatment of posterior urethral disruption associated with pelvic fractures: comparative experience of early realignment versus delayed urethroplasty.

PubMed

Mouraviev, Vladimir B; Coburn, Michael; Santucci, Richard A

2005-03-01

Urological treatment of the patient with severe mechanical trauma and urethral disruption remains controversial. Debate continues regarding the advisability of early realignment vs delayed open urethroplasty. We analyzed our experience with 96 patients to determine the long-term results of the 2 approaches. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 191 men with posterior urethral disruption after severe blunt pelvic injury between 1984 and 2001, of whom 96 survived. Data on 57 patients who underwent early realignment were compared to those on 39 treated with delayed urethroplasty with an average 8.8-year followup (range 1 to 22). All patients were evaluated postoperatively for incontinence, impotence and urethral strictures. The majority of patients had severe concomitant organ injuries (78%) and severe pelvic fractures (76%). The overall mortality rate was 51%. Diagnosis of urethral rupture was based on clinical findings and retrograde urethrography. Strictures developed in 49% of the early realignment group and in 100% of the suprapubic tube group. Impotence (33.6%) and incontinence (17.7%) were less frequent in the early realignment group than in the delayed reconstruction group (42.1% and 24.9%, respectively). Patients with delayed reconstruction underwent an average of 3.1 procedures compared with an average of 1.6 in the early realignment group. Early realignment may provide better outcomes than delayed open urethroplasty after posterior urethral disruption. Increased complications are not seen and, although it can be inconvenient in the massively injured patient, it appears to be a worthwhile maneuver.

Early intervention of negative pressure wound therapy using Vacuum-Assisted Closure in trauma patients: impact on hospital length of stay and cost.

PubMed

Kaplan, Mark; Daly, Darron; Stemkowski, Stephen

2009-03-01

The cost of treating complex traumatic wounds is substantial because of trauma severity, potential for infection, and delayed closure. Negative pressure wound therapy using reticulated open cell foam (NPWT/ROCF) as delivered by Vacuum-Assisted Closure* (KCI Licensing, Inc, San Antonio, Texas) is an established, viable option for treating traumatic wounds. The authors used retrospective data to study the clinical and cost-effective benefits of using NPWT/ROCF early on day 1 or day 2 of treatment for traumatic wounds as compared with using it late (on day 3 or later). Hospital data records from trauma wound patients treated with NPWT/ROCF were retrospectively analyzed. Data were subdivided into 2 groups based on start of treatment. The group of patients treated on day 1 or 2 of their hospital stay was referred to as the early group, and that composed of patients treated on day 3 or later as the late group. Clinical and cost-effective metrics were compared between the 2 groups. For the early group, 518 patient records were included; 1000 records were reviewed for the late group. Early-group patients had fewer hospital inpatient days (10.6 vs 20.6 days; P < .0001), fewer treatment days (5.1 vs 6.0 days; P = .0498), shorter intensive care unit (ICU) stays (5.3 vs 12.4 days; P < .0001), and higher ICU admission rates (51.5 vs 44.5%; P = .0091) than the late group. Compared with late-group patients, early-group patients had lower total and variable costs per patient discharge ($43,956 vs $32,175; P < .0001 and $22,891 vs $15,805; P < .0001, respectively). Acute-care trauma wound patients receiving early NPWT/ROCF demonstrated significant reductions in length of stay, treatment days, and ICU stay, which resulted in significant reduced patient treatment costs. These results indicate that early intervention with NPWT/ROCF has potential clinical and cost-effective benefits for the treatment of traumatic wounds.

Educating Health Care Professionals on Human Trafficking

PubMed Central

Grace, Aimee M.; Lippert, Suzanne; Collins, Kristin; Pineda, Noelle; Tolani, Alisha; Walker, Rebecca; Jeong, Monica; Trounce, Milana Boukhman; Graham-Lamberts, Caroline; Bersamin, Melina; Martinez, Det. Jeremy; Dotzler, Det. Jennifer; Vanek, Lt John; Storfer-Isser, Amy; Chamberlain, Lisa J.; Horwitz, Sarah M.

2015-01-01

Background The US Department of State estimates that there are between 4 and 27 million individuals worldwide in some form of modern slavery. Recent studies have demonstrated that 28% to 50% of trafficking victims in the United States encountered health care professionals while in captivity, but were not identified and recognized. This study aimed to determine whether an educational presentation increased emergency department (ED) providers' recognition of human trafficking (HT) victims and knowledge of resources to manage cases of HT. Methods The 20 largest San Francisco Bay Area EDs were randomized into intervention (10 EDs) or delayed intervention comparison groups (10 EDs) to receive a standardized educational presentation containing the following: background about HT, relevance of HT to health care, clinical signs in potential victims, and referral options for potential victims. Participants in the delayed intervention group completed a pretest in the period the immediate intervention group received the educational presentation, and all participants were assessed immediately before (pretest) and after (posttest) the intervention. The intervention effect was tested by comparing the pre–post change in the intervention group to the change in 2 pretests in the delayed intervention group adjusted for the effect of clustering within EDs. The 4 primary outcomes were importance of knowledge of HT to the participant's profession (5-point Likert scale), self-rated knowledge of HT (5-point Likert scale), knowledge of who to call for potential HT victims (yes/no), and suspecting that a patient was a victim of HT (yes/no). Findings There were 258 study participants from 14 EDs; 141 from 8 EDs in the intervention group and 117 from 7 EDs in the delayed intervention comparison group, of which 20 served as the delayed intervention comparison group. Participants in the intervention group reported greater increases in their level of knowledge about HT versus those in the delayed intervention comparison group (1.42 vs −0.15; adjusted difference = 1.57 [95% confidence interval, 1.02–2.12]; P < 0.001). Pretest ratings of the importance of knowledge about HT to the participant's profession were high in both groups and there was no intervention effect (0.31 vs 0.55; −0.24 [−0.90–0.42], P = 0.49). Knowing who to call for potential HT victims increased from 7.2% to 59% in the intervention group and was unchanged (15%) in the delayed intervention comparison group (61.4% [28.5%–94.4%]; P < 0.01). The proportion of participants who suspected their patient was a victim of HT increased from 17% to 38% in the intervention group and remained unchanged (10%) in the delayed intervention comparison group (20.9 [8.6%– 33.1%]; P < 0.01). Interpretation A brief educational intervention increased ED provider knowledge and self-reported recognition of HT victims. PMID:25407038

Effects of a Responsiveness-Focused Intervention in Family Child Care Homes on Children’s Executive Function

PubMed Central

Merz, Emily C.; Landry, Susan H.; Johnson, Ursula Y.; Williams, Jeffrey M.; Jung, Kwanghee

2016-01-01

Caregiver responsiveness has been theorized and found to support children’s early executive function (EF) development. This study examined the effects of an intervention that targeted family child care provider responsiveness on children’s EF. Family child care providers were randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups or a control group. An intervention group that received a responsiveness-focused online professional development course and another intervention group that received this online course plus weekly mentoring were collapsed into one group because they did not differ on any of the outcome variables. Children (N = 141) ranged in age from 2.5 to 5 years (mean age = 3.58 years; 52% female). At pretest and posttest, children completed delay inhibition tasks (gift delay-wrap, gift delay-bow) and conflict EF tasks (bear/dragon, dimensional change card sort), and parents reported on the children’s level of attention problems. Although there were no main effects of the intervention on children’s EF, there were significant interactions between intervention status and child age for delay inhibition and attention problems. The youngest children improved in delay inhibition and attention problems if they were in the intervention rather than the control group, whereas older children did not. These results suggest that improving family child care provider responsive behaviors may facilitate the development of certain EF skills in young preschool-age children. PMID:26941476

Does Early Versus Delayed Active Range of Motion Affect Rotator Cuff Healing After Surgical Repair? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kluczynski, Melissa A; Isenburg, Maureen M; Marzo, John M; Bisson, Leslie J

2016-03-01

The timing of passive range of motion (ROM) after surgical repair of the rotator cuff (RC) has been shown to affect healing. However, it is unknown if early or delayed active ROM affects healing. To determine whether early versus delayed active ROM affects structural results of RC repair surgery. Systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic review of articles published between January 2004 and April 2014 was conducted. Structural results were compared for early (<6 weeks after surgery) versus delayed (≥6 weeks after surgery) active ROM using chi-square and Fisher exact tests, as well as relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs. The analyses were stratified by tear size and repair method. A total of 37 studies (2251 repairs) were included in the analysis, with 10 (649 repairs) in the early group and 27 (1602 repairs) in the delayed group. For tears ≤3 cm, the risk of a structural tendon defect was higher in the early versus delayed group for transosseous plus single-row suture anchor repairs (39.7% vs 24.3%; RR, 1.63 [95% CI, 1.28-2.08]). For tears >3 cm, the risk of a structural tendon defect was higher in the early versus delayed group for suture bridge repairs (48% vs 17.5%; RR, 2.74 [95% CI, 1.59-4.73]) and all repair methods combined (40.5% vs 26.7%; RR, 1.52 [95% CI, 1.17-1.97]). For tears >5 cm, the risk of structural tendon defect was higher in the early versus delayed group for suture bridge repairs (100% vs 16.7%; RR, 6.00 [95% CI, 1.69-21.26]). There were no statistically significant associations for tears measuring ≤1, 1-3, or 3-5 cm. Early active ROM was associated with increased risk of a structural defect for small and large RC tears, and thus might not be advisable after RC repair. © 2015 The Author(s).

Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction enhances delayed BMC delivery and attenuates post-infarction cardiac remodelling by inducing engraftment signals.

PubMed

Chen, Yanmei; Zhang, Chuanxi; Shen, Shuxin; Guo, Shengcun; Zhong, Lintao; Li, Xinzhong; Chen, Guojun; Chen, Gangbin; He, Xiang; Huang, Chixiong; He, Nvqin; Liao, Wangjun; Liao, Yulin; Bin, Jianping

2016-12-01

Delayed administration of bone marrow cells (BMCs) at 2-4 weeks after successful reperfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) does not improve cardiac function. The reduction in engraftment signals observed following this time interval might impair the effects of delayed BMC treatment. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) treatment could increase engraftment signals, enhance the delivery of delayed BMCs and subsequently attenuate post-infarction cardiac remodelling. A myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) model was induced in Wistar rats via left coronary ligation for 45 min followed by reperfusion. Western blotting revealed that engraftment signals peaked at 7 days post-I/R and were dramatically lower at 14 days post-I/R. The lower engraftment signals at 14 days post-I/R could be triggered by UTMD treatment at a mechanical index of 1.0-1.9. The troponin I levels in the 1.9 mechanical index group were higher than in the other groups. Simultaneous haematoxylin and eosin staining and fluorescence revealed that the number of engrafted BMCs in the ischaemic zone was greater in the group treated with both UTMD and delayed BMC transplantation than in the control groups (P<0.05). Both UTMD and delayed BMC transplantation improved cardiac function and decreased cardiac fibrosis at 4 weeks after treatment, as compared with control groups (both P<0.05). Histopathology demonstrated that UTMD combined with delayed BMC transplantation increased capillary density, myocardial cell proliferation and c-kit + cell proliferation. These findings indicated that UTMD treatment could induce engraftment signals and enhance homing of delayed BMCs to ischaemic myocardium, attenuating post-infarction cardiac remodelling by promoting neovascularization, cardiomyogenesis and expansion of cardiac c-kit + cells. © 2016 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Critical appraisal of arguments for the delayed-start design proposed as alternative to the parallel-group randomized clinical trial design in the field of rare disease.

PubMed

Spineli, Loukia M; Jenz, Eva; Großhennig, Anika; Koch, Armin

2017-08-17

A number of papers have proposed or evaluated the delayed-start design as an alternative to the standard two-arm parallel group randomized clinical trial (RCT) design in the field of rare disease. However the discussion is felt to lack a sufficient degree of consideration devoted to the true virtues of the delayed start design and the implications either in terms of required sample-size, overall information, or interpretation of the estimate in the context of small populations. To evaluate whether there are real advantages of the delayed-start design particularly in terms of overall efficacy and sample size requirements as a proposed alternative to the standard parallel group RCT in the field of rare disease. We used a real-life example to compare the delayed-start design with the standard RCT in terms of sample size requirements. Then, based on three scenarios regarding the development of the treatment effect over time, the advantages, limitations and potential costs of the delayed-start design are discussed. We clarify that delayed-start design is not suitable for drugs that establish an immediate treatment effect, but for drugs with effects developing over time, instead. In addition, the sample size will always increase as an implication for a reduced time on placebo resulting in a decreased treatment effect. A number of papers have repeated well-known arguments to justify the delayed-start design as appropriate alternative to the standard parallel group RCT in the field of rare disease and do not discuss the specific needs of research methodology in this field. The main point is that a limited time on placebo will result in an underestimated treatment effect and, in consequence, in larger sample size requirements compared to those expected under a standard parallel-group design. This also impacts on benefit-risk assessment.

Links between parent characteristics and attachment variables for college students of parental divorce.

PubMed

Carranza, Laura V; Kilmann, Peter R; Vendemia, Jennifer M C

2009-01-01

This study investigated links between offsprings' attachment patterns and parent characteristics in 157 females and 62 males of parental divorce. Secure females and males reported affection, respect, and closeness toward both biological parents. Offsprings' insecure attachment pattern was associated with negative parent characteristics. Participants who perceived their same-sex parent negatively were more likely to report an insecure attachment. Our findings suggest delayed negative consequences of parental divorce for college women and men.

Cost-effectiveness of early versus delayed functional restoration for chronic disabling occupational musculoskeletal disorders.

PubMed

Theodore, Brian R; Mayer, Tom G; Gatchel, Robert J

2015-06-01

Despite extensive evidence for the treatment effectiveness of interdisciplinary functional restoration (FR) for chronic disabling occupational musculoskeletal disorders (CDOMD), there is little documentation on the cost-effectiveness of early rehabilitation using FR. A total of 1,119 CDOMD patients were classified according to duration of disability on FR entry, corresponding to early rehabilitation (ER: 4-8 months of disability, N = 373), intermediate duration (ID: 9-18 months, N = 373), and delayed rehabilitation (DR: >18 months, N = 373). Groups were matched on sex, age, ethnicity, and injured musculoskeletal region. One-year post-rehabilitation outcomes included return-to-work, work retention and healthcare utilization. Economic analyses included a cost-effectiveness analysis of the FR program, and estimation of the total cost-of-illness. At 1-year post-rehabilitation, all groups were comparable on return-to-work (overall 88%), work retention (overall 80%), and additional healthcare utilization (overall, 2.2% of patients received re-operations/new surgeries, 2 visits to new healthcare provider). Savings of up to 64% in medical costs, and up to 80% in disability benefits and productivity losses was associated with the ER group. The cost of rehabilitation was also up to 56% lower when administered early. Overall, ER resulted in estimated cost savings of up to 72% (or almost $170,000 per claim). Duration of disability does not negatively impact objective work or healthcare utilization outcomes following interdisciplinary FR. However, early rehabilitation is more likely to be a cost-effective solution compared to cases that progress >8 months and receiving FR as a treatment of "last resort".

Carprofen for perioperative analgesia causes early anastomotic leakage in the rat ileum

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background There is increasing evidence that perioperative use of NSAIDs may compromise the integrity of intestinal anastomoses. This study aims to characterize the negative effects of carprofen on early anastomotic healing in the rat ileum. Results In 159 male Wistar rats an anastomosis was constructed in the ileum. In experiment 1 eighty-four rats were divided over control and experimental groups, which received daily buprenorphine or carprofen, respectively, as an analgesic and were killed on day 1, 2 or 3 after surgery. In experiment 2 three groups of 15 rats received carprofen either immediately after surgery or with a delay of 1 or 2 days. Animals were killed after 3 days of carprofen administration. In experiment 3 three groups of 10 rats received different doses (full, half or quarter) of carprofen from surgery. In significant contrast to buprenorphine, which never did so, carprofen induced frequent signs of anastomotic leakage, which were already present at day 1. If first administration was delayed for 48 hours, the leakage rate was significantly reduced (from 80 to 20%; p = 0.0028). Throughout the study, the anastomotic bursting pressure was lowest in animals who displayed signs of anastomotic leakage. Loss of anastomotic integrity did not coincide with reduced levels of hydroxyproline or increased activity of matrix metalloproteinases. Conclusions Carprofen interferes with wound healing in the rat ileum at a very early stage. Although the mechanisms responsible remain to be fully elucidated, one should be aware of the potential of NSAIDs to interfere with the early phase of wound repair. PMID:23270317

Posttraumatic stress symptoms and tobacco abstinence effects in a non-clinical sample: evaluating the mediating role of negative affect reduction smoking expectancies.

PubMed

Langdon, Kirsten J; Leventhal, Adam M

2014-11-01

The relation between posttraumatic stress symptoms and smoking is well documented but poorly understood. The present investigation sought to evaluate the impact of posttraumatic stress symptoms on subjective and behavioral tobacco abstinence effects both directly and indirectly through negative affect reduction smoking outcome expectancies. Participants included 275 (68.7% male; Mage =43.9, 10+ cig/day) adult non-treatment seeking smokers, who attended two counterbalanced laboratory sessions (16 h of smoking deprivation vs ad libitum smoking), during which they completed self-report measures of withdrawal symptoms and mood followed by a smoking lapse task in which they could earn money for delaying smoking and purchase cigarettes to smoke. Results supported a mediational pathway whereby higher baseline symptoms of posttraumatic stress predicted greater endorsement of expectancies that smoking will effectively reduce negative affect, which in turn predicted greater abstinence-provoked exacerbations in nicotine withdrawal symptoms and negative affect. Posttraumatic stress symptoms also predicted number of cigarettes purchased independent of negative affect reduction expectancies, but did not predict delaying smoking for money. Findings highlight tobacco abstinence effects as a putative mechanism underlying posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-smoking comorbidity, indicate an important mediating role of beliefs for smoking-induced negative affect reduction, and shed light on integrated treatment approaches for these two conditions. © The Author(s) 2014.

Pre-school children with and without developmental delay: behaviour problems and parenting stress over time.

PubMed

Baker, B L; McIntyre, L L; Blacher, J; Crnic, K; Edelbrock, C; Low, C

2003-01-01

Children with intellectual disability are at heightened risk for behaviour problems and diagnosed mental disorder. The present authors studied the early manifestation and continuity of problem behaviours in 205 pre-school children with and without developmental delays. Behaviour problems were quite stable over the year from age 36-48 months. Children with developmental delays were rated higher on behaviour problems than their non-delayed peers, and were three times as likely to score in the clinical range. Mothers and fathers showed high agreement in their rating of child problems, especially in the delayed group. Parenting stress was also higher in the delayed group, but was related to the extent of behaviour problems rather than to the child's developmental delay. Over time, a transactional model fit the relationship between parenting stress and behaviour problems: high parenting stress contributed to a worsening in child behaviour problems over time, and high child behaviour problems contributed to a worsening in parenting stress. Findings for mothers and fathers were quite similar.

A structural equation model of the relationship between insomnia, negative affect, and paranoid thinking

PubMed Central

Rowse, Georgina; Webb, Thomas L.

2017-01-01

Background A growing body of evidence points to relationships between insomnia, negative affect, and paranoid thinking. However, studies are needed to examine (i) whether negative affect mediates the relation between insomnia and paranoid thinking, (ii) whether different types of insomnia exert different effects on paranoia, and (iii) to compare the impact of objective and self-reported sleeping difficulties. Method Structural equation modelling was therefore used to test competing models of the relationships between self-reported insomnia, negative affect, and paranoia. n = 348 participants completed measures of insomnia, negative affect and paranoia. A subset of these participants (n = 91) went on to monitor their sleep objectively (using a portable sleep monitor made by Zeo) for seven consecutive nights. Associations between objectively recorded sleep, negative affect, and paranoia were explored using linear regression. Results The findings supported a fully mediated model where self-reported delayed sleep onset, but not self-reported problems with sleep maintenance or objective measures of sleep, was directly associated with negative affect that, in turn, was associated with paranoia. There was no evidence of a direct association between delayed sleep onset or sleep maintenance problems and paranoia. Conclusions Taken together, the findings point to an association between perceived (but not objective) difficulties initially falling asleep (but not maintaining sleep) and paranoid thinking; a relationship that is fully mediated by negative affect. Future research should seek to disentangle the causal relationships between sleep, negative affect, and paranoia (e.g., by examining the effect of an intervention using prospective designs that incorporate experience sampling). Indeed, interventions might profitably target (i) perceived sleep quality, (ii) sleep onset, and / or (iii) emotion regulation as a route to reducing negative affect and, thus, paranoid thinking. PMID:29049381

Bone age in children with obstetrical brachial plexus palsy: effect of peripheral nerve injury on skeletal maturation.

PubMed

Oktay, Fügen; Cömert, Didem; Gökkaya, Nilüfer Kutay Ordu; Ozbudak, Sibel Demir; Uysal, Hilmi

2014-02-01

The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze the effect of peripheral nerve injury on the skeletal maturation process. The bone ages of the affected and unaffected hand-wrists of 42 children with obstetrical brachial palsy were determined according to the Greulich and Pyle atlas. In 23 patients, the bone ages of the both sides were identical (bone-age-symmetrical group), in 19 patients the bone age of the affected side was delayed (bone-age-delayed group). The mean bone age of the affected side was delayed 0.48 ± 0.25 years that of the unaffected side (P = .000), and the delay of bone age was inversely correlated with chronological age (R (2) = .45, P < .02) in the bone-age-delayed group. Skeletal retardation can be recognized after appearance of ossification centers by plain radiography, dating from the third month of life, in early infancy. Thus, bone age determination method might be helpful for predicting potential future limb shortness.

BMP-2/PLGA delayed-release microspheres composite graft, selection of bone particulate diameters, and prevention of aseptic inflammation for bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Ji, Ye; Xu, Gong Ping; Zhang, Zhi Peng; Xia, Jing Jun; Yan, Jing Long; Pan, Shang Ha

2010-03-01

Autogenous bone grafts are widely used in the repair of bone defects. Growth factors such as bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) can induce bone regeneration and enhance bone growth. The combination of an autogenous bone graft and BMP-2 may provide a better osteogenic effect than either treatment alone, but BMP-2 is easily inactivated in body fluid. The objective of this study was to develop a technique that can better preserve the in vivo activity of BMP-2 incorporated in bone grafts. In this study, we first prepared BMP-2/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) delayed-release microspheres, and then combined collagen, the delayed-release microspheres, and rat autologous bone particulates to form four groups of composite grafts with different combinations: collagen in group A; collagen combined with bone particulates in group B; collagen combined with BMP-2/PLGA delayed-release microspheres in group C; and collagen combined with both bone particulates and BMP-2/PLGA delayed-release microspheres in group D. The four groups of composite grafts were implanted into the gluteus maximus pockets in rats. The ectopic osteogenesis and ALP level in group D (experimental group) were compared with those in groups A, B, and C (control groups) to study whether it had higher osteogenic capability. Results showed that the composite graft design increased the utility of BMP-2 and reduced the required dose of BMP-2 and volume of autologous bone. The selection of bone particulate diameter had an impact on the osteogenetic potential of bone grafts. Collagen prevented the occurrence of aseptic inflammation and improved the osteoinductivity of BMP-2. These results showed that this composite graft design is effective and feasible for use in bone repair.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Brief Intervention for Delayed Psychological Effects in Snakebite Victims.

PubMed

Wijesinghe, Chamara A; Williams, Shehan S; Kasturiratne, Anuradhani; Dolawaththa, Nishantha; Wimalaratne, Piyal; Wijewickrema, Buddhika; Jayamanne, Shaluka F; Isbister, Geoffrey K; Dawson, Andrew H; Lalloo, David G; de Silva, H Janaka

2015-01-01

Snakebite results in delayed psychological morbidity and negative psycho-social impact. However, psychological support is rarely provided to victims. To assess the effectiveness of a brief intervention which can be provided by non-specialist doctors aimed at reducing psychological morbidity following snakebite envenoming. In a single blind, randomized controlled trial, snakebite victims with systemic envenoming [n = 225, 168 males, mean age 42.1 (SD 12.4) years] were randomized into three arms. One arm received no intervention (n = 68, Group A), the second received psychological first aid and psychoeducation (dispelling prevalent cultural beliefs related to snakebite which promote development of a sick role) at discharge from hospital (n = 65, Group B), while the third received psychological first aid and psychoeducation at discharge and a second intervention one month later based on cognitive behavioural principles (n = 69, Group C). All patients were assessed six months after hospital discharge for the presence of psychological symptoms and level of functioning using standardized tools. At six months, there was a decreasing trend in the proportion of patients who were positive for psychiatric symptoms of depression and anxiety from Group A through Group B to Group C (Chi square test for trend = 7.901, p = 0.005). This was mainly due to a decreasing trend for symptoms of anxiety (chi-square for trend = 11.256, p = 0.001). There was also decreasing trend in the overall prevalence of disability from Group A through Group B to Group C (chi square for trend = 7.551, p = 0.006), predominantly in relation to disability in family life (p = 0.006) and social life (p = 0.005). However, there was no difference in the proportion of patients diagnosed with depression between the three groups (chi square for trend = 0.391, p = 0.532), and the intervention also had no effect on post-traumatic stress disorder. A brief psychological intervention, which included psychological first aid and psychoeducation plus cognitive behavioural therapy that can be provided by non-specialist doctors appeared to reduce psychiatric symptoms and disability after snakebite envenoming, but not depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry: SLCTR/2011/003.

Adult eyewitness memory and compliance: effects of post-event misinformation on memory for a negative event.

PubMed

Paz-Alonso, Pedro M; Goodman, Gail S; Ibabe, Izaskun

2013-01-01

This study investigated effects of misleading post-event information, delay, and centrality definition on eyewitness memory and suggestibility for a negative event (a vividly filmed murder). Either immediately or 2 weeks after viewing the film, 93 adults read a (misleading or control) narrative about the event and then completed a recognition memory test. Misinformation acceptance was operative, but strong evidence for memory malleability was lacking. Compliance predicted misinformation effects, especially on the delayed test. Although accuracy was generally higher for central than peripheral information, centrality criteria influenced the pattern of results. Self-report of greater distress was associated with better recognition accuracy. The results suggest that use of different centrality definitions may partly explain inconsistencies across studies of memory and suggestibility for central and peripheral information. Moreover, social factors appeared, at least in part, to influence misinformation effects for the highly negative event, especially as memory faded. Implications for eyewitness memory and suggestibility are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Longitudinal Associations Among Religiousness, Delay Discounting, and Substance Use Initiation in Early Adolescence

PubMed Central

Kim-Spoon, Jungmeen; McCullough, Michael E.; Bickel, W. K.; Farley, Julee P.; Longo, Gregory S.

2014-01-01

Prior research indicates that religiousness is related negatively to adolescent health risk behaviors, yet how such protective effects operate is not well understood. This study examined the longitudinal associations among organizational and personal religiousness, delay discounting, and substance use initiation (alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use). The sample comprised 106 early adolescents (10-13 years of age, 52% female) who were not using substances at Time 1. Path analyses suggested that high levels of personal religiousness at Time 1 were related to low levels of substance use at Time 2 (2.4 years later), mediated by low levels of delay discounting. Delay discounting appears to be an important contributor to the protective effect of religiousness on the development of substance use among adolescents. PMID:25750491

Different CT perfusion algorithms in the detection of delayed cerebral ischemia after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

PubMed

Cremers, Charlotte H P; Dankbaar, Jan Willem; Vergouwen, Mervyn D I; Vos, Pieter C; Bennink, Edwin; Rinkel, Gabriel J E; Velthuis, Birgitta K; van der Schaaf, Irene C

2015-05-01

Tracer delay-sensitive perfusion algorithms in CT perfusion (CTP) result in an overestimation of the extent of ischemia in thromboembolic stroke. In diagnosing delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), delayed arrival of contrast due to vasospasm may also overestimate the extent of ischemia. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of tracer delay-sensitive and tracer delay-insensitive algorithms for detecting DCI. From a prospectively collected series of aSAH patients admitted between 2007-2011, we included patients with any clinical deterioration other than rebleeding within 21 days after SAH who underwent NCCT/CTP/CTA imaging. Causes of clinical deterioration were categorized into DCI and no DCI. CTP maps were calculated with tracer delay-sensitive and tracer delay-insensitive algorithms and were visually assessed for the presence of perfusion deficits by two independent observers with different levels of experience. The diagnostic value of both algorithms was calculated for both observers. Seventy-one patients were included. For the experienced observer, the positive predictive values (PPVs) were 0.67 for the delay-sensitive and 0.66 for the delay-insensitive algorithm, and the negative predictive values (NPVs) were 0.73 and 0.74. For the less experienced observer, PPVs were 0.60 for both algorithms, and NPVs were 0.66 for the delay-sensitive and 0.63 for the delay-insensitive algorithm. Test characteristics are comparable for tracer delay-sensitive and tracer delay-insensitive algorithms for the visual assessment of CTP in diagnosing DCI. This indicates that both algorithms can be used for this purpose.

An epidemiological study of urban and rural children in Pakistan: examining the relationship between delayed psychomotor development, low birth weight and postnatal growth failure.

PubMed

Avan, Bilal I; Raza, Syed A; Kirkwood, Betty R

2015-03-01

Low birth weight is known to be associated with postnatal growth failure. It is not yet established that both conditions are determinants of psychomotor development. The study investigated whether or not low birth weight leads to delayed psychomotor development of a child, and whether it can be mitigated by adequate postnatal growth. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2002 in 15 rural and 11 urban communities of Sindh province, Pakistan. Assessment of 1234 children less than 3 years of age included Bayley's Scale of Infant Development II, socioeconomic questionnaire and anthropometry; WHO standards were used to calculate z-scores of height-for-age, weight-for-height and weight-for-age. The underlying study hypotheses were tested through multiple regression modelling. Out of 1219 children, 283 (23.2%) had delayed psychomotor development and 639 (52.4%) were undernourished according to the composite index of anthropometric failure. Strong negative associations with the psychomotor development index were detected between stunting and being underweight, with a larger magnitude of effect for stunting (p<0.001). The strong relationship persisted even when the analysis was restricted to non-malnourished children. The psychomotor index increased by 2.07 points with every unit increase in height-for-age z-score. The relationship between low birth weight and psychomotor development appears to be mediated largely by postnatal growth and nutritional status. This association suggests that among undernourished children there is significant likelihood of a group that is developmentally delayed. It is important to emphasize developmental needs in programmes that target underprivileged children. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Revolving Loan Fund: A Novel Approach to Increasing Access to Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Methods in Community Health Centers.

PubMed

Evans, Megan L; Breeze, Janis L; Paulus, Jessica K; Meadows, Audra

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a revolving loan fund (RLF) on timing of device insertion and long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) access among a high-risk urban population at 3 Boston community health centers. Three health centers were identified to implement a RLF. Each clinic received $5000 from the RLF to purchase LARC devices. Data collected through medical record review retrospectively 1 year prior to start of the RLF and prospectively for 1 year thereafter included patient demographics, type of LARC selected, patient's date of documented interest in a LARC device, and date of insertion. The effect of a RLF on delay to LARC insertion was tested using negative binomial regression, controlling for site and potential confounding variables between the pre- and post-RLF periods. Three urban community health centers. Reproductive-aged women who received family planning services at the 3 participating health centers. Increasing access to LARC and decreasing wait times to LARC insertion after implementation of the RLF. Data on 133 patients in the pre-RLF group and 205 in the post-RLF group were collected. There were no statistically significant differences in demographic or clinical characteristics between the 2 time periods. LARC uptake increased significantly from the pre- to post-RLF period, specifically among implant users. There was a statistically significant decrease in the mean number of days in delay from interest to insertion from the pre- to post-RLF period (pre-RLF: 31.3 ± 50.6 days; post-RLF: 13.6 ± 16.7 days, adjusted P < .001). The reasons for the delay did not differ significantly between the 2 time periods. The RLF decreased wait time for the devices and increased overall insertion rates. This may serve as a promising solution to improve LARC access in community health centers. This project could be expanded to include more health centers, creating a city wide RLF. This expansion could allow for further data analysis, including unintended pregnancy rates with LARC delay, LARC continuation rates, and sustainability of a RLF.

A numerical scheme for singularly perturbed reaction-diffusion problems with a negative shift via numerov method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinesh Kumar, S.; Nageshwar Rao, R.; Pramod Chakravarthy, P.

2017-11-01

In this paper, we consider a boundary value problem for a singularly perturbed delay differential equation of reaction-diffusion type. We construct an exponentially fitted numerical method using Numerov finite difference scheme, which resolves not only the boundary layers but also the interior layers arising from the delay term. An extensive amount of computational work has been carried out to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method.

Thalidomide for Control Delayed Vomiting in Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

PubMed

Han, Zhengxiang; Sun, Xuan; Jiang, Guan; Du, Xiuping

2016-11-01

To explore the efficacy and safety of thalidomide for the treatment of delayed vomiting, induced by chemotherapy in cancer patients. Randomized, double-blind controlled study. The Oncology Department of Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu Xuzhou, China, from January 2012 to January 2014. A total of 78 cancer patients, who had delayed vomiting observed from 24 hours to 1 week after chemotherapy, were included in the study. Patients were divided in a treatment group (40 patients, 51.28%) and a control group (38 patients, 48.71%). The treatment group received thalidomide at an oral dose of 100 mg per night; 50 mg was added daily up to a dose of 200 mg per night, if the curative effect was suboptimal and the medicine was tolerated. Both the treatment and the control groups received a drip of 10 mg azasetron 30 minutes before chemotherapy. The control group only proportions of antiemetic effects and adverse reactions were compared using the c2 test. Antiemetic effects and adverse reactions were assessed from Odds Ratios (OR) with 95% Confidence Intervals(95% CI). The effective control rate of delayed vomiting in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (c2=5.174, p=0.023). No significant difference was found between the two groups in other adverse effects of chemotherapy. Karnofsky scores or the overall self-evaluation of the patients (p>0.05). Thalidomide can effectively control the delayed vomiting of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and the adverse reactions of the agent can be tolerated.

[The inner barrier: how health psychology concepts contribute to the explanation of prehospital delays in acute myocardial infarction: a systematic analysis of the current state of knowledge].

PubMed

Ladwig, Karl-Heinz; Gärtner, Cornelia; Walz, Linda Maria; Smenes, Kerstin Regina; Ronel, Joram

2009-12-01

During onset of an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), less than 20 % of patients reach the hospital within an optimal time window. About 75 % of pre-hospital delay time is caused by deficits in the patients' subjective decision making. To date, little is known about the course of threat appraisal during AMI. We aim to show here that health psychology related concepts offer an attractive conceptual frame to understand paradoxical reactions of AMI patients during this life threatening phase of their life. Only if patients overcome a complex network of barriers in perception and interpretation of symptoms, AMI symptoms will become effective as cues-to-action. Perception of symptoms may be compromised by a wide range of nociceptive stimuli originating from the heart. Symptom vagueness and a mismatch between expected and perceived symptoms may limit interpretation of the threat, yet active misattributing coping strategies may be even more present. Negative outcome expectancies and an impaired perceived self-efficacy, predominately in subjects with co-morbid negative affectivity are likely to contribute to delay.

Square Root Graphical Models: Multivariate Generalizations of Univariate Exponential Families that Permit Positive Dependencies

PubMed Central

Inouye, David I.; Ravikumar, Pradeep; Dhillon, Inderjit S.

2016-01-01

We develop Square Root Graphical Models (SQR), a novel class of parametric graphical models that provides multivariate generalizations of univariate exponential family distributions. Previous multivariate graphical models (Yang et al., 2015) did not allow positive dependencies for the exponential and Poisson generalizations. However, in many real-world datasets, variables clearly have positive dependencies. For example, the airport delay time in New York—modeled as an exponential distribution—is positively related to the delay time in Boston. With this motivation, we give an example of our model class derived from the univariate exponential distribution that allows for almost arbitrary positive and negative dependencies with only a mild condition on the parameter matrix—a condition akin to the positive definiteness of the Gaussian covariance matrix. Our Poisson generalization allows for both positive and negative dependencies without any constraints on the parameter values. We also develop parameter estimation methods using node-wise regressions with ℓ1 regularization and likelihood approximation methods using sampling. Finally, we demonstrate our exponential generalization on a synthetic dataset and a real-world dataset of airport delay times. PMID:27563373

Tuning the group delay of optical wave packets in liquid-crystal light valves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bortolozzo, U.; Residori, S.; Huignard, J. P.

2009-05-01

By performing two-wave mixing experiments in a liquid-crystal light valve, optical pulses are slowed down to group velocities as slow as a few tenths of mm/s, corresponding to a very large group index. We present experiments and model of the slow-light process occurring in the liquid-crystal light valve, showing that this is characterized by multiple-beam diffraction in the Raman-Nath regime. Depending on the initial frequency detuning between pump and signal, the different output order beams are distinguished by different group delays. The group delay can be tuned by changing the main parameters of the experiment: the detuning between the pump and the input wave packet, the strength of the nonlinearity, and the intensity of the pump beam.

Timing of Etonogestrel Implant Insertion After Dilation and Evacuation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Cowett, Allison A; Ali, Rose; Cooper, Mary A; Evans, Mark; Conzuelo, Gabriel; Cremer, Miriam

2018-05-01

To compare the 6-month use rate of the etonogestrel implant placed immediately after dilation and evacuation (D&E) with placement 2-4 weeks postprocedure. This is a randomized controlled trial of women seeking abortion between 14 0/7 and 23 5/7 weeks of gestation and desiring the etonogestrel contraceptive implant at an urban family planning clinic. Participants were randomized to device insertion immediately after the D&E compared with delayed insertion in 2-4 weeks. The primary outcome was implant use rate at 6 months after insertion and was determined by follow-up phone interviews. Secondary outcomes included repeat pregnancy rates and method satisfaction. The sample size of 120 participants was calculated based on a power of 0.80 to demonstrate a 20% difference in implant use rates between groups assuming 40% of women overall are not using the device 6 months after the procedure. Between November 2015 and October 2016, 148 participants were enrolled. Seventy-three participants (49.3%) were randomized to and underwent immediate implant insertion after D&E. The remaining 75 (50.6%) were randomized to delayed insertion. There were no significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics between the groups. Placement rate was 100% in the immediate group compared with 42.7% in the delayed group (P<.01). At 6 months, 40 of 43 (93%) women from the immediate group who completed follow-up continued use of the implant, whereas 19 of 30 (63.3%) women from the delayed group who completed follow-up were using the device (P=.002). Follow-up rates were low at 58.9% in the immediate group compared with 40.0% in the delayed group. Women were more likely to be using the etonogestrel implant at 6 months after D&E if they underwent immediate compared with delayed insertion. The very high loss to follow-up rate makes it difficult to draw conclusions about acceptability of the device and pregnancy rates. ClinicalTrials.gov, 02037919.

Immediate versus delayed postpartum use of levonorgestrel contraceptive implants: a randomized controlled trial in Uganda.

PubMed

Averbach, Sarah; Kakaire, Othman; Kayiga, Herbert; Lester, Felicia; Sokoloff, Abby; Byamugisha, Josaphat; Dehlendorf, Christine; Steinauer, Jody

2017-11-01

Use of long-acting, highly effective contraception has the potential to improve women's ability to avoid short interpregnancy intervals, which are associated with an increased risk of maternal morbidity and mortality, and preterm delivery. In Uganda, contraceptive implants are not routinely available during the immediate postpartum period. The purpose of this study was to compare the proportion of women using levonorgestrel contraceptive implants at 6 months after delivery in women randomized to immediate or delayed insertion. This was a randomized controlled trial among women in Kampala, Uganda. Women who desired contraceptive implants were randomly assigned to insertion of a 2-rod contraceptive implant system containing 75 mg of levonorgestrel immediately following delivery (within 5 days of delivery and before discharge from the hospital) or delayed insertion (6 weeks postpartum). The primary outcome was implant utilization at 6 months postpartum. From June to October 2015, 205 women were randomized, 103 to the immediate group and 102 to the delayed group. Ninety-three percent completed the 6 month follow-up visit. At 6 months, implant use was higher in the immediate group compared with the delayed group (97% vs 68%; P < .001), as was the use of any highly effective contraceptive (98% vs 81%; P = .001). Women in the immediate group were more satisfied with the timing of implant placement. If given the choice, 81% of women in the immediate group and 63% of women in the delayed group would choose the same timing of placement again (P = .01). There were no serious adverse events in either group. Offering women the option of initiating contraceptive implants in the immediate postpartum period has the potential to increase contraceptive utilization, decrease unwanted pregnancies, prevent short interpregnancy intervals, and help women achieve their reproductive goals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spin-dependent delay time in ferromagnet/insulator/ferromagnet heterostructures

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

Xie, ZhengWei; Zheng Shi, De; Lv, HouXiang

2014-07-07

We study theoretically spin-dependent group delay and dwell time in ferromagnet/insulator/ferromagnet (FM/I/FM) heterostructure. The results indicate that, when the electrons with different spin orientations tunnel through the FM/I/FM junction, the spin-up process and the spin-down process are separated on the time scales. As the self-interference delay has the spin-dependent features, the variations of spin-dependent dwell-time and spin-dependent group-delay time with the structure parameters appear different features, especially, in low incident energy range. These different features show up as that the group delay times for the spin-up electrons are always longer than those for spin-down electrons when the barrier height ormore » incident energy increase. In contrast, the dwell times for the spin-up electrons are longer (shorter) than those for spin-down electrons when the barrier heights (the incident energy) are under a certain value. When the barrier heights (the incident energy) exceed a certain value, the dwell times for the spin-up electrons turn out to be shorter (longer) than those for spin-down electrons. In addition, the group delay time and the dwell time for spin-up and down electrons also relies on the comparative direction of magnetization in two FM layers and tends to saturation with the thickness of the barrier.« less

Effect of delayed auditory feedback on stuttering with and without central auditory processing disorders.

PubMed

Picoloto, Luana Altran; Cardoso, Ana Cláudia Vieira; Cerqueira, Amanda Venuti; Oliveira, Cristiane Moço Canhetti de

2017-12-07

To verify the effect of delayed auditory feedback on speech fluency of individuals who stutter with and without central auditory processing disorders. The participants were twenty individuals with stuttering from 7 to 17 years old and were divided into two groups: Stuttering Group with Auditory Processing Disorders (SGAPD): 10 individuals with central auditory processing disorders, and Stuttering Group (SG): 10 individuals without central auditory processing disorders. Procedures were: fluency assessment with non-altered auditory feedback (NAF) and delayed auditory feedback (DAF), assessment of the stuttering severity and central auditory processing (CAP). Phono Tools software was used to cause a delay of 100 milliseconds in the auditory feedback. The "Wilcoxon Signal Post" test was used in the intragroup analysis and "Mann-Whitney" test in the intergroup analysis. The DAF caused a statistically significant reduction in SG: in the frequency score of stuttering-like disfluencies in the analysis of the Stuttering Severity Instrument, in the amount of blocks and repetitions of monosyllabic words, and in the frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies of duration. Delayed auditory feedback did not cause statistically significant effects on SGAPD fluency, individuals with stuttering with auditory processing disorders. The effect of delayed auditory feedback in speech fluency of individuals who stutter was different in individuals of both groups, because there was an improvement in fluency only in individuals without auditory processing disorder.

Effects of buspirone on the immediate positive and delayed negative properties of intravenous cocaine as measured in the conditioned place preference test

PubMed Central

Ettenberg, Aaron; Bernardi, Rick E.

2007-01-01

In prior work, we have demonstrated that the behavioral effects of cocaine adhere to the predictions of the opponent-process theory of drug action. Animals develop conditioned place preferences for distinct locations paired with the immediate effects of IV cocaine, but learn to avoid places paired with the effects present 15-min post injection. It was of interest to assess the putative role of 5-HT in producing the negative properties of cocaine since cocaine acts to inhibit the reuptake of serotonin (5-HT) and since such actions have been associated with anxiogenic consequences. Male rats were administered a reinforcing dose of cocaine (1.0 mg/kg IV) and then placed – either immediately or after a 15-min delay -- into one side of a two-compartment (black-white) Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) box for 5-min. On alternate days, the animals received IV saline injections and were placed in the opposite side of the CPP box. This continued for eight days after which animals had experienced 4 pairings of cocaine with one side (black or white) of the CPP apparatus, and 4 saline pairings with the opposite side. Other groups of rats were treated identically except that 30-min prior to placement into the apparatus, these animals received an IP injection of saline or buspirone (a partial 5-HT1A agonist) at a dose that we have shown to be anxiolytic (2.5 mg/kg IP). Control animals experienced either buspirone or saline pretreatments without cocaine. Our results confirm that animals increase the time spent on the side paired with the immediate effects of cocaine (compared to baseline), but tend to avoid the side paired with effects present 15-min post-injection. Buspirone had no effect on the immediate rewarding properties of cocaine, but completely reversed the negative properties present 15-min post-cocaine. These results are consistent with the view that attenuation of 5-HT neurotransmission (via the autoreceptor agonist properties of buspirone) can reverse the negative impact of IV cocaine. PMID:17524462

Contribution of stress and sex hormones to memory encoding.

PubMed

Merz, Christian J

2017-08-01

Distinct stages of the menstrual cycle and the intake of oral contraceptives (OC) affect sex hormone levels, stress responses, and memory processes critically involved in the pathogenesis of mental disorders. To characterize the interaction of sex and stress hormones on memory encoding, 30 men, 30 women in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (FO), 30 women in the luteal phase (LU), and 30 OC women were exposed to either a stress (socially evaluated cold-pressor test) or a control condition prior to memory encoding and immediate recall of neutral, positive, and negative words. On the next day, delayed free and cued recall was tested. Sex hormone levels verified distinct estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone levels between groups. Stress increased blood pressure, cortisol concentrations, and ratings of stress appraisal in all four groups as well as cued recall performance of negative words in men. Stress exposure in OC women led to a blunted cortisol response and rather enhanced cued recall of neutral words. Thus, pre-encoding stress facilitated emotional cued recall performance in men only, but not women with different sex hormone statuses pointing to the pivotal role of circulating sex hormones in modulation of learning and memory processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aberrant temporal behavior of mismatch negativity generators in schizophrenia patients and subjects at clinical high risk for psychosis.

PubMed

Kim, Minah; Cho, Kang Ik Kevin; Yoon, Youngwoo Bryan; Lee, Tae Young; Kwon, Jun Soo

2017-02-01

Although disconnection syndrome has been considered a core pathophysiologic mechanism of schizophrenia, little is known about the temporal behavior of mismatch negativity (MMN) generators in individuals with schizophrenia or clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis. MMN was assessed in 29 schizophrenia patients, 40 CHR subjects, and 47 healthy controls (HCs). Individual realistic head models and the minimum L2 norm algorithm were used to generate a current source density (CSD) model of MMN. The strength and time course of MMN CSD activity were calculated separately for the frontal and temporal cortices and were compared across brain regions and groups. Schizophrenia patients and CHR subjects displayed lower MMN CSD strength than HCs in both the temporal and frontal cortices. We found a significant time delay in MMN generator activity in the frontal cortex relative to that in the temporal cortex in HCs. However, the sequential temporo-frontal activities of MMN generators were disrupted in both the schizophrenia and CHR groups. Impairments and altered temporal behavior of MMN multiple generators were observed even in individuals at risk for psychosis. These findings suggest that aberrant MMN generator activity might be helpful in revealing the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Piloted simulator study of allowable time delay in pitch flight control system of a transport airplane with negative static stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grantham, William D.; Smith, Paul M.; Person, Lee H., Jr.; Meyer, Robert T.; Tingas, Stephen A.

1987-01-01

A piloted simulation study was conducted to determine the permissible time delay in the flight control system of a 10-percent statically unstable transport airplane during cruise flight conditions. The math model used for the simulation was a derivative Lockheed L-1011 wide-body jet transport. Data were collected and analyzed from a total of 137 cruising flights in both calm- and turbulent-air conditions. Results of this piloted simulation study verify previous findings that show present military specifications for allowable control-system time delay may be too stringent when applied to transport-size airplanes. Also, the degree of handling-qualities degradation due to time delay is shown to be strongly dependent on the source of the time delay in an advanced flight control system. Maximum allowable time delay for each source of time delay in the control system, in addition to a less stringent overall maximum level of time delay, should be considered for large aircraft. Preliminary results also suggest that adverse effects of control-system time delay may be at least partially offset by variations in control gearing. It is recommended that the data base include different airplane baselines, control systems, and piloting tasks with many pilots participating, so that a reasonable set of limits for control-system time delay can be established to replace the military specification limits currently being used.

Is size the only determinant of delayed abdominal closure in pediatric liver transplant?

PubMed

Khorsandi, Shirin Elizabeth; Day, Arthur William Raven; Cortes, Miriam; Deep, Akash; Dhawan, Anil; Vilca-Melendez, Hector; Heaton, Nigel

2017-03-01

The aim was to determine the factors associated with the use of delayed abdominal closure in pediatric liver transplantation (LT) and whether this affected outcome. From a prospectively maintained database, transplants performed in children (≤18 years) were identified (October 2010 to March 2015). Primary abdominal closure was defined as mass closure performed at time of transplant. Delayed abdominal closure was defined as mass closure not initially performed at the same time as transplant; 230 children underwent LT. Of these, 176 (76.5%) had primary closure. Age was similar between the primary and delayed groups (5.0 ± 4.9 versus 3.9 ± 5.0 years; P = 0.13). There was no difference in the graft-to-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) in the primary and delayed groups (3.4 ± 2.8 versus 4.1 ± 2.1; P = 0.12). Children with acute liver failure (ALF) were more likely to experience delayed closure then those with chronic liver disease (CLD; P < 0.001). GRWR was similar between the ALF and CLD (3.4 ± 2.4 versus 3.6 ± 2.7; P = 0.68). Primary closure children had a shorter hospital stay (P < 0.001), spent fewer days in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU; P = 0.001), and required a shorter duration of ventilation (P < 0.001). Vascular complications (arterial and venous) were similar (primary 8.2% versus delayed 5.6%; P = 0.52). Graft (P = 0.42) and child survival (P = 0.65) in the primary and delayed groups were similar. Considering timing of mass closure after transplant, patients in the early delayed closure group (<6 weeks) were found to experience a shorter time of ventilation (P = 0.03) and in PICU (P = 0.003). In conclusion, ALF was the main determinant of delayed abdominal closure rather than GRWR. The optimal time for delayed closure is within 6 weeks. The use of delayed abdominal closure does not adversely affect graft/child survival. Liver Transplantation 23 352-360 2017 AASLD. © 2016 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Explaining negative refraction without negative refractive indices.

PubMed

Talalai, Gregory A; Garner, Timothy J; Weiss, Steven J

2018-03-01

Negative refraction through a triangular prism may be explained without assigning a negative refractive index to the prism by using array theory. For the case of a beam incident upon the wedge, the array theory accurately predicts the beam transmission angle through the prism and provides an estimate of the frequency interval at which negative refraction occurs. The hypotenuse of the prism has a staircase shape because it is built of cubic unit cells. The large phase delay imparted by each unit cell, combined with the staircase shape of the hypotenuse, creates the necessary conditions for negative refraction. Full-wave simulations using the finite-difference time-domain method show that array theory accurately predicts the beam transmission angle.

Ramathibodi Language Development Questionnaire: A Newly Developed Screening Tool for Detection of Delayed Language Development in Children Aged 18-30 Months.

PubMed

Chuthapisith, Jariya; Wantanakorn, Pornchanok; Roongpraiwan, Rawiwan

2015-08-01

To develop a parental questionnaire for screening children with delayed language development in primary care settings. Ramathibodi Language Development (RLD) questionnaire was developed and completed by groups of 40 typically developing children age 18 to 30 months old and 30 children with delayed language development. The mean score was significantly lower in the delay language group (6.7 ± 1.9), comparing with the typically developing group (9.6 ± 0.7). The optimal ROC curve cut-off score was 8 with corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 98% and 72%, respectively. The corresponding area under the curve was 0.96 (95% CI = 0.92-0.99). The RLD questionnaire was the promising language developmental screening instrument that easily utilized in well-child examination settings.

Inflammatory cytokine levels in synovial fluid 3, 4 days postoperatively and its correlation with early-phase functional recovery after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a cohort study.

PubMed

Inoue, Makiko; Muneta, Takeshi; Ojima, Miyoko; Nakamura, Kaori; Koga, Hideyuki; Sekiya, Ichiro; Okazaki, Mutsumi; Tsuji, Kunikazu

2016-12-01

Synovial fluid was collected prior to and at 3 to 4 days after ACL reconstruction to investigate the correlation between inflammatory cytokine levels in the acute phase after surgery and physical functional recovery at 3 months postoperatively.  For this purpose, 79 patients with ACL reconstruction using semitendinosus tendons were included in the study. Median days from injury to surgery were 80 days (13-291 days). Synovial fluid was obtained just before surgery and at 3 to 4 days after surgery. Physical activity of each patient was evaluated at 3 months postoperatively, and scored from 0 (hard to walk) to 5 (run). Patients able to jog (score 4) or run (score 5) were considered as the "quick recovery" group and others (scores 1-3) as the "delayed recovery" group. Physical activity recovery scores in the early surgery group (preoperative period less than 60 days; Group I) were significantly better than those in the delayed surgery group (Group II). Among the cytokines tested, TNF-alpha and IL10 levels in synovial fluid were significantly higher in Group II at 3 to 4 days postoperatively, while levels of these cytokines were quite comparable preoperatively between the groups. Increased IL1-beta expression was noted in the delayed recovery group at 3 to 4 days postoperatively. In addition, levels of IL6, IL10 and IFN-gamma also tended to increase in patients with delayed recovery. Delayed ACL reconstruction increases levels of inflammatory cytokines in synovial fluid after surgery and correlates with a prolonged recovery of short-period physical activity of the patients.

Suitable closure for post-duodenal endoscopic resection taking medical costs into consideration

PubMed Central

Mori, Hirohito; Ayaki, Maki; Kobara, Hideki; Fujihara, Shintaro; Nishiyama, Noriko; Matsunaga, Tae; Yachida, Tatsuo; Masaki, Tsutomu

2015-01-01

AIM: To compare closure methods, closure times and medical costs between two groups of patients who had post-endoscopic resection (ER) artificial ulcer floor closures. METHODS: Nineteen patients with duodenal adenoma, early duodenal cancer, and subepithelial tumors that received ER between September 2009 and September 2014 at Kagawa University Hospital and Ehime Rosai Hospital, an affiliated hospital of Kagawa University, were included in the study. We retrospectively compared two groups of patients who received post-ER artificial ulcer floor closure: the conventional clip group vs the over-the-scope clip (OTSC) group. Delayed bleeding, procedure time of closure, delayed perforation, total number of conventional clips and OTSCs and medical costs were analyzed. RESULTS: Although we observed delayed bleeding in three patients in the conventional clip group, we observed no delayed bleeding in the OTSC group (P = 0.049). We did not observe perforation in either group. The mean procedure times for ulcer closure were 33.26 ± 12.57 min and 9.71 ± 2.92 min, respectively (P = 0.0001). The resection diameters were 18.8 ± 1.30 mm and 22.9 ± 1.21 mm for the conventional clip group and the OTSC group, respectively, with significant difference (P = 0.039). As for medical costs, the costs of all conventional clips were USD $1257 and the costs of OTSCs were $7850 (P = 0.005). If the post-ER ulcer is under 20 mm in diameter, a conventional clip closure may be more suitable with regard to the prevention of delayed perforation and to medical costs. CONCLUSION: If the post-ER ulcer is over 20 mm, the OTSC closure should be selected with regard to safety and reliable closure even if there are high medical costs. PMID:25954101

Thyroidectomy as primary treatment optimizes body mass index in patients with hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Schneider, David F; Nookala, Ratnam; Jaraczewski, Taylor J; Chen, Herbert; Solorzano, Carmen C; Sippel, Rebecca S

2014-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine how the timing of thyroidectomy influenced postoperative weight change. We conducted a two-institution study, identifying patients treated with total thyroidectomy for hyperthyroidism. Patients were classified as 'early' if they were referred for surgery as the first treatment option, or 'delayed' if they were previously treated with radioactive iodine (RAI). Groups were compared with the Student's t-test or χ (2) test where appropriate. There were 204 patients undergoing thyroidectomy for hyperthyroidism. Of these, 171 patients were classified as early and 33 were classified as delayed. Overall, patients gained 6.0 % ± 0.8 of their preoperative body weight at last follow-up. Preoperative body mass indexes (BMIs) were similar between groups (p = 0.98), and the median follow-up time was 388 days (range 15-1,584 days). Both groups gained weight until they achieved a normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) postoperatively. After achieving a normal TSH, the early group stabilized or lost weight (-0.2 lbs/day), while the delayed group continued to gain weight (0.02 lbs/day; p = 0.61). At last follow-up, there were significantly more patients in the delayed group who increased their BMI category compared with the early group (42.4 vs. 21.6 %; p = 0.01). Twice as many patients in the delayed group moved up or into an unhealthy BMI category (overweight or obese) compared with the early group (39.4 vs. 19.3 %; p = 0.01). Compared with patients initially treated with RAI, patients with hyperthyroidism who underwent surgery as the first treatment were less likely to become overweight or obese postoperatively.

Lipid composition and lidocaine effect on immediate and delayed injection pain following propofol administration.

PubMed

Zirak, Nahid; Bameshki, Alireza; Yazdani, Mohammadjavad; Gilani, Mehryar Taghavi

2016-01-01

Propofol has been used for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. However, patients experience vascular pain during its injection. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of the lipid type used in propofol preparations and that of lidocaine on the immediate and delayed vascular pain induced by propofol administration. In this double-blinded clinical study, 150 patients at American Society of Anesthesiologists level I-II were randomly divided into three equally sized groups. A propofol with medium and long-chain triglycerides (propofol-MCT/LCT) was administered to the first group. The second group received propofol containing propofol-LCT, and the third group received propofol-LCT and pretreatment lidocaine 20 mg. The incidence and the intensity of immediate (during injection) and delayed injection pain (after 20 s) were evaluated on a verbal analog scale (1-10) until patients' unconsciousness. Sample size was calculated with SigmaPlot version 12.5 software. Data were analyzed with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16, one-way analysis of variance, and post-hoc Tukey. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The demographic parameters of the three groups were similar. The lidocaine group experienced the least immediate vascular pain. The intensity of pain was highest in the propofol-LCT group (P = 0.04). Additionally, the intensity of delayed pain was lowest in the propofol-MCT/LCT group (P = 0.01). The incidence of pain associated with the propofol administration was 26.5, 44, and 18%, respectively, in propofol-MCT/LCT, propofol-LCT, and lidocaine and propofol-LCT groups. The results indicate an effect of the lipid type on delayed pain reduction, especially propofol-MCT/LCT. On the other hand, the lidocaine decreases immediate propofol-LCT vascular pain.

Suitable closure for post-duodenal endoscopic resection taking medical costs into consideration.

PubMed

Mori, Hirohito; Ayaki, Maki; Kobara, Hideki; Fujihara, Shintaro; Nishiyama, Noriko; Matsunaga, Tae; Yachida, Tatsuo; Masaki, Tsutomu

2015-05-07

To compare closure methods, closure times and medical costs between two groups of patients who had post-endoscopic resection (ER) artificial ulcer floor closures. Nineteen patients with duodenal adenoma, early duodenal cancer, and subepithelial tumors that received ER between September 2009 and September 2014 at Kagawa University Hospital and Ehime Rosai Hospital, an affiliated hospital of Kagawa University, were included in the study. We retrospectively compared two groups of patients who received post-ER artificial ulcer floor closure: the conventional clip group vs the over-the-scope clip (OTSC) group. Delayed bleeding, procedure time of closure, delayed perforation, total number of conventional clips and OTSCs and medical costs were analyzed. Although we observed delayed bleeding in three patients in the conventional clip group, we observed no delayed bleeding in the OTSC group (P = 0.049). We did not observe perforation in either group. The mean procedure times for ulcer closure were 33.26 ± 12.57 min and 9.71 ± 2.92 min, respectively (P = 0.0001). The resection diameters were 18.8 ± 1.30 mm and 22.9 ± 1.21 mm for the conventional clip group and the OTSC group, respectively, with significant difference (P = 0.039). As for medical costs, the costs of all conventional clips were USD $1257 and the costs of OTSCs were $7850 (P = 0.005). If the post-ER ulcer is under 20 mm in diameter, a conventional clip closure may be more suitable with regard to the prevention of delayed perforation and to medical costs. If the post-ER ulcer is over 20 mm, the OTSC closure should be selected with regard to safety and reliable closure even if there are high medical costs.

[CLINICAL UTILITY OF T-SPOT.TB ASSAY WITH T-Cell Xtend REAGENT FOR ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS DIAGNOSIS IN THE FIELD TEST AT OUR HOSPITAL].

PubMed

Nemoto, Kenji; Oh-ishi, Shuji; Taguchi, Masato; Hyodo, Kentaro; Kanazawa, Jun; Miura, Yukiko; Takaku, Takio; Usui, Shingo; Hayashihara, Kenji; Saito, Takefumi

2016-04-01

T-SPOT.TB (T-SPOT), an interferon-gamma release assay, has shown promise as a diagnostic tool for active tuberculosis (TB), and its use is expanding. Addition of the T-Cell Xtend (TCX) reagent may allow delayed processing, and this characteristic is important for using this test in the field. However, limited data is available on the usefulness of T-SPOT with TCX as a field test for diagnosing active TB. To investigate the clinical utility of T-SPOT with TCX and the risk factors for a false-negative result in patients with active TB. A total of 57 patients with active TB who underwent the T-SPOT test with TCX prior to treatment were enrolled between May 2013 and May 2015. One patient with an indeterminate result for T-SPOT was excluded; therefore, the data of 56 patients were eventually included in the final analysis. The basic characteristics and clinical findings were compared between the true-positive and false-negative T-SPOT groups. Of the 56 patients, 40 (71.4%), 13 (23.2%), 3 (5.4%) had true-positive, false-negative, and borderline T-SPOT results, respectively. This study did not reveal any significant risk factors for a false-negative T-SPOT result. In this clinical study, the proportion of patients with a false-negative result for T-SPOT with TCX for active TB was higher than that reported previously. Therefore, careful interpretation of a negative result for T-SPOT with TCX is necessary, regardless of the patient's background.

Investigation of e-beam sensitive negative-tone chemically amplified resists for binary mask making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irmscher, Mathias; Berger, Lothar; Beyer, Dirk; Butschke, Joerg; Dress, Peter; Hoffmann, Thomas; Hudek, Peter; Koepernik, Corinna; Tschinkl, Martin; Voehringer, Peter

2003-08-01

Negative-tone chemically amplified resists MES-EN1G (JSR), FEN-270 (Fujifilm ARCH), EN-024M (TOK) and NEB-22 (Sumitomo) were evaluated for binary mask making. The investigations were performed on an advanced tool set comprising a 50kV e-beam writer Leica SB350, a Steag Hamatech hot/cool plate module APB5000, a Steag Hamatech developer ASP5000, an UNAXIS MASK ETCHER III and a SEM LEO1560 with integrated CD measurement option. We investigated and compared the evaluated resists in terms of resolution, e-beam sensitivity, resist profile, post exposure bake sensitivity, CD-uniformity, line edge roughness, pattern fidelity and etch resistance. Furthermore, the influence of post coating delay and post exposure delay in vacuum and air was determined.

The Development of Coordinated Communication in Infants at Heightened Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Parladé, Meaghan V.; Iverson, Jana M.

2015-01-01

This study evaluated the extent to which developmental change in coordination of social communication in early infancy differentiates children eventually diagnosed with ASD from those not likely to develop the disorder. A prospective longitudinal design was used to compare 9 infants at heightened risk for ASD (HR) later diagnosed with ASD, to 13 HR infants with language delay, 28 HR infants with no diagnosis, and 30 low risk infants. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) analyses revealed that ASD infants exhibited significantly slower growth in coordinations overall and in gestures coordinated with vocalizations, even relative to HR infants with language delay. Disruption in the development of gesture-vocalization coordinations may result in negative cascading effects that negatively impact later social and linguistic development. PMID:25689930

76 FR 68734 - Taking and Importing Marine Mammals: Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Navy Training Exercises...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-07

... marine mammal is likely to travel during the time associated with the TDFD's time delay, and that... Navy provided the approximate distance that an animal would typically travel within a given time-delay... Speed and Length of Time-Delay Potential distance Species group Swim speed Time-delay traveled Delphinid...

Central retinal artery occlusion in an ANCA negative Churg-Strauss syndrome patient.

PubMed

Türkçüoğlu, Peykan; Isik, Ahmet; Deniz, Nurettin; Turgut, Burak; Kan, Elif Kiliç

2007-12-01

To describe a central retinal artery occlusion in a patient with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) negative Churg-Strauss syndrome. Review of clinical and laboratory findings of a 44-year-old woman with ANCA negative Churg-Strauss syndrome that developed sudden vision loss in left eye. Left central retinal artery occlusion was diagnosed by retinal whitening, a cherry-red spot, and delayed arterial filling on fluorescein angiography. Perinuclear ANCA and cytoplasmic ANCA were negative. Central retinal artery occlusion can occur in ANCA negative Churg-Strauss syndrome. Patients with this diagnosis should be considered for prophylactic high dose corticosteroid, regardless of their ANCA status.

Asymmetries in reciprocal baroreflex mechanisms and chronic pain severity: Focusing on irritable bowel syndrome.

PubMed

Davydov, D M; Naliboff, B; Shahabi, L; Shapiro, D

2018-02-01

Objective measures of pain severity remain ill defined, although its accurate measurement is critical. Reciprocal baroreflex mechanisms of blood pressure (BP) control were found to impact differently on pain regulation, and thus their asymmetry was hypothesized to also connect to chronic pain duration and severity. Seventy-eight female patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and 27 healthy women were assessed for IBS severity and chronicity, negative affect, and various measures of resting autonomic function including BP, heart rate and its variability (HRV), baroreceptor-sensitivity to activations and inhibitions, gains of brady- and tachy-cardiac baro-responses, gains of BP falls/rises, and BP start points for these spontaneous baroreflexes. IBS directly and indirectly (through increased negative affect) was associated with asymmetry between baroreceptor activations/inhibitions compared to symmetrical baroreflex reciprocity in the healthy women. In the IBS group, independently of specific IBS symptoms, pain chronicity was associated with (i) decreased BP falls coupled with either (a) decreased tachycardia associated with lower disease severity (earlier "pain resilience" mechanism), or (b) decreased bradycardia associated with higher disease severity (later "pain decompensation" mechanism), or (ii) increased BP start point for baroreceptor activations coupled with either (a) BP increase (delayed "pain adaptation" mechanism) or (b) affect-related HRV decrease (delayed "pain aggravation" mechanism). We anticipate the findings to be a starting point for validating these autonomic metrics of pain suffering and pain coping mechanisms in other chronic pain syndromes to suggest them as biomarkers of its severity and duration for profiling and correct management of chronic pain patients. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The "hook effect" causing a negative pregnancy test in a patient with an advanced molar pregnancy.

PubMed

Winder, Abigail D; Mora, Adria Suarez; Berry, Emily; Lurain, John R

2017-08-01

•At high hCG levels in molar pregnancies, a "hook effect" can cause an artificially negative value.•Delay in diagnosis of a molar pregnancy due to the "hook effect" can lead to severe complications.•Suspicion of a molar pregnancy should be communicated so a diluted sample is used to quantify hCG.

Water--Problems and Solutions. A Report Concerning the Problems and Solutions of Negative Water Balance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewert, Alan

Outdoor leaders constantly face problems created by water shortage and, to act effectively, must thoroughly understand the body's use of water and the ways to delay dehydration when water shortage occurs. Dehydration begins when there is a negative water balance, or more water lost than ingested, and progresses from the stage of dryness, to the…

Electrically-Tunable Group Delays Using Quantum Wells in a Distributed Bragg Reflector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Thomas R., Jr.; Loehr, John P.; Fork, Richard L.; Cole, Spencer; Jones, Darryl K.; Keys, Andrew

1999-01-01

There is a growing interest in the fabrication of semiconductor optical group delay lines for the development of phased arrays of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs). We present a novel structure incorporating In(x)GA(1-x)As quantum wells in the GaAs quarter-wave layers of a GaAs/AlAs distributed Bragg reflector (DBR). Application of an electric field across the quantum wells leads to red shifting and peak broadening of the el-hhl exciton peak via the quantum-confined Stark effect. Resultant changes in the index of refraction thereby provide a means for altering the group delay of an incident laser pulse. We discuss the tradeoffs between the maximum amount of change in group delay versus absorption losses for such a device. We also compare a simple theoretical model to experimental results, and discuss both angle and position tuning of the BDR band edge resonance relative to the exciton absorption peak. The advantages of such monolithically grown devices for phased-array VCSEL applications will be detailed.

Word reading practice reduces Stroop interference in children.

PubMed

Protopapas, Athanassios; Vlahou, Eleni L; Moirou, Despoina; Ziaka, Laoura

2014-05-01

Stroop interference is thought to index reading automaticity and is expected to increase with reading practice and to decrease with improved color naming. We investigated the effects of practice in word reading and color naming on interference in 92 adults and 109 children in Grades 4-5. For children, interference was reduced after reading practice with color words. In neither group was interference affected by practice in color naming of neutral stimuli. These findings are consistent with a direct negative relationship between reading ability and interference and challenge the automaticity account in favor of a blocking mechanism whereby interference is determined by the delay to inhibit the reading response rather than by the efficiency of color naming. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Social Skills Groups for Young Children with Social Delays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koyama, Takanori

2011-01-01

This study was conducted as a program evaluation of an existing social skills program. A review of literature identified a limited number of empirical studies on group-based social skills training for young children with social delays. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of social skills groups as well as the effects of homework…

Effect of Group Setting on Gross Motor Performance in Children 3-5 Years Old with Motor Delays.

PubMed

Fay, Deanne; Wilkinson, Tawna; Wagoner, Michelle; Brooks, Danna; Quinn, Lauren; Turnell, Andrea

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in gross motor performance of children 3-5 years of age with motor delays when assessed individually compared to assessment in a group setting among peers with typical development (TD). Twenty children with motor delays and 42 children with TD were recruited from a preschool program. A within-subject repeated measures design was used; each child with delay was tested both in an individual setting and in a group setting with two to four peers with TD. Testing sessions were completed 4-8 days apart. Ten different motor skills from the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 were administered. Performance of each item was videotaped and scored by a blinded researcher. Overall gross motor performance was significantly different (p < .05) between the two settings, with 14 of 20 children demonstrating better performance in the group setting. In particular, children performed better on locomotion items (p < .05). The higher scores for locomotion in the group setting may be due to the influence of competition, motivation, or modeling. Assessing a child in a group setting is recommended as part of the evaluation process.

Identifying Otosclerosis with Aural Acoustical Tests of Absorbance, Group Delay, Acoustic Reflex Threshold, and Otoacoustic Emissions.

PubMed

Keefe, Douglas H; Archer, Kelly L; Schmid, Kendra K; Fitzpatrick, Denis F; Feeney, M Patrick; Hunter, Lisa L

2017-10-01

Otosclerosis is a progressive middle-ear disease that affects conductive transmission through the middle ear. Ear-canal acoustic tests may be useful in the diagnosis of conductive disorders. This study addressed the degree to which results from a battery of ear-canal tests, which include wideband reflectance, acoustic stapedius muscle reflex threshold (ASRT), and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs), were effective in quantifying a risk of otosclerosis and in evaluating middle-ear function in ears after surgical intervention for otosclerosis. To evaluate the ability of the test battery to classify ears as normal or otosclerotic, measure the accuracy of reflectance in classifying ears as normal or otosclerotic, and evaluate the similarity of responses in normal ears compared with ears after surgical intervention for otosclerosis. A quasi-experimental cross-sectional study incorporating case control was used. Three groups were studied: one diagnosed with otosclerosis before corrective surgery, a group that received corrective surgery for otosclerosis, and a control group. The test groups included 23 ears (13 right and 10 left) with normal hearing from 16 participants (4 male and 12 female), 12 ears (7 right and 5 left) diagnosed with otosclerosis from 9 participants (3 male and 6 female), and 13 ears (4 right and 9 left) after surgical intervention from 10 participants (2 male and 8 female). Participants received audiometric evaluations and clinical immittance testing. Experimental tests performed included ASRT tests with wideband reference signal (0.25-8 kHz), reflectance tests (0.25-8 kHz), which were parameterized by absorbance and group delay at ambient pressure and at swept tympanometric pressures, and TEOAE tests using chirp stimuli (1-8 kHz). ASRTs were measured in ipsilateral and contralateral conditions using tonal and broadband noise activators. Experimental ASRT tests were based on the difference in wideband-absorbed sound power before and after presenting the activator. Diagnostic accuracy to classify ears as otosclerotic or normal was quantified by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for univariate and multivariate reflectance tests. The multivariate predictor used a small number of input reflectance variables, each having a large AUC, in a principal components analysis to create independent variables and followed by a logistic regression procedure to classify the test ears. Relative to the results in normal ears, diagnosed otosclerosis ears more frequently showed absent TEOAEs and ASRTs, reduced ambient absorbance at 4 kHz, and a different pattern of tympanometric absorbance and group delay (absorbance increased at 2.8 kHz at the positive-pressure tail and decreased at 0.7-1 kHz at the peak pressure, whereas group delay decreased at positive and negative-pressure tails from 0.35-0.7 kHz, and at 2.8-4 kHz at positive-pressure tail). Using a multivariate predictor with three reflectance variables, tympanometric reflectance (AUC = 0.95) was more accurate than ambient reflectance (AUC = 0.88) in classifying ears as normal or otosclerotic. Reflectance provides a middle-ear test that is sensitive to classifying ears as otosclerotic or normal, which may be useful in clinical applications. American Academy of Audiology

Vaccination Confidence and Parental Refusal/Delay of Early Childhood Vaccines.

PubMed

Gilkey, Melissa B; McRee, Annie-Laurie; Magnus, Brooke E; Reiter, Paul L; Dempsey, Amanda F; Brewer, Noel T

2016-01-01

To support efforts to address parental hesitancy towards early childhood vaccination, we sought to validate the Vaccination Confidence Scale using data from a large, population-based sample of U.S. parents. We used weighted data from 9,354 parents who completed the 2011 National Immunization Survey. Parents reported on the immunization history of a 19- to 35-month-old child in their households. Healthcare providers then verified children's vaccination status for vaccines including measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), varicella, and seasonal flu. We used separate multivariable logistic regression models to assess associations between parents' mean scores on the 8-item Vaccination Confidence Scale and vaccine refusal, vaccine delay, and vaccination status. A substantial minority of parents reported a history of vaccine refusal (15%) or delay (27%). Vaccination confidence was negatively associated with refusal of any vaccine (odds ratio [OR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54-0.63) as well as refusal of MMR, varicella, and flu vaccines specifically. Negative associations between vaccination confidence and measures of vaccine delay were more moderate, including delay of any vaccine (OR = 0.81, 95% CI, 0.76-0.86). Vaccination confidence was positively associated with having received vaccines, including MMR (OR = 1.53, 95% CI, 1.40-1.68), varicella (OR = 1.54, 95% CI, 1.42-1.66), and flu vaccines (OR = 1.32, 95% CI, 1.23-1.42). Vaccination confidence was consistently associated with early childhood vaccination behavior across multiple vaccine types. Our findings support expanding the application of the Vaccination Confidence Scale to measure vaccination beliefs among parents of young children.

Prader-Willi-like phenotype: investigation of 1p36 deletion in 41 patients with delayed psychomotor development, hypotonia, obesity and/or hyperphagia, learning disabilities and behavioral problems.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Carla S; Da Paz, José A; Kim, Chong A; Bertola, Débora R; Castro, Claudia I E; Varela, Monica C; Koiffmann, Célia P

2006-01-01

Monosomy 1p36 is one of the most commonly observed mental retardation (MR) syndromes that results in a clinically recognizable phenotype including delayed psychomotor development and/or MR, hypotonia, epilepsy, hearing loss, growth delay, microcephaly, deep-set eyes, flat nasal bridge and pointed chin. Besides, a Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS)-like phenotype has been described in patients with 1p36 monosomy. Forty-one patients presenting hypotonia, developmental delay, obesity and/or hyperphagia and behavioral problems who tested negative for PWS were investigated by FISH and/or microsatellite markers. Twenty-six were analyzed with a 1p-specific subtelomeric probe, and one terminal deletion was identified. Thirty patients (15 of which also studied by FISH) were investigated by microsatellite markers, and no interstitial 1p36 deletion was found. Our patient presenting the 1p36 deletion did not have the striking features of this monosomy, but her clinical and behavioral features were quite similar to those observed in patients with PWS, except for the presence of normal sucking at birth. The extent of the deletion could be limited to the most terminal 2.5 Mb of 1p36, within the chromosomal region 1p36.33-1p36.32, that is smaller than usually seen in monosomy 1p36 patients. Therefore, chromosome 1p36.33 deletion should be investigated in patients with hypotonia, developmental delay, obesity and/or hyperphagia and behavioral problems who test negative for PWS.

Is delayed surgery related to worse outcomes in native left-sided endocarditis?

PubMed

Tepsuwan, Thitipong; Rimsukcharoenchai, Chartaroon; Tantraworasin, Apichat; Woragidpoonpol, Surin; Schuarattanapong, Suphachai; Nawarawong, Weerachai

2016-05-01

Timing of surgery in the management of infective endocarditis is controversial, and there is still no definite conclusion on how early the surgery should be performed. This study focuses on the outcomes of surgery during the active period of infective endocarditis in consideration of the duration after diagnosis. One hundred and thirty-four patients with active native valve infective endocarditis who underwent surgery from January 2006 to December 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. They were divided in 2 groups based on timing of surgery: early group (first week after diagnosis, n = 37) and delayed group (2 to 6 weeks after diagnosis, n = 97). Compared to the delayed group, the early group had significantly more patients in New York Heart Association class IV (81% vs. 43.3%), more mechanically ventilated (54.1% vs. 18.6%), more on inotropic support (62.2% vs. 38.1%), and hence a worse EuroSCORE II (14.8% vs. 8.8%). Operative mortality was comparable (5.4% vs. 10.3%) and 7-year survival was similar (77.4% vs. 74.6%). On multivariable regression analysis, delayed surgery did not impact on short- and long-term outcomes. Preoperative cardiac arrest and infection with Haemophilus, Actinobacillus, Cardiobacterium, Eikenella, or Kingella were risk factors for higher operative mortality. Predictors of poor 7-year survival were diabetes mellitus and acute renal failure. Delayed surgery is not associated with worse outcomes. Both early and delayed approaches are safe and provide acceptable results. Timing of surgery should be tailored to each patient's clinical status, not based on duration of endocarditis alone. © The Author(s) 2016.

Studies regarding the mechanism of false negative urea breath tests with proton pump inhibitors.

PubMed

Graham, David Y; Opekun, Antone R; Hammoud, Fadi; Yamaoka, Yoshio; Reddy, Rita; Osato, Michael S; El-Zimaity, Hala M T

2003-05-01

The mechanism of false negative urea breath tests (UBTs) results among proton pump inhibitor (PPI) users is unknown. We studied the time course of PPI-associated negative UBT, the relation to Helicobacter pylori density, and whether gastric acidification would prevent false negative UBT results. In the UBT experiment, H. pylori-infected volunteers received omeprazole 20 mg b.i.d. for 13.5 days. UBTs with citric acid were done before, after 6.5 days of PPI, and 1, 2, 4, 7, and 14 days after therapy. In the culture and histology experiment, after a wash-out of >5 months, nine of the original subjects were rechallenged with omeprazole for 6.5 days. Antral and corpus biopsies for histology and culture were done before and 1 day after PPI administration. Thirty subjects (mean age 42 yr) were enrolled. UBTs were significantly reduced on day 6.5 (p = 0.031); 10 subjects (33%) developed transient negative UBTs. The UBT recovered in all but one subject by the fourth day post-PPI and in all subjects by day 14. In the culture and histology experiment, upon PPI rechallenge, three of nine subjects (33%) had negative UBTs. H. pylori density, whether measured by culture or histology, decreased with PPI therapy; antral biopsies became histologically negative in five subjects and corpus biopsies in three subjects. PPI-induced negative UBT results were related to the anti-H. pylori effect of the PPI. Acidification of the stomach did not prevent false negative UBT results. Three days is likely the minimum delay from stopping PPI until one should perform a test for active infection. A delay of 14 days is preferred.

Delay correlation analysis and representation for vital complaint VHDL models

DOEpatents

Rich, Marvin J.; Misra, Ashutosh

2004-11-09

A method and system unbind a rise/fall tuple of a VHDL generic variable and create rise time and fall time generics of each generic variable that are independent of each other. Then, according to a predetermined correlation policy, the method and system collect delay values in a VHDL standard delay file, sort the delay values, remove duplicate delay values, group the delay values into correlation sets, and output an analysis file. The correlation policy may include collecting all generic variables in a VHDL standard delay file, selecting each generic variable, and performing reductions on the set of delay values associated with each selected generic variable.

Clinical and Radiographic Assessment of Three-Implant-Supported Fixed-Prosthesis Rehabilitation of the Edentulous Mandible: Immediate Versus Delayed Loading.

PubMed

Primo, Bruno Tochetto; Mezzari, Leonardo Marcos; da Fontoura Frasca, Luís Carlos; Linderman, Raquel; Rivaldo, Elken Gomes

To evaluate and compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of mandibular rehabilitation with fixed prostheses on three implants with immediate versus delayed loading. The sample comprised 21 patients who underwent treatment with immediate loading and 23 who received delayed loading. All had worn their prostheses for at least 18 months. Radiographic evaluation of bone loss was carried out in Adobe Photoshop CS5 by a single calibrated examiner using digitized panoramic radiographs. Clinical examination of the technical conditions of the prosthetic device assessed the condition of the acrylic resin base, dental occlusion, metal framework, presence of cover screws, screw fixation of the prosthesis and abutments, length of cantilever (effort) and resistance arms, presence of plaque on prosthetic abutments, and hygiene of the prosthesis. One implant failed in each group, resulting in a 95.23% treatment success rate with immediate loading and 95.65% with delayed loading (no statistically significant between-group difference). In the immediate-loading group, the mean bone loss was 1.96 ± 0.73 mm around central implants and 1.64 ± 0.84 mm at distal implants. In the delayed-loading group, the mean bone loss was 1.85 ± 0.67 mm around central implants and 1.70 ± 0.77 mm at distal implants. According to Student t test, there was no significant within-group difference in bone loss and no difference between the immediate-loading and delayed-loading groups. The only prosthesis-related complications that differed significantly between groups were "condition of the acrylic base," "occlusion," and "presence of right cover screw." There was no statistically significant association of lever arm ratio with peri-implant bone loss or bone loss on the mesial surfaces compared to the distal surfaces of the distal implants. The three-implant-supported fixed prosthesis protocol tested in this study proved to be a viable therapeutic strategy for mandibular edentulous patients with maxillary complete dentures, regardless of whether loading was immediate or delayed, with no difference in peri-implant bone loss.

Delay Discounting of Losses in Alcohol Use Disorders and Antisocial Psychopathology: Effects of a Working Memory Load.

PubMed

Gerst, Kyle R; Gunn, Rachel L; Finn, Peter R

2017-10-01

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are associated with increased discounting of delayed rewards and reduced executive working memory (eWM) capacity. This association is amplified when comorbid with antisocial psychopathology (AP). Furthermore, recent studies suggest that reduced WM capacity is associated with disinhibited decisions reflected by increased impulsive decision making on the delay discounting of rewards task. While discounting of delayed rewards is well studied, the discounting of delayed losses has received significantly less experimental attention. The current study investigated (i) the rate of discounting of delayed losses in individuals with AUD only (n = 61), AUD with comorbid AP (n = 79) and healthy controls (n = 64); (ii) the relationship between eWM capacity and discounting of delayed losses; and (iii) the effect of a WM load on discounting of delayed losses. Discounting performance was assessed using a computerized discounting of delayed losses task. Results showed that the AUD-only and AUD-AP groups had higher rates of discounting of delayed losses and lower eWM capacity compared to the control groups. Lower individual eWM capacity was associated with increased discounting of delayed losses. However, WM load did not increase discounting rates overall. These results support the hypothesis that greater discounting of delayed losses is associated with AUD and comorbid AP problems and lower individual eWM capacity. Copyright © 2017 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Refining the classification of children with selective mutism: a latent profile analysis.

PubMed

Cohan, Sharon L; Chavira, Denise A; Shipon-Blum, Elisa; Hitchcock, Carla; Roesch, Scott C; Stein, Murray B

2008-10-01

The goal of this study was to develop an empirically derived classification system for selective mutism (SM) using parent-report measures of social anxiety, behavior problems, and communication delays. The sample consisted of parents of 130 children (ages 5-12) with SM. Results from latent profile analysis supported a 3-class solution made up of an anxious-mildly oppositional group, an anxious-communication delayed group, and an exclusively anxious group. Follow-up tests indicated significant group differences on measures of SM symptom severity, externalizing problems, and expressive/receptive language abilities. These results suggest that, although social anxiety is typically a prominent feature of SM, children with the disorder are also likely to present with communication delays and/or mild behavior problems.

Transcranial infrared laser stimulation produces beneficial cognitive and emotional effects in humans.

PubMed

Barrett, D W; Gonzalez-Lima, F

2013-01-29

This is the first controlled study demonstrating the beneficial effects of transcranial laser stimulation on cognitive and emotional functions in humans. Photobiomodulation with red to near-infrared light is a novel intervention shown to regulate neuronal function in cell cultures, animal models, and clinical conditions. Light that intersects with the absorption spectrum of cytochrome oxidase was applied to the forehead of healthy volunteers using the laser diode CG-5000, which maximizes tissue penetration and has been used in humans for other indications. We tested whether low-level laser stimulation produces beneficial effects on frontal cortex measures of attention, memory and mood. Reaction time in a sustained-attention psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) was significantly improved in the treated (n=20) vs. placebo control (n=20) groups, especially in high novelty-seeking subjects. Performance in a delayed match-to-sample (DMS) memory task showed also a significant improvement in treated vs. control groups as measured by memory retrieval latency and number of correct trials. The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-X), which tracks self-reported positive and negative affective (emotional) states over time, was administered immediately before treatment and 2 weeks after treatment. The PANAS showed that while participants generally reported more positive affective states than negative, overall affect improved significantly in the treated group due to more sustained positive emotional states as compared to the placebo control group. These data imply that transcranial laser stimulation could be used as a non-invasive and efficacious approach to increase brain functions such as those related to cognitive and emotional dimensions. Transcranial infrared laser stimulation has also been proven to be safe and successful at improving neurological outcome in humans in controlled clinical trials of stroke. This innovative approach could lead to the development of non-invasive, performance-enhancing interventions in healthy humans and in those in need of neuropsychological rehabilitation. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Follow-up of children suffering from lead poisoning or at risk of lead poisoning in Greater Paris, 1992--2002.

PubMed

Rollin, L; Carré, N; Garnier, R

2008-12-01

It is essential for children suffering from or at risk of lead poisoning to have regular follow-up, and specifically for their blood lead (Pb) levels to be monitored. The present study assessed the occurrence of late follow-up testing of blood lead levels in children in Greater Paris, and factors related to such delays. Since 1992, the SSSIILF has been systematically recording data on lead levels in blood tests conducted for screening and follow-up in Greater Paris. For Pb greater or equal to 45 microg/dL (Group 4), a further blood lead test has to be done within three weeks. For levels of 25 microg/dL < or = Pb < 45 microg/dL (Group 3) and 10 microg/dL < or = Pb < 25 microg/dL (Group 2), a second test must be done within 6 months. For Pb less than 10 microg/dL combined with one or more risk factors (Group 1: children at risk of poisoning), a second test is required within 6 to 12 months. Children aged 1 to 6 years who were screened between 1992 and 2002 were selected. The occurrence of late follow-up testing was estimated, and the independent effect of each variable associated with a delay was measured using a logistic regression model. Delays in re-testing were reported for 66.9% of Group 4 children (n=356), 45.3% of Group 3 children (n=921), 74.1% of Group 2 children (n=5,466), and 88.7% of Group 1 children (n=15,612). In the three groups with Pb greater or equal to 10 microg/dL, there was better follow-up (i.e. less delay to re-testing) for children screened most recently, those whose initial blood lead test results were elevated, those who lived in sub-standard housing built before 1949, and those who lived in suburban districts of Paris. The delay was longer for children aged 4 to 6 compared to younger children. When the size of the group was large enough, these differences were significant. In Group 1, similar results were observed except for a home address in a suburban district. Furthermore, follow-up was better for children of Sub-Saharan African parents, children whose initial prescription had been issued by a "PMI" mother/child healthcare centre and children from large families. Despite substantial delays in carrying out follow-up blood lead level testing, these delays were shorter for the populations with the greatest exposure.

High mobility group protein DSP1 negatively regulates HSP70 transcription in Crassostrea hongkongensis

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

Miao, Zongyu; Xu, Delin; Cui, Miao

2016-06-10

HSP70 acts mostly as a molecular chaperone and plays important roles in facilitating the folding of nascent peptides as well as the refolding or degradation of the denatured proteins. Under stressed conditions, the expression level of HSP70 is upregulated significantly and rapidly, as is known to be achieved by various regulatory factors controlling the transcriptional level. In this study, a high mobility group protein DSP1 was identified by DNA-affinity purification from the nuclear extracts of Crassostrea hongkongensis using the ChHSP70 promoter as a bait. The specific interaction between the prokaryotically expressed ChDSP1 and the FITC-labeled ChHSP70 promoter was confirmed bymore » EMSA analysis. ChDSP1 was shown to negatively regulate ChHSP70 promoter expression by Luciferase Reporter Assay in the heterologous HEK293T cells. Both ChHSP70 and ChDSP1 transcriptions were induced by either thermal or CdCl{sub 2} stress, while the accumulated expression peaks of ChDSP1 were always slightly delayed when compared with that of ChHSP70. This indicates that ChDSP1 is involved, very likely to exert its suppressive role, in the recovery of the ChHSP70 expression from the induced level to its original state. This study is the first to report negative regulator of HSP70 gene transcription, and provides novel insights into the mechanisms controlling heat shock protein expression. -- Highlights: •HMG protein ChDSP1 shows affinity to ChHSP70 promoter in Crassostrea hongkongensis. •ChDSP1 negatively regulates ChHSP70 transcription. •ChHSP70 and ChDSP1 transcriptions were coordinately induced by thermal/Cd stress. •ChDSP1 may contribute to the recovery of the induced ChHSP70 to its original state. •This is the first report regarding negative regulator of HSP70 transcription.« less

Transmission and group-delay characterization of coupled resonator optical waveguides apodized through the longitudinal offset technique.

PubMed

Doménech, J D; Muñoz, P; Capmany, J

2011-01-15

In this Letter, the amplitude and group delay characteristics of coupled resonator optical waveguides apodized through the longitudinal offset technique are presented. The devices have been fabricated in silicon-on-insulator technology employing deep ultraviolet lithography. The structures analyzed consisted of three racetracks resonators uniform (nonapodized) and apodized with the aforementioned technique, showing a delay of 5 ± 3 ps and 4 ± 0.5 ps over 1.6 and 1.4 nm bandwidths, respectively.

Monetary delay discounting in gambling and cocaine dependence with personality comorbidities.

PubMed

Albein-Urios, Natalia; Martinez-González, José M; Lozano, Oscar; Verdejo-Garcia, Antonio

2014-11-01

Cocaine addiction and pathological gambling are commonly associated with steeper (impulsive) discounting of delayed rewards, which promotes ongoing drug and gambling behaviors. However, it is yet unclear whether impulsive delay discounting is a stable trait in cocaine and gambling disorders during abstinence, and whether it is significantly impacted by dysfunctional personality beliefs. The aim of this study was to compare the delay discounting rates of four groups: 47 cocaine users with comorbid personality disorders, 41 cocaine users without psychiatric comorbidities, 28 pathological gamblers without psychiatric comorbidities, and 36 healthy comparison individuals. We also examined the association between dysfunctional personality beliefs and delay discounting rates. Participants completed the Kirby Delay Discounting Questionnaire and the Beck Personality Belief Questionnaire as part of a larger battery. We used non-parametric tests to compare discounting rates between the groups, and bivariate correlation analyses to examine the association between beliefs and discounting rates within each of the groups. We found that discounting rates were significantly higher in individuals with disordered gambling compared to controls. Specifically in cocaine users with Cluster B personality disorders, higher discounting rates were associated with the intensity of "dependent" dysfunctional beliefs (e.g., "I am needy and weak"). Conclusion:We conclude that impulsive delay discounting is increased in gambling relative to controls and linked to personality beliefs in cocaine users with Cluster B personality disorders. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

G-CSF in solid tumor chemotherapy: a tailored regimen reduces febrile neutropenia, treatment delays and direct costs.

PubMed

Tsavaris, Nicolas; Kosmas, Christos; Gouveris, Panagiotis; Vadiak, Maria; Dimitrakopoulos, Antonis; Karadima, Dimitra; Pagouni, Efterpi; Panagiotakopoulos, George; Tzima, Evanthia; Ispoglou, Sevasti; Sakelariou, Dimitris; Koufos, Christos

2004-02-01

Current guidelines do not recommend G-CSF for patients with risk factors for neutropenia. One-hundred patients undergoing chemotherapy were randomized to treatment with G-CSF at 5 Kg/kg for established febrile neutropenia (ANC <1000/microl) (Group A) or G-CSF at 263 Kg/day if ANC was 1500/microl or less on the day of the expected nadir, with the duration of treatment determined by the severity of neutropenia (Group B). The number of doses of G-CSF was similar in the two groups. There were 34 cases of febrile neutropenia in Group A, but none in Group B (p=0.0001). Hospital admission for febrile neutropenia, antibiotic use and delays in chemotherapy were all significantly more common in Group A. Total direct costs were estimated to be 66, 646 for Group A and 47, 119 for Group B. Tailoring treatment does not increase G-CSF use, but significantly reduces febrile neutropenia and treatment delays and lowers direct costs.

Pulse-coupled Belousov-Zhabotinsky oscillators with frequency modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horvath, Viktor; Epstein, Irving R.

2018-04-01

Inhibitory perturbations to the ferroin-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) chemical oscillator operated in a continuously fed stirred tank reactor cause long term changes to the limit cycle: the lengths of the cycles subsequent to the perturbation are longer than that of the unperturbed cycle, and the unperturbed limit cycle is recovered only after several cycles. The frequency of the BZ reaction strongly depends on the acid concentration of the medium. By adding strong acid or base to the perturbing solutions, the magnitude and the direction of the frequency changes concomitant to excitatory or inhibitory perturbations can be controlled independently of the coupling strength. The dynamics of two BZ oscillators coupled through perturbations carrying a coupling agent (activator or inhibitor) and a frequency modulator (strong acid or base) was explored using a numerical model of the system. Here, we report new complex temporal patterns: higher order, partially synchronized modes that develop when inhibitory coupling is combined with positive frequency modulation (FM), and complex bursting patterns when excitatory coupling is combined with negative FM. The role of time delay between the peak and perturbation (the analog of synaptic delays in networks of neurons) has also been studied. The complex patterns found under inhibitory coupling and positive FM vanish when the delay is significant, whereas a sufficiently long time delay is required for the complex temporal dynamics to occur when coupling is excitatory and FM is negative.

Parietal and premotor cortices: activation reflects imitation accuracy during observation, delayed imitation and concurrent imitation.

PubMed

Krüger, Britta; Bischoff, Matthias; Blecker, Carlo; Langhanns, Christine; Kindermann, Stefan; Sauerbier, Isabell; Reiser, Mathias; Stark, Rudolf; Munzert, Jörn; Pilgramm, Sebastian

2014-10-15

This study investigated whether activation within areas belonging to the action observation and imitation network reveals a linear relation to the subsequent accuracy of imitating a bimanual rhythmic movement measured via a motion capturing system. 20 participants were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) when asked to imitate observed bimanual movements either concurrently versus with a delay (2s) or simply to observe the movements without imitation. Results showed that action observation relates to activation within classic mirror-related areas. Activation patterns were more widespread when participants were asked to imitate the movement. During observation with concurrent imitation, activation in the left inferior parietal lobe (IPL) was associated negatively with imitation accuracy. During observation in the delayed imitation condition, higher subsequent imitation accuracy was coupled with higher activation in the right superior parietal lobe (SPL) and the left parietal operculum (POp). During the delayed imitation itself, a negative association between imitation accuracy and brain activation was revealed in the right ventral premotor cortex (vPMC). We conclude that the IPL is involved in online comparison and visuospatial attention processes during imitation, the SPL provides a kinesthetic blueprint during movement observation, the POp preserves body identity, and the vPMC recruits motor representations--especially when no concurrent visual guidance is possible. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of a comprehensive health education program on pre-hospital delay intentions in high-risk stroke population and caregivers.

PubMed

Yang, Li; Zhao, Qiuli; Zhu, Xuemei; Shen, Xiaoying; Zhu, Yulan; Yang, Liu; Gao, Wei; Li, Minghui

2017-08-01

Many factors influence pre-hospital delays in the event of stroke. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a comprehensive educational program for decreasing pre-hospital delays in high-risk stroke population. We enrolled 220 high-risk stroke population and caregivers from six urban communities in Harbin from May 2013 to May 2015, and randomly divided them into intervention and control groups. We implemented a comprehensive educational program (intervention group), comprising public lectures, instructional brochures, case videos, simulations, and role-playing from May 2013 to May 2015. We delivered conventional oral education in the control group. We compared stroke pre-hospital delay behavioral intention (SPDBI), pre-hospital stroke symptom coping test (PSSCT), and stroke pre-symptoms alert test (SPSAT) results between the groups before and 6, 12, and 18 months after health intervention. There were significant differences between before and after intervention (P < 0.01). SPDBI, PSSCT, and SPSAT scores were significantly different between the groups (P < 0.01). The interaction between time and intervention method was significant (P < 0.01). According to multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance, SPDBI, PSSCT, and SPSAT scores were significantly different at each time after intervention (P < 0.05). The comprehensive educational program was significantly effective in decreasing SPDBI, improving knowledge, enhancing stroke pre-symptoms alert, and reducing the possibility of pre-hospital delays.

Delay in the Freezing of Supercooled Water Drops on Superhydrophobic Surfaces of Silicone Rubber at Negative Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bezdomnikov, A. A.; Emel'yanenko, A. M.; Emel'yanenko, K. A.; Boinovich, L. B.

2018-01-01

A method is proposed for fabricating textured superhydrophobic surfaces of silicone rubber with mechanical resistance toward liquid or freezing aqueous solutions. The anti-icing characteristics of silicone rubber samples that differ in the wetting characteristics and mechanical stability of their micro- and nanotextures are derived by analyzing the delays in the freezing of supercooled sessile water drops deposited on the sample surface. The longest delay in freezings are observed for sessile water drops on superhydrophobic surfaces prepared by laser texturing with subsequent application of a layer of a hydrophobic agent to consolidate the textural elements. Delay in freezings can be as long as tens of hours on such surfaces at T = -18°C. The prepared superhydrophobic surfaces exhibit greater anti-icing ability with respect to aqueous salt solutions than to deionized water.

Schedule Matters: Understanding the Relationship between Schedule Delays and Costs on Overruns

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Majerowicz, Walt; Shinn, Stephen A.

2016-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between schedule delays and cost overruns on complex projects. It is generally accepted by many project practitioners that cost overruns are directly related to schedule delays. But what does "directly related to" actually mean? Some reasons or root causes for schedule delays and associated cost overruns are obvious, if only in hindsight. For example, unrealistic estimates, supply chain difficulties, insufficient schedule margin, technical problems, scope changes, or the occurrence of risk events can negatively impact schedule performance. Other factors driving schedule delays and cost overruns may be less obvious and more difficult to quantify. Examples of these less obvious factors include project complexity, flawed estimating assumptions, over-optimism, political factors, "black swan" events, or even poor leadership and communication. Indeed, is it even possible the schedule itself could be a source of delay and subsequent cost overrun? Through literature review, surveys of project practitioners, and the authors' own experience on NASA programs and projects, the authors will categorize and examine the various factors affecting the relationship between project schedule delays and cost growth. The authors will also propose some ideas for organizations to consider to help create an awareness of the factors which could cause or influence schedule delays and associated cost growth on complex projects.

Effect of SSRI antidepressants on ejaculation: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study with fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline.

PubMed

Waldinger, M D; Hengeveld, M W; Zwinderman, A H; Olivier, B

1998-08-01

Depression is a common cause of sexual dysfunction, but also antidepressant medication is often associated with sexual side effects. This article includes two related studies. The first double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in men with lifelong rapid ejaculation and aimed to assess putative differences between the major selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline) with regard to their ejaculation-delaying effect. Sixty men with an intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) of 1 minute or less were randomly assigned to receive fluoxetine 20 mg/day, fluvoxamine 100 mg/day, paroxetine 20 mg/day, sertraline 50 mg/day, or placebo for 6 weeks. During the 1-month baseline and 6-week treatment periods, the men measured their IELT at home using a stopwatch. The trial was completed by 51 men. During the 6-week treatment period, the geometric mean IELT in the placebo group was constant at approximately 20 seconds. Analysis of variance revealed a between-groups difference in the evolution of IELT delay (p = 0.0004); in the paroxetine, fluoxetine, and sertraline groups there was a gradual increase to about 110 seconds, whereas in the fluvoxamine group, IELT was increased to only approximately 40 seconds. The paroxetine, fluoxetine, and sertraline groups differed significantly (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.017, respectively) from placebo but the fluvoxamine group did not (p = 0.38). Compared with baseline, paroxetine exerted the strongest delay in ejaculation, followed by fluoxetine and sertraline. There was no clinically relevant delay in ejaculation with fluvoxamine. In men with lifelong rapid ejaculation, paroxetine delayed ejaculation most strongly, whereas fluvoxamine delayed ejaculation the least. The second double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out in men with lifelong rapid ejaculation (IELT < or = 1 minute) and in men with lifelong less-rapid ejaculation (IELT > 1 minute) to investigate whether data about SSRI-induced delayed ejaculation in men with rapid ejaculation may be extrapolated to men with less-rapid ejaculation. After measurement of IELT at home (using a stopwatch) during a 1-month baseline assessment, 32 men with an IELT of 1 minute or less (group 1) or more than 1 minute (group 2) were randomly assigned to receive paroxetine 20 mg/day or placebo for 6 weeks in a double-blind manner. Patients continued to measure their IELTs at home during the 6 weeks of the study. At baseline, 24 patients consistently had IELTs of one minute or less (group 1), and eight patients had IELTs of more than 1 minute (group 2). The geometric mean IELT was 14 seconds in group 1 and 83 seconds in group 2. Twelve patients in group 1 and five in group 2 were randomized to the paroxetine 20 mg/day. The percentage increase in the geometric mean IELT compared with baseline in patients treated with paroxetine was 420% (95% confidence interval [CI], 216-758%) in group 1 and 480% (95% CI, 177-1,118%) in group 2 (p = 0.81). After 6 weeks of treatment with paroxetine, the geometric mean IELT was 92 seconds in group 1 and 602 seconds in group 2 (p < 0.001). Therefore, the paroxetine-induced percentage increase in IELT seems to be independent of the baseline IELT. This suggests that ejaculation-delaying side effects of some SSRIs investigated in men with lifelong rapid ejaculation may be generalized to men with less-rapid ejaculation.

Prospective Memory Deficits in Ecstasy Users: Effects of Longer Ongoing Task Delay Interval

PubMed Central

WEINBORN, MICHAEL; WOODS, STEVEN PAUL; NULSEN, CLAIRE; PARK, KATHERINE

2011-01-01

Ecstasy use has been associated with neurotoxicity and neurocognitive impairment in a variety of domains, including prospective memory (ProM), which involves the delayed execution of a previously encoded intention in response to a specific cue. The present study adopted the multiprocess theory of ProM to evaluate the hypothesis that ecstasy users would evidence differentially impaired ProM on longer versus shorter ongoing task delays. Ecstasy (n = 31) users, high-risk alcohol users (n = 21) and healthy nonusers (n = 31) completed the short (2-min) and long (15-min) delay ProM scales of the Memory for Intentions Screening Test. Results showed a significant group by ProM delay interaction, such that ecstasy users performed comparably to the comparison groups on short-delay trials, but were impaired on long-delay ProM, particularly for time-based cues. Among the ecstasy users, long-delay ProM was positively associated with risky decision-making, but not with retrospective memory or other aspects of executive functions. These findings suggest that ecstasy users may be particularly susceptible to deficits in strategic target monitoring and maintenance of cue-intention pairings over longer ProM delays. Findings are discussed in the context of their potential everyday functioning (e.g., academic, vocational) and treatment implications for ecstasy users. PMID:22047194

Diabetes mellitus affects the biomechanical function of the callus and the expression of TGF-beta1 and BMP2 in an early stage of fracture healing.

PubMed

Xu, M T; Sun, S; Zhang, L; Xu, F; Du, S L; Zhang, X D; Wang, D W

2016-01-01

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) are important regulators of bone repair and regeneration. In this study, we examined whether TGF-β1 and BMP-2 expressions were delayed during bone healing in type 1 diabetes mellitus. Tibial fractures were created in 95 diabetic and 95 control adult male Wistar rats of 10 weeks of age. At 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks after fracture induction, five rats were sacrificed from each group. The expressions of TGF-β1 and BMP2 in the fractured tibias were measured by immunohistochemistry and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, weekly for the first 5 weeks post-fracture. Mechanical parameters (bending rigidity, torsional rigidity, destruction torque) of the healing bones were also assessed at 3, 4, and 5 weeks post-fracture, after the rats were sacrificed. The bending rigidity, torsional rigidity and destruction torque of the two groups increased continuously during the healing process. The diabetes group had lower mean values for bending rigidity, torsional rigidity and destruction torque compared with the control group (P<0.05). TGF-β1 and BMP-2 expression were significantly lower (P<0.05) in the control group than in the diabetes group at postoperative weeks 1, 2, and 3. Peak levels of TGF-β1 and BMP-2 expression were delayed by 1 week in the diabetes group compared with the control group. Our results demonstrate that there was a delayed recovery in the biomechanical function of the fractured bones in diabetic rats. This delay may be associated with a delayed expression of the growth factors TGF-β1 and BMP-2.

Validation of early image acquisitions following Tc-99 m sestamibi injection using a semiconductors camera of cadmium-zinc-telluride.

PubMed

Meyer, Celine; Weinmann, Pierre

2017-08-01

Cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) cameras allow to decrease significantly the acquisition time of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), but the duration of the examination is still long. Therefore, this study was performed to test the feasibility of early imaging following injection of Tc-99 m sestamibi using a CZT camera. Seventy patients underwent both an early and a delayed image acquisition after exercise stress test (n = 30), dipyridamole stress test (n = 20), and at rest (n = 20). After injection of Tc-99 m sestamibi, the early image acquisition started on average within 5 minutes for the exercise and rest groups, and 3 minutes 30 seconds for the dipyridamole group. Two independent observers evaluated image quality and extracardiac uptake on four-point scales. The difference between early and later images for each patient was scored on a five-point scale. The image quality and extracardiac uptake of early and delayed image acquisitions were not different for the three groups (P > .05). There was no significant difference between early and delayed image acquisitions in the exercise, dipyridamole, and rest groups, respectively, in 63%, 40%, and 80% of cases. In the exercise group and rest group, a defect was only present in early MPI, respectively, in 13% and 20% of cases. A defect was only present in delayed images in 10% of cases in the exercise group and in 45% of cases in the dipyridamole group. There was no difference between early and later image acquisitions in terms of quality. This protocol reduces the length of the procedure for the patient. Beginning with early image acquisitions may help to overcome the artifacts that are observed at the delayed time.

Effect of a single intraoperative high-dose ATG-Fresenius on delayed graft function in donation after cardiac-death donor renal allograft recipients: a randomized study.

PubMed

van den Hoogen, Martijn W F; Kho, Marcia M L; Abrahams, Alferso C; van Zuilen, Arjan D; Sanders, Jan-Stephan; van Dijk, Marja; Hilbrands, Luuk B; Weimar, Willem; Hoitsma, Andries J

2013-04-01

Reducing the incidence of delayed graft function after transplant with donation after cardiac death donor renal allografts would facilitate managing recipients during their first weeks after a transplant. To reduce this incidence, in most studies, induction therapy with depleting anti-T-lymphocyte antibodies is coupled with a reduction of the dosage of the calcineurin inhibitor. The separate effect of anti-T-cell therapy on the incidence and duration of delayed graft function is therefore difficult to assess. We performed a randomized study to evaluate the effect of a single intraoperative high-dose of anti-T-lymphocyte immunoglobulin (ATG)-Fresenius (9 mg/kg body weight) on the incidence of delayed graft function. Eligible adult recipients of a first donation after cardiac death donor renal allograft were randomly assigned to ATG-Fresenius or no induction therapy. Maintenance immunosuppression consisted of tacrolimus, in an unadjusted dose, mycophenolate mofetil, and steroids. The study was prematurely terminated because of a lower-than-anticipated inclusion rate. Baseline characteristics were comparable in the ATG-Fresenius group (n=28) and the control group (n=24). Twenty-two patients in the ATG-Fresenius group (79%) had delayed graft function, compared with 13 in the control group (54%; P = .06). Allograft and patient survival were comparable in both groups. Serious adverse events occurred more frequently in the ATG-Fresenius group than they did in the control group (57% vs 29%; P < .05). Intraoperative administration of a single high-dose of ATG-Fresenius in donation after cardiac death donor renal allograft recipients, followed by triple immunosuppression with an unadjusted tacrolimus dose, seems ineffective to reduce the incidence of delayed graft function. Moreover, this was associated with a higher rate of serious adverse events (EudraCT-number, 2007-000210-36.).

AdVEGF-All6A+ Preconditioning of Murine Ischemic Skin Flaps Is Comparable to Surgical Delay.

PubMed

Gersch, Robert P; Fourman, Mitchell S; Phillips, Brett T; Nasser, Ahmed; McClain, Steve A; Khan, Sami U; Dagum, Alexander B; Bui, Duc T

2015-08-01

Surgical flap delay is commonly used in preconditioning reconstructive flaps to prevent necrosis. However, staged procedures are not ideal. Pharmacologic up-regulation of angiogenic and arteriogenic factors before flap elevation poses a nonsurgical approach to improve flap survival. Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into control (n = 16), surgical delay (Delay), AdNull, AdEgr-1, and AdVEGF (n ≥ 9/group) groups. Delay rats had a 9 cm × 3 cm cranial based pedicle skin flap incised 10 days prior to elevation. Adenoviral groups received 28 intradermal injections (10(9) pu/animal total) throughout the distal two thirds of the flap 1 week prior to elevation. At postoperative day (POD) 0 flaps were elevated and silicone sheeting was placed between flap and wound bed. Perfusion analysis in arbitrary perfusion units of the ischemic middle third of the flap using laser Doppler imaging was conducted preoperatively and on POD 0, 3, and 7. Clinical and histopathologic assessments of the skin flaps were performed on POD 7. AdVEGF (50.8 ± 10.9 APU) and AdEgr-1 (39.3 ± 10.6 APU) perfusion levels were significantly higher than controls (16.5 ± 4.2 APU) on POD 7. Delay models were equivalent to controls (25.9 ± 6.8 APU). AdVEGF and Delay animals showed significantly more viable surface area on POD 7 (14.4 ± 1.3 cm(2), P < 0.01 and 12.4 ± 1.2 cm(2), P < 0.05, respectively) compared with Controls (8.7 ± 0.7 cm(2)). AdVEGF preconditioning resulted in flap survival comparable to surgical delay. Adenoviral preconditioning maintained perfusion levels postoperatively while surgical delay did not.

AdVEGF-All6A+ Preconditioning of Murine Ischemic Skin Flaps Is Comparable to Surgical Delay

PubMed Central

Gersch, Robert P.; Fourman, Mitchell S.; Phillips, Brett T.; Nasser, Ahmed; McClain, Steve A.; Khan, Sami U.; Dagum, Alexander B.

2015-01-01

Background: Surgical flap delay is commonly used in preconditioning reconstructive flaps to prevent necrosis. However, staged procedures are not ideal. Pharmacologic up-regulation of angiogenic and arteriogenic factors before flap elevation poses a nonsurgical approach to improve flap survival. Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into control (n = 16), surgical delay (Delay), AdNull, AdEgr-1, and AdVEGF (n ≥ 9/group) groups. Delay rats had a 9 cm × 3 cm cranial based pedicle skin flap incised 10 days prior to elevation. Adenoviral groups received 28 intradermal injections (109 pu/animal total) throughout the distal two thirds of the flap 1 week prior to elevation. At postoperative day (POD) 0 flaps were elevated and silicone sheeting was placed between flap and wound bed. Perfusion analysis in arbitrary perfusion units of the ischemic middle third of the flap using laser Doppler imaging was conducted preoperatively and on POD 0, 3, and 7. Clinical and histopathologic assessments of the skin flaps were performed on POD 7. Results: AdVEGF (50.8 ± 10.9 APU) and AdEgr-1 (39.3 ± 10.6 APU) perfusion levels were significantly higher than controls (16.5 ± 4.2 APU) on POD 7. Delay models were equivalent to controls (25.9 ± 6.8 APU). AdVEGF and Delay animals showed significantly more viable surface area on POD 7 (14.4 ± 1.3 cm2, P < 0.01 and 12.4 ± 1.2 cm2, P < 0.05, respectively) compared with Controls (8.7 ± 0.7 cm2). Conclusions: AdVEGF preconditioning resulted in flap survival comparable to surgical delay. Adenoviral preconditioning maintained perfusion levels postoperatively while surgical delay did not. PMID:26495207

Delayed repair of the peripheral nerve: a novel model in the rat sciatic nerve.

PubMed

Wu, Peng; Spinner, Robert J; Gu, Yudong; Yaszemski, Michael J; Windebank, Anthony J; Wang, Huan

2013-03-30

Peripheral nerve reconstruction is seldom done in the acute phase of nerve injury due to concomitant injuries and the uncertainty of the extent of nerve damage. A proper model that mimics true clinical scenarios is critical but lacking. The aim of this study is to develop a standardized, delayed sciatic nerve repair model in rats and validate the feasibility of direct secondary neurrorraphy after various delay intervals. Immediately or 1, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks after sciatic nerve transection, nerve repair was carried out. A successful tension-free direct neurorraphy (TFDN) was defined when the gap was shorter than 4.0 mm and the stumps could be reapproximated with 10-0 stitches without detachment. Compound muscle action potential (CMAP) was recorded postoperatively. Gaps between the two nerve stumps ranged from 0 to 9 mm, the average being 1.36, 2.85, 3.43, 3.83 and 6.4 mm in rats with 1, 4, 6, 8 and 12 week delay, respectively. The rate of successful TFDN was 78% overall. CMAP values of 1 and 4 week delay groups were not different from the immediate repair group, whereas CMAP amplitudes of 6, 8 and 12 week delay groups were significantly lower. A novel, standardized delayed nerve repair model is established. For this model to be sensitive, the interval between nerve injury and secondary repair should be at least over 4 weeks. Thereafter the longer the delay, the more challenging the model is for nerve regeneration. The choice of delay intervals can be tailored to meet specific requirements in future studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A biopsychosocial investigation of changes in self-concept on the Head Injury Semantic Differential Scale.

PubMed

Reddy, Avneel; Ownsworth, Tamara; King, Joshua; Shields, Cassandra

2017-12-01

This study aimed to investigate the influence of the "good-old-days" bias, neuropsychological functioning and cued recall of life events on self-concept change. Forty seven adults with TBI (70% male, 1-5 years post-injury) and 47 matched controls rated their past and present self-concept on the Head Injury Semantic Differential Scale (HISD) III. TBI participants also completed a battery of neuropsychological tests. The matched control group of 47 were from a sample of 78 uninjured participants who were randomised to complete either the Social Readjustment Rating Scale-Revised (cued recall) or HISD (non-cued recall) first. Consistent with the good-old-days bias, participants with TBI rated their pre-injury self-concept as more positive than their present self-concept and the present self-concept of controls (p < .05). More positive pre-injury self-concept ratings were related to lower estimated premorbid IQ and poorer verbal fluency and delayed memory (p < .05). For uninjured participants, cued recall, life events and event appraisals each accounted for unique variance in self-concept change (p < .01) after controlling for negative affect. The cued recall group rated their past self-concept as significantly more negative than the non-cued group (p < .01). Overall, the good-old-days bias, neuropsychological functioning and cued recall influenced reports of self-concept change by affecting retrospective ratings of past self-concept. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of contextual cues on self-concept change after TBI.

Screen-and-treat approaches for cervical cancer prevention in low-resource settings: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Denny, Lynette; Kuhn, Louise; De Souza, Michelle; Pollack, Amy E; Dupree, William; Wright, Thomas C

2005-11-02

Non-cytology-based screen-and-treat approaches for cervical cancer prevention have been developed for low-resource settings, but few have directly addressed efficacy. To determine the safety and efficacy of 2 screen-and-treat approaches for cervical cancer prevention that were designed to be more resource-appropriate than conventional cytology-based screening programs. Randomized clinical trial of 6555 nonpregnant women, aged 35 to 65 years, recruited through community outreach and conducted between June 2000 and December 2002 at ambulatory women's health clinics in Khayelitsha, South Africa. All patients were screened using human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing and visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). Women were subsequently randomized to 1 of 3 groups: cryotherapy if she had a positive HPV DNA test result; cryotherapy if she had a positive VIA test result; or to delayed evaluation. Biopsy-confirmed high-grade cervical cancer precursor lesions and cancer at 6 and 12 months in the HPV DNA and VIA groups compared with the delayed evaluation (control) group; complications after cryotherapy. The prevalence of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cancer (CIN 2+) was significantly lower in the 2 screen-and-treat groups at 6 months after randomization than in the delayed evaluation group. At 6 months, CIN 2+ was diagnosed in 0.80% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40%-1.20%) of the women in the HPV DNA group and 2.23% (95% CI, 1.57%-2.89%) in the VIA group compared with 3.55% (95% CI, 2.71%-4.39%) in the delayed evaluation group (P<.001 and P = .02 for the HPV DNA and VIA groups, respectively). A subset of women underwent a second colposcopy 12 months after enrollment. At 12 months the cumulative detection of CIN 2+ among women in the HPV DNA group was 1.42% (95% CI, 0.88%-1.97%), 2.91% (95% CI, 2.12%-3.69%) in the VIA group, and 5.41% (95% CI, 4.32%-6.50%) in the delayed evaluation group. Although minor complaints, such as discharge and bleeding, were common after cryotherapy, major complications were rare. Both screen-and-treat approaches are safe and result in a lower prevalence of high-grade cervical cancer precursor lesions compared with delayed evaluation at both 6 and 12 months. Trial Registration http://clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00233727.

An evaluation of in-office flexible fiber-optic biopsies for laryngopharyngeal lesions.

PubMed

Lee, Francisco; Smith, Kristine A; Chandarana, Shamir; Matthews, T Wayne; Bosch, J Douglas; Nakoneshny, Steven C; Dort, Joseph C

2018-05-09

Operative endoscopy and flexible fiber-optic in-office tissue biopsy are common techniques to assess suspicious laryngopharyngeal lesions. The primary outcome was the delay to the initiation of treatment. Secondary outcomes were delay to biopsy, histopathological diagnosis, and assessment at a multidisciplinary oncology clinic. A retrospective analysis was performed to assess the relative delays between these approaches to biopsy of laryngopharyngeal lesions. There were 114 patients in the study cohort; 44 in-office and 70 operative endoscopic biopsies). The mean delay from consultation to biopsy was 17.4 days for the operative endoscopy group and 1.3 days for the in-office group. The mean delay from initial otolaryngology consultation to initiation of treatment was 51.7 days and 44.6 days for the operative endoscopy and in-office groups, respectively. In-office biopsy reduced the time from initial consultation to biopsy. The temporal gains via in-office biopsy did not translate into faster access to treatment. This outcome highlights the opportunity to improve access to treatment for patients with early diagnosis.

Cognitive functioning and adjudicative competence: defendants referred for neuropsychological evaluation in a psychiatric inpatient setting.

PubMed

Arredondo, Beth C; Marcopulos, Bernice A; Brand, Jesse G; Campbell, Kristen T; Kent, Julie-Ann

2017-11-01

A paucity of peer-reviewed research exists regarding the relation between cognitive functioning and adjudicative competence, despite increasing awareness of cognitive deficits associated with serious mental illness. This retrospective study sought to add to and expand upon existing research by considering performance validity and court determinations of competence, when available. We compared demographic and cognitive variables of a group of defendants with presumed valid testing admitted to an inpatient psychiatric facility for evaluation of adjudicative competence and referred for neuropsychological evaluation (n = 45) and compared individuals determined by the evaluator and/or the court to be competent (n = 30) and incompetent (n = 15). Defendants who were incompetent were more likely to be diagnosed with a cognitive disorder, with a medium effect size. There was a difference in tests of immediate and delayed memory as measured by the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), with medium to large effects, and high delayed memory scores were helpful in ruling out incompetence (Negative predictive power = 85.71%). These results provide support for the relationship between cognitive functioning and trial competence, particularly at high and low levels of performance.