Abstractness and emotionality values for 398 English words.

PubMed

Guido, Gianluigi; Provenzano, Maria Rosaria

2004-06-01

This study is aimed to replicate Vikis-Freibergs' classic study (1976) on the values of vividness for French words. Vividness resulted from the concreteness and the emotionality values of words, here defined, respectively, as referring to something that can be experienced through senses and that can arouse pleasant or unpleasant emotions. 398 English words were rated on two different scales, Abstractness and Emotionality, by a group of English native speakers and also by a group of Italian subjects who used English as a second language. Results show a low correlation between the concreteness and emotionality ratings in line with Vikis-Freibergs' previous study of French words (1976). A negative correlation between Abstractness and Emotionality was observed for British data but a slightly positive correlation for the Italian data.

Comparison of size modulation and conventional standard automated perimetry with the 24-2 test protocol in glaucoma patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirasawa, Kazunori; Shoji, Nobuyuki; Kasahara, Masayuki; Matsumura, Kazuhiro; Shimizu, Kimiya

2016-05-01

This prospective randomized study compared test results of size modulation standard automated perimetry (SM-SAP) performed with the Octopus 600 and conventional SAP (C-SAP) performed with the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) in glaucoma patients. Eighty-eight eyes of 88 glaucoma patients underwent SM-SAP and C-SAP tests with the Octopus 600 24-2 Dynamic and HFA 24-2 SITA-Standard, respectively. Fovea threshold, mean defect, and square loss variance of SM-SAP were significantly correlated with the corresponding C-SAP indices (P < 0.001). The false-positive rate was slightly lower, and false-negative rate slightly higher, with SM-SAP than C-SAP (P = 0.002). Point-wise threshold values obtained with SM-SAP were moderately to strongly correlated with those obtained with C-SAP (P < 0.001). The correlation coefficients of the central zone were significantly lower than those of the middle to peripheral zone (P = 0.031). The size and depth of the visual field (VF) defect were smaller (P = 0.039) and greater (P = 0.043), respectively, on SM-SAP than on C-SAP. Although small differences were observed in VF sensitivity in the central zone, the defect size and depth and the reliability indices between SM-SAP and C-SAP, global indices of the two testing modalities were well correlated.

Trait aggressiveness modulates neurophysiological correlates of laboratory-induced reactive aggression in humans.

PubMed

Krämer, Ulrike M; Büttner, Sarah; Roth, Gerhard; Münte, Thomas F

2008-08-01

Reactive aggression following provocation is a frequent form of human social behavior. The neural basis of reactive aggression, especially its control, remains poorly understood, however. We conducted an event-related potential (ERP) study using a competitive reaction time task that elicits aggression through provocation. Participants were selected from a larger sample because of extreme scores in trait aggressiveness, yielding high and low trait aggressive groups. As each trial in the task is separated into a decision phase, during which the punishment level for the opponent is set, and an outcome phase, during which the punishment is applied or received, we were able to disentangle provocation-related and evaluation-related modulations of the ERPs during the aggressive interaction. Specifically, we observed an enhanced frontal negativity during the decision phase under high provocation that was positively correlated with the participants' ability to refrain from retaliation. This held true for high trait aggressive participants only, pointing to a higher need for inhibitory and control processes in these people when provoked. During the outcome phase, we detected a mediofrontal negativity in loss compared to win trials, resembling previous ERP findings to negative feedback stimuli, which have been linked to the evaluation of an outcome's valence. This mediofrontal negativity was differentially pronounced in aggressive and nonaggressive participants: Nonaggressive participants showed only a slightly smaller mediofrontal negativity in win than in loss trials, suggesting that for them punishing the opponent had a similar negative valence as being punished.

Pharmacists levels of emotionality and career success correlates: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Lonie, John M; Marzella, Nino; Perry, Richard; Shah, Bupendra; Jariwala, Jesal

2015-06-01

The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the relationships between Emotional Thinking Scale (ETS) scores and demographic variables such as income, years worked as a pharmacist, and hours worked per week and (2) determine the distribution of ETS scores among this sample of pharmacists. These objectives are significant to explore because they may provide important data regarding effective and ineffective pharmacist work-related behaviors that affect career and life success. A convenience sample of practicing pharmacists was selected. Participants completed the 8-item ETS and a demographic survey. The ETS predicts how an individual's thoughts might influence his or her emotions and behaviors. Researchers analyzed participant's ETS scores with his or her demographic responses. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. One hundred twenty-five pharmacists completed the survey. Twenty-one percent of the sample scored between slightly high and very extremely high on the ETS. "often being incapacitated by strong feelings" correlated negatively with annual income r = -.309 (P = .008); "relying on feelings to deal with complex situations" correlated negatively with annual income r = -.253 (P = .026), with the "number of years practicing pharmacy" r = -.317 (P = .007), and "number of hours worked each week" r = -.317 (P = .007); and "focusing on details thus losing the big picture" was correlated negatively with annual income r = .215 (P = .05). These findings are consistent with the previous ETS research. The variables of interest in this study were negatively but significantly related. Emotional thinking scores decreased with pharmacy practice experience and may be counterproductive for career goals. Entry-level pharmacy education and continuing education programs may help develop self-awareness to this issue. © The Author(s) 2014.

The health of glaciers: Recent changes in glacier regime

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meier, M.F.; Dyurgerov, M.B.; McCabe, G.J.

2003-01-01

Glacier wastage has been pervasive during the last century; small glaciers and those in marginal environments are disappearing, large mid-latitude glaciers are shrinking slightly, and arctic glaciers are warming. Net mass balances during the last 40 years are predominately negative and both winter and summer balances (accumulation and ablation) and mass turnover are increasing, especially after 1988. Two principal components of winter balance time-series explain about 50% of the variability in the data. Glacier winter balances in north and central Europe correlate with the Arctic Oscillation, and glaciers in western North America correlate with the Southern Oscillation and Northern Hemisphere air temperature. The degree of synchronization for distant glaciers relates to changes in time of atmospheric circulation patterns as well as differing dynamic responses.

Agrometeorological drought in the Romanian plain within the sector delimited by the valleys of the Olt and Buzău Rivers.

PubMed

Murărescu, Ovidiu; Murătoreanu, George; Frînculeasa, Mădălina

2014-01-01

The last few decades have recorded a high frequency of the meteorological drought phenomenon. Southern and south-eastern Romania make no exception, with such phenomena often occurring from July to November 2011, which brought about an agrometerological drought that lasted from the third decade of July to early December, with a slight improvement in October. This situation led to a decrease in soil water reserves, mainly in the first 20 cm, with a negative impact on agricultural crops and the following agricultural year as well. The methodology was based on a correlative analysis between the decadal rainfall quantities and the existing soil water reserve, during the interval between June and November 2011, for eight weather stations. The statistico-mathematical data analysis showed an intensification of the pedological drought phenomenon in September, with a slight improvement in October and an increase in November.

The bile acid turnover rate assessed with the (75)SeHCAT test is stable in chronic diarrhoea but slightly decreased in healthy subjects after a long period of time.

PubMed

Bajor, Antal; Kilander, Anders; Sjövall, Henrik; Rudling, Mats; Ung, Kjell-Arne

2008-11-01

The stability of bile acid turnover rate was evaluated retrospectively using repeat SeHCAT tests in patients with chronic diarrhoea and prospectively for 16 years in healthy subjects. The SeHCAT values were stable in 39 patients with chronic diarrhoea, as shown by a comparison of the test results [data presented as median and (25th-75th percentile)]: 18% (8-23) in the first test versus 14% (9-21) in the second test [n = 39, P = 0.37, time interval 44 months (16-68), repeatability index >95%]. In contrast, they were reduced after 16 years in healthy subjects: 38% (30-49.5) in the first test versus 31% (21-49.5) in the second test (P < 0.03). In healthy subjects, the body mass index increased by 13% from 23.2 kg/m(2) (21-24.6) to 26.2 kg/m(2) (22.5-27.8) (P < 0.01) during the 16 years. There was a negative correlation between hepatic bile acid synthesis and the SeHCAT values (r = -0.615, P = 0.02, n = 14). In conclusion, the turnover rate of bile acids is stable over a long period of time in patients with chronic diarrhoea irrespective of bile acid malabsorption, suggesting that a repeat SeHCAT test is dispensable. There is a significant negative correlation between bile acid synthesis and SeHCAT test results in healthy subjects. The SeHCAT test values are slightly reduced in healthy subjects after 16 years.

Toenail selenium as an indicator of environmental exposure: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Filippini, Tommaso; Ferrari, Angela; Michalke, Bernhard; Grill, Peter; Vescovi, Luciano; Salvia, Chiara; Malagoli, Carlotta; Malavolti, Marcella; Sieri, Sabina; Krogh, Vittorio; Bargellini, Annalisa; Martino, Antonio; Ferrante, Margherita; Vinceti, Marco

2017-05-01

The relation between toxicity and essentiality of selenium (Se) is of growing interest in human health, as the effects may widely differ depending of its different chemical species and the exposure levels. Toenail Se has been proposed as a reliable biomarker of long-term Se exposure, but few studies investigated the correlation between its toenail content and environmental determinants (i.e., dietary food intake). We aimed to determine the relation of toenail Se levels with serum Se species as well as food items. We recruited a random sample of Modena (Northern Italy) municipal residents, from whom we collected detailed personal information, dietary habits, toenail specimen for Se determination and a blood sample for serum Se speciation analysis. Toenail Se mean value was 0.96 µg/g (range, 0.47‑1.60), with slightly higher levels in females, in non-obese subjects and in Se supplements users, while it was lower in current smokers. Toenail Se positively correlated with organic Se forms, mainly selenoprotein P and selenocysteine, and inversely with the inorganic forms (selenite and selenate). Toenail Se was not associated with meat, cereals and dairy products consumption, positively correlated with fruit and slightly with vegetable intake, and negatively with fish and seafood consumption. Finally, no clear association emerged with estimated air Se exposure.

Parental effects and the evolution of phenotypic memory.

PubMed

Kuijper, B; Johnstone, R A

2016-02-01

Despite growing evidence for nongenetic inheritance, the ecological conditions that favour the evolution of heritable parental or grandparental effects remain poorly understood. Here, we systematically explore the evolution of parental effects in a patch-structured population with locally changing environments. When selection favours the production of a mix of offspring types, this mix differs according to the parental phenotype, implying that parental effects are favoured over selection for bet-hedging in which the mixture of offspring phenotypes produced does not depend on the parental phenotype. Positive parental effects (generating a positive correlation between parental and offspring phenotype) are favoured in relatively stable habitats and when different types of local environment are roughly equally abundant, and can give rise to long-term parental inheritance of phenotypes. By contrast, unstable habitats can favour negative parental effects (generating a negative correlation between parental and offspring phenotype), and under these circumstances, even slight asymmetries in the abundance of local environmental states select for marked asymmetries in transmission fidelity. © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

The presence and prognostic significance of human papillomavirus in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.

PubMed

Erkul, Evren; Yilmaz, Ismail; Narli, Gizem; Babayigit, Mustafa Alparslan; Gungor, Atila; Demirel, Dilaver

2017-07-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of HPV in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and correlate it with patients' clinicopathological data. In total, 78 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients enrolled in this study. The presence of genotype-specific HPV DNA was evaluated using Genotyping Assay in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue which was diagnosed between 2005 and 2015. All samples were also evaluated for p16 immunohistochemical staining. HPV DNA and p16 status were assessed in terms of location, smoking, alcohol consumption, lymph node status, tumor stage, overall survival, disease-free survival, perineural invasion, and vascular invasion retrospectively. Five test samples were excluded from the study due to inadequate deoxyribonucleic acid purity. HPV DNA was detected in 19 of 73 (26.02%) in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Human papilloma virus genotyping revealed double human papilloma virus in one case (types 16 and 59) and HPV 16 in the remaining cases. Although HPV-positive cases showed slightly better 3 years survival than HPV-negative ones, this finding was not statistically significant (overall survival p = 0.417, HPV positive: 92.3%, HPV negative: 81.4%, and disease-free survival p = 0.526, HPV positive: 93.8%, HPV negative: 80.9%). The presence of HPV DNA was not significantly associated with any clinicopathological features (p > 0.05). Among 73 patients, only 4 had an immunohistochemical staining of p16 and these patients were also HPV DNA 16 positive. Although our study results revealed a slightly better survival in patients with HPV DNA positivity for HPV 16 compared to the negative ones, the difference was not statistically significant. However, an increasing rate in especially high-risk-type HPV-16 prevalence in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma by RT-PCR method was observed compared to our previous study. Although the presence of HPV in laryngeal SCCs seems to be associated with slightly better prognosis, additional studies may be needed, since our results were not statistically significant. We believed that HPV is not an adequate biomarker for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Obesity, metabolic profile, and inhibition failure: Young women under scrutiny.

PubMed

Catoira, N P; Tapajóz, F; Allegri, R F; Lajfer, J; Rodríguez Cámara, M J; Iturry, M L; Castaño, G O

2016-04-01

The prevalence of obesity, as well as evidence about this pathology as a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia in the elderly, is increasing worldwide. Executive functions have been found to be compromised in most studies, although the specific results are dissimilar. Obese young women constitute an interesting study and intervention group, having been found to be unaffected by age and hormonal negative effects on cognition and considering that their health problems affect not only themselves but their families and offspring. The objective of the present study was to compare the executive performance of obese young women with that of a healthy control group. A cross-sectional study was done among premenopausal women from a public hospital in Buenos Aires. The sample comprised 113 participants (32 healthy controls and 81 obese women), who were evaluated for depressive and anxiety symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and executive functioning (Trail-Making Test B, Stroop Color and Word Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and verbal fluency test). Statistical analysis was done by using the SPSS version 20.0 software. Among executive functions, a significant difference was found between groups in inhibition (p<0.01). No correlation was found between psychopathologic measures and Stroop Test Interference results. We found slight correlations between Stroop Test Interference results, waist circumference, fat mass and HDL-cholesterol. In obese group, there was a negative slightly correlation between this cognitive test and 2h post-load glucose level. Inhibition was decreased in our obese young women group, and glucose/lipid metabolism may be involved in this association. The cognitive impairment is comparable with that described in addictive conditions. Our conclusions support the concept of multidisciplinary management of obese patients from the time of diagnosis. Detecting and understanding cognitive dysfunction in this population is essential to providing appropriate treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Th17 responses and natural IgM antibodies are related to gut microbiota composition in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

PubMed Central

López, Patricia; de Paz, Banesa; Rodríguez-Carrio, Javier; Hevia, Arancha; Sánchez, Borja; Margolles, Abelardo; Suárez, Ana

2016-01-01

Intestinal dysbiosis, characterized by a reduced Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, has been reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. In this study, in vitro cultures revealed that microbiota isolated from SLE patient stool samples (SLE-M) promoted lymphocyte activation and Th17 differentiation from naïve CD4+ lymphocytes to a greater extent than healthy control-microbiota. Enrichment of SLE-M with Treg-inducing bacteria showed that a mixture of two Clostridia strains significantly reduced the Th17/Th1 balance, whereas Bifidobacterium bifidum supplementation prevented CD4+ lymphocyte over-activation, thus supporting a possible therapeutic benefit of probiotics containing Treg-inducer strains in order to restore the Treg/Th17/Th1 imbalance present in SLE. In fact, ex vivo analyses of patient samples showed enlarged Th17 and Foxp3+ IL-17+ populations, suggesting a possible Treg-Th17 trans-differentiation. Moreover, analyses of fecal microbiota revealed a negative correlation between IL-17+ populations and Firmicutes in healthy controls, whereas in SLE this phylum correlated directly with serum levels of IFNγ, a Th1 cytokine slightly reduced in patients. Finally, the frequency of Synergistetes, positively correlated with the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in healthy controls, tended to be reduced in patients when anti-dsDNA titers were increased and showed a strong negative correlation with IL-6 serum levels and correlated positively with protective natural IgM antibodies against phosphorylcholine. PMID:27044888

Refertilization process in the Patagonian subcontinental lithospheric mantle of Estancia Sol de Mayo (Argentina)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melchiorre, Massimiliano; Coltorti, Massimo; Gregoire, Michel; Benoit, Mathieu

2015-05-01

Anhydrous mantle xenoliths equilibrated at 1003-1040 °C from Estancia Sol de Mayo (ESM, Central Patagonia, Argentina) and entrained in post-plateau alkaline lavas belonging to Meseta Lago Buenos Aires have been investigated aiming at reconstructing the depletion and enrichment processes that affected this portion of the Patagonia lithospheric mantle. Xenoliths are characterized by a coarse-grained protogranular texture and are devoid of evident modal metasomatism. They show two texturally different clinopyroxenes: protogranular (cpx1) and texturally related to spinel (cpx2). Three different types of orthopyroxenes are also recognized: large protogranular crystals with exsolution lamellae (opx1); small clean and undeformed grains without exsolution lamellae (opx2) and small grains arranged in a vein (opx3). Major element composition of clinopyroxenes and orthopyroxenes highlights two different trends characterized by i) a high Al2O3 content at almost constant mg# and ii) a slight increase in Al2O3 content with decreasing mg#. Clinopyroxenes are enriched in LREE and are characterized by prominent to slightly negative Nb, Zr and Ti anomalies. No geochemical differences are observed between cpx1 and cpx2, while a discrimination can be observed between opx1 and opx2 (LREE-depleted; prominent to slightly negative Ti and Zr anomalies) and opx3 (prominent positive Zr anomaly). Partial melting modeling using both major and trace elements indicates a melting degree between ~ 5% and ~ 13% (up to ~ 23% according to major element modeling) for lherzolites and between ~ 20% and ~ 30% for harzburgites (down to ~ 5% according to trace element modeling). La/Yb and Al2O3, as well as Sr and Al2O3 negative correlations in clinopyroxenes point to a refertilization event affecting this lithospheric mantle. The agent was most probably a transitional alkaline/subalkaline melt, as indicated by the presence of orthopyroxene in the vein and the similar geochemical features of ESM clinopyroxenes and those from Northern Patagonia pyroxenites which are derived from transitional alkaline/subalkaline lavas.

Local fluctuations of the signed traded volumes and the dependencies of demands: a copula analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shanshan; Guhr, Thomas

2018-03-01

We investigate how the local fluctuations of the signed traded volumes affect the dependence of demands between stocks. We analyze the empirical dependence of demands using copulas and show that they are well described by a bivariate K copula density function. We find that large local fluctuations strongly increase the positive dependence but lower slightly the negative one in the copula density. This interesting feature is due to cross-correlations of volume imbalances between stocks. Also, we explore the asymmetries of tail dependencies of the copula density, which are moderate for the negative dependencies but strong for the positive ones. For the latter, we reveal that large local fluctuations of the signed traded volumes trigger stronger dependencies of demands than of supplies, probably indicating a bull market with persistent raising of prices.

Effect of the next-nearest-neighbor hopping on the charge collective modes in the paramagnetic phase of the Hubbard model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dao, Vu Hung; Frésard, Raymond

2017-10-01

The charge dynamical response function of the t-t'-U Hubbard model is investigated on the square lattice in the thermodynamical limit. The correlation function is calculated from Gaussian fluctuations around the paramagnetic saddle-point within the Kotliar and Ruckenstein slave-boson representation. The next-nearest-neighbor hopping only slightly affects the renormalization of the quasiparticle mass. In contrast a negative t'/t notably decreases (increases) their velocity, and hence the zero-sound velocity, at positive (negative) doping. For low (high) density n ≲ 0.5 (n ≳ 1.5) we find that it enhances (reduces) the damping of the zero-sound mode. Furthermore it softens (hardens) the upper-Hubbard-band collective mode at positive (negative) doping. It is also shown that our results differ markedly from the random-phase approximation in the strong-coupling limit, even at high doping, while they compare favorably with existing quantum Monte Carlo numerical simulations.

Can human-like Bots control collective mood: agent-based simulations of online chats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tadić, Bosiljka; Šuvakov, Milovan

2013-10-01

Using an agent-based modeling approach, in this paper, we study self-organized dynamics of interacting agents in the presence of chat Bots. Different Bots with tunable ‘human-like’ attributes, which exchange emotional messages with agents, are considered, and the collective emotional behavior of agents is quantitatively analyzed. In particular, using detrended fractal analysis we determine persistent fluctuations and temporal correlations in time series of agent activity and statistics of avalanches carrying emotional messages of agents when Bots favoring positive/negative affects are active. We determine the impact of Bots and identify parameters that can modulate that impact. Our analysis suggests that, by these measures, the emotional Bots induce collective emotion among interacting agents by suitably altering the fractal characteristics of the underlying stochastic process. Positive emotion Bots are slightly more effective than negative emotion Bots. Moreover, Bots which periodically alternate between positive and negative emotion can enhance fluctuations in the system, leading to avalanches of agent messages that are reminiscent of self-organized critical states.

An Exploration of the Relationship Between Spirituality and State and Trait Anger Among Medical Students.

PubMed

Kattimani, Shivanand; Sarkar, Siddharth; Bharadwaj, Balaji; Rajkumar, Ravi Philip

2015-12-01

There is a dearth of studies exploring spiritual attitudes of medical students from developing countries and its relationship to anger. This study was conducted to assess spiritual attitudes and their relationship with anger in a set of medical students in southern India. In this cross-sectional observational study, medical students who were undergoing clinical rotations were offered participation. Selected demographic data were obtained. The participants were rated using the Spiritual Attitudes Inventory [SAI, which comprises of Duke Religiosity Index, Existential Well-Being Scale (EWBS), Negative Religious Coping and Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale] and State and Trait Anger Expression Inventory 2. Out of 98 students approached, 82 participated (response rate 83.6%). The mean age of sample was 20.7 years (±0.9 years) with a slight preponderance of females (54.9%). SAI scores correlated well significantly with subscale scores. Gender had no difference on the SAI or subscale score. Differences were found between self-reported religion and EWBS scores (Kruskal-Wallis χ(2) = 8.891, p = 0.012). Total SAI score had a significant negative correlation with state anger, trait anger and anger expression. High levels of spirituality may be correlated with lower levels of state anger, trait anger and anger expression in medical students.

Comparison of diagnostic validity of mannitol and methacholine challenges and relationship to clinical status and airway inflammation in steroid-naïve asthmatic patients.

PubMed

Porpodis, Konstantinos; Domvri, Kalliopi; Kontakiotis, Theodoros; Fouka, Evangelia; Kontakioti, Eirini; Zarogoulidis, Konstantinos; Papakosta, Despina

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate and compare the diagnostic validity of two bronchial challenges and to investigate their correlation with patient clinical status, atopy and inflammation markers. Eighty-eight patients, 47 women and 41 men, mean age 38.56 ± 16.73 years who presented with asthma related symptoms and were not on any anti-asthma medication, were challenged with mannitol and methacholine on separate days. Medical history regarding asthmatic symptoms, physical examination, skin prick tests and FeNO levels were also assessed. The clinical diagnosis of asthma was based on bronchodilator reversibility test. Sixty-seven patients were diagnosed with asthma and 21 without asthma. Both methacholine (P < 0.014) and mannitol (P < 0.000) challenges were significant in diagnosing asthma. The positive/negative predictive value was 93.33%/41.86% for methacholine, 97.72%/45.45% for mannitol and 97.05%/45.45%. for both methods assessed together. Worthy of note that 22% of asthmatics had both tests negative. There was a negative correlation between PC20 of methacholine and the FeNO level P < 0.001, and positive with the PD15 of mannitol P < 0.001 and the pre-test FEV 1 % pred P < 0.005, whereas PD15 of mannitol was negatively correlated with the FeNO level P < 0.001. Furthermore, dyspnea was the only asthmatic symptom associated with FeNO level P < 0.035 and the positivity of mannitol P < 0.014 and methacholine P < 0.04. Both challenge tests were equivalent in diagnosing asthma. Nevertheless, specificity appeared to be slightly higher in mannitol challenge.

Genetic parameters for carcass and meat quality traits and their relationships to liveweight and wool production in hogget Merino rams.

PubMed

Greeff, J C; Safari, E; Fogarty, N M; Hopkins, D L; Brien, F D; Atkins, K D; Mortimer, S I; van der Werf, J H J

2008-06-01

Genetic parameters for carcass and meat quality traits of about 18-month-old Merino rams (n = 5870), the progeny of 543 sires from three research resource flocks, were estimated. The estimates of heritability for hot carcass weight (HCW) and the various fat and muscle dimension measurements were moderate and ranged from 0.20 to 0.37. The brightness of meat (colour L*, 0.18 +/- 0.03 standard error) and meat pH (0.22 +/- 0.03) also had moderate estimates of heritability, although meat relative redness (colour a*, 0.10 +/- 0.03) and relative yellowness (colour b*, 0.10 +/- 0.03) were lower. Heritability estimates for live weights were moderate and ranged from 0.29 to 0.41 with significant permanent maternal environmental effects (0.13 to 0.10). The heritability estimates for the hogget wool traits were moderate to high and ranged from 0.27 to 0.60. The ultrasound measurements of fat depth (FATUS) and eye muscle depth (EMDUS) on live animals were highly genetically correlated with the corresponding carcass measurements (0.69 +/- 0.09 FATC and 0.77 +/- 0.07 EMD). Carcass tissue depth (FATGR) had moderate to low genetic correlations with carcass muscle measurements [0.18 +/- 0.10 EMD and 0.05 +/- 0.10 eye muscle area (EMA)], while those with FATC were negative. The genetic correlation between EMD and eye muscle width (EMW) was 0.41 +/- 0.08, while EMA was highly correlated with EMD (0.89 +/- 0.0) and EMW (0.78 +/- 0.04). The genetic correlations for muscle colour with muscle measurements were moderately negative, while those with fat measurements were close to zero. Meat pH was positively correlated with muscle measurements (0.14 to 0.17) and negatively correlated with fat measurements (-0.06 to -0.18). EMDUS also showed a similar pattern of correlations to EMD with meat quality indicator traits, although FATUS had positive correlations with these traits which were generally smaller than their standard error. The genetic correlations among the meat colour traits were high and positive while those with meat pH were high and negative, which were all in the favourable direction. Generally, phenotypic correlations were similar or slightly lower than the corresponding genetic correlations. There were generally small to moderate negative genetic correlations between clean fleece weight (CFW) and carcass fat traits while those with muscle traits were close to zero. As the Merino is already a relatively lean breed, this implies that particular attention should be given to this relationship in Merino breeding programmes to prevent the reduction of fat reserves as a correlated response to selection for increased fleece weight. The ultrasound scan traits generally showed a similar pattern to the corresponding carcass fat and muscle traits. There was a small unfavourable genetic correlation between CFW and meat pH (0.19 +/- 0.07).

An exploration of the relationship between adsorption and bioavailability of pesticides in soil to earthworm.

PubMed

Yu, Yun Long; Wu, Xiao Mao; Li, Shao Nan; Fang, Hua; Zhan, Hai Yan; Yu, Jing Quan

2006-06-01

A study was conducted to determine the adsorption/desorption of butachlor, myclobutanil and chlorpyrifos on five soils using a batch equilibration technique and to study the relationship between bioavailability to Allolobophora caliginosa and the adsorption/desorption of these three pesticides. The results showed that the adsorption/desorption processes of the tested compounds were mainly controlled by soil organic matter content (OM) and octanol/water-partitioning coefficient (K(ow)), and that the bioavailability of the pesticides was dependent on characteristics of pesticides, properties of soils, and uptake routes of earthworms. Bioconcentration of butachlor and myclobutanil was negatively correlated with Freundlich adsorption constant K(af) and K(df). However, only a slightly positive correlation between bioconcentration and K(af) and K(df) was observed for chlorpyrifos due to its high affinity onto soil.

Genetic parameters of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis and its relationship with weight and parasite infestations in Australian tropical Bos taurus cattle.

PubMed

Ali, Abdirahman A; O'Neill, Christopher J; Thomson, Peter C; Kadarmideen, Haja N

2012-07-27

Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) or 'pinkeye' is an economically important ocular disease that significantly impacts animal performance. Genetic parameters for IBK infection and its genetic and phenotypic correlations with cattle tick counts, number of helminth (unspecified species) eggs per gram of faeces and growth traits in Australian tropically adapted Bos taurus cattle were estimated. Animals were clinically examined for the presence of IBK infection before and after weaning when the calves were 3 to 6 months and 15 to 18 months old, respectively and were also recorded for tick counts, helminth eggs counts as an indicator of intestinal parasites and live weights at several ages including 18 months. Negative genetic correlations were estimated between IBK incidence and weight traits for animals in pre-weaning and post-weaning datasets. Genetic correlations among weight measurements were positive, with moderate to high values. Genetic correlations of IBK incidence with tick counts were positive for the pre-weaning and negative for the post-weaning datasets but negative with helminth eggs counts for the pre-weaning dataset and slightly positive for the post-weaning dataset. Genetic correlations between tick and helminth eggs counts were moderate and positive for both datasets. Phenotypic correlations of IBK incidence with helminth eggs per gram of faeces were moderate and positive for both datasets, but were close to zero for both datasets with tick counts. Our results suggest that genetic selection against IBK incidence in tropical cattle is feasible and that calves genetically prone to acquire IBK infection could also be genetically prone to have a slower growth. The positive genetic correlations among weight traits and between tick and helminth eggs counts suggest that they are controlled by common genes (with pleiotropic effects). Genetic correlations between IBK incidence and tick and helminth egg counts were moderate and opposite between pre-weaning and post-weaning datasets, suggesting that the environmental and (or) maternal effects differ between these two growth phases. This preliminary study provides estimated genetic parameters for IBK incidence, which could be used to design selection and breeding programs for tropical adaptation in beef cattle.

Genetic parameters of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis and its relationship with weight and parasite infestations in Australian tropical Bos taurus cattle

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) or ‘pinkeye’ is an economically important ocular disease that significantly impacts animal performance. Genetic parameters for IBK infection and its genetic and phenotypic correlations with cattle tick counts, number of helminth (unspecified species) eggs per gram of faeces and growth traits in Australian tropically adapted Bos taurus cattle were estimated. Methods Animals were clinically examined for the presence of IBK infection before and after weaning when the calves were 3 to 6 months and 15 to 18 months old, respectively and were also recorded for tick counts, helminth eggs counts as an indicator of intestinal parasites and live weights at several ages including 18 months. Results Negative genetic correlations were estimated between IBK incidence and weight traits for animals in pre-weaning and post-weaning datasets. Genetic correlations among weight measurements were positive, with moderate to high values. Genetic correlations of IBK incidence with tick counts were positive for the pre-weaning and negative for the post-weaning datasets but negative with helminth eggs counts for the pre-weaning dataset and slightly positive for the post-weaning dataset. Genetic correlations between tick and helminth eggs counts were moderate and positive for both datasets. Phenotypic correlations of IBK incidence with helminth eggs per gram of faeces were moderate and positive for both datasets, but were close to zero for both datasets with tick counts. Conclusions Our results suggest that genetic selection against IBK incidence in tropical cattle is feasible and that calves genetically prone to acquire IBK infection could also be genetically prone to have a slower growth. The positive genetic correlations among weight traits and between tick and helminth eggs counts suggest that they are controlled by common genes (with pleiotropic effects). Genetic correlations between IBK incidence and tick and helminth egg counts were moderate and opposite between pre-weaning and post-weaning datasets, suggesting that the environmental and (or) maternal effects differ between these two growth phases. This preliminary study provides estimated genetic parameters for IBK incidence, which could be used to design selection and breeding programs for tropical adaptation in beef cattle. PMID:22839739

Relationships Between Dissolved Organic Matter Composition and Photochemistry in Lakes of Diverse Trophic Status.

PubMed

Maizel, Andrew C; Li, Jing; Remucal, Christina K

2017-09-05

The North Temperate Lakes Long-Term Ecological Research site includes seven lakes in northern Wisconsin that vary in hydrology, trophic status, and landscape position. We examine the molecular composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) within these lakes using Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) and quantify DOM photochemical activity using probe compounds. Correlations between the relative intensity of individual molecular formulas and reactive species production demonstrate the influence of DOM composition on photochemistry. For example, highly aromatic, tannin-like formulas correlate positively with triplet formation rates, but negatively with triplet quantum yields, as waters enriched in highly aromatic formulas exhibit much higher rates of light absorption, but only slightly higher rates of triplet production. While commonly utilized optical properties also correlate with DOM composition, the ability of FT-ICR MS to characterize DOM subpopulations provides unique insight into the mechanisms through which DOM source and environmental processing determine composition and photochemical activity.

Dietary tryptophan intake and suicide rate in industrialized nations.

PubMed

Voracek, Martin; Tran, Ulrich S

2007-03-01

The objective of this study was to assess the ecological association of dietary tryptophan intake and suicide rates across industrialized nations. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, is the rate-limiting precursor of serotonin biosynthesis. The serotonergic system has been strongly implicated in the neurobiology of suicide. Contemporary male and female suicide rates for the general population (42 countries) and the elderly (38 countries) were correlated with national estimates of dietary tryptophan intake. Measures of tryptophan intake were significantly negatively associated to national suicide rates. Controlling for national affluence, total alcohol consumption and happiness levels slightly attenuated these associations, but left all of them negative. The effect is an ecological (group-level) finding. Estimated per capita tryptophan supply is only a proxy for actual consumption. Developed nations ranking high in dietary tryptophan intake rank low in suicide rates, independent of national wealth, alcohol intake and happiness.

Analysis of trichloroethylene removal and bacterial community function based on pH-adjusted in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor.

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Hu, Miao; Li, Pengfei; Wang, Xin; Meng, Qingjuan

2015-11-01

The study reported the upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor performance in treating wastewater containing trichloroethylene (TCE) and characterized variations of bacteria composition and structure by changing the pH from 6.0 to 8.0. A slightly acidic environment (pH < 7.0) had a greater impact on the TCE removal. Illumina pyrosequencing was applied to investigate the bacterial community changes in response to pH shifts. The results demonstrated that pH greatly influenced the dominance and presence of specific populations. The potential TCE degradation pathway in the UASB reactor was proposed. Importantly, the genus Dehalobacter which was capable of reductively dechlorinating TCE was detected, and it was not found at pH of 6.0, which presumably is the reason why the removal efficiency of TCE was the lowest (80.73 %). Through Pearson correlation analyses, the relative abundance of Dehalobacter positively correlated with TCE removal efficiency (R = 0.912). However, the relative abundance of Lactococcus negatively correlated with TCE removal efficiency according to the results from Pearson correlation analyses and redundancy analysis (RDA).

Recovery performance in xylem hydraulic conductivity is correlated with cavitation resistance for temperate deciduous tree species.

PubMed

Ogasa, Mayumi; Miki, Naoko H; Murakami, Yuki; Yoshikawa, Ken

2013-04-01

Woody species hydraulically vulnerable to xylem cavitation may experience daily xylem embolism. How such species cope with the possibility of accumulated embolism is unclear. In this study, we examined seven temperate woody species to assess the hypothesis that low cavitation resistance (high vulnerability to cavitation) is compensated by high recovery performance via vessel refilling. We also evaluated leaf functional and xylem structural traits. The xylem recovery index (XRI), defined as the ratio of xylem hydraulic conductivity in plants rewatered after soil drought to that in plants under moist conditions, varied among species. The xylem water potential causing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity (Ψ50) varied among the species studied, whereas only a slight difference was detected with respect to midday xylem water potential (Ψmin), indicating smaller hydraulic safety margins (Ψmin - Ψ50) for species more vulnerable to cavitation. Cavitation resistance (|Ψ50|) was negatively correlated with XRI across species, with cavitation-vulnerable species showing a higher performance in xylem recovery. Wood density was positively correlated with cavitation resistance and was negatively correlated with XRI. These novel results reveal that coordination exists between cavitation resistance and xylem recovery performance, in association with wood functional traits such as denser wood for cavitation-resistant xylem and less-dense but water-storable wood for refillable xylem. These findings provide insights into long-term maintenance of water transport in tree species growing under variable environmental conditions.

Dietary Correlates of Primate Masticatory Muscle Fiber Architecture.

PubMed

Hartstone-Rose, Adam; Deutsch, Ashley R; Leischner, Carissa L; Pastor, Francisco

2018-02-01

Analyses of masticatory muscle architecture-specifically fascicle length (FL; a correlate of muscle stretch and contraction speed) and physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA; a correlate of force)-reveal soft-tissue dietary adaptations. For instance, consumers of large, soft foods are expected to have relatively long FL, while consumers of obdurate foods are expected to have relatively high PCSA. Unfortunately, only a few studies have analyzed these variables across large primate samples-an order of particular interest because it is our own. Previous studies found that, in strepsirrhines, force variables (PCSA and muscle masses; MM) scale with isometry or slight positive allometry, while the body size corrected FL residuals correlate with food sizes. However, a study of platyrrhines using different methods (in which the authors physically cut muscles between fascicles) found very different trends: negative allometry for both the stretch and force variables. Here, we apply the methods used in the strepsirrhine study (chemical dissection of fascicles to ensure full length measurements) to reevaluate these trends in platyrrhines and extend this research to include catarrhines. Our results conform to the previous strepsirrhine trends: there is no evidence of negative allometry in platyrrhines. Rather, in primates broadly and catarrhines specifically, MM and PCSA scale with isometry or positive allometry. When examining size-adjusted variables, it is clear that fascicle lengths (especially those of the temporalis muscle) correlate with diet: species that consume soft, larger, foods have longer masticatory fiber lengths which would allow them to open their jaws to wider gape angles. Anat Rec, 301:311-324, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Circadian rhythms in human performance and mood under constant conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monk, T. H.; Buysse, D. J.; Reynolds, C. F. 3rd; Berga, S. L.; Jarrett, D. B.; Begley, A. E.; Kupfer, D. J.

1997-01-01

This study explored the relationship between circadian performance rhythms and rhythms in rectal temperature, plasma cortisol, plasma melatonin, subjective alertness and well-being. Seventeen healthy young adults were studied under 36 h of 'unmasking' conditions (constant wakeful bedrest, temporal isolation, homogenized 'meals') during which rectal temperatures were measured every minute, and plasma cortisol and plasma melatonin measured every 20 min. Hourly subjective ratings of global vigour (alertness) and affect (well-being) were obtained followed by one of two performance batteries. On odd-numbered hours performance (speed and accuracy) of serial search, verbal reasoning and manual dexterity tasks was assessed. On even-numbered hours, performance (% hits, response speed) was measured at a 25-30 min visual vigilance task. Performance of all tasks (except search accuracy) showed a significant time of day variation usually with a nocturnal trough close to the trough in rectal temperature. Performance rhythms appeared not to reliably differ with working memory load. Within subjects, predominantly positive correlations emerged between good performance and higher temperatures and better subjective alertness; predominantly negative correlations between good performance and higher plasma levels of cortisol and melatonin. Temperature and cortisol rhythms correlated with slightly more performance measures (5/7) than did melatonin rhythms (4/7). Global vigour correlated about as well with performance (5/7) as did temperature, and considerably better than global affect (1/7). In conclusion: (1) between-task heterogeneity in circadian performance rhythms appeared to be absent when the sleep/wake cycle was suspended; (2) temperature (positively), cortisol and melatonin (negatively) appeared equally good as circadian correlates of performance, and (3) subjective alertness correlated with performance rhythms as well as (but not better than) body temperature, suggesting that performance rhythms were not directly mediated by rhythms in subjective alertness.

[Relationships between soil nutrients and rhizospheric soil microbial communities and enzyme activities in a maize-capsicum intercropping system].

PubMed

Xu, Qiang; Cheng, Zhi-Hui; Meng, Huan-Wen; Zhang, Yu

2007-12-01

By using plastic sheet and nylon mesh to partition the root systems of maize and capsicum in a maize-capsicum intercropping system, this paper studied the relationships between soil biological factors and nutritive status in the intercropping system, with no partitioning and maize monoculture and capsicum monoculture as the control. The results showed that intercropping maize and capsicum had its high superiority. In the treatments of no partitioning and nylon mesh portioning in the intercropping system, soil enzyme activities, microbial individuals and nutrient contents were significantly higher, compared with those in the treatments of nylon mesh partitioning and monocultures. All kinds of soil available nutrients showed significant or very significant positive correlations with soil biological factors, except that soil available Mg was negatively correlated with soil fungi and catalase activity. Pathway analysis indicated that in the intercropping system, soil urease, catalase, protease, and bacteria were the main factors affecting the accumulation of soil organic matter, saccharase was the most important factor affecting soil alkali-hydrolyzable N, urease was the most important factor affecting soil available P, and bacteria largely determined soil available K. Soil alkaline phosphatase and fungi selectively affected the accumulation of soil organic matter and available N, P and K. There was a slight negative correlation between soil actinomycetes and soil nutrients, suggesting that actinomycetes had little effect on soil nutrient formation.

Lack of negative autocorrelations of daily food intake on successive days challenges the concept of the regulation of body weight in humans.

PubMed

Levitsky, David A; Raea Limb, Ji Eun; Wilkinson, Lua; Sewall, Anna; Zhong, Yingyi; Olabi, Ammar; Hunter, Jean

2017-09-01

According to most theories, the amount of food consumed on one day should be negatively related to intake on subsequent days. Several studies have observed such a negative correlation between the amount consumed on one day and the amount consumed two to four days later. The present study attempted to replicate this observation by re-examining data from a previous study where all food ingested over a 30-day observation period was measured. Nine male and seven female participants received a vegan diet prepared, dispensed, and measured in a metabolic unit. Autocorrelations were performed on total food intake consume on one day and that consumed one to five days later. A significant positive correlation was detected between the weight of food eaten on one day and on the amount consumed on the following day (r = 0.29, 95% CI [0.37, 0.20]). No correlation was found between weights of food consumed on one day and up to twelve days later (r = 0.09, 95% CI [0.24, -0.06]), (r = 0.11, 95% CI [0.26, -0.0.26]) (r = 0.02, 95% CI [0.15, -0.7]) (r = -0.08, 95% CI [0.11, -0.09]). The same positive correlation with the previous day's intake was observed at the succeeding breakfast but not at either lunch or dinner. However, the participants underestimated their daily energy need resulting in a small, but statistically significant weight loss. Daily food intake increased slightly (13 g/day), but significantly, across the 30-day period. An analysis of the previous studies revealed that the negative correlations observed by others was caused by a statistical artifact resulting from normalizing data before testing for the correlations. These results, when combined with the published literature, indicate that there is little evidence that humans precisely compensate for the previous day's intake by altering the amount consumed on subsequent days. Moreover, the small but persistent increase in food intake suggests that physiological mechanisms that affect food intake operate more subtly and over much longer periods of time than the meal or even total daily intake. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Levels of selected oxidative stress markers in the vitreous and serum of diabetic retinopathy patients.

PubMed

Brzović-Šarić, Vlatka; Landeka, Irena; Šarić, Borna; Barberić, Monika; Andrijašević, Lidija; Cerovski, Branimir; Oršolić, Nada; Đikić, Domagoj

2015-01-01

In diabetes, an impaired antioxidant defense system contributes to the development of diabetic retinopathy. The main objective of this paper was to find correlations of oxidative stress parameters within and between the vitreous and serum in patients with type 2 diabetes who had developed proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The study included and compared two groups of patients who underwent vitrectomy: 37 patients with type 2 diabetes and proliferative retinopathy (PDR), and 50 patients with non-diabetic eye disorders (NDED). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), advanced oxidized protein product (AOPP), and oxidative stress markers (direct lipid hydroperoxidation (LPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), total superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione (GSH)) were measured in the vitreous and serum of both groups and correlated with one another, between humoral compartments and with gender, age, and serum glucose levels. In the vitreous of PDR patients, VEGF, LPO, and MDA (p<0.05) were increased and SOD values were slightly lowered (p<0.05) than in NDED patients. Vitreous AOPP and GSH showed no differences between the groups. In the serum, AOPP, MDA, and SOD were increased (p<0.05) and VEGF was slightly increased (p<0.05) in the PDR group compared to NDED. With regard to gender, similar changes were recorded for both groups, except for the lower serum MDA in males than females in the NDED group. Advanced age showed no significant effect on changes of measured parameters in the vitreous. In the serum, VEGF was positively correlated (p<0.05) and MDA and SOD negatively correlated (p<0.05) with increasing age. Among measured parameters within and between the vitreous and serum, several correlative links occurred in the PDR group that were not present in the NDED group. The most prominent correlation changes were between serum LPO and vitreal LPO, serum SOD and vitreal LPO, serum LPO and serum SOD, and vitreal VEGF and serum SOD. Among the selected oxidative stress markers, SOD and LPO were highly correlative in both the vitreous and serum in PDR compared to patients without metabolic disorders. Their correlations suggested that monitoring their mutual alterations might be informative during PDR development and should be considered in further research.

A Novel Mechanism for the Pathogenesis of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Resulting from Early Exposure to Ultraviolet Light

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

hybrid mice show a large population of cells that fluoresce with Tomato Red and few cells that fluoresce with GFP only or GFP/ Tomato Red double positive...percent of total cells Double Negative GFP Tomato Red Double Positive 15 Figure 3. Fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS) shows slight...Negative Tomato Red Double Positive 17 Figure 5. Fluorescent activated cell sorting (FACS) shows no K14-GFP expressing cells and slight expression of

Development of a local size hierarchy causes regular spacing of trees in an even-aged Abies forest: analyses using spatial autocorrelation and the mark correlation function.

PubMed

Suzuki, Satoshi N; Kachi, Naoki; Suzuki, Jun-Ichirou

2008-09-01

During the development of an even-aged plant population, the spatial distribution of individuals often changes from a clumped pattern to a random or regular one. The development of local size hierarchies in an Abies forest was analysed for a period of 47 years following a large disturbance in 1959. In 1980 all trees in an 8 x 8 m plot were mapped and their height growth after the disturbance was estimated. Their mortality and growth were then recorded at 1- to 4-year intervals between 1980 and 2006. Spatial distribution patterns of trees were analysed by the pair correlation function. Spatial correlations between tree heights were analysed with a spatial autocorrelation function and the mark correlation function. The mark correlation function was able to detect a local size hierarchy that could not be detected by the spatial autocorrelation function alone. The small-scale spatial distribution pattern of trees changed from clumped to slightly regular during the 47 years. Mortality occurred in a density-dependent manner, which resulted in regular spacing between trees after 1980. The spatial autocorrelation and mark correlation functions revealed the existence of tree patches consisting of large trees at the initial stage. Development of a local size hierarchy was detected within the first decade after the disturbance, although the spatial autocorrelation was not negative. Local size hierarchies that developed persisted until 2006, and the spatial autocorrelation became negative at later stages (after about 40 years). This is the first study to detect local size hierarchies as a prelude to regular spacing using the mark correlation function. The results confirm that use of the mark correlation function together with the spatial autocorrelation function is an effective tool to analyse the development of a local size hierarchy of trees in a forest.

Incidence of acute-onset atrial fibrillation correlates with air temperature. Results of a nine-year survey.

PubMed

Comelli, Ivan; Ferro, Jayme; Lippi, Giuseppe; Comelli, Denis; Sartori, Elisabetta; Cervellin, Gianfranco

2014-09-01

Some diseases, such as renal colic, stroke, and myocardial infarction, correlate with seasonality and microclimatic variations. Although evidence is limited and controversial, a correlation between acute-onset atrial fibrillation (AAF) and seasonality has been previously reported. In order to elucidate the possible correlations between weather and incidence of AAF in a country with a temperate climate, the influence of day-by-day climate changes was analyzed based on the number of visits for AAF (defined as onset of symptoms within 48h) in a large urban Emergency Department (ED) of northern Italy. All the episodes of AAF were retrieved from the hospital's electronic database during a period of 3287days (January 2002 to December 2010). Only the cases whose onset occurred within 48h from the ED visit were selected. The total number of ED visits was 725,812 throughout the observational period. Among these, 3633 AAF cases were observed, 52% of which were males. A slight but significant negative linear correlation was found between the number of AAFs and the daily temperature (R=-0.60; p=0.001). No correlation was found between the number of AAFs and the daily humidity (R=-0.07; p=0.2). Copyright © 2014 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a Turbidimetric β-d-Glucan Test for Detection of Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia.

PubMed

Dichtl, Karl; Seybold, Ulrich; Wagener, Johannes

2018-07-01

Currently, diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) relies on analysis of lower respiratory specimens, either by microscopy or quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Thus, bronchoscopy is required, which is associated with increased risk of respiratory failure. We assessed the value of noninvasive serologic β-d-glucan (BDG) testing for laboratory diagnosis of PJP using a newly available turbidimetric assay. We identified 73 cases of PJP with positive qPCR results from lower respiratory specimens for Pneumocystis and serology samples dating from 1 week before to 4 weeks after qPCR. In addition, 25 sera from controls with suspected PJP but specimens negative for Pneumocystis by qPCR were identified. Sera were tested with a turbidimetric BDG assay (Fujifilm Wako Chemicals Europe GmbH, Neuss, Germany), using an 11-pg/ml cutoff. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated based on qPCR test results as a reference. The turbidimetric BDG assay identified 63/73 patients with positive or slightly positive qPCR tests for an overall sensitivity of 86%; after exclusion of cases with only slightly positive qPCR results, sensitivity was 91%. No correlation between serum BDG levels and respiratory specimen DNA levels was found. Serologic BDG testing was negative in 25/25 controls with negative qPCR for a specificity of 100% using the predefined cutoff. In 22/25 samples (88%), no BDG was detected. Serologic BDG testing using the turbidimetric assay showed high sensitivity and specificity compared to qPCR of lower respiratory specimens for the diagnosis of PJP. Both turnover time and test performance will allow clinicians to delay or in some cases forego bronchoscopy. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

Relations between serum reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) and various inflammatory and metabolic parameters in a Japanese population.

PubMed

Hirose, Hiroshi; Kawabe, Hiroshi; Komiya, Naoko; Saito, Ikuo

2009-04-01

Both oxidative stress and inflammation are known to play roles in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. We investigated the relations between reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) and various inflammatory and metabolic parameters in a Japanese population. We analyzed 48 male and 69 female subjects, aged 25 to 65 years, who underwent an annual health checkup in our university. Serum ROM level was assayed using a free radical elective evaluator. We also measured serum concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), insulin, and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin. Although the serum ROM level in females (347+/-83 Carr U) was slightly higher than in males (333+/-53 Carr U), this was not statistically significant. In the 48 male subjects, the ROM level negatively correlated with age (r=-0.344, p=0.0161), and positively correlated with the hsCRP level (r=0.306, p=0.0338). In the 69 female subjects, the ROM level negatively correlated with serum creatinine (r=-0.293, p=0.0141), and positively correlated with insulin (r=0.278, p=0.0202), the insulin resistance index (r=0.286, p=0.0170) and hsCRP levels (r=0.487, p<0.0001). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that serum hsCRP, creatinine, and age were independently correlated with the serum ROMs level (R2=0.365; F value highest for hsCRP). When the study subjects were divided into tertiles according to the ROM level, serum hsCRP was significantly different among the three groups: its level was highest in the highest tertile of ROMs (p<0.001). These results suggest that the serum ROM level is closely associated with serum hsCRP in Japanese adult subjects.

Pharmacokinetics and C-Reactive Protein Modelling of Anti-IL-6 Antibody (PF-04236921) in Healthy Volunteers and Patients with Autoimmune Disease.

PubMed

Li, Cheryl; Shoji, Satoshi; Beebe, Jean

2018-05-18

The purpose of this study was to characterize pharmacokinetics (PK) of PF-04236921, a novel anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody, and its pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) relationship on serum C-Reactive Protein (CRP) in healthy volunteers and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and Crohn's disease (CD) METHODS: Population modelling analyses were conducted using nonlinear mixed effects modelling. Data from 2 phase 1 healthy volunteer studies, a phase 1 RA study, a Phase 2 CD study, and a Phase 2 SLE study were included. A 2-compartment model with first order absorption and linear elimination and a mechanism-based indirect response model adequately described the PK and PK/PD relationships, respectively. Central compartment volume of distribution (Vc) positively correlated with body weight. Clearance (CL) negatively correlated with baseline albumin concentration and positively correlated with baseline CRP and creatinine clearance, and was slightly lower in females. After correcting for covariates, CL in CD subjects was approximately 60% higher than other populations. Maximum inhibition of PF-04236921 on CRP production (I max ) negatively correlated with baseline albumin. I max positively correlated with baseline CRP and the relationship was captured as a covariance structure in the PK/PD model. Integrated population PK and PK/PD models of PF-04236921 have been developed using pooled data from healthy subjects and autoimmune patients. The current model enables simulation of PF-04236921 PK and PD profiles under various dosing regimens and patient populations and should facilitate future clinical study of PF-04236921 and other anti-IL6 monoclonal antibodies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Genetic parameters for milk urea concentration and milk traits in Polish Holstein-Friesian cows.

PubMed

Rzewuska, Katarzyna; Strabel, Tomasz

2013-11-01

Milk urea concentration (MU) used by dairy producers for management purposes can be affected by selection for milk traits. To assess this problem, genetic parameters for MU in Polish Holstein-Friesian cattle were estimated for the first three lactations. The genetic correlation of MU with milk production traits, lactose percentage, fat to protein ratio (FPR) and somatic cell score (SCS) were computed with two 5-trait random regression test-day models, separately for each lactation. Data used for estimation (159,044 daily observations) came from 50 randomly sampled herds. (Co)variance components were estimated with the Bayesian Gibbs sampling method. The coefficient of variation for MU in all three parities was high (40-41 %). Average daily heritabilities of MU were 0.22 for the first parity and 0.21 for the second and third lactations. Average genetic correlations for different days in milk in the first three lactations between MU and other traits varied. They were small and negative for protein percentage (from -0.24 to -0.11) and for SCS (from -0.14 to -0.09). The weakest genetic correlation between MU and fat percentage, and between MU and lactose percentage were observed (from -0.10 to 0.10). Negative average genetic correlation with the fat to protein ratio was observed only in the first lactation (-0.14). Genetic correlations with yield traits were positive and ranged from low to moderate for protein (from 0.09 to 0.33), fat (from 0.16 to 0.35) and milk yield (from 0.20 to 0.42). These results suggest that the selection on yield traits and SCS tends to increase MU slightly.

Effects of biochars on the availability of heavy metals to ryegrass in an alkaline contaminated soil.

PubMed

Zhang, Guixiang; Guo, Xiaofang; Zhao, Zhihua; He, Qiusheng; Wang, Shuifeng; Zhu, Yuen; Yan, Yulong; Liu, Xitao; Sun, Ke; Zhao, Ye; Qian, Tianwei

2016-11-01

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of biochars on the availability of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) to ryegrass in an alkaline contaminated soil. Biochars only slightly decreased or even increased the availability of heavy metals assesses by chemical extractant (a mixture of 0.05 mol L -1 ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium, 0.01 mol L -1 CaCl 2 , and 0.1 mol L -1 triethanolamine). The significantly positive correlation between most chemical-extractable heavy metals and the ash content in biochars indicated the positive role of ash in this extraction. Biochars significantly reduced the plant uptake of heavy metals, excluding Mn. The absence of a positive correlation between the chemical-extractable heavy metals and the plant uptake counterparts (except for Mn) indicates that chemical extractability is probably not a reliable indicator to predict the phytoavailability of most heavy metals in alkaline soils treated with biochars. The obviously negative correlation between the plant uptake of heavy metals (except for Mn) and the (O + N)/C and H/C indicates that biochars with more polar groups, which were produced at lower temperatures, had higher efficiency for reducing the phytoavailability of heavy metals. The significantly negative correlations between the plant uptake of Mn and ryegrass biomass indicated the "dilution effect" caused by the improvement of biomass. These observations will be helpful for designing biochars as soil amendments to reduce the availability of heavy metals to plants in soils, especially in alkaline soils. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Geochemical constraints on the origin of Doushantuo cap carbonates in the Yangtze Gorges area, South China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qinxian; Lin, Zhijia; Chen, Duofu

2014-05-01

Marinoan cap carbonates have been suggested to be primarily deposited in glacial meltwater and upwelled seawater. However, elemental geochemistry evidence for this depositional model is lacking. Here, we report high-spatial-resolution measurements of major, trace and rare earth elements of the Doushantuo cap carbonates from the Jiulongwan section in the Yangtze Gorges area, South China. Our results show that: 1) the basal cap carbonates display slight MREE enrichment, weak positive La anomalies, near-chondritic Y/Ho ratios, and slight negative Ce anomalies; 2) the lower-middle cap carbonates show slight LREE depletion or MREE enrichment, weak positive La and Eu anomalies, supra-chondritic Y/Ho ratios, and slight negative Ce anomalies; 3) the upper-middle cap carbonates have consistent enrichment of P, Fe, and trace metals, slight LREE depletion, and weak positive Ce, La and Eu anomalies; and 4) the upper cap carbonates exhibit LREE enrichment, weak positive La and Eu anomalies, supra-chondritic Y/Ho ratios, and mild negative Ce anomalies. These findings indicate that the Doushantuo cap carbonates did not precipitate from normal contemporaneous seawater, rather, the basal cap carbonates were deposited in oxygenated, relatively pure deglacial meltwater; the lower-middle cap carbonates in oxygenated brackish water; the upper-middle cap carbonates in upwelled anoxic brine water; and the upper cap carbonates in oxygenated brackish water. Our depositional model is consistent with the proposed sequence of events after the meltdown of Marinoan glaciation by Shields (2005).

Genetic line comparisons and genetic parameters for endoparasite infections and test-day milk production traits.

PubMed

May, Katharina; Brügemann, Kerstin; Yin, Tong; Scheper, Carsten; Strube, Christina; König, Sven

2017-09-01

Keeping dairy cows in grassland systems relies on detailed analyses of genetic resistance against endoparasite infections, including between- and within-breed genetic evaluations. The objectives of this study were (1) to compare different Black and White dairy cattle selection lines for endoparasite infections and (2) the estimation of genetic (co)variance components for endoparasite and test-day milk production traits within the Black and White cattle population. A total of 2,006 fecal samples were taken during 2 farm visits in summer and autumn 2015 from 1,166 cows kept in 17 small- and medium-scale organic and conventional German grassland farms. Fecal egg counts were determined for gastrointestinal nematodes (FEC-GIN) and flukes (FEC-FLU), and fecal larvae counts for the bovine lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus (FLC-DV). The lowest values for gastrointestinal nematode infections were identified for genetic lines adopted to pasture-based production systems, especially selection lines from New Zealand. Heritabilities were low for FEC-GIN (0.05-0.06 ± 0.04) and FLC-DV (0.05 ± 0.04), but moderate for FEC-FLU (0.33 ± 0.06). Almost identical heritabilities were estimated for different endoparasite trait transformations (log-transformation, square root). The genetic correlation between FEC-GIN and FLC-DV was 1.00 ± 0.60, slightly negative between FEC-GIN and FEC-FLU (-0.10 ± 0.27), and close to zero between FLC-DV and FEC-FLU (0.03 ± 0.30). Random regression test-day models on a continuous time scale [days in milk (DIM)] were applied to estimate genetic relationships between endoparasite and longitudinal test-day production traits. Genetic correlations were negative between FEC-GIN and milk yield (MY) until DIM 85, and between FEC-FLU and MY until DIM 215. Genetic correlations between FLC-DV and MY were negative throughout lactation, indicating improved disease resistance for high-productivity cows. Genetic relationships between FEC-GIN and FEC-FLU with milk protein content were negative for all DIM. Apart from the very early and very late lactation stage, genetic correlations between FEC-GIN and milk fat content were negative, whereas they were positive for FEC-FLU. Genetic correlations between FEC-GIN and somatic cell score were positive, indicating similar genetic mechanisms for susceptibility to udder and endoparasite infections. The moderate heritabilities for FEC-FLU suggest inclusion of FEC-FLU into overall organic dairy cattle breeding goals to achieve long-term selection response for disease resistance. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gun availability and use of guns for suicide, homicide, and murder in Canada.

PubMed

Bridges, F Stephen; Kunselman, Julie C

2004-04-01

A reliability check of Lester's (2000b) 1970-1995 time series that examined associations between the availability of firearms and their use for homicide and suicide in Canada. For the period 1974 to 1999, the relative availability of firearms as measured by the rate of accidental death from firearms and the average of the percentages of suicides + homicides using firearms was positively associated with the rate of homicide by firearms but not negatively associated with the rate of homicide by all other methods, and positively associated with the rate of suicide by firearms and negatively associated with the rate of suicide by all other methods. Correlations for the homicide versus murder rates, homicide rate using guns versus murder rate using guns, and homicide rate by all other methods versus murder rate by all other methods were very similar. There was a decrease over time of total suicide and homicide rates and firearm suicide and homicide rates, and with a slight indication of substitution of other methods for suicide.

Assessment of self-reported self-esteem in healthy and diabetic children and adolescents in Greece.

PubMed

Vlachioti, Efrosini; Petsios, Konstantinos; Boutopoulou, Barbara; Chrisostomou, Anthi; Galanis, Petros; Matziou, Vasiliki

2010-06-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate any possible negative effect of diabetes on the self-esteem of children and adolescents with diabetes. Self-esteem was evaluated using the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory (CFSEI-2) in 144 patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM; 7-18 years of age) treated in a diabetes center and compared against that of 136 healthy children and adolescents. Self-esteem was correlated with age (P = 0.017), but not with diabetes (P = 0.886). The median CFSEI-2 score for both healthy and diabetic children was 22. There was no significant correlation between self-esteem and sex, body mass index (BMI), physical exercise, HbA1c or parental educational level. According to Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (r(s)), there was a significant association between age and self-esteem (r(s) = -0.15). Conversely, although BMI (r(s) = -0.09) and treatment duration (r(s) = -0.107) had a slight negative effect on self-esteem and the duration of physical exercise (r(s) = 0.11) and parental education (r(s) = 0.07) seemed to have a positive effect, the associations did not reach statistical significance. Self-esteem in diabetic children is mainly affected by their age, level of physical activity and level of family support. These findings emphasize the need to discriminate between glycemic control and diabetic adjustment. © 2010 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Plasticity of visual attention in Isha yoga meditation practitioners before and after a 3-month retreat

PubMed Central

Braboszcz, Claire; Cahn, B. Rael; Balakrishnan, Bhavani; Maturi, Raj K.; Grandchamp, Romain; Delorme, Arnaud

2013-01-01

Meditation has lately received considerable interest from cognitive neuroscience. Studies suggest that daily meditation leads to long lasting attentional and neuronal plasticity. We present changes related to the attentional systems before and after a 3 month intensive meditation retreat. We used three behavioral psychophysical tests - a Stroop task, an attentional blink task, and a global-local letter task-to assess the effect of Isha yoga meditation on attentional resource allocation. 82 Isha yoga practitioners were tested at the beginning and at the end of the retreat. Our results showed an increase in correct responses specific to incongruent stimuli in the Stroop task. Congruently, a positive correlation between previous meditation experience and accuracy to incongruent Stroop stimuli was also observed at baseline. We also observed a reduction of the attentional blink. Unexpectedly, a negative correlation between previous meditation experience and attentional blink performance at baseline was observed. Regarding spatial attention orientation as assessed using the global-local letter task, participants showed a bias toward local processing. Only slight differences in performance were found pre- vs. post- meditation retreat. Biasing toward the local stimuli in the global-local task and negative correlation of previous meditation experience with attentional blink performance is consistent with Isha practices being focused-attention practices. Given the relatively small effect sizes and the absence of a control group, our results do not allow clear support nor rejection of the hypothesis of meditation-driven neuronal plasticity in the attentional system for Isha yoga practice. PMID:24376429

SDSS-IV MaNGA: stellar population gradients as a function of galaxy environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goddard, D.; Thomas, D.; Maraston, C.; Westfall, K.; Etherington, J.; Riffel, R.; Mallmann, N. D.; Zheng, Z.; Argudo-Fernández, M.; Bershady, M.; Bundy, K.; Drory, N.; Law, D.; Yan, R.; Wake, D.; Weijmans, A.; Bizyaev, D.; Brownstein, J.; Lane, R. R.; Maiolino, R.; Masters, K.; Merrifield, M.; Nitschelm, C.; Pan, K.; Roman-Lopes, A.; Storchi-Bergmann, T.

2017-02-01

We study the internal radial gradients of stellar population properties within 1.5 Re and analyse the impact of galaxy environment. We use a representative sample of 721 galaxies with masses ranging between 109 M⊙ and 1011.5 M⊙ from the SDSS-IV survey MaNGA. We split this sample by morphology into early-type and late-type galaxies. Using the full spectral fitting code FIREFLY, we derive the light and mass-weighted stellar population properties, age and metallicity, and calculate the gradients of these properties. We use three independent methods to quantify galaxy environment, namely the Nth nearest neighbour, the tidal strength parameter Q and distinguish between central and satellite galaxies. In our analysis, we find that early-type galaxies generally exhibit shallow light-weighted age gradients in agreement with the literature and mass-weighted median age gradients tend to be slightly positive. Late-type galaxies, instead, have negative light-weighted age gradients. We detect negative metallicity gradients in both early- and late-type galaxies that correlate with galaxy mass, with the gradients being steeper and the correlation with mass being stronger in late-types. We find, however, that stellar population gradients, for both morphological classifications, have no significant correlation with galaxy environment for all three characterizations of environment. Our results suggest that galaxy mass is the main driver of stellar population gradients in both early and late-type galaxies, and any environmental dependence, if present at all, must be very subtle.

Entanglement with negative Wigner function of three thousand atoms heralded by one photon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McConnell, Robert; Zhang, Hao; Hu, Jiazhong; Ćuk, Senka; Vuletić, Vladan

2016-06-01

Quantum-mechanically correlated (entangled) states of many particles are of interest in quantum information, quantum computing and quantum metrology. Metrologically useful entangled states of large atomic ensembles have been experimentally realized [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10], but these states display Gaussian spin distribution functions with a non-negative Wigner function. Non-Gaussian entangled states have been produced in small ensembles of ions [11, 12], and very recently in large atomic ensembles [13, 14, 15]. Here, we generate entanglement in a large atomic ensemble via the interaction with a very weak laser pulse; remarkably, the detection of a single photon prepares several thousand atoms in an entangled state. We reconstruct a negative-valued Wigner function, an important hallmark of nonclassicality, and verify an entanglement depth (minimum number of mutually entangled atoms) of 2910 ± 190 out of 3100 atoms. Attaining such a negative Wigner function and the mutual entanglement of virtually all atoms is unprecedented for an ensemble containing more than a few particles. While the achieved purity of the state is slightly below the threshold for entanglement-induced metrological gain, further technical improvement should allow the generation of states that surpass this threshold, and of more complex Schrödinger cat states for quantum metrology and information processing.

A comparison of cognitive skills between completes and dropouts in a college physics course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, H. T.

Separate tests of mathematics skills, proportions and translations between words, and mathematical expression given the first week of class were correlated with performance for students who completed a college physics course (completes) and students who dropped the course (drops). None of the measures used discriminated between completes and drops as groups. However, the correlations between score on the test of math skills and on both of the measures involving mathematical reasoning (proportions, and translations) were dramatically different for the two groups. For the completes, these correlations were slightly negative, but not significant. For the drops, the correlation was positive and signficant at the p < 0.01 level. This suggests the possibility that the students who complete the course tend to have independent cognitive skills for the mechanical mathematical operations and for questions requiring some degree of reasoning, while, in contrast, the same skills for students at high risk for dropping overlap significantly. The study also found that when students are given the results of mathematics skills tests in a diagnostic mode, with feedback on specific areas of weakness and time to remediate with self study, the correlation between mathematics and physics is lower than previously reported values.Received: 2 April 1985

Public acceptance of nuclear power among Malaysian students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhamad Pauzi, Anas; Saad, Juniza Md; Arif Abu Bakar, Asyraf; Hannan Damahuri, Abdul; Syukri, Nur Syamim Mohd

2018-01-01

Malaysian government’s aim to include nuclear energy for electricity generation has triggered various reactions from all especially the public. The objective of this study is to have a better understanding on the knowledge, sources of information of nuclear power and sources of energy chosen by Malaysian in 20 years’ time. Besides that, we want to examine the level of acceptance and perception of Malaysian towards nuclear energy and we want to identify the correlation between public perceptions with the acceptance towards nuclear power in Malaysia, and also to study the differences between perception and acceptance of nuclear power with gender and educational level. For this research methodology, the research questions are given orally or through paper-pencil and also social networking site such as Facebook or through electronic media application such as WhatsApp and Google docs. The data were analysed using a SPSS version 22.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Results showed that more than 50% of the respondents have the knowledge of nuclear energy. A part of from that, only 39 % are confident government can afford to build NPP in Malaysia and 41 % disagree nuclear energy is the best option for future energy. From analysis using SPSS 22 we estimate negative perception will give a negative acceptance in term of support towards the use of nuclear energy in power generation in Malaysia. There are also slight correlation that the higher the level of education of Malaysian, the more negative the perception of Malaysian in accepting nuclear energy as source of power in Malaysia. Therefore in shaping a positive acceptance of NPP in Malaysia, the authorities need to educate the people with the knowledge of nuclear in order to overcome the negative perception towards nuclear power.

Cognitive load and autonomic response patterns under negative priming demand in depersonalization-derealization disorder.

PubMed

Lemche, Erwin; Sierra-Siegert, Mauricio; David, Anthony S; Phillips, Mary L; Gasston, David; Williams, Steven C R; Giampietro, Vincent P

2016-04-01

Previous studies have yielded evidence for cognitive processing abnormalities and alterations of autonomic functioning in depersonalization-derealization disorder (DPRD). However, multimodal neuroimaging and psychophysiology studies have not yet been conducted to test for functional and effective connectivity under cognitive stress in patients with DPRD. DPRD and non-referred control subjects underwent a combined Stroop/negative priming task, and the neural correlates of Stroop interference effect, negative priming effect, error rates, cognitive load span and average amplitude of skin conductance responses were ascertained for both groups. Evoked haemodynamic responses for basic Stroop/negative priming activations were compared. For basic Stroop to neutral contrast, patients with DPRD differed in the location (inferior vs. superior lobule) of the parietal region involved, but showed similar activations in the left frontal region. In addition, patients with DPRD also co-activated the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (BA9) and posterior cingulate cortex (BA31), which were also found to be the main between-group difference regions. These regions furthermore showed connectivity with frequency of depersonalization states. Evoked haemodynamic responses drawn from regions of interest indicated significant between-group differences in 30-40% of time points. Brain-behaviour correlations differed mainly in laterality, yet only slightly in regions. A reversal of autonomic patterning became evident in patients with DPRD for cognitive load spans, indicating less effective arousal suppression under cognitive stress - patients with DPRD showed positive associations of cognitive load with autonomic responses, whereas controls exhibit respective inverse association. Overall, the results of the present study show only minor executive cognitive peculiarities, but further support the notion of abnormalities in autonomic functioning in patients with DPRD. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Vertical patterns and controls of soil nutrients in alpine grassland: Implications for nutrient uptake.

PubMed

Tian, Liming; Zhao, Lin; Wu, Xiaodong; Fang, Hongbing; Zhao, Yonghua; Yue, Guangyang; Liu, Guimin; Chen, Hao

2017-12-31

Vertical patterns and determinants of soil nutrients are critical to understand nutrient cycling in high-altitude ecosystems; however, they remain poorly understood in the alpine grassland due to lack of systematic field observations. In this study, we examined vertical distributions of soil nutrients and their influencing factors within the upper 1m of soil, using data of 68 soil profiles surveyed in the alpine grassland of the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) stocks decreased with depth in both alpine meadow (AM) and alpine steppe (AS), but remain constant along the soil profile in alpine swamp meadow (ASM). Total phosphorus, Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ stocks slightly increased with depth in ASM. K + stock decreased with depth, while Na + stock increased slightly with depth among different vegetation types; however, SO 4 2- and Cl - stocks remained relatively uniform throughout different depth intervals in the alpine grassland. Except for SOC and TN, soil nutrient stocks in the top 20cm soils were significantly lower in ASM compared to those in AM and AS. Correlation analyses showed that SOC and TN stocks in the alpine grassland positively correlated with vegetation coverage, soil moisture, clay content, and silt content, while they negatively related to sand content and soil pH. However, base cation stocks revealed contrary relationships with those environmental variables compared to SOC and TN stocks. These correlations varied between vegetation types. In addition, no significant relationship was detected between topographic factors and soil nutrients. Our findings suggest that plant cycling and soil moisture primarily control vertical distributions of soil nutrients (e.g. K) in the alpine grassland and highlight that vegetation types in high-altitude permafrost regions significantly affect soil nutrients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Serum ionized calcium, intact PTH and novel markers of bone turnover in bedridden elderly patients.

PubMed

Sorva, A; Välimäki, M; Risteli, J; Risteli, L; Elfving, S; Takkunen, H; Tilvis, R

1994-12-01

Chronic immobilization could markedly affect calcium and bone metabolism in elderly people. To investigate this, and to test the theory of 'type II' osteoporosis in bedridden elderly patients with low vitamin D status, 55 such subjects were examined. Serum concentrations of ionized calcium (Ca++), intact parathyrin (PTH) and two novel markers of bone collagen formation (carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen; PICP) and resorption (carboxyterminal crosslinked telopeptide of type I collagen; ICTP) were measured. The effects on these parameters after 40 weeks of supplementation with vitamin D (1000 IU d-1) and/or calcium (1 g d-1) were subsequently prospectively evaluated. Despite low (mean 11.6 nmoll-1) serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (25-OHD), those of 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D (1,25-(OH)2D) were mostly normal. Neither correlated with Ca++ or PTH. PTH correlated negatively not only with Ca++ (r = -0.328, P < 0.05) but also with ICTP (r = -0.306, P < 0.05). Mean PICP was normal but ICTP was elevated and tended to correlate positively with Ca++ (r = 0.268, P = 0.06). Vitamin D supplementation did not change PICP or ICTP considerably, despite slightly increased 1,25-(OH)2D and slightly decreased PTH. Ca++ values were normal and remained stable. In conclusion, Ca++ and PTH are poor indicators of vitamin D status in chronically immobilized elderly subjects. Furthermore, the results suggest that the increased bone resorption is not due to 'type II' secondary hyperparathyroidism; rather the resorption is primarily increased. Correction of vitamin D deficiency does not seem to benefit ageing bones unless adequate mechanical loading is provided.

Clinical application of MRI-respiratory gating technology in the evaluation of children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.

PubMed

Zeng, Guohui; Teng, Yaoshu; Zhu, Jin; Zhu, Darong; Yang, Bin; Hu, Linping; Chen, Manman; Fu, Xiao

2018-01-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the clinical application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-respiratory gating technology for assessing illness severity in children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS).MRI-respiratory gating technology was used to scan the nasopharyngeal cavities of 51 children diagnosed with OSAHS during 6 respiratory phases. Correlations between the ratio of the area of the adenoid to the area of the nasopalatine pharyngeal cavity (Sa/Snp), with the main indexes of polysomnography (PSG), were analyzed. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve and Kappa analysis were used to determine the diagnostic accuracy of Sa/Snp in pediatric OSAHS.The Sa/Snp was positively correlated with the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) (P < .001) and negatively correlated with the lowest oxygen saturation of blood during sleep (LaSO2) (P < .001). ROC analysis in the 6 respiratory phases showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the Sa/Snp in the end-expiratory phase was the largest (0.992, P < .001), providing a threshold of 69.5% for the diagnosis of severe versus slight-moderate OSAHS in children. Consistency analysis with the AHI showed a diagnosis accordance rate of 96.0% in severe pediatric OSAHS and 96.2% in slight-moderate pediatric OSAHS (Kappa = 0.922, P < .001).Stenosis of the nasopalatine pharyngeal cavity in children with adenoidal hypertrophy was greatest at the end-expiration phase during sleep. The end-expiratory Sa/Snp obtained by a combination of MRI and respiratory gating technology has potential as an important imaging index for diagnosing and evaluating severity in pediatric OSAHS.

Pulmonary immune responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in exposed individuals

PubMed Central

Ernst, Martin; Lange, Christoph; Stenger, Steffen; Kaufmann, Stefan H. E.; Reiling, Norbert; Schaberg, Tom; van der Merwe, Lize; Maertzdorf, Jeroen

2017-01-01

Background Blood based Interferon-(IFN)-γ release assays (IGRAs) have a poor predictive value for the development of tuberculosis. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between IGRAs and pulmonary immune responses in tuberculosis contacts in Germany. Methods IGRAs were performed on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells and peripheral blood from close healthy contacts of patients with culturally confirmed tuberculosis. Cellular BAL composition was determined by flow cytometry. BAL cells were co-cultured with three strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Mtb derived antigens including Purified Protein Derivative (PPD), 6 kD Early Secretory Antigenic Target (ESAT-6) and 10 kD Culture Filtrate Protein (CFP-10). Levels of 29 cytokines and chemokines were analyzed in the supernatants by multiplex assay. Associations and effects were examined using linear mixed-effects models. Results There were wide variations of inter-individual cytokine levels in BAL cell culture supernatants. Mycobacterial infection and stimulation with PPD showed a clear induction of several macrophage and lymphocyte associated cytokines, reflecting activation of these cell types. No robust correlation between cytokine patterns and blood IGRA status of the donor was observed, except for slightly higher Interleukin-2 (IL-2) responses in BAL cells from IGRA-positive donors upon mycobacterial infection compared to cells from IGRA-negative donors. Stronger correlations were observed when cytokine patterns were stratified according to BAL IGRA status. BAL cells from donors with BAL IGRA-positive responses produced significantly more IFN-γ and IL-2 upon PPD stimulation and mycobacterial infection than cells from BAL IGRA-negative individuals. Correlations between BAL composition and basal cytokine release from unstimulated cells were suggestive of pre-activated lymphocytes but impaired macrophage activity in BAL IGRA-positive donors, in contrast to BAL IGRA-negative donors. Conclusions In vitro BAL cell cytokine responses to M. tuberculosis antigens or infection do not reflect blood IGRA status but do correlate with stronger cellular responses in BAL IGRA-positive donors. The cytokine patterns observed suggest a pre-activated state of lymphocytes and suppressed macrophage responsiveness in BAL cells from BAL IGRA-positive individuals. PMID:29125874

Impulsivity Moderates the Effects of Movie Alcohol Portrayals on Adolescents’ Willingness to Drink

PubMed Central

Gibbons, Frederick X.; Kingsbury, John H.; Wills, Thomas A.; Finneran, Stephanie D.; Cin, Sonya Dal; Gerrard, Meg

2016-01-01

This study examined impulsivity as a moderator of adolescents’ reactions to positive vs. negative portrayals of drinking in American movie clips. Impulsivity, along with willingness and intentions to drink in the future, were assessed in a pretest session. In the experimental sessions, adolescents viewed a series of clips that showed drinking associated with either positive outcomes (e.g., social facilitation) or negative outcomes (fights, arguments). A third group viewed clips with similar positive or negative outcomes, but no alcohol consumption. All participants then responded to an implicit measure of attentional bias regarding alcohol (a dot probe), followed by explicit alcohol measures (self-reports of willingness and intentions to drink). Hypotheses, based on dual-processing theories, were: a) high-impulsive adolescents would respond more favorably than low-impulsive adolescents to the positive clips, but not the negative clips; and b) this difference in reactions to the positive clips would be larger on the willingness than the intention measures. Results supported the hypotheses: Adolescents high in impulsivity reported the highest willingness to drink in the positive-clip condition, but were slightly less willing than others in the negative-clip condition. In addition, results on the dot probe task indicated that reaction times to alcohol words were negatively correlated with changes in alcohol willingness, but not intention; i.e., the faster their response to the alcohol words, the more their willingness increased. The results highlight the utility of a dual-processing perspective on media influence. PMID:27099959

Health impacts of large releases of radionuclides. Mental health, stress and risk perception: insights from psychological research.

PubMed

Renn, O

1997-01-01

Risk perceptions are only slightly correlated with the expected values of a probability distribution for negative health impacts. Psychometric studies have documented that context variables such as dread or personal control are important predictors for the perceived seriousness of risk. Studies about cultural patterns of risk perceptions emphasize different response sets to risk information, depending on cultural priorities such as social justice versus personal freedom. This chapter reports the major psychological research results pertaining to the factors that govern individual risk perception and discusses the psychometric effects due to people's risk perception and the experience of severe stress. The relative importance of the psychometric context variables, the signals pertaining to each health risks and symbolic beliefs are explained.

A Global Assessment of Circulating Prolysyl Oxidase in Nonischemic Patients With Garden-variety Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

PubMed

Muñoz Calvo, Benjamín; Villa Martínez, Ana; López Orgil, Susana; López Andrés, Natalia; Román García, Feliciano; Víctor Palomares, Virginia; de la Calle de la Villa, Esther; Nadador Patiño, Verónica; Arribas-Gómez, Ignacio

2018-05-25

Lysyl oxidase is overexpressed in the myocardium of patients with hypertensive cardiomyopathy. We aimed to explore whether patients with hypertensive-metabolic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HM-HFpEF) also have increased concentrations of circulating prolysyl oxidase (cpLOX) and its possible consequences. We quantified cpLOX concentrations in 85 nonischemic patients with stage C, HM-HFpEF, and compared them with those of 51 healthy controls. We also assessed the correlations of cpLOX with myocardial stiffness parameters, collagen turnover products and fibrogenic cytokines, as well as the predictive value of plasma proenzyme levels at 1-year of follow-up. We detected raised cpLOX values and found that they correlated with calculated E/E' ratios and stiffness constants. The subgroup of patients with type I diastolic dysfunction showed a single negative correlation between cpLOX and B-type natriuretic peptide whereas patients with a restrictive diastolic pattern showed a strong correlation between cpLOX and galectin-3. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that cpLOX > 52.20 ng/mL slightly increased the risk of a fatal outcome (log-rank = 4.45; P = .034). When Cox regression was used, cpLOX was found to be a significant independent predictor of cardiovascular death or hospitalization due to the decompensation of HM-HFpEF (HR, 1.360; 95%CI, 1.126-1.638; P = .046). Patients with symptomatic HM-HFpEF show high cpLOX serum levels associated with restrictive diastolic filling indices. These levels represent a moderate risk factor for poor clinical outcome. Throughout the natural history of HM-HFpEF, we observed that cpLOX concentrations were initially negatively correlated with B-type natriuretic peptide but positively correlated with galectin-3 as advanced diastolic dysfunction developed. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Gaseous Elemental Mercury (GEM) Emissions from Snow Surfaces in Northern New York

PubMed Central

Maxwell, J. Alexander; Holsen, Thomas M.; Mondal, Sumona

2013-01-01

Snow surface-to-air exchange of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) was measured using a modified Teflon fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) dynamic flux chamber (DFC) in a remote, open site in Potsdam, New York. Sampling was conducted during the winter months of 2011. The inlet and outlet of the DFC were coupled with a Tekran Model 2537A mercury (Hg) vapor analyzer using a Tekran Model 1110 two port synchronized sampler. The surface GEM flux ranged from −4.47 ng m−2 hr−1 to 9.89 ng m−2 hr−1. For most sample periods, daytime GEM flux was strongly correlated with solar radiation. The average nighttime GEM flux was slightly negative and was not well correlated with any of the measured meteorological variables. Preliminary, empirical models were developed to estimate GEM emissions from snow surfaces in northern New York. These models suggest that most, if not all, of the Hg deposited with and to snow is reemitted to the atmosphere. PMID:23874951

Distribution of mean Doppler shift, spectral width, and skewness of coherent 50-MHz auroral radar backscatter

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

Watermann, J.; McNamara, A.G.; Sofko, G.J.

Some 7,700 radio aurora spectra obtained from a six link 50-MHz CW radar network set up on the Canadian prairies were analyzed with respect to the distributions of mean Doppler shift, spectral width and skewness. A comparison with recently published SABRE results obtained at 153 MHz shows substantial differences in the distributions which are probably due to different experimental and geophysical conditions. The spectra are mostly broad with mean Doppler shifts close to zero (type II spectra). The typical groupings of type I and type III spectra are clearly identified. All types appear to be in general much more symmetricmore » than those recorded with SABRE, and the skewness is only weakly dependent on the sign of the mean Doppler shift. Its distribution peaks near zero and shows a weak positive correlation with the type II Doppler shifts while the mostly positive type I Doppler shifts are slightly negatively correlated with the skewness.« less

Assessing benthic ecological impacts of bottom aquaculture using macrofaunal assemblages.

PubMed

Wang, Lu; Fan, Ying; Yan, Cunjun; Gao, Chunzi; Xu, Zhaodong; Liu, Xiaoshou

2017-01-15

Bottom aquaculture of bivalves is a high-yield culture method, which is increasingly adopted by shellfish farmers worldwide. However, the effects of bottom aquaculture on benthic ecosystems are not well-known. Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum), is a widely distributed bottom aquaculture mollusk species. To assess the ecological impacts of Manila clam bottom aquaculture, clams and other macrofaunal assemblages were investigated during four cruises (July and November 2011, February and May 2012) at six sampling sites in Jiaozhou Bay, China. Correlation analysis showed that macrofaunal assemblages had significant negative correlations with the abundance of Manila clams. However, according to the results of several biotic indices, a low disturbance was detected by Manila clam bottom aquaculture. In conclusion, AMBI (AZTI'S Marine Biotic Index) and M-AMBI (Multivariate AZTI Marine Biotic Index) indices are more suitable for assessing ecological quality than polychaete/amphipod ratios when the disturbance is slight, such as at a bivalve bottom aquaculture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) emissions from snow surfaces in northern New York.

PubMed

Maxwell, J Alexander; Holsen, Thomas M; Mondal, Sumona

2013-01-01

Snow surface-to-air exchange of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) was measured using a modified Teflon fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) dynamic flux chamber (DFC) in a remote, open site in Potsdam, New York. Sampling was conducted during the winter months of 2011. The inlet and outlet of the DFC were coupled with a Tekran Model 2537A mercury (Hg) vapor analyzer using a Tekran Model 1110 two port synchronized sampler. The surface GEM flux ranged from -4.47 ng m(-2) hr(-1) to 9.89 ng m(-2) hr(-1). For most sample periods, daytime GEM flux was strongly correlated with solar radiation. The average nighttime GEM flux was slightly negative and was not well correlated with any of the measured meteorological variables. Preliminary, empirical models were developed to estimate GEM emissions from snow surfaces in northern New York. These models suggest that most, if not all, of the Hg deposited with and to snow is reemitted to the atmosphere.

Contribution of Interpersonal Problems to Eating Disorder Psychopathology via Negative Affect in Treatment-seeking Men and Women: Testing the Validity of the Interpersonal Model in an Understudied Population.

PubMed

Ivanova, Iryna V; Tasca, Giorgio A; Proulx, Geneviève; Bissasda, Hany

2017-07-01

Research on the psychosocial correlates and theoretical frameworks of men presenting with eating disorders (ED) psychopathology is limited. This study compared treatment-seeking men and women in terms of their levels of interpersonal functioning (affiliation and dominance), regulation of negative emotions (negative affect and instability) and ED psychopathology. The study also investigated the validity of the interpersonal model of ED in men. Results from the cross-sectional data of 388 participants (137 men and 251 women) demonstrated that the structural models fit and that paths were invariant across men and women. There were significant indirect effects of interpersonal functioning on ED psychopathology, mediated through negative affect and instability, for both men and women. Negative affect and instability partially explain the relationship between interpersonal problems and ED psychopathology in treatment-seeking men and women. Current findings highlight the need to evaluate the validity of the model using longitudinal designs to test whether men and women are likely to benefit equally from interpersonal therapies for ED. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Negative affect and instability mediated the relationship between interpersonal problems and eating disorder psychopathology for treatment-seeking men and women. There were no gender differences between levels of negative affect, emotional instability and interpersonal dysfunction, but women reported slightly higher eating concerns than men. Interpersonal model is a framework that is applicable to understanding and potentially treating men with eating disorders. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Variation of Enzyme Activities and Metabolite Levels in 24 Arabidopsis Accessions Growing in Carbon-Limited Conditions1[W

PubMed Central

Cross, Joanna M.; von Korff, Maria; Altmann, Thomas; Bartzetko, Linda; Sulpice, Ronan; Gibon, Yves; Palacios, Natalia; Stitt, Mark

2006-01-01

Our understanding of the interaction of carbon (C) metabolism with nitrogen (N) metabolism and growth is based mainly on studies of responses to environmental treatments, and studies of mutants and transformants. Here, we investigate which metabolic parameters vary and which parameters change in a coordinated manner in 24 genetically diverse Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) accessions, grown in C-limited conditions. The accessions were grown in short days, moderate light, and high nitrate, and analyzed for rosette biomass, levels of structural components (protein, chlorophyll), total phenols and major metabolic intermediates (sugars, starch, nitrate, amino acids), and the activities of seven representative enzymes from central C and N metabolism. The largest variation was found for plant weight, reducing sugars, starch at the end of the night, and several enzyme activities. High levels of one sugar correlated with high levels of other sugars and starch, and a trend to increased amino acids, slightly lower nitrate, and higher protein. The activities of enzymes at the interface of C and N metabolism correlated with each other, but were unrelated to carbohydrates, amino acid levels, and total protein. Rosette weight was unrelated or showed a weak negative trend to sugar and amino acid contents at the end of the day in most of the accessions, and was negatively correlated with starch at the end of the night. Rosette weight was positively correlated with several enzyme activities. We propose that growth is not related to the absolute levels of starch, sugars, and amino acids; instead, it is related to flux, which is indicated by the enzymatic capacity to use these central resources. PMID:17085515

Genetic parameters for daily milk somatic cell score and relationships with yield traits of primiparous Holstein cattle in Iran.

PubMed

Kheirabadi, Khabat; Razmkabir, Mohammad

2016-01-01

Despite the importance of relationships between somatic cell score (SCS) and currently selected traits (milk, fat and protein yield) of Holstein cows, there was a lack of comprehensive literature for it in Iran. Therefore we tried to examine heritabilities and relationships between these traits using a fixed-regression animal model and Bayesian inference. The data set consisted of 1,078,966 test-day observations from 146,765 primiparous daughters of 1930 sires, with calvings from 2002 to 2013. Marginal posterior means of heritability estimates for SCS (0.03 ± 0.002) were distinctly lower than those for milk (0.204 ± 0.006), fat (0.096 ± 0.004) and protein (0.147 ± 0.005) yields. In the case of phenotypic correlations, the relationships between production and SCS were near zero at the beginning of lactation but become increasingly negative as days in milk increased. Although all environmental correlations between production and SCS were negative (-0.177 ± 0.007, -0.165 ± 0.008 and -0.152 ± 0.007 between SCS and milk, fat, and protein yield, respectively), slightly antagonistic genetic correlations were found; with posterior mean of relationships ranging from 0.01 ± 0.039 to 0.11 ± 0.036. This genetic opposition was distinctly higher for protein than for fat. Although small, the positive genetic correlations suggest some genetic antagonism between desired increased milk production and reduced SCS (i.e., single-trait selection for increased milk production will also increase SCS).

Large net CO2 loss from a grass-dominated tropical savanna in south-central Brazil in response to seasonal and interannual drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zanella De Arruda, Paulo Henrique; Vourlitis, George Louis; Santanna, Franciele Bomfiglio; Pinto, Osvaldo Borges, Jr.; De Almeida Lobo, Francisco; De Souza Nogueira, José

2016-08-01

The savanna vegetation of Brazil (Cerrado) accounts for 20-25% of the land cover of Brazil and is the second largest ecosystem following Amazonian forest; however, Cerrado mass and energy exchange is still highly uncertain. We used eddy covariance to measure the net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) of grass-dominated Cerrado (campo sujo) over 3 years. We hypothesized that soil water availability would be a key control over the seasonal and interannual variations in NEE. Multiple regression indicated that gross primary production (GPP) was positively correlated (Pearson's r = 0.69; p < 0.001) with soil water content, radiation, and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)-derived enhanced vegetation index (EVI) but negatively correlated with the vapor pressure deficit (VPD), indicating that drier conditions increased water limitations on GPP. Similarly, ecosystem respiration (Reco) was positively correlated (Pearson's r = 0.78; p < 0.001) with the EVI, radiation, soil water content, and temperature but slightly negatively correlated with rainfall and the VPD. While the NEE responded rapidly to temporal variations in soil water availability, the grass-dominated Cerrado stand was a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere during the study period, which was drier compared to the long-term average rainfall. Cumulative NEE was approximately 842 gC m-2, varying from 357 gC m-2 in 2011 to 242 gC m-2 in 2012. Our results indicate that grass-dominated Cerrado may be an important regional CO2 source in response to the warming and drying that is expected to occur in the southern Amazon Basin under climate change.

Impact of Cervical Sagittal Alignment on Axial Neck Pain and Health-related Quality of Life After Cervical Laminoplasty in Patients With Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy or Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament: A Prospective Comparative Study.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Hiroyasu; Oda, Takenori; Makino, Takahiro; Moriguchi, Yu; Yonenobu, Kazuo; Kaito, Takashi

2018-05-01

This is prospective observational study. To prospectively investigate the correlation among axial neck pain; a newly developed patient-based quality of life outcome measure, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire (JOACMEQ); and cervical sagittal alignment after open-door laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy. Many studies have focused on postoperative axial neck pain after laminoplasty. However, the correlation among cervical sagittal alignment, neck pain, and JOACMEQ has not been investigated. In total, 57 consecutive patients treated by open-door laminoplasty for cervical myelopathy were included (mean age, 63.7 y; 15 women and 42 men) and divided into 2 groups according to diagnosis [cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) group: 35 patients, and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) group: 22 patients]. JOA score, a subdomain of cervical spine function (CSF) in the JOACMEQ, and the visual analog scale for axial neck pain were assessed preoperatively and 12 months postoperatively. Radiographic cervical sagittal parameters were measured by C2 sagittal vertical axis (C2 SVA), C2-C7 lordosis, C7 sagittal slope (C7 slope), and range of motion. C2 SVA values in both groups shifted slightly anteriorly between preoperative and 12-month postoperative measurements (CSM: +19.7±10.9 mm; OPLL: +22.1±13.4 mm vs. CSM: +23.2±16.1 mm; OPLL: +28.7±15.4 mm, respectively). Postoperative axial neck pain in the OPLL group showed strong negative correlations with C2 SVA and C7 slope. Strong negative correlations were found between axial neck pain and CSF in both the preoperative CSM and OPLL groups (CSM: r=-0.45, P=0.01; OPLL: r=-0.61, P<0.01) and between axial neck pain and CSF in the postoperative OPLL group (r=-0.51, P=0.05). This study demonstrated a significant negative correlation between neck pain and CSF in both the CSM and OPLL groups preoperatively and in the OPLL group postoperatively. Radiographic cervical sagittal alignment did not significantly correlate with preoperative or postoperative axial neck pain.

Rogue taxa phenomenon: a biological companion to simulation analysis

PubMed Central

Westover, Kristi M.; Rusinko, Joseph P.; Hoin, Jon; Neal, Matthew

2013-01-01

To provide a baseline biological comparison to simulation study predictions about the frequency of rogue taxa effects, we evaluated the frequency of a rogue taxa effect using viral data sets which differed in diversity. Using a quartet-tree framework, we measured the frequency of a rogue taxa effect in three data sets of increasing genetic variability (within viral serotype, between viral serotype, and between viral family) to test whether the rogue taxa was correlated with the mean sequence diversity of the respective data sets. We found a slight increase in the percentage of rogues as nucleotide diversity increased. Even though the number of rogues increased with diversity, the distribution of the types of rogues (friendly, crazy, or evil) did not depend on the diversity and in the case of the order-level data set the net rogue effect was slightly positive. This study, assessing frequency of the rogue taxa effect using biological data, indicated that simulation studies may over-predict the prevalence of the rogue taxa effect. Further investigations are necessary to understand which types of data sets are susceptible to a negative rogue effect and thus merit the removal of taxa from large phylogenetic reconstructions. PMID:23707704

Rogue taxa phenomenon: a biological companion to simulation analysis.

PubMed

Westover, Kristi M; Rusinko, Joseph P; Hoin, Jon; Neal, Matthew

2013-10-01

To provide a baseline biological comparison to simulation study predictions about the frequency of rogue taxa effects, we evaluated the frequency of a rogue taxa effect using viral data sets which differed in diversity. Using a quartet-tree framework, we measured the frequency of a rogue taxa effect in three data sets of increasing genetic variability (within viral serotype, between viral serotype, and between viral family) to test whether the rogue taxa was correlated with the mean sequence diversity of the respective data sets. We found a slight increase in the percentage of rogues as nucleotide diversity increased. Even though the number of rogues increased with diversity, the distribution of the types of rogues (friendly, crazy, or evil) did not depend on the diversity and in the case of the order-level data set the net rogue effect was slightly positive. This study, assessing frequency of the rogue taxa effect using biological data, indicated that simulation studies may over-predict the prevalence of the rogue taxa effect. Further investigations are necessary to understand which types of data sets are susceptible to a negative rogue effect and thus merit the removal of taxa from large phylogenetic reconstructions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phthalate metabolites in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) from Mediterranean coastal lagoons.

PubMed

Fourgous, C; Chevreuil, M; Alliot, F; Amilhat, E; Faliex, E; Paris-Palacios, S; Teil, M J; Goutte, A

2016-11-01

The levels and fate of phthalate metabolites have been poorly evaluated in fish, despite their potential ecotoxicological impacts. The present study aims to characterize the levels of phthalate metabolites in muscle tissue of yellow eels (Anguilla anguilla) from two coastal Mediterranean lagoons, during three sampling periods. Nine phthalate metabolites were detected in >70% of the samples. Slightly higher levels of phthalate metabolites were detected in March and June compared to October, suggesting possible seasonal variations in environmental release and/or phthalate metabolization process by eels. The large sample size (N=117) made it possible to explore correlations between phthalate metabolites' levels and individual parameters, such as body length, age, body condition and hepatic histo-pathologies. Body length and estimated age poorly correlated with phthalate metabolites, suggesting that eels did not accumulate phthalates during growth, contrary to persistent compounds. Eels presented different grades of hepatic fibrosis and lipidosis. A negative correlation was found between the severity of these pathologies in the liver and the sum of phthalate metabolites levels, supporting the hypothesis that eels with damaged liver are less able to metabolize xenobiotics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SDSS-IV MaNGA: environmental dependence of stellar age and metallicity gradients in nearby galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zheng; Wang, Huiyuan; Ge, Junqiang; Mao, Shude; Li, Cheng; Li, Ran; Mo, Houjun; Goddard, Daniel; Bundy, Kevin; Li, Hongyu; Nair, Preethi; Lin, Lihwai; Long, R. J.; Riffel, Rogério; Thomas, Daniel; Masters, Karen; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Brownstein, Joel R.; Zhang, Kai; Law, David R.; Drory, Niv; Roman Lopes, Alexandre; Malanushenko, Olena

2017-03-01

We present a study on the stellar age and metallicity distributions for 1105 galaxies using the STARLIGHT software on MaNGA (Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO) integral field spectra. We derive age and metallicity gradients by fitting straight lines to the radial profiles, and explore their correlations with total stellar mass M*, NUV - r colour and environments, as identified by both the large-scale structure (LSS) type and the local density. We find that the mean age and metallicity gradients are close to zero but slightly negative, which is consistent with the inside-out formation scenario. Within our sample, we find that both the age and metallicity gradients show weak or no correlation with either the LSS type or local density environment. In addition, we also study the environmental dependence of age and metallicity values at the effective radii. The age and metallicity values are highly correlated with M* and NUV - r and are also dependent on LSS type as well as local density. Low-mass galaxies tend to be younger and have lower metallicity in low-density environments while high-mass galaxies are less affected by environment.

Parenting children with diabetes: exploring parenting styles on children living with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Sherifali, Diana; Ciliska, Donna; O'Mara, Linda

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which parenting styles is associated with diabetes control in children (aged 5-12 years) with type 1 diabetes, and on child and parent quality of life. Data were collected from a total of 216 parent and child dyads, from 4 pediatric diabetes clinics in southern Ontario, using a cross-sectional survey methodology. Each parent and child independently completed the questionnaires. The study instruments included the Parenting Dimensions Inventory, Pediatric Quality of Life (diabetes specific), and chart reviews for glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) levels. The results of the study demonstrated that parenting styles were not correlated with diabetes control and were weakly correlated with quality of life. Most parents reported behaviors of authoritative or democratic parenting. The mean glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) for children in the study was slightly above optimal target range, at 8.4%. Parental education had a weak negative correlation with diabetes control. Parenting styles are not associated with diabetes control and quality of life in children with type 1 diabetes. However, further research should assess the impact of the determinants of parenting on children with type 1 diabetes and quality of life.

Evaluating alternate models to estimate genetic parameters of calving traits in United Kingdom Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle.

PubMed

Eaglen, Sophie A E; Coffey, Mike P; Woolliams, John A; Wall, Eileen

2012-07-28

The focus in dairy cattle breeding is gradually shifting from production to functional traits and genetic parameters of calving traits are estimated more frequently. However, across countries, various statistical models are used to estimate these parameters. This study evaluates different models for calving ease and stillbirth in United Kingdom Holstein-Friesian cattle. Data from first and later parity records were used. Genetic parameters for calving ease, stillbirth and gestation length were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood method, considering different models i.e. sire (-maternal grandsire), animal, univariate and bivariate models. Gestation length was fitted as a correlated indicator trait and, for all three traits, genetic correlations between first and later parities were estimated. Potential bias in estimates was avoided by acknowledging a possible environmental direct-maternal covariance. The total heritable variance was estimated for each trait to discuss its theoretical importance and practical value. Prediction error variances and accuracies were calculated to compare the models. On average, direct and maternal heritabilities for calving traits were low, except for direct gestation length. Calving ease in first parity had a significant and negative direct-maternal genetic correlation. Gestation length was maternally correlated to stillbirth in first parity and directly correlated to calving ease in later parities. Multi-trait models had a slightly greater predictive ability than univariate models, especially for the lowly heritable traits. The computation time needed for sire (-maternal grandsire) models was much smaller than for animal models with only small differences in accuracy. The sire (-maternal grandsire) model was robust when additional genetic components were estimated, while the equivalent animal model had difficulties reaching convergence. For the evaluation of calving traits, multi-trait models show a slight advantage over univariate models. Extended sire models (-maternal grandsire) are more practical and robust than animal models. Estimated genetic parameters for calving traits of UK Holstein cattle are consistent with literature. Calculating an aggregate estimated breeding value including direct and maternal values should encourage breeders to consider both direct and maternal effects in selection decisions.

Evaluating alternate models to estimate genetic parameters of calving traits in United Kingdom Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The focus in dairy cattle breeding is gradually shifting from production to functional traits and genetic parameters of calving traits are estimated more frequently. However, across countries, various statistical models are used to estimate these parameters. This study evaluates different models for calving ease and stillbirth in United Kingdom Holstein-Friesian cattle. Methods Data from first and later parity records were used. Genetic parameters for calving ease, stillbirth and gestation length were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood method, considering different models i.e. sire (−maternal grandsire), animal, univariate and bivariate models. Gestation length was fitted as a correlated indicator trait and, for all three traits, genetic correlations between first and later parities were estimated. Potential bias in estimates was avoided by acknowledging a possible environmental direct-maternal covariance. The total heritable variance was estimated for each trait to discuss its theoretical importance and practical value. Prediction error variances and accuracies were calculated to compare the models. Results and discussion On average, direct and maternal heritabilities for calving traits were low, except for direct gestation length. Calving ease in first parity had a significant and negative direct-maternal genetic correlation. Gestation length was maternally correlated to stillbirth in first parity and directly correlated to calving ease in later parities. Multi-trait models had a slightly greater predictive ability than univariate models, especially for the lowly heritable traits. The computation time needed for sire (−maternal grandsire) models was much smaller than for animal models with only small differences in accuracy. The sire (−maternal grandsire) model was robust when additional genetic components were estimated, while the equivalent animal model had difficulties reaching convergence. Conclusions For the evaluation of calving traits, multi-trait models show a slight advantage over univariate models. Extended sire models (−maternal grandsire) are more practical and robust than animal models. Estimated genetic parameters for calving traits of UK Holstein cattle are consistent with literature. Calculating an aggregate estimated breeding value including direct and maternal values should encourage breeders to consider both direct and maternal effects in selection decisions. PMID:22839757

Valence of physical stimuli, not housing conditions, affects behaviour and frontal cortical brain activity in sheep.

PubMed

Vögeli, Sabine; Lutz, Janika; Wolf, Martin; Wechsler, Beat; Gygax, Lorenz

2014-07-01

Modulation of short-term emotions by long-term mood is little understood but relevant to understand the affective system and of importance in respect to animal welfare: a negative mood might taint experiences, whilst a positive mood might alleviate single negative events. To induce different mood states in sheep housing conditions were varied. Fourteen ewes were group-housed in an unpredictable, stimulus-poor and 15 ewes in a predictable, stimulus-rich environment. Sheep were tested individually for mood in a behavioural cognitive bias paradigm. Also, their reactions to three physical stimuli thought to differ in their perceived valence were observed (negative: pricking, intermediate: slight pressure, positive: kneading). General behaviour, activity, ear movements and positions, and haemodynamic changes in the cortical brain were recorded during stimulations. Generalised mixed-effects models and model probabilities based on the BIC (Bayesian information criterion) were used. Only weak evidence for mood difference was found. Sheep from the unpredictable, stimulus-poor housing condition had a somewhat more negative cognitive bias, showed slightly more aversive behaviour, were slightly more active and moved their ears somewhat more. Sheep most clearly differentiated the negative from the intermediate and positive stimulus in that they exhibited more aversive behaviour, less nibbling, were more active, showed more ear movements, more forward ear postures, fewer backward ear postures, and a stronger decrease in deoxyhaemoglobin when subjected to the negative stimulus. In conclusion, sheep reacted towards stimuli according to their presumed valence but their mood was not strongly influenced by housing conditions. Therefore, behavioural reactions and cortical brain activity towards the stimuli were hardly modulated by housing conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impulsivity moderates the effects of movie alcohol portrayals on adolescents' willingness to drink.

PubMed

Gibbons, Frederick X; Kingsbury, John H; Wills, Thomas A; Finneran, Stephanie D; Dal Cin, Sonya; Gerrard, Meg

2016-05-01

This study examined impulsivity as a moderator of adolescents' reactions to positive versus negative portrayals of drinking in American movie clips. Impulsivity, along with willingness and intentions to drink in the future, were assessed in a pretest session. In the experimental sessions, adolescents viewed a series of clips that showed drinking associated with either positive outcomes (e.g., social facilitation) or negative outcomes (fights, arguments). A third group viewed clips with similar positive or negative outcomes, but no alcohol consumption. All participants then responded to an implicit measure of attentional bias regarding alcohol (a dot probe), followed by explicit alcohol measures (self-reports of willingness and intentions to drink). Hypotheses, based on dual-processing theories, were: (a) high-impulsive adolescents would respond more favorably than low-impulsive adolescents to the positive clips, but not the negative clips; and (b) this difference in reactions to the positive clips would be larger on the willingness than the intention measures. Results supported the hypotheses: Adolescents high in impulsivity reported the highest willingness to drink in the positive-clip condition, but were slightly less willing than others in the negative-clip condition. In addition, results on the dot probe task indicated that RTs to alcohol words were negatively correlated with changes in alcohol willingness, but not intention; that is, the faster their response to the alcohol words, the more their willingness increased. The results highlight the utility of a dual-processing perspective on media influence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Lead in hawks, falcons and owls downstream from a mining site on the Coeur D'Alene river, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Henny, C.J.; Blus, L.J.; Hoffman, D.J.; Grove, R.A.

1994-01-01

Mining and smelting at Kellogg-Smelterville, Idaho, resulted in high concentrations of lead in Coeur d'Alene (CDA) River sediments and the floodplain downstream, where American Kestrels (Falco sparverius), Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus), Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus), and Western Screech-owls (Otus kennicotti) nested. Nestling American Kestrels contained significantly higher (P=0.0012) blood lead concentrations along the CDA River (0.24 ?g/g, wet wt) than the nearby reference area (0.087 ?g/g). A 35% inhibition of blood *-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) in nestling Northern Harriers (P=0.0001), 55% in nestling American Kestrels (P=0.0001) and 81% in adult American Kestrels (P=0.0004) provided additional evidence of lead exposure in the CDA River population. In nestling American Kestrels and Northern Harriers, ALAD activity was negatively correlated with lead in blood. An earlier report on Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) showed slightly less inhibition of ALAD than in American Kestrels, but no significant reduction in hemoglobin or hematocrit and no negative influence on production rates. The adult and nestling American Kestrels along the CDA River contained about twice as much blood lead as Ospreys during the same years (adult 0.46 vs. 0.20 ?g/g, and nestling 0.24 vs. 0.09 ?g/g), but adults showed a 7.5% reduction in hemoglobin (P=0.0356) and nestlings an 8.2% reduction in hemoglobin (P=0.0353) and a 5.8% reduction in hematocrit (P=0.0482). We did not observe raptor deaths related to lead, and although the production rate for American Kestrels was slightly lower along the CDA River, we found no significant negative relation between productivity and lead. Limited data on the other raptors provide evidence of exposure to lead along the CDA River. Several traits of raptors apparently reduce their potential for accumulating critical levels of lead which is primarily stored in bones of prey species.

[Expression and clinical significance of KNSL4 in breast cancer].

PubMed

Feng, Yu-Mei; Wan, Yan-Fang; Li, Xiao-Qing; Cao, Xu-Chen; Li, Xi

2006-06-01

Previous screening of breast cancer metastasis-related genes found that the mRNA level of kinesin-like 4 (KNSL4) gene is down-regulated in metastatic lymph nodes as compared with the paired primary breast cancer. This study was to clarify the correlations of KNSL4 mRNA expression to metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer, and explore the correlation of KNSL4 expression to c-erbB-2 expression to explore potential mechanisms of promoting metastasis by KNSL4. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to quantify the mRNA level of KNSL4 in 108 specimens of primary breast cancer. The correlations of KNSL4 mRNA level to metastasis and prognosis of the 108 cases were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess c-erbB-2 protien expression in 76 out of the 108 cases, and the correlation of KNSL4 expression to c-erbB-2 expression was analyzed. The mRNA level of KNSL4 was significantly lower in the cases at stages iii-iv than in the cases at stages iii-iv (P<0.001), significantly lower in the cases with more than 3 metastatic lymph nodes than in the cases with 0-3 metastatic positive lymph nodes (P<0.01), slightly lower in the cases with negative estrogen receptor or prognesterone receptor than in the cases with positive receptors (P>0.05), lower in the 6 cases with distant metastasis than in the rest cases without distant metastasis within 24 month follow up, lower in the 3 cases with bilateral breast cancer than in other cases with unilateral breast cancer, and significantly lower in c-erbB-2-positive group than in c-erB-2-negative group (P<0.01). The down-regulation of KNSL4 mRNA level is correlated to prognosis of primary breast cancer. It may enhance metastatic ability of breast cancer cells through promoting c-erbB-2 transcription and translation.

PGLa-H tandem-repeat peptides active against multidrug resistant clinical bacterial isolates.

PubMed

Rončević, Tomislav; Gajski, Goran; Ilić, Nada; Goić-Barišić, Ivana; Tonkić, Marija; Zoranić, Larisa; Simunić, Juraj; Benincasa, Monica; Mijaković, Marijana; Tossi, Alessandro; Juretić, Davor

2017-02-01

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are promising candidates for new antibiotic classes but often display an unacceptably high toxicity towards human cells. A naturally produced C-terminal fragment of PGLa, named PGLa-H, has been reported to have a very low haemolytic activity while maintaining a moderate antibacterial activity. A sequential tandem repeat of this fragment, diPGLa-H, was designed, as well as an analogue with a Val to Gly substitution at a key position. These peptides showed markedly improved in vitro bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity against both reference strains and multidrug resistant clinical isolates of Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens, with generally low toxicity for human cells as assessed by haemolysis, cell viability, and DNA damage assays. The glycine substitution analogue, kiadin, had a slightly better antibacterial activity and reduced haemolytic activity, which may correlate with an increased flexibility of its helical structure, as deduced using molecular dynamics simulations. These peptides may serve as useful lead compounds for developing anti-infective agents against resistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The relationship of waist circumference and body mass index to grey matter volume in community dwelling adults with mild obesity.

PubMed

Hayakawa, Y K; Sasaki, H; Takao, H; Yoshikawa, T; Hayashi, N; Mori, H; Kunimatsu, A; Aoki, S; Ohtomo, K

2018-02-01

Previous work has shown that high body mass index (BMI) is associated with low grey matter volume. However, evidence on the relationship between waist circumference (WC) and brain volume is relatively scarce. Moreover, the influence of mild obesity (as indexed by WC and BMI) on brain volume remains unclear. This study explored the relationships between WC and BMI and grey matter volume in a large sample of Japanese adults. The participants were 792 community-dwelling adults (523 men and 269 women). Brain magnetic resonance images were collected, and the correlation between WC or BMI and global grey matter volume were analysed. The relationships between WC or BMI and regional grey matter volume were also investigated using voxel-based morphometry. Global grey matter volume was not correlated with WC or BMI. Voxel-based morphometry analysis revealed significant negative correlations between both WC and BMI and regional grey matter volume. The areas correlated with each index were more widespread in men than in women. In women, the total area of the regions significantly correlated with WC was slightly greater than that of the regions significantly correlated with BMI. Results show that both WC and BMI were inversely related to regional grey matter volume, even in Japanese adults with somewhat mild obesity. Especially in populations with less obesity, such as the female participants in current study, WC may be more sensitive than BMI as a marker of grey matter volume differences associated with obesity.

Altered prefrontal correlates of monetary anticipation and outcome in chronic pain.

PubMed

Martucci, Katherine T; Borg, Nicholas; MacNiven, Kelly H; Knutson, Brian; Mackey, Sean C

2018-04-04

Chronic pain may alter both affect- and value-related behaviors, which represents a potentially treatable aspect of chronic pain experience. Current understanding of how chronic pain influences the function of brain reward systems, however, is limited. Using a monetary incentive delay task and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we measured neural correlates of reward anticipation and outcomes in female participants with the chronic pain condition of fibromyalgia (N = 17) and age-matched, pain-free, female controls (N = 15). We hypothesized that patients would demonstrate lower positive arousal, as well as altered reward anticipation and outcome activity within corticostriatal circuits implicated in reward processing. Patients demonstrated lower arousal ratings as compared with controls, but no group differences were observed for valence, positive arousal, or negative arousal ratings. Group fMRI analyses were conducted to determine predetermined region of interest, nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), responses to potential gains, potential losses, reward outcomes, and punishment outcomes. Compared with controls, patients demonstrated similar, although slightly reduced, NAcc activity during gain anticipation. Conversely, patients demonstrated dramatically reduced mPFC activity during gain anticipation-possibly related to lower estimated reward probabilities. Further, patients demonstrated normal mPFC activity to reward outcomes, but dramatically heightened mPFC activity to no-loss (nonpunishment) outcomes. In parallel to NAcc and mPFC responses, patients demonstrated slightly reduced activity during reward anticipation in other brain regions, which included the ventral tegmental area, anterior cingulate cortex, and anterior insular cortex. Together, these results implicate altered corticostriatal processing of monetary rewards in chronic pain.

Implant angulation: 2-year retrospective analysis on the influence of dental implant angle insertion on marginal bone resorption in maxillary and mandibular osseous onlay grafts.

PubMed

Ramaglia, Luca; Toti, Paolo; Sbordone, Carolina; Guidetti, Franco; Martuscelli, Ranieri; Sbordone, Ludovico

2015-05-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the existence of correlations between marginal peri-implant linear bone loss and the angulation of implants in maxillary and mandibular augmented areas over the course of a 2-year survey. Dependent variables described the sample of the present retrospective chart review. By using three-dimensional radiographs, input variables, describing the implant angulation (buccal-lingual angle [φ] and mesial-distal angle [θ]) were measured; outcome variables described survival rate and marginal bone resorption (MBR) around dental implants in autogenous grafts (10 maxillae and 14 mandibles). Pairwise comparisons and linear correlation coefficient were computed. The peri-implant MBR in maxillary buccal and palatal areas appeared less intensive in the presence of an increased angulation of an implant towards the palatal side. Minor MBR was recorded around mandibular dental implants positioned at a right angle and slightly angulated towards the mesial. Resorption in buccal areas may be less intensive as the angulation of placed implants increases towards the palatal area in the maxilla, whereas for the mandible, a greater inclination towards the lingual area could be negative. In the mandibular group, when the implant was slightly angulated in the direction of the distal area, bone resorption seemed to be more marked in the buccal area. In the planning of dental implant placement in reconstructed alveolar bone with autograft, the extremely unfavourable resorption at the buccal aspect should be considered; this marginal bone loss seemed to be very sensitive to the angulation of the dental implant.

Large Decadal Decline of the Arctic Multiyear Ice Cover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Comiso, Josefino C.

2012-01-01

The perennial ice area was drastically reduced to 38% of its climatological average in 2007 but recovered slightly in 2008, 2009, and 2010 with the areas being 10%, 24%, and 11% higher than in 2007, respectively. However, trends in extent and area remained strongly negative at -12.2% and -13.5% decade (sup -1), respectively. The thick component of the perennial ice, called multiyear ice, as detected by satellite data during the winters of 1979-2011 was studied, and results reveal that the multiyear ice extent and area are declining at an even more rapid rate of -15.1% and -17.2% decade(sup -1), respectively, with a record low value in 2008 followed by higher values in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Such a high rate in the decline of the thick component of the Arctic ice cover means a reduction in the average ice thickness and an even more vulnerable perennial ice cover. The decline of the multiyear ice area from 2007 to 2008 was not as strong as that of the perennial ice area from 2006 to 2007, suggesting a strong role of second-year ice melt in the latter. The sea ice cover is shown to be strongly correlated with surface temperature, which is increasing at about 3 times the global average in the Arctic but appears weakly correlated with the Arctic Oscillation (AO), which controls the atmospheric circulation in the region. An 8-9-yr cycle is apparent in the multiyear ice record, which could explain, in part, the slight recovery in the last 3 yr.

Increased distractibility by task-irrelevant sound changes in abstinent alcoholics.

PubMed

Ahveninen, J; Jääskeläinen, I P; Pekkonen, E; Hallberg, A; Hietanen, M; Näätänen, R; Schröger, E; Sillanaukee, P

2000-12-01

Chronic alcoholism is accompanied by "frontal" neuropsychological deficits that include an inability to maintain focus of attention. This might be associated with pronounced involuntary attention shifting to task-irrelevant stimulus changes and, thereafter, an impaired reorienting to the relevant task. The neural abnormalities that underlie such deficits in alcoholics were explored with event-related potential (ERP) components that disclosed different phases of detection and orienting to stimulus changes. Twenty consecutive abstinent male alcoholics (DSM-IV) and 20 age-matched male controls (healthy social drinkers) were instructed to discriminate equiprobable 100 and 200 msec tones in a reaction-time task (RT) and to ignore occasional, either slight (7%) or wide (70%), frequency changes (hypothesized to increase RT) during an ERP measurement. In the alcoholics, we found pronounced distractibility, evidenced by a RT lag (p < 0.01) caused by deviants, that correlated (Spearman p = 0.5) with a significantly enhanced (p < 0.01) amplitude of mismatch negativity (MMN) to deviants. Significantly increased RT lag for trials subsequent to deviants (slight p < 0.001, wide p < 0.05) in the alcoholics suggested impaired reorienting to the relevant task. The MMN enhancement also predicted poorer hit rates in the alcoholics (Spearman p = 0.6-0.7). Both the MMN enhancement and pronounced distractibility correlated (Spearman p = 0.4) with an early onset of alcoholism. Attentional deficits in the abstinent alcoholics were indicated by the increased distractibility by irrelevant sound changes. The MMN enhancement suggested that this reflects impaired neural inhibition of involuntary attention shifting, being most pronounced in early-onset alcoholics.

Pulmonary involvement in long-term mixed connective tissue disease: functional trends and image findings after 10 years.

PubMed

Kawano-Dourado, Leticia; Baldi, Bruno G; Kay, Fernando U; Dias, Olivia M; Gripp, Thais E H; Gomes, Paula S; Fuller, Ricardo; Caleiro, Maria T C; Kairalla, Ronaldo A; Carvalho, Carlos R R

2015-01-01

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is highly prevalent in patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). However, little is known about the long-term progression of ILD in MCTD. The aims of this study were to describe pulmonary function test (PFT) and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) results in long-term MCTD patients, to measure changes in PFT and HRCT results over a 10-year period, and to ascertain correlations in functional and imaging data. In this retrospective cohort study, comparison between baseline and follow-up PFT and HRCT data was performed for 39 unselected consecutive MCTD patients. At baseline, 51% of the patients had abnormal PFTs. Forced vital capacity (FVC) was slightly reduced at baseline (77% of predicted), but remained stable after 10 years. A relative decrease of 15% in the diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) was detected (from 84% to 71% of predicted, p<0.001). The median lower lobes ILD-HRCT score progressed from 7.5% at baseline to 11.2% at follow-up (p=0.02), and findings of traction bronchiolectasis and honeycombing increased (p<0.05). A moderate negative correlation was observed between functional parameters and quantification of image findings. Functional and radiologic alterations suggestive of ILD in long-term MCTD patients are prevalent, mild, and progressed slightly over time. The most sensitive parameters for detecting subtle progression of ILD in MCTD patients are trends in DLCO, quantification of lower-lobes disease by HRCT (lower-lobes %ILD-HRCT score), and qualitative analysis of HRCT imaging.

Scattering of Light and Surface Plasmon Polaritons from Rough Surfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-14

Scattering of an electromagnetic wave from a slightly random dielectric surface: Yoneda peak and Brewster angle in incoherent scattering.” Waves...device applications. Thus, the negative refraction of a surface plasmon polariton was studied in two papers. In the first [1], all- angle negative... angle of incidence, measured counterclockwise from the negative x1 axis, is . The surface plasmon polariton of frequency transmitted through the

Hydrogeochemical characterization of groundwater of peninsular Indian region using multivariate statistical techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacintha, T. German Amali; Rawat, Kishan Singh; Mishra, Anoop; Singh, Sudhir Kumar

2017-10-01

Groundwater quality of Chennai, Tamil Nadu (India) has been assessed during different seasons of year 2012. Three physical (pH, EC, and TDS) and four chemical parameters (Ca2+, Cl-, TH, Mg2+ and SO4 2-) from 18 bore wells were assessed. The results showed that pH of majority of groundwater samples indicates a slightly basic condition (7.99post-monsoon and 8.35pre-monsoon). TH was slightly hard [322.11 mg/lpre-monsoon, 299.37 mg/lpost-monsoon but lies under World Health Organization (WHO) upper limit]. EC, TDS, Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations were under WHO permissible limit during post-monsoon (1503.42 μS/cm, 1009.37, 66.58 and 32.42 mg/l respectively) and pre-monsoon (1371.58 μS/cm, 946.84, 71.79 and 34.79 mg/l, respectively). EC shows a good correlation with SO4 2- ( R 2 = 0.59pre-monsoon, 0.77post-monsoon) which indicates that SO4 2- plays a major role in EC of ground water of bore wells. SO4 2- has also showed positive correlations with TDS ( R 2 = 0.84pre-monsoon, 0.95post-monsoon) and TH ( R 2 = 0.70pre-monsoon, 0.75post-monsoon). The principal component analysis (PCA)/factor analysis (FA) was carried out; Factor1 explains 59.154 and 69.278 % of the total variance during pre- and post-monsoon, respectively, with a strong positive loading on Ca2+, Mg2+, SO4 2-, TDS and a negative loading on pH. Factor2 accounts for 13.94 and 14.22 % of the total variance during pre- and post-monsoon, respectively, and was characterized by strong positive loading of only pH and poor/negative loading of EC, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO4 2-, TDS and TH during pre- and post-monsoon. We recommend routine monitoring and thorough treatment before consumption. Further, this study has demonstrated the effectiveness of PCA/FA to assess the hydrogeochemical processes governing the groundwater chemistry in the area.

Stable isotopic compositions of carbonates from the Mesoproterozoic Bangemall Group, northwestern Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buick, R.; Des Marais, D. J.; Knoll, A. H.

1995-01-01

Marine carbonate rocks from the Mesoproterozoic Bangemall Group of northwestern Australia show little deviation (+/-1.3%) in whole-rock delta 13C(carb)-values about a mean of -0.5%. This narrow range persists despite close sampling (every 10-20 m) through long sections (up to 2500 m) that are geographically widespread (up to 250 km apart), over many depositional environments (supralittoral to outer shelf), sediment sources (stromatolitic bioherms to detrital calcilutites) and rock types (pure limestones to dolomitic shales). The only major excursions from the norm seem related to unusual environmental or post-depositional processes, as they are correlated with large enrichments (to -3%) or depletions (to -16%) in 18O. Relatively heavy delta 13C-values, up to +2.5%, occur in a single bed of brecciated ferruginous dolostone at a single locality; these abnormal values may result from local evaporitic conditions. Limey and shaley nodular dolostones have delta 13C-values as low as -4.3%, probably caused by remineralization of organic matter during late and patchy dolomitization. Most notably, sharp negative excursions in delta 13C, up to -8.4%, occur in bleached kerogen-free rocks with mineral assemblages of dolomite + quartz + calcite +/- tremolite + talc, reflecting isotopic re-equilibration in thick metamorphic aureoles around dolerite intrusions. General environmental variations are minor, with delta 13C-values of peritidal facies tending to be slightly positive whereas those of subtidal facies are slightly negative. There are no strong secular trends, but subtle fluctuations within the range -2 to +l% can be correlated along the northwestern margin of the basin. This resembles the pattern seen in other Mesoproterozoic successions, but is markedly unlike the heavy background (> +5%) and extreme variations (up to l0%) in delta 13C evident in Neoproterozoic successions of similar thickness and environmental setting. Hence, in contrast to the Neoproterozoic, the global rate of organic carbon burial was probably fairly constant during deposition of the Bangemall Group, and perhaps generally during the Mesoproterozoic, as was the redox state of the atmosphere and hydrosphere.

Antibody levels correlate with detection of Trypanosoma cruzi DNA by sensitive PCR assays in seropositive blood donors and possible resolution of infection over time

PubMed Central

Sabino, E.C.; Lee, T.H.; Montalvo, L.; Nguyen, M.L.; Leiby, D.A.; Carrick, D.M.; Otani, M.M.; Vinelli, E.; Wright, D.; Stramer, S.L.; Busch, M.

2013-01-01

Background The clinical significance of anti-T. cruzi low-level reactive samples is incompletely understood. PCR-positive rates and antibody levels among seropositive blood donors in three countries are described. Methods Follow-up whole blood and plasma samples were collected from T. cruzi-seropositive donors from 2008-2010 in the US (n=195) and Honduras (n=58). Also 143 samples from Brazil in 1996-2002, originally positive by three serological assays, were available and paired with contemporary follow-up samples from these donors. All samples were retested with the FDA-approved Ortho ELISA. PCR assays were performed on coded sample panels by two laboratories (BSRI and ARC) that amplified kinetoplast minicircle DNA sequences of T. cruzi. Results PCR testing at BSRI yielded slightly higher overall sensitivity and specificity (33% and 98%) compared with the ARC lab (28% and 94%). Among seropositive donors, PCR-positive rates varied by country (p<0.0001) for the BSRI laboratory: Brazil (57%), Honduras (32%) and the US (14%). ELISA signal/cutoff (S/CO) ratios were significantly higher for PCR-positive compared to PCR-negative donors (p<0.05 for all comparisons). Additionally, PCR-negative Brazilian donors exhibited greater frequencies of antibody decline over time versus PCR-positive donors (p=0.003). Conclusion For all three countries, persistent DNA positivity correlated with higher ELISA S/CO values, suggesting that high-level seroreactivity reflects chronic parasitemia. The higher rate of PCR positivity for Brazilian donors was likely attributable to required reactivity on three assays available a decade ago. Significant S/CO declines in 10% of the PCR-negative Brazilian donors may indicate seroreversion following parasite clearance in the absence of treatment. PMID:23002996

Perceived Stress Scale: confirmatory factor analysis of the PSS14 and PSS10 versions in two samples of pregnant women from the BRISA cohort.

PubMed

Yokokura, Ana Valéria Carvalho Pires; Silva, Antônio Augusto Moura da; Fernandes, Juliana de Kássia Braga; Del-Ben, Cristina Marta; Figueiredo, Felipe Pinheiro de; Barbieri, Marco Antonio; Bettiol, Heloisa

2017-12-18

This study aimed to assess the dimensional structure, reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and scalability of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The sample consisted of 1,447 pregnant women in São Luís (Maranhão State) and 1,400 in Ribeirão Preto (São Paulo State), Brazil. The 14 and 10-item versions of the scale were assessed using confirmatory factor analysis, using weighted least squares means and variance (WLSMV). In both cities, the two-factor models (positive factors, measuring resilience to stressful situations, and negative factors, measuring stressful situations) showed better fit than the single-factor models. The two-factor models for the complete (PSS14) and reduced scale (PSS10) showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.70). All the factor loadings were ≥ 0.50, except for items 8 and 12 of the negative dimension and item 13 of the positive dimension. The correlations between both dimensions of stress and psychological violence showed the expected magnitude (0.46-0.59), providing evidence of an adequate convergent construct validity. The correlations between the scales' positive and negative dimensions were around 0.74-0.78, less than 0.85, which suggests adequate discriminant validity. Extracted mean variance and scalability were slightly higher for PSS10 than for PSS14. The results were consistent in both cities. In conclusion, the single-factor solution is not recommended for assessing stress in pregnant women. The reduced, 10-item two-factor scale appears to be more appropriate for measuring perceived stress in pregnant women.

Molecular dynamics and a spectroscopic study of sulfur dioxide absorption by an ionic liquid and its mixtures with PEO.

PubMed

Hoher, Karina; Cardoso, Piercarlo F; Lepre, Luiz F; Ando, Rômulo A; Siqueira, Leonardo J A

2016-10-19

An investigation comprising experimental techniques (absorption capacity of SO 2 and vibrational spectroscopy) and molecular simulations (thermodynamics, structure, and dynamics) has been performed for the polymer poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), the ionic liquid butyltrimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([N 4111 ][Tf 2 N]) and their mixtures as sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) absorbing materials. The polymer PEO has higher capacity to absorb SO 2 than the neat ionic liquid, whereas the mixtures presented intermediary absorption capacities. The band assigned to the symmetric stretching band of SO 2 at ca. 1140 cm -1 , which is considered a spectroscopic probe for the strength of SO 2 interactions with its neighborhood, shifts to lower wavenumbers as more negative total interaction energy values of SO 2 were evaluated from the simulations. The solvation free energy of SO 2 , ΔG sol , correlates linearly with the absorption capacity of SO 2 . The negative values of ΔG sol are due to negative and positive values of enthalpy and entropy, respectively. In the ionic liquid, SO 2 weakens the cation-anion interactions, whereas in the mixture with a high content of PEO these interactions are slightly increased. Such effects were correlated with the relative population of cisoid and transoid conformers of Tf 2 N anions as revealed by Raman spectroscopy. Moreover, the presence of SO 2 in the systems provokes the increase of diffusion coefficients of the absorbing species in comparison with the systems without the gas. Proper to the slow dynamics of the polymer, the diffusion coefficient of ions and SO 2 diminishes with the increase of the PEO content.

Genetic parameters for carcass weight, conformation and fat in five beef cattle breeds.

PubMed

Kause, A; Mikkola, L; Strandén, I; Sirkko, K

2015-01-01

Profitability of beef production can be increased by genetically improving carcass traits. To construct breeding value evaluations for carcass traits, breed-specific genetic parameters were estimated for carcass weight, carcass conformation and carcass fat in five beef cattle breeds in Finland (Hereford, Aberdeen Angus, Simmental, Charolais and Limousin). Conformation and fat were visually scored using the EUROP carcass classification. Each breed was separately analyzed using a multitrait animal model. A total of 6879-19 539 animals per breed had phenotypes. For the five breeds, heritabilities were moderate for carcass weight (h 2=0.39 to 0.48, s.e.=0.02 to 0.04) and slightly lower for conformation (h 2=0.30 to 0.44, s.e.=0.02 to 0.04) and carcass fat (h 2=0.29 to 0.44, s.e.=0.02 to 0.04). The genetic correlation between carcass weight and conformation was favorable in all breeds (r G=0.37 to 0.53, s.e.=0.04 to 0.05), heavy carcasses being genetically more conformed. The phenotypic correlation between carcass weight and carcass fat was moderately positive in all breeds (r P=0.21 to 0.32), implying that increasing carcass weight was related to increasing fat levels. The respective genetic correlation was the strongest in Hereford (r G=0.28, s.e.=0.05) and Angus (r G=0.15, s.e.=0.05), the two small body-sized British breeds with the lowest conformation and the highest fat level. The correlation was weaker in the other breeds (r G=0.08 to 0.14). For Hereford, Angus and Simmental, more conformed carcasses were phenotypically fatter (r P=0.11 to 0.15), but the respective genetic correlations were close to zero (r G=-0.05 to 0.04). In contrast, in the two large body-sized and muscular French breeds, the genetic correlation between conformation and fat was negative and the phenotypic correlation was close to zero or negative (Charolais: r G=-0.18, s.e.=0.06, r P=0.02; Limousin: r G=-0.56, s.e.=0.04, r P=-0.13). The results indicate genetic variation for the genetic improvement of the carcass traits, favorable correlations for the simultaneous improvement of carcass weight and conformation in all breeds, and breed differences in the correlations of carcass fat.

Do false belief and verb non-factivity share similar neural circuits?

PubMed

Chen, Lan; Cheung, Him; Szeto, Ching-Yee; Zhu, Zude; Wang, Suiping

2012-02-21

The present study investigates whether the complement falsity elicited by strong non-factive verbs and the false belief activated by a standard nonverbal false belief task produce similar electrophysiological activities in the brain. The hypothesis is based on the notion that both complement falsity and false belief involve decoupling a false mental representation from reality. Some previous studies have reported a behavioral correlation between children's false belief reasoning and interpretation of strong non-factive verbs together with their false complements, but a neural basis for this correlation has not been found. Our event-related potential (ERP) results with normal adults showed that both nonverbal false belief and strong non-factive verb comprehension elicited a negative late slow waveform divergence compared to their respective baselines. Although these slow waves due to the two types of stimuli had slightly different scalp distributions, both were regarded as reflecting primarily frontal activation. Such ERP similarity provides evidence for a common neural basis shared by nonverbal false belief reasoning and comprehension of strong non-factive verbs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlates of Sex Trading among Drug-Involved Women in Committed Intimate Relationships: A Risk Profile.

PubMed

Jiwatram-Negrón, Tina; El-Bassel, Nabila

2015-01-01

Despite a slight decline in new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in New York, marked increases and concentrated epidemics continue among subsets of the population, including women engaged in sex trading. We examined the prevalence and correlates of sex trading among 346 low-income, HIV-negative women in HIV-concordant intimate relationships. Women and their long-term main partners were recruited to participate in an HIV prevention intervention. Baseline data were used in this article. Of the 346 women in the study, 28% reported sex trading during the prior 90 days. Multivariate analyses showed increased relative risk of sex trading by lifetime experience of severe intimate partner violence (IPV), drug, and alcohol use, and marginal significance for mental health hospitalization, partner drug dependency, and homelessness. These findings suggest an urgent need for HIV prevention and intervention efforts targeted toward women in intimate relationships who trade sex for money or drugs, with an emphasis on IPV, mental health, history of incarceration, and substance abuse. Copyright © 2015 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Histopathological and immunohistochemical studies on mucous cysts].

PubMed

Kuroda, N

1989-01-01

The present study investigated the histopathology, histochemistry of mucopolysaccharides, and immunohistochemistry of oral mucous cysts. The materials were obtained from ninety cases that were histopathologically diagnosed as oral mucous cysts at the Department of Oral Pathology, Meikai University School of Dentistry. Mucopolysaccharide staining was done with PAS, alcian blue (AB, pH 2.5) and high iron diamine (HID). Immunohistochemical studies were focused on secretory component (SC), lactoferrin (Lf), alpha-amylase (Am), IgA, lysozyme (Ly), and keratin (Kr). The following results were obtained: 1. Histopathological findings. (1) Retention and/or retention-like type cysts occurred in was twenty-six cases and the extravasation type in sixty-four cases. (2) Cases showing epithelial lining of the cystic wall were only eight in number, and many cystic walls were contained granulation tissue (fifty cases). (3) As for inflammation of the cystic wall, the degree was slight, and infiltrated cells were mainly macrophages (so-called mucinophages) and lymphocytes. (4) Regarding adjoining salivary glands, acinar cells showed atrophic changes, and hypertrophy of mucous acinar cells was evident. Many ducts showed dilatation, and stromal connective tissue showed fibrosis and hyalinization. 2. Histochemical findings on mucopolysaccharides. (1) Mucous materials in cystic cavity, mucous acinar cells, and secretory materials in ductal lumens were intensely stained by PAS and AB. But stainability with AB was less than that with PAS staining. Serous acinar cells and ductal epithelium were negative to PAS and AB staining. (2) Stainability of the above with HID was less than at with PAS or AB. Cystic walls were not stained by HID. Mucous acinar cells reactive with HID were intensely stained, but the number of the positive cells was limited when compared with the numbers of PAS-and AB-positive cells. 3. Immunohistochemical findings. (1) As for mucous materials in the cystic cavity, reactions for Sc, Am, IgA, and Ly were all positive, whereas those for Lf and Kr were negative. (2) Staining of cystic walls was generally weak: the walls were negative for IgA, Ly and Kr showed and borderline or slightly positive for Sc, Lf, and Am. (3) Mucous acinar cells were negative for all markers examined in this study, but serous acinar cells and/or demilunes were markedly positive for Sc, Ly, and Am. (4) In ductal epithelial cells, Ly and Kr were negative, but IgA was borderline or slightly positive. Sc and Am gave intensely positive staining. (5) Secretory materials in ductal lumens, Sc were intensely positive for Lf, and Ly; slightly or moderately positive for IgA; and slightly positive or negative for Am.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Empathy and burnout: an analytic cross-sectional study among nurses and nursing students.

PubMed

Ferri, Paola; Guerra, Eleonora; Marcheselli, Luigi; Cunico, Laura; Di Lorenzo, Rosaria

2015-09-09

Empathy is an essential element of good nursing care associated with increased patient satisfaction. Burnout represents chronic occupational stress which diminishes interest in work and reduces patient safety and satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between empathy and burnout in nursing students and nurses. This cross-sectional research was conducted in a sample of 298 nurses and 115 nursing students. Socio-demographic and career information was collected. Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were administered. Data were statistically analysed. 63% of our sample answered questionnaires (54% of nurses and 84% of students). The BEES global mean score was slightly inferior to empathy cut-off of 32. In the student group, two BEES dimension scores were statistically significantly higher than nurses (p=0.011 and p=0.007 respectively, t-test). Empathy was negatively related to age (p=0.001, ANOVA). Emotional exhaustion (EE) scores of MBI reported statistically significantly lower levels for students (p<0.0001, t-test). EE was negatively related to BEES mean total score in students (r=-0.307, p<0.002) and nurses (r=-0.245, p<0.002), personal accomplishment of MBI presented positive correlation with BEES mean total scores in students (r=0.319, p<0.002) and nurses (r=0.266, p<0.001, Pearson's correlation). Female students showed superior empathy capacity in comparison to male students in all 5 dimensions of BEES (p<0.001), whereas females nurses in only one dimension (p<0.001). Our data suggest empathy declines with age and career. High levels of empathy can be protective against burnout development, which, when presents, reduces empathy.

Age identity, social influence and socialization through physical activity in elderly people living in a nursing home.

PubMed

Prevc, Petra; Doupona Topic, Mojca

2009-12-01

Elderly people perceive their own ageing in very different ways and the aim of the present study was to explore age identity, the perception of "old age", the role of physical activity in the socialization of elderly people and social influences on physical activity in elderly people living in a nursing home. Questionnaires were answered by 75 nursing home residents (79 +/- 8 years old; 19 males, 56 females), coming from two different Slovenian regions. Subjective age ("felt age") was on average 5.5 years less than chronological age. Neither increasing chronological age nor subjective age was significantly correlated with a negative perception of health. Subjective age was neither correlated with any of the statements related to well-being and satisfaction with life. The importance of health in old age was confirmed by significant correlation of health status with perception of one's well-being and satisfaction with life. Interestingly, the age at which one perceives a person as having become old was not significantly related to one's own age. Nursing home residents in general associate old age with physical impairment and poor health. Slight differences between genders were noted; men grade retirement and communication difficulties with younger people as more prominent in old age. Interaction with other residents seems to be an important component of physical activity, as participants grade the importance of socializing during exercise quite highly; no significant differences between regions nor between men and women were noted. The social influence on physical activity did not differ significantly between genders and observed regions; the presence of negative social influence was relatively low. Furthermore, in the third period of life, physical activity plays an important socialization role and is, at the same time, influenced by the beliefs and ideas of the environment.

Effect of postural changes on aldosterone to plasma renin ratio in patients with suspected secondary hypertension.

PubMed

Barigou, M; Ah-Kang, F; Orloff, E; Amar, J; Chamontin, B; Bouhanick, B

2015-06-01

To study the influence of postural changes on aldosterone to renin ratio (ARR) in patients with suspected secondary hypertension and to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the recommended seated ARR compared to supine and upright ARR for primary aldosteronism screening. Fifty-three hypertensive patients were prospectively hospitalized for secondary hypertension exploration (age: 51 ± 12, 66% males). After withdrawal of drugs interfering with renin angiotensin system, plasma aldosterone and direct renin concentration were measured in the morning, at bed after an overnight supine position, then out of bed after 1 hour of upright position and finally 2 hours later after 15 minutes of seating. Minimal renin value was set at 5 μUI/mL. Referring to ARR cut-off of 23 pg/μUI, the sensitivity of seated ARR was 57.1% and specificity was 92.3%. The negative and positive predictive values were 95.1% and 45.2% respectively. Compared to these results, a cut-off of 19 improved sensitivity to 85.7% with a specificity of 89.7%. Negative and positive predictive values were 98.3% and 41.1% respectively. Seated ARR mean value was lower than supine and upright ARR mean values, due to an overall increase in renin at seating compared to the supine position by factor 1.9 while aldosterone just slightly increased by factor 1.2. Seated ARR correlated to supine and upright ARR: correlation coefficients (r) 0.90 and 0.93 respectively (P<0.001). Current recommended measurement of ARR in the seating position is fairly correlated to supine and upright ARR. A suggested cut-off value of 19 instead of 23 pg/μUI increased the discriminating power of this test. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effects of testosterone replacement therapy on bone metabolism in male post-surgical hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: focus on the role of androgen receptor CAG polymorphism.

PubMed

Tirabassi, G; delli Muti, N; Gioia, A; Biagioli, A; Lenzi, A; Balercia, G

2014-04-01

The relationship between androgen receptor (AR) CAG polymorphism and bone metabolism is highly controversial. We, therefore, aimed to evaluate the independent role of AR CAG repeat polymorphism on bone metabolism improvement induced by testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in male post-surgical hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, a condition frequently associated with hypopituitarism and in which the effects of TRT have to be distinguished from those resulting from concomitant administration of pituitary function replacing hormones. 12 men affected by post-surgical hypogonadotropic hypogonadism [mean duration of hypogonadism 8.3 ± 2.05 (SD) months] were retrospectively assessed before and after TRT (from 74 to 84 weeks after the beginning of therapy). The following measures were studied: parameters of bone metabolism [serum markers and bone mineral density (BMD)], pituitary dependent hormones and genetic analysis (AR CAG repeat number). Total testosterone, estradiol, free T4 (FT4) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) increased between the two phases, while follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) decreased. While serum markers did not vary significantly between the two phases, BMD improved slightly but significantly in all the studied sites. The number of CAG triplets correlated negatively and significantly with all the variations (Δ-) of BMDs. Conversely, Δ-testosterone correlated positively and significantly with all studied Δ-BMDs, while Δ-FSH, Δ-estradiol, Δ-FT4, and Δ-IGF-1 did not correlate significantly with any of the Δ-BMDs. Multiple linear regression analysis, after correction for Δ-testosterone, showed that CAG repeat length was negatively and significantly associated with ∆-BMD of all measured sites. Our data suggest that, in post-surgical male hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, shorter AR CAG tract is independently associated with greater TRT-induced improvement of BMD.

Neural Correlates of Visual Short-term Memory Dissociate between Fragile and Working Memory Representations.

PubMed

Vandenbroucke, Annelinde R E; Sligte, Ilja G; de Vries, Jade G; Cohen, Michael X; Lamme, Victor A F

2015-12-01

Evidence is accumulating that the classic two-stage model of visual STM (VSTM), comprising iconic memory (IM) and visual working memory (WM), is incomplete. A third memory stage, termed fragile VSTM (FM), seems to exist in between IM and WM [Vandenbroucke, A. R. E., Sligte, I. G., & Lamme, V. A. F. Manipulations of attention dissociate fragile visual STM from visual working memory. Neuropsychologia, 49, 1559-1568, 2011; Sligte, I. G., Scholte, H. S., & Lamme, V. A. F. Are there multiple visual STM stores? PLoS One, 3, e1699, 2008]. Although FM can be distinguished from IM using behavioral and fMRI methods, the question remains whether FM is a weak expression of WM or a separate form of memory with its own neural signature. Here, we tested whether FM and WM in humans are supported by dissociable time-frequency features of EEG recordings. Participants performed a partial-report change detection task, from which individual differences in FM and WM capacity were estimated. These individual FM and WM capacities were correlated with time-frequency characteristics of the EEG signal before and during encoding and maintenance of the memory display. FM capacity showed negative alpha correlations over peri-occipital electrodes, whereas WM capacity was positively related, suggesting increased visual processing (lower alpha) to be related to FM capacity. Furthermore, FM capacity correlated with an increase in theta power over central electrodes during preparation and processing of the memory display, whereas WM did not. In addition to a difference in visual processing characteristics, a positive relation between gamma power and FM capacity was observed during both preparation and maintenance periods of the task. On the other hand, we observed that theta-gamma coupling was negatively correlated with FM capacity, whereas it was slightly positively correlated with WM. These data show clear differences in the neural substrates of FM versus WM and suggest that FM depends more on visual processing mechanisms compared with WM. This study thus provides novel evidence for a dissociation between different stages in VSTM.

Gene interference regulates aquaporin-4 expression in swollen tissue of rats with cerebral ischemic edema: Correlation with variation in apparent diffusion coefficient.

PubMed

Hu, Hui; Lu, Hong; He, Zhanping; Han, Xiangjun; Chen, Jing; Tu, Rong

2012-07-25

To investigate the effects of mRNA interference on aquaporin-4 expression in swollen tissue of rats with ischemic cerebral edema, and diagnose the significance of diffusion-weighted MRI, we injected 5 μL shRNA- aquaporin-4 (control group) or siRNA- aquaporin-4 solution (1:800) (RNA interference group) into the rat right basal ganglia immediately before occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. At 0.25 hours after occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, diffusion-weighted MRI displayed a high signal; within 2 hours, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient decreased markedly, aquaporin-4 expression increased rapidly, and intracellular edema was obviously aggravated; at 4 and 6 hours, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient slowly returned to control levels, aquaporin-4 expression slightly increased, and angioedema was observed. In the RNA interference group, during 0.25-6 hours after injection of siRNA- aquaporin-4 solution, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient slightly fluctuated and aquaporin-4 expression was upregulated; during 0.5-4 hours, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient was significantly higher, while aquaporin-4 expression was significantly lower when compared with the control group, and intracellular edema was markedly reduced; at 0.25 and 6 hours, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient and aquaporin-4 expression were similar when compared with the control group; obvious angioedema remained at 6 hours. Pearson's correlation test results showed that aquaporin-4 expression was negatively correlated with the apparent diffusion coefficient (r = -0.806, P < 0.01). These findings suggest that upregulated aquaporin-4 expression is likely to be the main molecular mechanism of intracellular edema and may be the molecular basis for decreased relative apparent diffusion coefficient. Aquaporin-4 gene interference can effectively inhibit the upregulation of aquaporin-4 expression during the stage of intracellular edema with time-effectiveness. Moreover, diffusion-weighted MRI can accurately detect intracellular edema.

Effects of a three-week vocal exercise program using the Finnish Kuukka exercises on the speaking voice of Norwegian broadcast journalism students.

PubMed

Bele, Irene; Laukkanen, Anne-Maria; Sipilä, Laura

2010-12-01

Nine broadcast journalism students attended 10 hours in Kuukka vocal exercises, which aims at producing a ringing vocal quality. Nine control subjects received no training. A text was read at habitual loudness before and after the course. Five speech specialists evaluated the text samples for perceptual voice quality and analyzed mean fundamental frequency (F0), equivalent sound level (Leq), and long-term average spectrum (LTAS). For the Training Group, voice quality improved and correlated negatively with firmness and timbre (less firm and darker qualities being considered more desirable), and F0 increased slightly. Leq increased significantly in both groups. The results show positive and perceivable differences after the course. However, the aimed ring was not reached, may be due to too short time.

Differential correlation for sequencing data.

PubMed

Siska, Charlotte; Kechris, Katerina

2017-01-19

Several methods have been developed to identify differential correlation (DC) between pairs of molecular features from -omics studies. Most DC methods have only been tested with microarrays and other platforms producing continuous and Gaussian-like data. Sequencing data is in the form of counts, often modeled with a negative binomial distribution making it difficult to apply standard correlation metrics. We have developed an R package for identifying DC called Discordant which uses mixture models for correlations between features and the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm for fitting parameters of the mixture model. Several correlation metrics for sequencing data are provided and tested using simulations. Other extensions in the Discordant package include additional modeling for different types of differential correlation, and faster implementation, using a subsampling routine to reduce run-time and address the assumption of independence between molecular feature pairs. With simulations and breast cancer miRNA-Seq and RNA-Seq data, we find that Spearman's correlation has the best performance among the tested correlation methods for identifying differential correlation. Application of Spearman's correlation in the Discordant method demonstrated the most power in ROC curves and sensitivity/specificity plots, and improved ability to identify experimentally validated breast cancer miRNA. We also considered including additional types of differential correlation, which showed a slight reduction in power due to the additional parameters that need to be estimated, but more versatility in applications. Finally, subsampling within the EM algorithm considerably decreased run-time with negligible effect on performance. A new method and R package called Discordant is presented for identifying differential correlation with sequencing data. Based on comparisons with different correlation metrics, this study suggests Spearman's correlation is appropriate for sequencing data, but other correlation metrics are available to the user depending on the application and data type. The Discordant method can also be extended to investigate additional DC types and subsampling with the EM algorithm is now available for reduced run-time. These extensions to the R package make Discordant more robust and versatile for multiple -omics studies.

Entanglement with negative Wigner function of almost 3,000 atoms heralded by one photon.

PubMed

McConnell, Robert; Zhang, Hao; Hu, Jiazhong; Ćuk, Senka; Vuletić, Vladan

2015-03-26

Quantum-mechanically correlated (entangled) states of many particles are of interest in quantum information, quantum computing and quantum metrology. Metrologically useful entangled states of large atomic ensembles have been experimentally realized, but these states display Gaussian spin distribution functions with a non-negative Wigner quasiprobability distribution function. Non-Gaussian entangled states have been produced in small ensembles of ions, and very recently in large atomic ensembles. Here we generate entanglement in a large atomic ensemble via an interaction with a very weak laser pulse; remarkably, the detection of a single photon prepares several thousand atoms in an entangled state. We reconstruct a negative-valued Wigner function--an important hallmark of non-classicality--and verify an entanglement depth (the minimum number of mutually entangled atoms) of 2,910 ± 190 out of 3,100 atoms. Attaining such a negative Wigner function and the mutual entanglement of virtually all atoms is unprecedented for an ensemble containing more than a few particles. Although the achieved purity of the state is slightly below the threshold for entanglement-induced metrological gain, further technical improvement should allow the generation of states that surpass this threshold, and of more complex Schrödinger cat states for quantum metrology and information processing. More generally, our results demonstrate the power of heralded methods for entanglement generation, and illustrate how the information contained in a single photon can drastically alter the quantum state of a large system.

Pollution characteristics and influencing factors of atmospheric particulate matter (PM2.5) in Chang-Zhu-Tan area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yong; Jiang, Wulin

2018-01-01

Using the same time data of PM2.5 concentration and meteorology from May 1st to May 31st in 2013 in Chang-Zhu-Tan area. This paper analyses the variation characteristics of PM2.5 concentration and the correlations between the variation characteristics and meteorological factors. In view of time, the results showed that the 24-h PM2.5 concentration varied with the two peaks and two valleys styles in Chang-Zhu-Tan area. And the daily PM2.5 concentration tends to the instability and great variation characteristics with the multi-peaks and multi-valleys style. In view of space, PM2.5 concentration values of the three cities from high to low are Zhuzhou>Xiangtan>Changsha. For cities and suburbs, PM2.5 concentration values of central towns are greater than that of the suburbs in Changsha and Xiangtan; however, the PM2.5 concentration values of the central town in Zhuzhou are slightly lower than the suburbs. At the same time, the correlation analysis between PM2.5 concentration and meteorological factors showed that the correlation from high to low was the relative air humidity>soil temperature>air temperature>soil humidity> wind velocity>rainfall. Among the above meteorological factors, wind velocity, rainfall, air temperature, soil temperature and soil humidity are negatively correlated with PM2.5 concentration, but the relationship between relative air humidity and PM2.5 concentration is a positive correlation.

Salinity and temperature variations reflecting on cellular PCNA, IGF-I and II expressions, body growth and muscle cellularity of a freshwater fish larvae.

PubMed

Martins, Y S; Melo, R M C; Campos-Junior, P H A; Santos, J C E; Luz, R K; Rizzo, E; Bazzoli, N

2014-06-01

The present study assessed the influence of salinity and temperature on body growth and on muscle cellularity of Lophiosilurus alexaxdri vitelinic larvae. Slightly salted environments negatively influenced body growth of freshwater fish larvae and we observed that those conditions notably act as an environmental influencer on muscle growth and on local expression of hypertrophia and hypeplasia markers (IGFs and PCNA). Furthermore, we could see that salinity tolerance for NaCl 4gl(-)(1) diminishes with increasing temperature, evidenced by variation in body and muscle growth, and by irregular morphology of the lateral skeletal muscle of larvae. We saw that an increase of both PCNA and autocrine IGF-II are correlated to an increase in fibre numbers and fibre diameter as the temperature increases and salinity diminishes. On the other hand, autocrine IGF-I follows the opposite way to the other biological parameters assessed, increasing as salinity increases and temperature diminishes, showing that this protein did not participate in muscle cellularity, but participating in molecular/cellular repair. Therefore, slightly salted environments may provide adverse conditions that cause some obstacles to somatic growth of this species, suggesting some osmotic expenditure with a salinity increment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

. Facial attractiveness: ranking of end-of-treatment facial photographs by pairs of Chinese and US orthodontists.

PubMed

Xu, Tian-Min; Korn, Edward L; Liu, Yan; Oh, Hee Soo; Lee, Ki Heon; Boyd, Robert L; Baumrind, Sheldon

2008-07-01

In this study, we assessed agreement and disagreement among pairs of Chinese and US orthodontists in the ranking for "facial attractiveness" of end-of-treatment photographs of growing Chinese and white orthodontic patients. Two groups of orthodontist-judges participated: from the University of the Pacific, School of Dentistry, in California and from Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology in China. Each judge independently ranked standard clinical sets of profile, frontal, and frontal-smiling photographs of 43 white patients and 48 Chinese patients. Pearson correlations were generated for a total of 1980 rankings by pairs of judges. The resulting correlations ranged from +0.004 to +0.96 with a median of +0.54. Of these, 18.7% were lower than 0.4; 41.0% were lower than 0.5; 68.8% were lower than 0.6; 91.6% were lower than 0.7; and only 8.4% were greater than 0.7. As had been anticipated, correlations between judges were higher when they ranked patients of their own ethnicity than when they ranked patients of different ethnicity, but the differences were smaller than had been expected. The rankings of no pair of judges correlated negatively. This is to say that no pair of judges, whether of the same or different ethnicity, ranked the patients so that those 1 judge tended to find attractive were consistently found unattractive by the other. The distribution of levels of agreement between pairs of orthodontists did not differ substantially whether the pairs included 2 US orthodontists, 2 Chinese orthodontists, or 1 US and 1 Chinese orthodontist. As might be expected, the pairs of Chinese orthodontists agreed with each other slightly better on average when ranking Chinese patients, and the pairs of US orthodontists agreed with each other slightly better on average when ranking white American patients, but the overall differences were small. These findings appear consistent with the inference that, on average, judgments of "facial attractiveness" by orthodontists at the 2 venues are more similar than had been expected for patients of Chinese and white ethnicity.

Correlation of Metabolic Variables with the Number of ORFs in Human Pathogenic and Phylogenetically Related Non- or Less-Pathogenic Bacteria.

PubMed

Brambila-Tapia, Aniel Jessica Leticia; Poot-Hernández, Augusto Cesar; Garcia-Guevara, Jose Fernando; Rodríguez-Vázquez, Katya

2016-06-01

To date, a few works have performed a correlation of metabolic variables in bacteria; however specific correlations with these variables have not been reported. In this work, we included 36 human pathogenic bacteria and 18 non- or less-pathogenic-related bacteria and obtained all metabolic variables, including enzymes, metabolic pathways, enzymatic steps and specific metabolic pathways, and enzymatic steps of particular metabolic processes, from a reliable metabolic database (KEGG). Then, we correlated the number of the open reading frames (ORF) with these variables and with the proportions of these variables, and we observed a negative correlation with the proportion of enzymes (r = -0.506, p < 0.0001), metabolic pathways (r = -0.871, p < 00.0001), enzymatic reactions (r = -0.749, p < 00.0001), and with the proportions of central metabolism variables as well as a positive correlation with the proportions of multistep reactions (r = 0.650, p < 00.0001) and secondary metabolism variables. The proportion of multifunctional reactions (r: -0.114, p = 0.41) and the proportion of enzymatic steps (r: -0.205, p = 0.14) did not present a significant correlation. These correlations indicate that as the size of a genome (measured in the number of ORFs) increases, the proportion of genes that encode enzymes significantly diminishes (especially those related to central metabolism), suggesting that when essential metabolic pathways are complete, an increase in the number of ORFs does not require a similar increase in the metabolic pathways and enzymes, but only a slight increase is sufficient to cope with a large genome.

On the relationship between positive and negative affect: Their correlation and their co-occurrence.

PubMed

Larsen, Jeff T; Hershfield, Hal E; Stastny, Bradley J; Hester, Neil

2017-03-01

Understanding the nature of emotional experience requires understanding the relationship between positive and negative affect. Two particularly important aspects of that relationship are the extent to which positive and negative affect are correlated with one another and the extent to which they co-occur. Some researchers have assumed that weak negative correlations imply greater co-occurrence (i.e., more mixed emotions) than do strong negative correlations, but others have noted that correlations may imply very little about co-occurrence. We investigated the relationship between the correlation between positive and negative affect and co-occurrence. Participants in each of 2 samples provided moment-to-moment happiness and sadness ratings as they watched an evocative film and listened to music. Results indicated (a) that 4 measures of the correlation between positive and negative affect were quite highly related to 1 another; (b) that the strength of the correlation between measures of mixed emotions varied considerably; (c) that correlational measures were generally (but not always) weakly correlated with mixed emotion measures; and (d) that bittersweet stimuli consistently led to elevations in mixed emotion measures but did not consistently weaken the correlation between positive and negative affect. Results highlight that the correlation between positive and negative affect and their co-occurrence are distinct aspects of the relationship between positive and negative affect. Such insight helps clarify the implications of existing work on age-related and cultural differences in emotional experience and sets the stage for greater understanding of the experience of mixed emotions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Elevational Dependence of Catchment-scale Evapotranspiration Partitioning as Revealed by Water Stable Isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamanaka, T.; Sato, R.

2017-12-01

Transpiration (T) through plants (i.e., green water) does not induce isotopic fractionation, although evaporation (E) from soils and water surfaces do. Therefore, water stable isotopes offer a powerful tool to partition evapotranspiration (ET) components. We attempted to evaluate catchment-scale T/ET for five mountainous catchments in the central Japan, using river water isotopes and isotope maps of precipitation and soil water as well as climatic and radar precipitation maps. The estimated T/ET ranged from 56% to 79% (ET not including interception loss), and negatively correlated with mean elevation of the catchments (r = -0.88). This is due to decreasing transpiration (-82 mm/yr per 100 m) and slightly increasing evaporation (8 mm/yr per 100 m) with increasing elevation. Another estimation scheme using isotope data only showed a positive correlation between elevation and E/P*, where P* is effective precipitation defined by gross precipitation minus interception. Because the forest coverage within the catchments has positive correlation with catchment-mean-elevation, both decrease in transpiration and increase in soil evaporation seem to reflect structural change in forests (e.g., dense to sparse) along elevation and thus temperature gradients. Applying the space-for-time substitution, our results indicates that global warming will increase transpiration (and thus carbon intake) at mid-latitude mountainous landscapes.

Subclinical hypothyroidism and cognitive dysfunction in the elderly.

PubMed

Resta, F; Triggiani, V; Barile, G; Benigno, M; Suppressa, P; Giagulli, V A; Guastamacchia, E; Sabbà, C

2012-09-01

While overt hypothyroidism is associated with reversible dementia in the elderly, the relationship of subclinical hypothyroidism with cognition remains a controversial issue. Our aim was to investigate the correlation between subclinical hypothyroidism and cognition in the elderly, with particular reference to long term memory and selective attention. We selected 337 outpatients (177 men and 160 women), mean age 74.3 years, excluding the subjects with thyroid dysfunction and those treated with drugs influencing thyroid function. The score of Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was significantly lower in the group of patients with subclinical hypothyroidism than in euthyroid subjects (p<0.03). It was observed that patients with subclinical hypothyroidism had a probability about 2 times greater (RR = 2.028, p<0.05) of developing cognitive impairment. Prose Memory Test (PMT) score resulted significantly lower in subjects with subclinical hypothyroidism (p<0.04). Considering the Matrix Test (MT) score, the performance was slightly reduced in subclinical hypothyroidism (NS). Furthermore, TSH was negatively correlated with MMSE (p<0.04), PMT (p<0.05) and MT score (NS). No correlation was found between FT4 and FT3 and MMSE, PMT and MT score. In the elderly, subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with cognitive impairment, and its impact on specific aspects of cognition (long term memory and selective attention) is less evident.

Investigation of Tinnitus Patients in Italy: Clinical and Audiological Characteristics

PubMed Central

Martines, Francesco; Bentivegna, Daniela; Di Piazza, Fabiola; Martines, Enrico; Sciacca, Vincenzo; Martinciglio, Gioacchino

2010-01-01

Objective. 312 tinnitus sufferers were studied in order to analyze: the clinical characteristics of tinnitus; the presence of tinnitus-age correlation and tinnitus-hearing loss correlation; the impact of tinnitus on subjects' life and where possible the etiological/predisposing factors of tinnitus. Results. There is a slight predominance of males. The highest percentage of tinnitus results in the decades 61–70. Of the tinnitus sufferers, 197 (63.14%) have a hearing deficit (light hearing loss in 37.18% of cases). The hearing impairment results of sensorineural type in 74.62% and limited to the high frequencies in 58.50%. The tinnitus is referred as unilateral in 59.93%, a pure tone in 66.99% and 10 dB above the hearing threshold in 37.7%. It is limited to high frequencies in 72.10% of the patients with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) while the 88.37% of the patients with high-frequency SNHL have a high-pitched tinnitus (χ 2 = 66.26;P < .005). Conclusion. Hearing status and age represent the principal tinnitus related factors; there is a statistically significant association between high-pitched tinnitus and high-frequency SNHL. There is no significant correlation between tinnitus severity and tinnitus loudness confirming the possibility that neural connection involved in evoking tinnitus-related negative reactions are governed by conditioned reflexes. PMID:20652075

Mutualistic ants contribute to tank-bromeliad nutrition.

PubMed

Leroy, Céline; Carrias, Jean-François; Corbara, Bruno; Pélozuelo, Laurent; Dézerald, Olivier; Brouard, Olivier; Dejean, Alain; Céréghino, Régis

2013-09-01

Epiphytism imposes physiological constraints resulting from the lack of access to the nutrient sources available to ground-rooted plants. A conspicuous adaptation in response to that lack is the phytotelm (plant-held waters) of tank-bromeliad species that are often nutrient-rich. Associations with terrestrial invertebrates also result in higher plant nutrient acquisition. Assuming that tank-bromeliads rely on reservoir-assisted nutrition, it was hypothesized that the dual association with mutualistic ants and the phytotelm food web provides greater nutritional benefits to the plant compared with those bromeliads involved in only one of these two associations. Quantitative (water volume, amount of fine particulate organic matter, predator/prey ratio, algal density) and qualitative variables (ant-association and photosynthetic pathways) were compared for eight tank- and one tankless-bromeliad morphospecies from French Guiana. An analysis was also made of which of these variables affect nitrogen acquisition (leaf N and δ(15)N). All variables were significantly different between tank-bromeliad species. Leaf N concentrations and leaf δ(15)N were both positively correlated with the presence of mutualistic ants. The amount of fine particulate organic matter and predator/prey ratio had a positive and negative effect on leaf δ(15)N, respectively. Water volume was positively correlated with leaf N concentration whereas algal density was negatively correlated. Finally, the photosynthetic pathway (C3 vs. CAM) was positively correlated with leaf N concentration with a slightly higher N concentration for C3-Tillandsioideae compared with CAM-Bromelioideae. The study suggests that some of the differences in N nutrition between bromeliad species can be explained by the presence of mutualistic ants. From a nutritional standpoint, it is more advantageous for a bromeliad to use myrmecotrophy via its roots than to use carnivory via its tank. The results highlight a gap in our knowledge of the reciprocal interactions between bromeliads and the various trophic levels (from bacteria to large metazoan predators) that intervene in reservoir-assisted nutrition.

Mutualistic ants contribute to tank-bromeliad nutrition

PubMed Central

Leroy, Céline; Carrias, Jean-François; Corbara, Bruno; Pélozuelo, Laurent; Dézerald, Olivier; Brouard, Olivier; Dejean, Alain; Céréghino, Régis

2013-01-01

Background and Aims Epiphytism imposes physiological constraints resulting from the lack of access to the nutrient sources available to ground-rooted plants. A conspicuous adaptation in response to that lack is the phytotelm (plant-held waters) of tank-bromeliad species that are often nutrient-rich. Associations with terrestrial invertebrates also result in higher plant nutrient acquisition. Assuming that tank-bromeliads rely on reservoir-assisted nutrition, it was hypothesized that the dual association with mutualistic ants and the phytotelm food web provides greater nutritional benefits to the plant compared with those bromeliads involved in only one of these two associations. Methods Quantitative (water volume, amount of fine particulate organic matter, predator/prey ratio, algal density) and qualitative variables (ant-association and photosynthetic pathways) were compared for eight tank- and one tankless-bromeliad morphospecies from French Guiana. An analysis was also made of which of these variables affect nitrogen acquisition (leaf N and δ15N). Key Results All variables were significantly different between tank-bromeliad species. Leaf N concentrations and leaf δ15N were both positively correlated with the presence of mutualistic ants. The amount of fine particulate organic matter and predator/prey ratio had a positive and negative effect on leaf δ15N, respectively. Water volume was positively correlated with leaf N concentration whereas algal density was negatively correlated. Finally, the photosynthetic pathway (C3 vs. CAM) was positively correlated with leaf N concentration with a slightly higher N concentration for C3-Tillandsioideae compared with CAM-Bromelioideae. Conclusions The study suggests that some of the differences in N nutrition between bromeliad species can be explained by the presence of mutualistic ants. From a nutritional standpoint, it is more advantageous for a bromeliad to use myrmecotrophy via its roots than to use carnivory via its tank. The results highlight a gap in our knowledge of the reciprocal interactions between bromeliads and the various trophic levels (from bacteria to large metazoan predators) that intervene in reservoir-assisted nutrition. PMID:23864002

Frequency distribution and correlation among mineral elements in Lycium andersonii from the northern Mojave Desert

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

Wallace, A.; Romney, E,M.; Alexander, G.V.

1980-01-01

Two hundred samples of leaves of Lycium andersonii A. Gray, each representing one plant and divided among six different locations, were assayed by emission spectrography. Information for 12 different elements is reported in terms of concentrations, frequency distribution, correlations, and some soil characteristics. The objective was to ascertain the nature of variability for mineral elements within a species. Composition varied significantly for all 12 elements among locations, all within about 20 km. At least part of the variation was due to soil characteristics. Samples from Rock Valley were highest in K, Na, and Li, which effect is associated with volcanicmore » outcrop. Samples from Mercury Valley were highest in P, Mg, Ba, and B. At least Mg is related to the soil composition. Correlation coefficients between element pairs were often very different for all 200 samples versus those obtained for individual locations. Some of the values for all 200 samples together proved to be artifacts. The highest correlation was for Ca x Sr (positive) and next was Ca x Mg (also positive). Most correlations were slightly or strongly positive (24 to 32). Only P x Ca, Ca x Na, Ca x B, and Sr x P seemed to be significantly negative of the 32 correlations examined. Frequency distribution patterns where common populations were grouped were often normally distributed. Li, as previously reported, and Na, Cu, Mn,and B and Ba at some locations were not normally distributed. Wide variations in the concentrations of individual elements in leaves of these species were encountered.« less

On the chain length dependence of local correlations in polymer melts and a perturbation theory of symmetric polymer blends.

PubMed

Morse, David C; Chung, Jun Kyung

2009-06-14

The self-consistent field (SCF) approach to the thermodynamics of dense polymer liquids is based on the idea that short-range correlations in a polymer liquid are almost independent of how monomers are connected into polymers over larger scales. Some limits of this idea are explored in the context of a perturbation theory for symmetric polymer blends. We consider mixtures of two structurally identical polymers, A and B, in which the AB monomer pair interaction differs slightly from the AA and BB interactions by an amount proportional to a parameter alpha. An expansion of the free energy to first order in alpha yields an excess free energy of mixing per monomer of the form alphaz(N)phi(A)phi(B) in both lattice and continuum models, where z(N) is a measure of the number of intermolecular near neighbors per monomer in a one-component (alpha=0) reference liquid with chains of length N. The quantity z(N) decreases slightly with increasing N because the concentration of intramolecular near neighbors is slightly higher for longer chains, creating a slightly deeper intermolecular correlation hole. We predict that z(N)=z(infinity)[1+betaN(-1/2)], where N is an invariant degree of polymerization and beta=(6/pi)(3/2) is a universal coefficient. This and related predictions about the slight N dependence of local correlations are confirmed by comparison to simulations of a continuum bead-spring model and to published lattice Monte Carlo simulations. We show that a renormalized one-loop theory for blends correctly describes this N dependence of local liquid structure. We also propose a way to estimate the effective interaction parameter appropriate for comparisons of simulation data to SCF theory and to coarse-grained theories of corrections to SCF theory, which is based on an extrapolation of perturbation theory to the limit N-->infinity.

Confirmatory factor analysis of the PTSD Checklist and the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale in disaster workers exposed to the World Trade Center Ground Zero.

PubMed

Palmieri, Patrick A; Weathers, Frank W; Difede, JoAnn; King, Dainel W

2007-05-01

Although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) factor analytic research has yielded little support for the DSM-IV 3-factor model of reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms, no clear consensus regarding alternative models has emerged. One possible explanation is differential instrumentation across studies. In the present study, the authors used confirmatory factor analysis to compare a self-report measure, the PTSD Checklist (PCL), and a structured clinical interview, the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), in 2,960 utility workers exposed to the World Trade Center Ground Zero site. Although two 4-factor models fit adequately for each measure, the latent structure of the PCL was slightly better represented by correlated reexperiencing, avoidance, dysphoria, and hyperarousal factors, whereas that of the CAPS was slightly better represented by correlated reexperiencing, avoidance, emotional numbing, and hyperarousal factors. After accounting for method variance, the model specifying dysphoria as a distinct factor achieved slightly better fit. Patterns of correlations with external variables provided additional support for the dysphoria model. Implications regarding the underlying structure of PTSD are discussed.

Phytoplankton Diversity Effects on Community Biomass and Stability along Nutrient Gradients in a Eutrophic Lake.

PubMed

Tian, Wang; Zhang, Huayong; Zhao, Lei; Zhang, Feifan; Huang, Hai

2017-01-20

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is a central issue in ecology, but how this relationship is affected by nutrient stress is still unknown. In this study, we analyzed the phytoplankton diversity effects on community biomass and stability along nutrient gradients in an artificial eutrophic lake. Four nutrient gradients, varying from slightly eutrophic to highly eutrophic states, were designed by adjusting the amount of polluted water that flowed into the lake. Mean phytoplankton biomass, species richness, and Shannon diversity index all showed significant differences among the four nutrient gradients. Phytoplankton community biomass was correlated with diversity (both species richness and Shannon diversity index), varying from positive to negative along the nutrient gradients. The influence of phytoplankton species richness on resource use efficiency (RUE) also changed from positive to negative along the nutrient gradients. However, the influence of phytoplankton Shannon diversity on RUE was not significant. Both phytoplankton species richness and Shannon diversity had a negative influence on community turnover (measured as community dissimilarity), i.e., a positive diversity-stability relationship. Furthermore, phytoplankton spatial stability decreased along the nutrient gradients in the lake. With increasing nutrient concentrations, the variability (standard deviation) of phytoplankton community biomass increased more rapidly than the average total biomass. Results in this study will be helpful in understanding the phytoplankton diversity effects on ecosystem functioning and how these effects are influenced by nutrient conditions in aquatic ecosystems.

ELECTROPHORESIS EXPERIMENTS WITH THE VIRUS AND PROTECTIVE BODIES OF YELLOW FEVER

PubMed Central

Frobisher, Martin

1931-01-01

1. When suspended in slightly alkaline (pH 7.4 to 7.8) saline dilutions of clear, hemoglobin-free normal monkey serum, the virus of yellow fever from infected monkeys and from infected, but blood-free, mosquitoes, usually acts as if it were possessed of a positive electrical charge. 2. The virus tends to assume a negative charge in fluids having a slightly acid reaction. 3. The isoelectric point of the virus seems to be in the neighborhood of pH 7.0, possibly ranging from pH 7.3 to pH 6.9. 4. Exposure to fluid having a reaction of pH 5.0 for 3 hours appeared to inactivate the virus. 5. In experiments in which the suspending fluid was prepared with normal serum diluted with distilled water and containing a good quantity of partly hemolyzed erythrocytes, the virus tended to migrate to the anode. 6. The protective bodies in yellow fever immune serum appear to carry a negative charge in slightly alkaline saline dilutions of serum. PMID:19869954

Quality control of Kato slide counts for Schistosoma mansoni: a review of 12 years' experience in Kenya.

PubMed Central

Sturrock, R. F.; Ouma, J. H.; Kariuki, H. C.; Thiongo, F. W.; Koech, D. K.; Butterworth, A. E.

1997-01-01

A total of 19 annual or biannual audits were performed over a 12-year period by an independent microscopist on randomized subsamples of Kato slides examined for Schistosoma mansoni eggs by Kenyan microscopists from the Division of Vector-borne Diseases (DVBD). The recounts were invariably lower than the originals owing to some deterioration of the preparations between counts, but the two were strongly correlated: significant regressions of recounts on counts taking up 80-90% of the observed variance. Observer bias differed significantly between microscopists but remained stable over time, whereas repeatability of recounts on counts dropped slightly in periods of maximum work load but did not vary systematically with time. Approximately 7% of the counts and recounts disagreed on the presence or absence of eggs, but less than a third of these were negatives that were found positive on recount. False negatives dropped to 1.3% if duplicate counts were considered. The performance of the Kenyan microscopists was remarkably high and consistent throughout the 12-year period. This form of quality control is suitable for projects where limited funds preclude full-time supervisors using more sophisticated systems. PMID:9447781

Photoelectric return-stroke velocity and peak current estimates in natural and triggered lightning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mach, Douglas M.; Rust, W. David

1989-01-01

Two-dimensional photoelectric return stroke velocities from 130 strokes are presented, including 86 negative natural, 41 negative triggered, one positive triggered, and two positive natural return strokes. For strokes starting near the ground and exceeding 500 m in length, the average velocity is 1.3 + or - 0.3 X 10 to the 8th m/s for natural return strokes and 1.2 + or - 0.3 X 10 to the 8th m/s for triggered return strokes. For strokes with lengths less than 500 m, the average velocities are slightly higher. Using the transmission line model (TLM), the shortest segment one-dimensional return stroke velocity, and either the maximum or plateau electric field, it is shown that natural strokes have a peak current distribution that is lognormal with a median value of 16 kA (maximum E) or 12 kA (plateau E). Triggered lightning has a medium peak current value of 21 kA (maximum E) or 15 kA (plateau E). Correlations are found between TLM peak currents and velocities for triggered and natural subsequent return strokes, but not between TLM peak currents and natural first return stroke velocities.

Negative Correlations in Visual Cortical Networks

PubMed Central

Chelaru, Mircea I.; Dragoi, Valentin

2016-01-01

The amount of information encoded by cortical circuits depends critically on the capacity of nearby neurons to exhibit trial-to-trial (noise) correlations in their responses. Depending on their sign and relationship to signal correlations, noise correlations can either increase or decrease the population code accuracy relative to uncorrelated neuronal firing. Whereas positive noise correlations have been extensively studied using experimental and theoretical tools, the functional role of negative correlations in cortical circuits has remained elusive. We addressed this issue by performing multiple-electrode recording in the superficial layers of the primary visual cortex (V1) of alert monkey. Despite the fact that positive noise correlations decayed exponentially with the difference in the orientation preference between cells, negative correlations were uniformly distributed across the population. Using a statistical model for Fisher Information estimation, we found that a mild increase in negative correlations causes a sharp increase in network accuracy even when mean correlations were held constant. To examine the variables controlling the strength of negative correlations, we implemented a recurrent spiking network model of V1. We found that increasing local inhibition and reducing excitation causes a decrease in the firing rates of neurons while increasing the negative noise correlations, which in turn increase the population signal-to-noise ratio and network accuracy. Altogether, these results contribute to our understanding of the neuronal mechanism involved in the generation of negative correlations and their beneficial impact on cortical circuit function. PMID:25217468

Simulated East-west differences in F-region peak electron density at Far East mid-latitude region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Zhipeng; Zhao, Biqiang; Wan, Weixing; Liu, Libo

2017-04-01

In the present work, using Three-Dimensional Theoretical Ionospheric Model of the Earth in Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (TIME3D-IGGCAS), we simulated the east-west differences in Fregion peak electron density (NmF2) at Far East mid-latitude region.We found that, after removing the longitudinal variations of neutral parameters, TIME3D-IGGCAS can better represent the observed relative east-west difference (Rew) features. Rew is mainly negative (West NmF2 > East NmF2) at noon and positive (East NmF2 >West NmF2) at evening-night. The magnitude of daytime negative Rew is weak at local winter and strong at local summer, and the daytime Rew show two negative peaks around two equinoxes. With the increasing of solar flux level, the magnitude of Rew mainly become larger, and two daytime negative peaks slight shifts to June Solstice. With the decreasing of geographical latitude, Rew mainly become positive, and two daytime negative peaks slight shifts to June Solstice. Our simulation also suggested that the thermospheric zonal wind combined with the geomagnetic field configuration play a pivotal role in the formation of the ionospheric east-west differences at Far East midlatitude region.

Simulated East-west differences in F-region peak electron density at Far East mid-latitude region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Z.; Wan, W.

2017-12-01

In the present work, using Three-Dimensional Theoretical Ionospheric Model of the Earth in Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (TIME3D-IGGCAS), we simulated the east-west differences in Fregion peak electron density (NmF2) at Far East mid-latitude region.We found that, after removing the longitudinal variations of neutral parameters, TIME3D-IGGCAS can better represent the observed relative east-west difference (Rew) features. Rew is mainly negative (West NmF2 > East NmF2) at noon and positive (East NmF2 >West NmF2) at evening-night. The magnitude of daytime negative Rew is weak at local winter and strong at local summer, and the daytime Rew show two negative peaks around two equinoxes. With the increasing of solar flux level, the magnitude of Rew mainly become larger, and two daytime negative peaks slight shifts to June Solstice. With the decreasing of geographical latitude, Rew mainly become positive, and two daytime negative peaks slight shifts to June Solstice. Our simulation also suggested that the thermospheric zonal wind combined with the geomagnetic field configuration play a pivotal role in the formation of the ionospheric east-west differences at Far East midlatitude region.

Tooth coronal index and pulp/tooth ratio in dental age estimation on digital panoramic radiographs-A comparative study.

PubMed

Jain, Supreet; Nagi, Ravleen; Daga, Minal; Shandilya, Ashutosh; Shukla, Aastha; Parakh, Abhinav; Laheji, Afshan; Singh, Rahul

2017-08-01

Assessment of an age of an individual whether living or dead through teeth is one of the most reliable and simple method to calculate age than skeletal remains especially when they are in poor conditions. The study was carried out with aim of (i) to evaluate reliability of dental age assessment through two different methods for adults i.e. tooth coronal index and pulp/tooth ratio using digital panoramic radiographs and (ii) to compare these methods for their accuracy in age determination. The digital panoramic radiographs of 180 subjects of Chhattisgarh aged 15-70 years were selected for the study. The measurements were performed on the JPEG images of selected panoramic radiographs by using Adobe Acrobat 7.0 professional software. For tooth coronal index (TCI), height of the crown i.e. coronal height (CH) and the height of the coronal pulp cavity i.e. coronal pulp cavity height (CPCH) of mandibular second premolars and first molars was measured in millimeter (mm) and then TCI was calculated for each tooth and calculated age was compared with chronological age. For pulp/tooth ratio, the measurements of pulp chamber height (PCH) and crown root trunk height (CRTH) were performed on the mandibular first and second molar teeth, the pulp chamber crown root trunk height ratios (PCTHR) of selected tooth were calculated. The acquired data were subjected to Pearson correlation test, unpaired t test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) analysis. Results suggested that TCI (mandibular first molar r=-0.178), second premolar (r=-0.187) and PCTHR(mandibular first molar r=-0.921, second molar r=-0.901) correlated negatively with chronological age suggesting decrease in size of pulp cavity. Mandibular first molar was found to be most reliable tooth to estimate dental age. The study showed that both PCTHR and TCI have negative association with chronological age. PCTHR showed slightly higher negative correlation and proved as a better tool for age estimation than TCI. Statistically significant differences were observed between chronological and calculated age by both methods thus emphasizing the need for future clinical trials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physical health correlates of pathological and healthy dependency in urban women.

PubMed

Porcerelli, John H; Bornstein, Robert F; Markova, Tsveti; Huprich, Steven K

2009-10-01

This study assessed the relationship between dependency and indicators of health/illness, healthcare costs, and utilization. Dependency ratings were obtained using the Relationship Profile Test (Bornstein and Languirand, 2003), a questionnaire that assesses healthy and pathological dependency: destructive overdependence (DO), dysfunctional detachment (DD), and healthy dependency (HD). The sample consisted of primarily low-income, African-American, and female primary care patients (N = 110). DO and DD were significantly associated with indices of increased illness, with DO evidencing slightly larger effect sizes than DD. HD was significantly (negatively) associated with 1 health/illness variable. DD and DO were associated with higher total outpatient costs with DD also being associated with average costs per visit. DO and HD were associated with utilization (increased hospital days and fewer emergency room visits, respectively). Further research is recommended to inform researchers and clinicians about the dependency-illness relationship and to develop interventions that maximize HD and minimize pathological dependency.

Understanding the influences of different pretreatments on recalcitrance of Populus natural variants

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

Yao, Lan; Yang, Haitao; Yoo, Chang Geun

Here, four different pretreatment technologies were applied to two Populus natural variants and the effects of each pretreatment on glucose release were compared. Physicochemical properties of pretreated biomass were analyzed by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and cross polarization/magic angle spinning carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The results revealed that hemicellulose and lignin were removed to different extents during various pretreatments. The degree of polymerization of cellulose was decreased in the order of alkali > hydrothermal > organosolv > dilute acid pretreatment. Cellulose crystallinity index was slightly increased after each pretreatment. The results also demonstratedmore » that organosolv pretreatment resulted in the highest glucose yield. Among the tested properties of Populus, degree of polymerization of cellulose was negatively correlated with glucose release, whereas hemicellulose and lignin removal, and cellulose accessibility were positively associated with glucose release from the two Populus natural variants.« less

Understanding the influences of different pretreatments on recalcitrance of Populus natural variants

DOE PAGES

Yao, Lan; Yang, Haitao; Yoo, Chang Geun; ...

2018-05-18

Here, four different pretreatment technologies were applied to two Populus natural variants and the effects of each pretreatment on glucose release were compared. Physicochemical properties of pretreated biomass were analyzed by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, and cross polarization/magic angle spinning carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The results revealed that hemicellulose and lignin were removed to different extents during various pretreatments. The degree of polymerization of cellulose was decreased in the order of alkali > hydrothermal > organosolv > dilute acid pretreatment. Cellulose crystallinity index was slightly increased after each pretreatment. The results also demonstratedmore » that organosolv pretreatment resulted in the highest glucose yield. Among the tested properties of Populus, degree of polymerization of cellulose was negatively correlated with glucose release, whereas hemicellulose and lignin removal, and cellulose accessibility were positively associated with glucose release from the two Populus natural variants.« less

Study of the electrostatic effects of mutations on the surface of dehaloperoxidase-hemoglobin A.

PubMed

Zhao, Junjie; Rowe, Jennifer; Franzen, Jocelyn; He, Chi; Franzen, Stefan

2012-04-20

Point mutations of dehaloperoxidase-hemoglobin A (DHP A) that affect the surface charge have been prepared to study the interaction between DHP A with its substrate 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP). Kinetic studies of these surface mutations showed a correlation, in which the more positively charged mutants have increased catalytic efficiency compared with wild type DHP A. As a result, the hypothesis of this study is that there is a global electrostatic interaction between DHP A and TCP. The electrostatic nature of substrate binding was further confirmed by the result that kinetic assays of DHP A were affected by ionic strength. Furthermore, isoelectric focusing (IEF) gel study showed that the pI-6.8 for DHP A, which indicates that DHP A has a slight negative charge pH 7, consistent with the kinetic observations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Do lactoferrin, lysozyme and the lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate-hydrogen peroxide-system cause negative microbiological results in mastitis secretions?].

PubMed

Schmedt Auf Der Günne, H; Tenhagen, B A; Kutzer, P; Forderung, D; Heuwieser, W

2002-07-01

Lactoferrin, lysozyme and the lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate-peroxide-system are naturally occurring antimicrobial components of milk. The objective of this study was to examine, whether these components were responsible for negative results, when mastitis milk is cultured microbiologically. Quarter milk samples from 75 cows with clinical mastitis on a dairy farm in Brandenburg were submitted for microbiological culture and analysed for the content and the activities of the three components. Animals from all stages of lactation with clinical mastitis were included in the study. Animals were examined clinically and milk samples were collected prior to first treatment. Secretions from quarters with clinical mastitis were compared to those of neighbouring quarters without clinical mastitis. Secretions with positive cultural results were compared to those with negative results. The concentrations or activities of the three factors were significantly higher in the diseased quarters than in the quarters without clinical signs of mastitis. The concentration of lysozyme increased with severity of the clinical signs (local swelling and changes in secretion). The concentration of lactoferrin was significantly higher in quarters with slight alterations of glandular tissue than in quarters with medium or severe alterations (P < 0.05). LPS-activities did not correlate with the severity of clinical signs. No differences in the concentration of lactoferrin or LPS-activities were seen between mastitis with positive and negative culture results. The concentration of lysozyme was even higher in culturally positive samples than in negative samples (P < 0.05). Results from this study indicate that the three factors examined did not impair the results of microbiological culture of milk samples from quarters with clinical mastitis.

Severity of psychosis syndrome and change of metabolic abnormality in chronic schizophrenia patients: severe negative syndrome may be related to a distinct lipid pathophysiology.

PubMed

Chen, S-F; Hu, T-M; Lan, T-H; Chiu, H-J; Sheen, L-Y; Loh, E-W

2014-03-01

Metabolic abnormality is common among schizophrenia patients. Some metabolic traits were found associated with subgroups of schizophrenia patients. We examined a possible relationship between metabolic abnormality and psychosis profile in schizophrenia patients. Three hundred and seventy-two chronic schizophrenia patients treated with antipsychotics for more than 2 years were assessed with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. A set of metabolic traits was measured at scheduled checkpoints between October 2004 and September 2006. Multiple regressions adjusted for sex showed negative correlations between body mass index (BMI) and total score and all subscales; triglycerides (TG) was negatively correlated with total score and negative syndrome, while HDLC was positively correlated with negative syndrome. When sex interaction was concerned, total score was negatively correlated with BMI but not with others; negative syndrome was negatively correlated with BMI and positively with HDLC. No metabolic traits were correlated with positive syndrome or general psychopathology. Loss of body weight is a serious health problem in schizophrenia patients with severe psychosis syndrome, especially the negative syndrome. Schizophrenia patients with severe negative syndrome may have a distinct lipid pathophysiology in comparison with those who were less severe in the domain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Human Facial Shape and Size Heritability and Genetic Correlations.

PubMed

Cole, Joanne B; Manyama, Mange; Larson, Jacinda R; Liberton, Denise K; Ferrara, Tracey M; Riccardi, Sheri L; Li, Mao; Mio, Washington; Klein, Ophir D; Santorico, Stephanie A; Hallgrímsson, Benedikt; Spritz, Richard A

2017-02-01

The human face is an array of variable physical features that together make each of us unique and distinguishable. Striking familial facial similarities underscore a genetic component, but little is known of the genes that underlie facial shape differences. Numerous studies have estimated facial shape heritability using various methods. Here, we used advanced three-dimensional imaging technology and quantitative human genetics analysis to estimate narrow-sense heritability, heritability explained by common genetic variation, and pairwise genetic correlations of 38 measures of facial shape and size in normal African Bantu children from Tanzania. Specifically, we fit a linear mixed model of genetic relatedness between close and distant relatives to jointly estimate variance components that correspond to heritability explained by genome-wide common genetic variation and variance explained by uncaptured genetic variation, the sum representing total narrow-sense heritability. Our significant estimates for narrow-sense heritability of specific facial traits range from 28 to 67%, with horizontal measures being slightly more heritable than vertical or depth measures. Furthermore, for over half of facial traits, >90% of narrow-sense heritability can be explained by common genetic variation. We also find high absolute genetic correlation between most traits, indicating large overlap in underlying genetic loci. Not surprisingly, traits measured in the same physical orientation (i.e., both horizontal or both vertical) have high positive genetic correlations, whereas traits in opposite orientations have high negative correlations. The complex genetic architecture of facial shape informs our understanding of the intricate relationships among different facial features as well as overall facial development. Copyright © 2017 by the Genetics Society of America.

Nasal bone length in human fetuses by X-ray.

PubMed

Moura, Felipe Nobre; Fernandes, Pablo Lourenco; de Oliveira Silva-Junior, Geraldo; Gomes de Souza, Margareth Maria; Mandarim-de-Lacerda, Carlos Alberto

2008-07-01

To construct a normal range for the prenatal nasal bone length (NBL) in Brazilians irrespective to the knowledge of the ethnic genetic background. We studied 35 human fetuses (20 males, 15 females) ranging from 14 to 22 weeks of gestation. Gestational age (GA), crown-rump length (CRL), foot length (FL) and body mass (BM) were measured. The X-ray of the head lateral view was made with the specimens placed directly on the film and the NBL was measured. The NBL was correlated with the GA, the CRL, the FL, and the BM using log-transformed data and the allometric model log y=log a+b log x. Correlations of the NBL growth with GA, CRL, FL, and BM were positive and significant (P<0.05), but NBL vs. BM showed the smallest R indicating this correlation as of little practical use. No sexual dimorphism in the NBL growth in the second trimester fetuses was observed. The NBL grew with positive allometry relative to GA, CRL and BM, but it was allometrically slightly negative relative to the FL in both genders. The NBL be allometrically positive against GA, CRL and BM means the bone grew with growth rates higher than those indices in the period analyzed, but not against FL. NBL could be considered an auxiliary measurement in the assessment of the 2nd trimester fetal development because its strong correlation with GA, CRL and FL, even when nothing is known about the ethnicity of the population.

Genetic parameters for body weight from birth to calving and associations between weights with test-day, health, and female fertility traits.

PubMed

Yin, Tong; König, Sven

2018-03-01

A data set including 57,868 records for calf birth weight (CABW) and 9,462 records for weight at first insemination (IBW) were used for the estimation of direct and maternal genetic effects in Holstein Friesian dairy cattle. Furthermore, CABW and IBW were correlated with test-day production records and health traits in first-lactation cows, and with nonreturn rates in heifers. Health traits considered overall disease categories from the International Committee for Animal Recording diagnosis key, including the general disease status, diarrhea, respiratory diseases, mastitis, claw disorders, female fertility disorders, and metabolic disorders. For single-trait measurements of CABW and IBW, animal models with maternal genetic effects were applied. The direct heritability was 0.47 for CABW and 0.20 for IBW, and the direct genetic correlation between CABW and IBW was 0.31. A moderate maternal heritability (0.19) was identified for CABW, but the maternal genetic effect was close to zero for IBW. The correlation between direct and maternal genetic effects was antagonistic for CABW (-0.39) and for IBW (-0.24). In bivariate animal models, only weak genetic and phenotypic correlations were identified between CABW and IBW with either test-day production or health traits in early lactation. Apart from metabolic disorders, there was a general tendency for increasing disease susceptibilities with increasing CABW. The genetic correlation between IBW and nonreturn rates in heifers after 56 d and after 90 d was slightly positive (0.18), but close to zero when correlating nonreturn rates with CABW. For the longitudinal BW structure from birth to the age of 24 mo, random regression models with the time-dependent covariate "age in months" were applied. Evaluation criteria (Bayesian information criterion and residual variances) suggested Legendre polynomials of order 3 to modeling the longitudinal body weight (BW) structure. Direct heritabilities around birth and insemination dates were slightly larger than estimates for CABW and IBW from the single-trait models, but maternal heritabilities were exactly the same from both models. Genetic correlations between BW were close to 1 for neighboring age classes, but decreased with increasing time spans. The genetic correlation between BW at d 0 (birth date) and at 24 mo was even negative (-0.20). Random regression model estimates confirmed the antagonistic relationship between direct and maternal genetic effects, especially during calfhood. This study based on a large data set in dairy cattle confirmed genetic parameters and (co)variance components for BW as identified in beef cattle populations. However, BW records from an early stage of life were inappropriate early predictors for dairy cow health and productivity. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Balanced conditions or slight mass gain of glaciers in the Lahaul and Spiti region (northern India, Himalaya) during the nineties preceded recent mass loss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vincent, C.; Ramanathan, Al.; Wagnon, P.; Dobhal, D. P.; Linda, A.; Berthier, E.; Sharma, P.; Arnaud, Y.; Azam, M. F.; Jose, P. G.; Gardelle, J.

2013-04-01

The volume change of the Chhota Shigri Glacier (India, 32° 20 N, 77° 30' E) between 1988 and 2010 has been determined using in situ geodetic measurements. This glacier has experienced only a slight mass loss between 1988 and 2010 (-3.8 ± 2.0 m w.e. (water equivalent) corresponding to -0.17 ± 0.09 m w.e. yr-1). Using satellite digital elevation models (DEM) differencing and field measurements, we measure a negative mass balance (MB) between 1999 and 2010 (-4.8 ± 1.8 m w.e. corresponding to -0.44 ± 0.16 m w.e. yr-1). Thus, we deduce a slightly positive or near-zero MB between 1988 and 1999 (+1.0 ± 2.7 m w.e. corresponding to +0.09 ± 0.24 m w.e. yr-1). Furthermore, satellite DEM differencing reveals that the MB of the Chhota Shigri Glacier (-0.39 ± 0.15 m w.e. yr-1) has been only slightly less negative than the MB of a 2110 km2 glaciarized area in the Lahaul and Spiti region (-0.44 ± 0.09 m w.e. yr-1) during 1999-2011. Hence, we conclude that the ice wastage is probably moderate in this region over the last 22 yr, with near equilibrium conditions during the nineties, and an ice mass loss after. The turning point from balanced to negative mass budget is not known but lies probably in the late nineties and at the latest in 1999. This positive or near-zero MB for Chhota Shigri Glacier (and probably for the surrounding glaciers of the Lahaul and Spiti region) during at least part of the 1990s contrasts with a recent compilation of MB data in the Himalayan range that indicated ice wastage since 1975. However, in agreement with this compilation, we confirm more negative balances since the beginning of the 21st century.

Valence-bond theory of linear Hubbard and Pariser-Parr-Pople models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soos, Z. G.; Ramasesha, S.

1984-05-01

The ground and low-lying states of finite quantum-cell models with one state per site are obtained exactly through a real-space basis of valence-bond (VB) diagrams that explicitly conserve the total spin. Regular and alternating Hubbard and Pariser-Parr-Pople (PPP) chains and rings with Ne electrons on N(<=12) sites are extrapolated to infinite arrays. The ground-state energy and optical gap of regular U=4|t| Hubbard chains agree with exact results, suggesting comparable accuracy for alternating Hubbard and PPP models, but differ from mean-field results. Molecular PPP parameters describe well the excitations of finite polyenes, odd polyene ions, linear cyanine dyes, and slightly overestimate the absorption peaks in polyacetylene (CH)x. Molecular correlations contrast sharply with uncorrelated descriptions of topological solitons, which are modeled by regular polyene radicals and their ions for both wide and narrow alternation crossovers. Neutral solitons have no midgap absorption and negative spin densities, while the intensity of the in-gap excitation of charged solitons is not enhanced. The properties of correlated states in quantum-cell models with one valence state per site are discussed in the adiabatic limit for excited-state geometries and instabilities to dimerization.

Abscisic Acid Content, Transpiration, and Stomatal Conductance As Related to Leaf Age in Plants of Xanthium strumarium L.

PubMed

Raschke, K; Zeevaart, J A

1976-08-01

Among the four uppermost leaves of greenhouse-grown plants of Xanthium strumarium L. the content of abscisic acid per unit fresh or dry weight was highest in the youngest leaf and decreased gradually with increasing age of the leaves. Expressed per leaf, the second youngest leaf was richest in ABA; the amount of ABA per leaf declined only slightly as the leaves expanded. Transpiration and stomatal conductance were negatively correlated with the ABA concentration in the leaves; the youngest leaf lost the least amount of water. This correlation was always very good if the youngest leaf was compared with the older leaves but not always good among the older leaves. Since stomatal sensitivity to exogenous (+/-)-ABA was the same in leaves of all four age groups ABA may be in at least two compartments in the leaf, one of which is isolated from the guard cells.The ability to synthesize ABA in response to wilting or chilling was strongly expressed in young leaves and declined with leaf age. There was no difference between leaves in their content of the metabolites of ABA, phaseic, and dihydrophaseic acid, expressed per unit weight.

Abscisic Acid Content, Transpiration, and Stomatal Conductance As Related to Leaf Age in Plants of Xanthium strumarium L. 1

PubMed Central

Raschke, Klaus; Zeevaart, Jan A. D.

1976-01-01

Among the four uppermost leaves of greenhouse-grown plants of Xanthium strumarium L. the content of abscisic acid per unit fresh or dry weight was highest in the youngest leaf and decreased gradually with increasing age of the leaves. Expressed per leaf, the second youngest leaf was richest in ABA; the amount of ABA per leaf declined only slightly as the leaves expanded. Transpiration and stomatal conductance were negatively correlated with the ABA concentration in the leaves; the youngest leaf lost the least amount of water. This correlation was always very good if the youngest leaf was compared with the older leaves but not always good among the older leaves. Since stomatal sensitivity to exogenous (±)-ABA was the same in leaves of all four age groups ABA may be in at least two compartments in the leaf, one of which is isolated from the guard cells. The ability to synthesize ABA in response to wilting or chilling was strongly expressed in young leaves and declined with leaf age. There was no difference between leaves in their content of the metabolites of ABA, phaseic, and dihydrophaseic acid, expressed per unit weight. PMID:16659640

Dynamics of Total Microcystin LR Concentration in Three Subtropical Hydroelectric Generation Reservoirs in Uruguay, South America.

PubMed

González-Piana, Mauricio; Fabián, Daniel; Piccardo, Andrea; Chalar, Guillermo

2017-10-01

This study analyzed the temporal dynamics of total microcystin LR concentrations between the years of 2012 and 2015 in the Bonete, Baygorria and Palmar hydroelectric generation reservoirs in the central region of the Negro River, Uruguay. The three reservoirs showed differents total microcystin LR concentration, with no significant differences among them. Over 20 sampling dates, the three reservoirs exhibited total microcystin LR concentrations on eight occasions that corresponded to a slight to moderate human health risk according to WHO guideline values for recreational waters. By determining the concentration of microcystin LR in cyanobacterial biomass, we identified cyanobacterial populations that occurred over time with varying degrees of toxin production (maximal 85.4 µg/mm 3 ). The microcystin LR concentration in Bonete was positively correlated with temperature (r = 0.587) and cyanobacterial biomass (r = 0.736), in Baygorria with cyanobacterial biomass (r = 0.521), and in Palmar with temperature (r = 0.500) and negatively correlated with ammonia (r = -0.492). Action is needed to reduce the presence of toxic cyanobacteria in these systems. A decrease in the use of agrochemicals and management changes in the reservoir basins could be successful long-term measures.

Parturient perineal distensibility tolerance assessed by EPI-NO: an observational study.

PubMed

Nakamura, Mary Uchiyama; Sass, Nelson; Elito Júnior, Julio; Petricelli, Carla Dellabarba; Alexandre, Sandra Maria; Araujo Júnior, Edward; Zanetti, Miriam Raquel Diniz

2014-01-01

To determine how parturient women tolerate the use of a perineal distensibility assessment technique using the EPI-NO device. An observational study with a total of 227 full-term parturient women was performed. During the evaluation with EPI-NO, parturient patients were asked about their sensation of discomfort. The degree of discomfort was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale, with a score from zero to 10. The Mann-Whitney test was applied to assess perineal distensibility measured by EPI-NO and the degree of discomfort caused by the test according to parity. The relation between perineal distensibility and discomfort was analyzed by using the Spearman correlation test (r). The test with EPI-NO caused only slight discomfort (mean Visual Analogue Scale of 3.8), and primiparous women reported significantly greater discomfort (mean Visual Analogue Scale of 4.5) than did multiparous (mean Visual Analogue Scale=3.1), with p<0.001 women. A negative correlation was observed, in other words, the greater the perineal distensibility on the EPI-NO, the lower the pain reported by the patients (r=-0.424; p<0.001). The assessment of perineal distensibility with EPI-NO was well tolerated by the parturient women.

Vitamin D status, body composition and hypertensive target organ damage in primary hypertension.

PubMed

Pludowski, Pawel; Jaworski, Maciej; Niemirska, Anna; Litwin, Mieczyslaw; Szalecki, Mieczyslaw; Karczmarewicz, Elżbieta; Michalkiewicz, Jacek

2014-10-01

Overweight/obesity and high blood pressure during growth period are important risk factors of cardiovascular disease later in life. Cardiovascular system, fat and muscles are among target tissues for vitamin D and low 25(OH)D levels are likely to attenuate potential benefits of its action. The study was aimed to evaluate vitamin D status and body composition in children and adolescents with primary hypertension (PH). The study population comprised 78 patients aged 15.4±2.3yrs (9-18yrs; 15 girls) with diagnosed PH. Total 25(OH)D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were assayed by Cobas e411 machine (Roche Diagnostics). DXA (Prodigy, GE Lunar) was used to assess total body bone mineral content (TBBMC; g), total body bone mineral density (TBBMD; g/cm(2)), lean body mass (LBM; g), % lean body mass (%LBM), fat mass (FM; g), % fat mass (% FM), Android %Fat, Gynoid %Fat and Trunk fat mass (Trunk FM; g). Hypertensive cases (BMI=25.6±4.2kg/m(2)), compared to reference, had slightly increased TBBMD and TBBMC Z-scores (+0.40±0.91 and +0.59±0.96; both p<0.001), and had markedly increased FM and FM/body weight ratio Z-scores of ±1.83±1.63 (p<0.0001) and +1.43±1.05 (p<0.0001). LBM Z-scores were slightly increased as well (+0.34±1.08, p<0.001). In contrast, markedly reduced LBM/body weight ratio Z-scores of -1.47±0.90 (p<0.0001) and disturbed relationship between FM and LBM as assessed by FM/LBM ratio Z-score of +1.53±1.29 (p<0.0001) were noted. The average serum levels of 25(OH)D of 17.8±6.9ng/mL and PTH of 34.8±16.8pg/mL were noted in PH group. 91% PH cases showed 25(OH)D levels lower than 30ng/mL. 71% of PH subjects revealed vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D<20ng/ml). 10% of PH cases showed 25(OH)D levels lower than 10ng/mL. 25(OH)D levels negatively correlated with PTH showing r=-0.24 (p=0.03). Absolute LBM/body weight ratio values positively correlated with 25(OH)D levels (r=0.31; p=0.01). In contrast, absolute FM/body weight ratio values correlated negatively with 25(OH)D levels (r=-0.32; p<0.01). Moreover, 25(OH)D levels negatively correlated with absolute Trunk FM (r=-0.29; p<0.05), Android %Fat (r=-0.32; p<0.01) and with Gynoid %Fat (r=-0.28; p<0.05). PTH and 25(OH)D concentrations did not differ when severity of hypertension, left ventricular mass and carotid intima-media thickness were controlled for. Concluding, higher muscle mass stores in body weight coincided with higher 25(OH)D levels. Higher fat mass stores coincided with lower 25(OH)D levels in PH group. Whether vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency in PH group should be considered as a cause of disease or epiphenomenon remains unknown. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled '16th Vitamin D Workshop'. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Interrelationships of Coping Styles and Professional Burnout Among Physiotherapists

PubMed Central

Nowakowska-Domagala, Katarzyna; Jablkowska-Górecka, Karolina; Kostrzanowska-Jarmakowska, Lilianna; Mortoń, Marta; Stecz, Patryk

2015-01-01

Abstract Burnout is a pathological syndrome in which emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DEP), and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment (PA) develop in response to prolonged occupational stress. Those working in the physiotherapy profession appear to be at risk for professional burnout brought on by the specific character of the medical professions, involving continuous contact with patients and associated stress, as well as poor working conditions. However, literature data concerning the scale of professional burnout and its psychosocial correlates remain scarce. The aim of the present study was to assess the scale of professional burnout among physiotherapists and to determine the interrelationships between coping styles and burnout symptoms. The sample consisted of 117 professionally active physiotherapists (90 women and 27 men) aged 21 to 55 years (mean [M] 31.88, standard deviation [SD] = 9.14, responsiveness rate of 80.6%) from randomly selected medical institutions of the Lodz Region. The study was conducted using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) by Endler and Parker. Demographic and job-related data on the respondents were also collected. Task-oriented coping correlated negatively with DEP, EE, and low PA, in contrast to emotion-oriented coping. No correlation was found between avoidance-oriented coping and burnout symptoms. Similarly, no interactive correlations between coping styles and particular burnout symptoms were confirmed. Coping styles correlate independently with professional burnout, without any mutual correlations. Physiotherapists employing a wider spectrum of task-oriented strategies are slightly more satisfied with their job. The incidence of burnout syndrome in the analyzed group is similar to that observed in other medical professions and requires the adoption of preventive measures. PMID:26091455

The Interrelationships of Coping Styles and Professional Burnout Among Physiotherapists: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Nowakowska-Domagala, Katarzyna; Jablkowska-Górecka, Karolina; Kostrzanowska-Jarmakowska, Lilianna; Mortoń, Marta; Stecz, Patryk

2015-06-01

Burnout is a pathological syndrome in which emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DEP), and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment (PA) develop in response to prolonged occupational stress. Those working in the physiotherapy profession appear to be at risk for professional burnout brought on by the specific character of the medical professions, involving continuous contact with patients and associated stress, as well as poor working conditions. However, literature data concerning the scale of professional burnout and its psychosocial correlates remain scarce. The aim of the present study was to assess the scale of professional burnout among physiotherapists and to determine the interrelationships between coping styles and burnout symptoms. The sample consisted of 117 professionally active physiotherapists (90 women and 27 men) aged 21 to 55 years (mean [M] 31.88, standard deviation [SD] = 9.14, responsiveness rate of 80.6%) from randomly selected medical institutions of the Lodz Region. The study was conducted using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) by Endler and Parker. Demographic and job-related data on the respondents were also collected. Task-oriented coping correlated negatively with DEP, EE, and low PA, in contrast to emotion-oriented coping. No correlation was found between avoidance-oriented coping and burnout symptoms. Similarly, no interactive correlations between coping styles and particular burnout symptoms were confirmed. Coping styles correlate independently with professional burnout, without any mutual correlations. Physiotherapists employing a wider spectrum of task-oriented strategies are slightly more satisfied with their job. The incidence of burnout syndrome in the analyzed group is similar to that observed in other medical professions and requires the adoption of preventive measures.

The Exercise-Induced Irisin Is Associated with Improved Levels of Glucose Homeostasis Markers in Pregnant Women Participating in 8-Week Prenatal Group Fitness Program: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Szumilewicz, Anna; Worska, Aneta; Piernicka, Magdalena; Kuchta, Agnieszka; Kortas, Jakub; Jastrzębski, Zbigniew; Radzimiński, Łukasz; Jaworska, Joanna; Micielska, Katarzyna; Ziemann, Ewa

2017-01-01

Both exercise and pregnancy influence serum irisin concentration. To determine how the interaction of pregnancy and exercise affects irisin level and whether various patterns of exercise adherence had different effect on irisin concentration. It was a one-group pretest-posttest study among 9 Caucasian nulliparous healthy women in normal pregnancy (age 23 ± 3 years, 21 ± 2 weeks of gestation; mean ± SD) who participated in 8-week group fitness program. Before and after exercise intervention, we determined serum concentrations of irisin and selected parameters of lipid profile and glucose homeostasis markers. In active women, irisin slightly decreased with the development of pregnancy. After 8 weeks of exercising, irisin correlated negatively with fasting glucose ( R = -0.922; p = 0.001), glycated hemoglobin ( R = -0.784; p = 0.012), and insulin concentrations ( R = -0.845; p = 0.004). In women exercising below recommended level, we observed a significant drop in irisin concentration, whereas in women exercising at least three times a week this myokine slightly increased (31% difference; 90% confidence limits ±28; a large, clear effect). Irisin stimulated by prenatal exercise may improve glucose homeostasis markers in healthy women and compensate for metabolic changes induced by pregnancy. Moreover, the frequency of exercise may regulate the changes in exercise-induced irisin concentration.

Effects of Wind Chill Factor, Temperature and Other Meteorological Parameters on the Incidence of Bell's Palsy: Results Based on a Retrospective, 7-Year Long, Greek Population Study.

PubMed

Kokotis, Panagiotis; Katsavos, Serafeim

2015-01-01

The etiology of Bell's palsy (BP), the most common type of dysfunction of the facial nerve, remains unclear despite vigorous research. Data concerning the effects of meteorological factors (MFs) on its appearance are inconclusive. The aim of our study was to examine the demographics of a convenience sample of patients with BP and to determine the effects of several MFs in the recorded number of cases per month (cpm). We retrospectively reviewed 568 files of BP patients and concomitant data of MFs during an 84-month observation period. Information collected included age, gender, diabetic status, number of cpm (months further categorized as winter or summer), mean daily and monthly temperatures and wind speeds and monthly values of wind chill factor (WCF), a measure dependent on both temperature and wind speed. Potential correlations were estimated by univariate analyses (p = 0.05). Demographics were in line with previous research regarding age and diabetic status, but indicative of slight male preponderance. Summer months and mean monthly temperatures showed significant negative correlations with cpm (p = 0.002 and <0.000, respectively) and strong positive correlation with WCF (p < 0.000). MFs can substantially influence the possibility for BP appearance. We propose WCF as a novel, reliable estimator of the overall MF-derived risk. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Stable Size Distribution of Amyloid Plaques Over the Course of Alzheimer Disease

PubMed Central

Serrano-Pozo, Alberto; Mielke, Matthew L.; Muzitansky, Alona; Gómez-Isla, Teresa; Growdon, John H.; Bacskai, Brian J.; Betensky, Rebecca A.; Frosch, Matthew P.; Hyman, Bradley T.

2012-01-01

Amyloid-β plaques are a key pathological feature of Alzheimer disease (AD), but whether plaque sizes increase or stabilize over the course of AD is unknown. We measured the size distribution of total immunoreactive (10D5-positive) and dense-core (Thioflavine-S-positive) plaques in the temporal neocortex of a large group of AD and plaque-bearing age-matched non-demented subjects to test the hypothesis that amyloid plaques continue to grow along with the progression of the disease. The size of amyloid-β (10D5)-positive plaques did not differ between groups whereas dense-core plaques from the AD group were slightly larger than those in the non-demented group (~25%–30%, p = 0.01). Within the AD group, dense-core plaque size did not independently correlate with duration of clinical disease (from 4 to 21 years, p = 0.68), whereas 10D5-positive plaque size correlated negatively with disease duration (p = 0.01). By contrast, an earlier age of symptom onset strongly predicted a larger postmortem plaque size; this effect was independent of disease duration and the presence of the APOEε4 allele (p = 0.0001). We conclude that plaques vary in size among patients, with larger size distributions correlating with an earlier age of onset, but plaques do not substantially increase in size over the clinical course of the disease. PMID:22805771

Seasonal prediction for hydro-meteorological variables in the Korean Peninsula: Links with atmospheric teleconnections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, S.

2016-12-01

This study analyzes nonlinear behavior links with atmospheric teleconnections between hydrologic variables and climate indices using statistical models over the Korean Peninsula (KP). The ocean-related major climate factors such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) mode in the Tropical Ocean (TO) region were used to analyze the atmospheric teleconnections by principal component analysis (PCA) and a singular spectrum analysis (SSA). The nonlinear lag time correlations between climate indices and hydrological variables are calculated by the Mutual Information (MI) techniques. Results show that teleconnection based nonlinear correlation coefficients (CCs) were higher than linear CCs, ENSO shows a few months of lag time correlation with IOD, which has a direct influence on rainfall and streamflow anomalies in the KP. The precipitation and streamflow in KP shows a significant increasing and decreasing tendency during warm pool (WP) and cold tongue (CT) El Niño decaying years, respectively, while the La Niña year shows slightly above normal conditions. IOD events show significantly decreasing and increasing long-term normal conditions during positive and negative years, respectively. A better understanding of the relationship between climate indices and streamflow can help policy makers prepare for possible options in river discharge pattern changes. Furthermore, these results provide useful information for water managers and end-users to support long-range water resources prediction and water-related management plan.

Energy content of municipal solid waste bales.

PubMed

Ozbay, Ismail; Durmusoglu, Ertan

2013-07-01

Baling technology is a preferred method for temporary storage of municipal solid waste (MSW) prior to final disposal. If incineration is intended for final disposal of the bales, the energy content of the baled MSW gains importance. In this study, nine cylindrical bales containing a mix of different waste materials were constructed and several parameters, including total carbon (TC), total organic carbon (TOC), total Kjeldahl nitrogen, moisture content, loss on ignition, gross calorific value and net calorific value (NCV) were determined before the baling and at the end of 10 months of storage. In addition, the relationships between the waste materials and the energy contents of the bales were investigated by the bivariate correlation analyses. At the end, linear regression models were developed in order to forecast the decrease of energy content during storage. While the NCVs of the waste materials before the baling ranged between 6.2 and 23.7 MJ kg(-1) dry basis, they ranged from 1.0 to 16.4 MJ kg(-1) dry basis at the end of the storage period. Moreover, food wastes exhibited the highest negative correlation with NCVs, whereas plastics have significant positive correlation with both NCVs and TCs. Similarly, TOCs and carbon/nitrogen ratios decreased with the increase in food amounts inside the bales. In addition, textile, wood and yard wastes increase the energy content of the bales slightly over the storage period.

Impact of physical activity and cardiovascular fitness on total homocysteine concentrations in European adolescents: The HELENA study.

PubMed

Benser, Jasmin; Valtueña, Jara; Ruiz, Jonatan R; Mielgo-Ayuso, Juan; Breidenassel, Christina; Vicente-Rodriguez, German; Ferrari, Marika; Widhalm, Kurt; Manios, Yannis; Sjöström, Michael; Molnar, Denes; Gómez-Martínez, Sonia; Kafatos, Antony; Palacios, Gonzalo; Moreno, Luis A; Castillo, Manuel J; Stehle, Peter; González-Gross, Marcela

2015-01-01

We examined the association of physical activity (PA), cardiovascular fitness (CVF) and fatness with total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations in European adolescents. The present study comprised 713 European adolescents aged 14.8 ± 1.2 y (females 55.3%) from the multicenter HELENA cross-sectional study. PA was assessed through accelerometry, CVF by the 20-m shuttle run test, and body fat by skinfold thicknesses with the Slaughter equation. Plasma folate, cobalamin, and tHcy concentrations were measured. To examine the association of tHcy with PA, CVF, and fatness after controlling for a set of confounders including age, maturity, folate, cobalamin, creatinine, smoking, supplement use, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677 genotype (CC 47%, CT 43%, TT 10%), bivariate correlations followed by multiple regression models were performed. In the bivariate correlation analysis, tHcy concentrations were slightly negatively correlated (p<0.05) with CVF in females (measured both by stages: r=-0.118 and by VO2max: r=-0.102) and positively with body mass index (r=0.100). However, daily time spent with moderate and vigorous PA showed a weak positive association with tHcy in females (p<0.05). tHcy concentrations showed a tendency to decrease with increasing CVF and increase with increasing BMI in female European adolescents. However, tHcy concentrations were positively associated with moderate and vigorous PA in female European adolescents.

Influence of different nominal molecular weight fractions of humic acids on phenol oxidation by permanganate.

PubMed

He, Di; Guan, Xiaohong; Ma, Jun; Yu, Min

2009-11-01

The effects of humic acid (HA) and its different nominal molecular weight (NMW) fractions on the phenol oxidation by permanganate were studied. Phenol oxidation by permanganate was enhanced by the presence of HA at pH 4-8, while slightly inhibited at pH 9-10. The effects of HA on phenol oxidation by permanganate were dependent on HA concentration and permanganate/phenol molar ratios. The high NMW fractions of HA enhanced phenol oxidation by permanganate at pH 7 more significantly than the low fractions of HA. The apparent second-order rate constants of phenol oxidation by permanganate in the presence of HA correlated well with their specific ultraviolet absorption (SUVA) at 254 nm and specific violet absorption (SVA) at 465 or 665 nm. High positive correlation coefficients (R(2) > 0.72) implied that pi-electrons of HA strongly influenced the reactivity of phenol towards permanganate oxidation which agreed well with the information provided by fluorescence spectroscopy. The FTIR analysis indicated that the HA fractions rich in aliphatic character, polysaccharide-like substances, and the amount of carboxylate groups had less effect on phenol oxidation by permanganate. The negative correlation between the rate constants of phenol oxidation by permanganate and O/C ratios suggested that the oxidation of phenol increased with a decrease in the content of oxygen-containing functional groups.

Rapidity dependence of proton cumulants and correlation functions

DOE PAGES

Bzdak, Adam; Koch, Volker

2017-11-13

The dependence of multiproton correlation functions and cumulants on the acceptance in rapidity and transverse momentum is studied. Here, we found that the preliminary data of various cumulant ratios are consistent, within errors, with rapidity and transverse momentum-independent correlation functions. But, rapidity correlations which moderately increase with rapidity separation between protons are slightly favored. We propose to further explore the rapidity dependence of multiparticle correlation functions by measuring the dependence of the integrated reduced correlation functions as a function of the size of the rapidity window.

Rapidity dependence of proton cumulants and correlation functions

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

Bzdak, Adam; Koch, Volker

The dependence of multiproton correlation functions and cumulants on the acceptance in rapidity and transverse momentum is studied. Here, we found that the preliminary data of various cumulant ratios are consistent, within errors, with rapidity and transverse momentum-independent correlation functions. But, rapidity correlations which moderately increase with rapidity separation between protons are slightly favored. We propose to further explore the rapidity dependence of multiparticle correlation functions by measuring the dependence of the integrated reduced correlation functions as a function of the size of the rapidity window.

Non-whole beat correlation method for the identification of an unbalance response of a dual-rotor system with a slight rotating speed difference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Z. X.; Wang, L. Z.; Jin, Z. J.; Zhang, Q.; Li, X. L.

2013-08-01

The efficient identification of the unbalanced responses in the inner and outer rotors from the beat vibration is the key step in the dynamic balancing of a dual-rotor system with a slight rotating speed difference. This paper proposes a non-whole beat correlation method to identify the unbalance responses whose integral time is shorter than the whole beat correlation method. The principle, algorithm and parameter selection of the proposed method is emphatically demonstrated in this paper. From the numerical simulation and balancing experiment conducted on horizontal decanter centrifuge, conclusions can be drawn that the proposed approach is feasible and practicable. This method makes important sense in developing the field balancing equipment based on portable Single Chip Microcomputer (SCMC) with low expense.

Learning style preferences and their influence on students' problem solving in kinematics observed by eye-tracking method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kekule, Martina

2017-01-01

The article presents eye-tracking method and its using for observing students when they solve problems from kinematics. Particularly, multiple-choice items in TUG-K test by Robert Beichner. Moreover, student's preference for visual way of learning as a possible influential aspect is proofed and discussed. Learning Style Inventory by Dunn, Dunn&Price was administered to students in order to find out their preferences. More than 20 high school and college students about 20 years old took part in the research. Preferred visual way of learning in contrast to the other ways of learning (audio, tactile, kinesthetic) shows very slight correlation with the total score of the test, none correlation with the average fixation duration and slight correlation with average fixation count on a task and average total visit duration on a task.

Understanding Patient Preference in Female Pelvic Imaging: Transvaginal Ultrasound and MRI.

PubMed

Sakala, Michelle D; Carlos, Ruth C; Mendiratta-Lala, Mishal; Quint, Elisabeth H; Maturen, Katherine E

2018-04-01

Women with pelvic pain or abnormal uterine bleeding may undergo diagnostic imaging. This study evaluates patient experience in transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and explores correlations between preference and symptom severity. Institutional review board approval was obtained for this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant prospective study. Fifty premenopausal women with pelvic symptoms evaluated by recent TVUS and MRI and without history of gynecologic cancer or hysterectomy were included. A phone questionnaire used validated survey instruments including Uterine Fibroid Symptoms Quality of Life index, Testing Morbidities Index, and Wait Trade Off for TVUS and MRI examinations. Using Wait Trade Off, patients preferred TVUS over MRI (3.58 vs 2.80 weeks, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.63, 0.12; P = .08). Summary test utility of Testing Morbidities Index for MRI was worse than for TVUS (81.64 vs 87.42, 95%CI 0.41, 11.15; P = .03). Patients reported greater embarrassment during TVUS than during MRI (P <.0001), but greater fear and anxiety both before (P <.0001) and during (P <.001) MRI, and greater mental (P = .02) and physical (P = .02) problems after MRI versus TVUS. Subscale correlations showed physically inactive women rated TVUS more negatively (R = -0.32, P = .03), whereas women with more severe symptoms of loss of control of health (R = -0.28, P = .04) and sexual dysfunction (R = -0.30, P = .03) rated MRI more negatively. Women with pelvic symptoms had a slight but significant preference for TVUS over MRI. Identifying specific distressing aspects of each test and patient factors contributing to negative perceptions can direct improvement in both test environment and patient preparation. Improved patient experience may increase imaging value. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The construct validity of HPAT-Ireland for the selection of medical students: unresolved issues and future research implications.

PubMed

Kelly, Maureen E; O'Flynn, Siun

2017-05-01

Aptitude tests are widely used in selection. However, despite certain advantages their use remains controversial. This paper aims to critically appraise five sources of evidence for the construct validity of the Health Professions Admission Test (HPAT)-Ireland, an aptitude test used for selecting undergraduate medical students. The objectives are to identify gaps in the evidence, draw comparisons with other aptitude tests and outline future research directions. Our appraisal of the literature found that stakeholder feedback indicates that there is reasonable evidence for test content validity for two of the three sections of HPAT-Ireland. By contrast the Non-Verbal Reasoning section is widely criticised as having limited relevance to medical school performance and future clinical practice. In terms of concurrent validity there is a significant small to medium, negative correlation with school exit examinations, but not consistently so across all studies (r = -0.18, -0.28, 0.017). Likewise predictive validity studies vary, from negative to moderate strength correlations with examination performance during early years at medical school. Five studies indicate that HPAT-Ireland is supported in principle by the majority of stakeholders. While one consequence of its introduction is that successful applicants are now coming from more diverse academic backgrounds, there is no evidence that the socio-economic background of medical school entrants has been altered significantly. Negative perceptions of unfairness relating to gender, coaching and socio-economics remain. The evidence to date suggests that while there are slight gender differences, initially favouring males, these vary year on year. In conclusion, the attitudes towards, and performance of, HPAT-Ireland is not unlike that of other aptitude tests widely used internationally. The main justifications for its introduction have been achieved, in that Ireland no longer relies exclusively on a single measure of academic record for selection to medical school. However a number of areas require further research and exploration.

Forced-convection Heat-transfer Characteristics of Molten Sodium Hydroxide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grele, Milton D; Gedeon, Louis

1953-01-01

The forced-convection heat-transfer characteristics of sodium hydroxide were experimentally investigated. The heat-transfer data for heating fall slightly above the McAdams correlation line, and the heat-transfer data for cooling are fairly well represented by the McAdams correlation line.

Phytoplankton Diversity Effects on Community Biomass and Stability along Nutrient Gradients in a Eutrophic Lake

PubMed Central

Tian, Wang; Zhang, Huayong; Zhao, Lei; Zhang, Feifan; Huang, Hai

2017-01-01

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is a central issue in ecology, but how this relationship is affected by nutrient stress is still unknown. In this study, we analyzed the phytoplankton diversity effects on community biomass and stability along nutrient gradients in an artificial eutrophic lake. Four nutrient gradients, varying from slightly eutrophic to highly eutrophic states, were designed by adjusting the amount of polluted water that flowed into the lake. Mean phytoplankton biomass, species richness, and Shannon diversity index all showed significant differences among the four nutrient gradients. Phytoplankton community biomass was correlated with diversity (both species richness and Shannon diversity index), varying from positive to negative along the nutrient gradients. The influence of phytoplankton species richness on resource use efficiency (RUE) also changed from positive to negative along the nutrient gradients. However, the influence of phytoplankton Shannon diversity on RUE was not significant. Both phytoplankton species richness and Shannon diversity had a negative influence on community turnover (measured as community dissimilarity), i.e., a positive diversity–stability relationship. Furthermore, phytoplankton spatial stability decreased along the nutrient gradients in the lake. With increasing nutrient concentrations, the variability (standard deviation) of phytoplankton community biomass increased more rapidly than the average total biomass. Results in this study will be helpful in understanding the phytoplankton diversity effects on ecosystem functioning and how these effects are influenced by nutrient conditions in aquatic ecosystems. PMID:28117684

Flavor of fresh blueberry juice and the comparison to amount of sugars, acids, anthocyanidins, and physicochemical measurements.

PubMed

Bett-Garber, Karen L; Lea, Jeanne M; Watson, Michael A; Grimm, Casey C; Lloyd, Steven W; Beaulieu, John C; Stein-Chisholm, Rebecca E; Andrzejewski, Brett P; Marshall, Donna A

2015-04-01

Six cultivars of southern highbush (SHB) and rabbiteye (RE) blueberry samples were harvested on 2 different dates. Each treatment combination was pressed 2 times for repeated measures. Fresh juice was characterized for 18 flavor/taste/feeling factor attributes by a descriptive flavor panel. Each sample was measured for sugars, acids, anthocyanidins, Folin-Ciocalteu, soluble solids (BRIX), titratable acidity (TA), and antioxidant capacity (ORACFL ). Flavors were correlated with the composition and physicochemical data. Blueberry flavor correlated with 3 parameters, and negatively correlated with 2. Strawberry correlated with oxalic acid and negatively correlated with sucrose and quinic acid. Sweet aroma correlated with oxalic and citric acid, but negatively correlated with sucrose, quinic, and total acids. Sweet taste correlated with 11 parameters, including the anthocyanidins; and negatively correlated with 3 parameters. Neither bitter nor astringent correlated with any of the antioxidant parameters, but both correlated with total acids. Sour correlated with total acids and TA, while negatively correlating with pH and BRIX:TA. Throat burn correlated with total acids and TA. Principal component analysis negatively related blueberry, sweet aroma, and sweet to sour, bitter, astringent, tongue tingle, and tongue numbness. The information in this component was related to pH, TA, and BRIX:TA ratio. Another principal component related the nonblueberry fruit flavors to BRIX. This PC, also divided the SHB berries from the RE. This work shows that the impact of juice composition on flavor is very complicated and that estimating flavor with physicochemical parameters is complicated by the composition of the juice. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

[Interaction Between Sulfonamide Antibiotics Fates and Chicken Manure Composting].

PubMed

Lin, Hui; Wang, Jian-mei; Sun, Wan-chun; Fu, Jian-rong; Chen, Hong-jin; Ma, Jun-wei

2016-05-15

Based on aerobic manure composting with or without the addition of a mixture of sulfadimethoxine SM2 and sulfamonomethoxine SMM (1:1, m/m), changes in the physic-chemical properties of manure compost, the microbial community physiological profiles, the antibiotics concentration and the abundances of five antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during the composting were tracked. The results indicated that the introduction of sulfonamide antibiotics led to inhibition on the basal respiration of manure compost during the early composting period, delayed the formation of thermophilic temperature and reduced the conversion of nutrients such as organic matter, ammonia nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen. Meanwhile, the introduction of sulfonamide antibiotics dramatically affected the physiological profile of microbial community in manure in the middle stage of composting. HPLC-MS/MS results showed that both SMM and SM2 in manure were completely degraded within 14 days, while the degradation rate of SMM was faster than that of SM2. For both composting treatments with or without addition of exogenous antibiotics, the relative abundance of sull and sul2 showed an initial decline in the first 14 or 21 days and a slight increase thereafter. The addition of exogenous antibiotics showed insignificant enhancement on increasing the relative abundance of sul1 and IntI1 in manure, but resulted in an apparent increase in sul2 relative abundance. Although the fates of tetQ and tetW during composting were different from that of sulfonamide ARGs, the introduction of sulfonamide antibiotics into manure increased the relative abundance of tetracycline ARGs. Redundancy analysis indicated that composting temperature correlated negatively with sul1, sul2 and IntI1 relative abundance in manure but had no obvious relationship with tetQ and tetW relative abundance. All the ARGs detected in this work correlated negatively with C/N ratio and the nitrate nitrogen concentration of manure compost but positively correlated with pH, moisture and ammonia nitrogen concentration of manure compost.

A study of factors affecting the human cone photoreceptor density measured by adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope.

PubMed

Park, Sung Pyo; Chung, Jae Keun; Greenstein, Vivienne; Tsang, Stephen H; Chang, Stanley

2013-03-01

To investigate the variation in human cone photoreceptor packing density with various demographic or clinical factors, cone packing density was measured using a Canon prototype adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope and compared as a function of retinal eccentricity, refractive error, axial length, age, gender, race/ethnicity and ocular dominance. We enrolled 192 eyes of 192 subjects with no ocular pathology. Cone packing density was measured at three different retinal eccentricities (0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, and 1.5 mm from the foveal center) along four meridians. Cone density decreased from 32,200 to 11,600 cells/mm(2) with retinal eccentricity (0.5 mm to 1.5 mm from the fovea, P < 0.001). A trend towards a slightly negative correlation was observed between age and density (r = -0.117, P = 0.14). There was, however, a statistically significant negative correlation (r = -0.367, P = 0.003) between axial length and cone density. Gender, ocular dominance, and race/ethnicity were not important determinants of cone density (all, P > 0.05). In addition, to assess the spatial arrangement of the cone mosaics, the nearest-neighbor distances (NNDs) and the Voronoi domains were analyzed. The results of NND and Voronoi analysis were significantly correlated with the variation of the cone density. Average NND and Voronoi area were gradually increased (all, P ≤ 0.001) and the degree of regularity of the cone mosaics was decreased (P ≤ 0.001) with increasing retinal eccentricity. In conclusion, we demonstrated cone packing density decreases as a function of retinal eccentricity and axial length and the results of NND and Voronoi analysis is a useful index for cone mosaics arrangements. The results also serve as a reference for further studies designed to detect or monitor cone photoreceptors in patients with retinal diseases. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study of factors affecting the human cone photoreceptor density measured by adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope

PubMed Central

Park, Sung Pyo; Chung, Jae Keun; Greenstein, Vivienne; Tsang, Stephen H.; Chang, Stanley

2015-01-01

To investigate the variation in human cone photoreceptor packing density with various demographic or clinical factors, cone packing density was measured using a Canon prototype adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope and compared as a function of retinal eccentricity, refractive error, axial length, age, gender, race/ethnicity and ocular dominance. We enrolled 192 eyes of 192 subjects with no ocular pathology. Cone packing density was measured at three different retinal eccentricities (0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, and 1.5 mm from the foveal center) along four meridians. Cone density decreased from 32,200 to 11,600 cells/mm2 with retinal eccentricity (0.5 mm to 1.5 mm from the fovea, P < 0.001). A trend towards a slightly negative correlation was observed between age and density (r = −0.117, P = 0.14). There was, however, a statistically significant negative correlation (r = −0.367, P = 0.003) between axial length and cone density. Gender, ocular dominance, and race/ethnicity were not important determinants of cone density (all, P > 0.05). In addition, to assess the spatial arrangement of the cone mosaics, the nearest-neighbor distances (NNDs) and the Voronoi domains were analyzed. The results of NND and Voronoi analysis were significantly correlated with the variation of the cone density. Average NND and Voronoi area were gradually increased (all, P ≤ 0.001) and the degree of regularity of the cone mosaics was decreased (P ≤ 0.001) with increasing retinal eccentricity. In conclusion, we demonstrated cone packing density decreases as a function of retinal eccentricity and axial length and the results of NND and Voronoi analysis is a useful index for cone mosaics arrangements. The results also serve as a reference for further studies designed to detect or monitor cone photoreceptors in patients with retinal diseases. PMID:23276813

Re-Occupancy of Breeding Territories by Ferruginous Hawks in Wyoming: Relationships to Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors

PubMed Central

Wallace, Zachary P.; Kennedy, Patricia L.; Squires, John R.; Oakleaf, Robert J.; Olson, Lucretia E.; Dugger, Katie M.

2016-01-01

Grassland and shrubland birds are declining globally due in part to anthropogenic habitat modification. Because population performance of these species is also influenced by non-anthropogenic factors, it is important to incorporate all relevant ecological drivers into demographic models. We used design-based sampling and occupancy models to test relationships of environmental factors that influence raptor demographics with re-occupancy of breeding territories by ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) across Wyoming, USA, 2011–2013. We also tested correlations of territory re-occupancy with oil and gas infrastructure—a leading cause of habitat modification throughout the range of this species of conservation concern. Probability of re-occupancy was not related to any covariates we investigated in 2011, had a strong negative relationship with cover of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) in 2012, was slightly higher for territories with artificial platforms than other nest substrates in 2013, and had a positive relationship with abundance of ground squirrels (Urocitellus spp.) that was strong in 2012 and weak in 2013. Associations with roads were weak and varied by year, road-type, and scale: in 2012, re-occupancy probability had a weak positive correlation with density of roads not associated with oil and gas fields at the territory-scale; however, in 2013 re-occupancy had a very weak negative correlation with density of oil and gas field roads near nest sites (≤500 m). Although our results indicate re-occupancy of breeding territories by ferruginous hawks was compatible with densities of anthropogenic infrastructure in our study area, the lack of relationships between oil and gas well density and territory re-occupancy may have occurred because pre-treatment data were unavailable. We used probabilistic sampling at a broad spatial extent, methods to account for imperfect detection, and conducted extensive prey sampling; nonetheless, future research using before-after-control-impact designs is needed to fully assess impacts of oil and gas development on ferruginous hawks. PMID:27049324

Re-Occupancy of Breeding Territories by Ferruginous Hawks in Wyoming: Relationships to Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wallace, Zachary P.; Kennedy, Patricia L.; Squires, John R.; Oakleaf, Robert J.; Olson, Lucretia E.; Dugger, Katie M.

2016-01-01

Grassland and shrubland birds are declining globally due in part to anthropogenic habitat modification. Because population performance of these species is also influenced by non-anthropogenic factors, it is important to incorporate all relevant ecological drivers into demographic models. We used design-based sampling and occupancy models to test relationships of environmental factors that influence raptor demographics with re-occupancy of breeding territories by ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) across Wyoming, USA, 2011–2013. We also tested correlations of territory re-occupancy with oil and gas infrastructure—a leading cause of habitat modification throughout the range of this species of conservation concern. Probability of re-occupancy was not related to any covariates we investigated in 2011, had a strong negative relationship with cover of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) in 2012, was slightly higher for territories with artificial platforms than other nest substrates in 2013, and had a positive relationship with abundance of ground squirrels (Urocitellus spp.) that was strong in 2012 and weak in 2013. Associations with roads were weak and varied by year, road-type, and scale: in 2012, re-occupancy probability had a weak positive correlation with density of roads not associated with oil and gas fields at the territory-scale; however, in 2013 re-occupancy had a very weak negative correlation with density of oil and gas field roads near nest sites (≤500 m). Although our results indicate re-occupancy of breeding territories by ferruginous hawks was compatible with densities of anthropogenic infrastructure in our study area, the lack of relationships between oil and gas well density and territory re-occupancy may have occurred because pre-treatment data were unavailable. We used probabilistic sampling at a broad spatial extent, methods to account for imperfect detection, and conducted extensive prey sampling; nonetheless, future research using before-after-control-impact designs is needed to fully assess impacts of oil and gas development on ferruginous hawks.

Re-Occupancy of Breeding Territories by Ferruginous Hawks in Wyoming: Relationships to Environmental and Anthropogenic Factors.

PubMed

Wallace, Zachary P; Kennedy, Patricia L; Squires, John R; Oakleaf, Robert J; Olson, Lucretia E; Dugger, Katie M

2016-01-01

Grassland and shrubland birds are declining globally due in part to anthropogenic habitat modification. Because population performance of these species is also influenced by non-anthropogenic factors, it is important to incorporate all relevant ecological drivers into demographic models. We used design-based sampling and occupancy models to test relationships of environmental factors that influence raptor demographics with re-occupancy of breeding territories by ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) across Wyoming, USA, 2011-2013. We also tested correlations of territory re-occupancy with oil and gas infrastructure-a leading cause of habitat modification throughout the range of this species of conservation concern. Probability of re-occupancy was not related to any covariates we investigated in 2011, had a strong negative relationship with cover of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) in 2012, was slightly higher for territories with artificial platforms than other nest substrates in 2013, and had a positive relationship with abundance of ground squirrels (Urocitellus spp.) that was strong in 2012 and weak in 2013. Associations with roads were weak and varied by year, road-type, and scale: in 2012, re-occupancy probability had a weak positive correlation with density of roads not associated with oil and gas fields at the territory-scale; however, in 2013 re-occupancy had a very weak negative correlation with density of oil and gas field roads near nest sites (≤500 m). Although our results indicate re-occupancy of breeding territories by ferruginous hawks was compatible with densities of anthropogenic infrastructure in our study area, the lack of relationships between oil and gas well density and territory re-occupancy may have occurred because pre-treatment data were unavailable. We used probabilistic sampling at a broad spatial extent, methods to account for imperfect detection, and conducted extensive prey sampling; nonetheless, future research using before-after-control-impact designs is needed to fully assess impacts of oil and gas development on ferruginous hawks.

Rolled-up nanotechnology for the fabrication of three-dimensional fishnet-type GaAs-metal metamaterials with negative refractive index at near-infrared frequencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rottler, Andreas; Harland, Malte; Bröll, Markus; Schwaiger, Stephan; Stickler, Daniel; Stemmann, Andrea; Heyn, Christian; Heitmann, Detlef; Mendach, Stefan

2012-04-01

We propose and demonstrate the fabrication of a three-dimensional fishnet metamaterial by utilizing rolled-up nanotechnology. It consists of 6 alternating layers of silver and (In)GaAs with an array of subwavelength holes "drilled" by focused ion beams. By means of finite-integration technique simulations, we show that the fabricated structure is a single-negative material possessing a negative real part of the refractive index in the near-infrared regime. We show that the fabricated material can be made double negative by slightly changing the size of the holes.

Learning from negative feedback in patients with major depressive disorder is attenuated by SSRI antidepressants

PubMed Central

Herzallah, Mohammad M.; Moustafa, Ahmed A.; Natsheh, Joman Y.; Abdellatif, Salam M.; Taha, Mohamad B.; Tayem, Yasin I.; Sehwail, Mahmud A.; Amleh, Ivona; Petrides, Georgios; Myers, Catherine E.; Gluck, Mark A.

2013-01-01

One barrier to interpreting past studies of cognition and major depressive disorder (MDD) has been the failure in many studies to adequately dissociate the effects of MDD from the potential cognitive side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) use. To better understand how remediation of depressive symptoms affects cognitive function in MDD, we evaluated three groups of subjects: medication-naïve patients with MDD, medicated patients with MDD receiving the SSRI paroxetine, and healthy control (HC) subjects. All were administered a category-learning task that allows for dissociation between learning from positive feedback (reward) vs. learning from negative feedback (punishment). Healthy subjects learned significantly better from positive feedback than medication-naïve and medicated MDD groups, whose learning accuracy did not differ significantly. In contrast, medicated patients with MDD learned significantly less from negative feedback than medication-naïve patients with MDD and healthy subjects, whose learning accuracy was comparable. A comparison of subject’s relative sensitivity to positive vs. negative feedback showed that both the medicated MDD and HC groups conform to Kahneman and Tversky’s (1979) Prospect Theory, which expects losses (negative feedback) to loom psychologically slightly larger than gains (positive feedback). However, medicated MDD and HC profiles are not similar, which indicates that the state of medicated MDD is not “normal” when compared to HC, but rather balanced with less learning from both positive and negative feedback. On the other hand, medication-naïve patients with MDD violate Prospect Theory by having significantly exaggerated learning from negative feedback. This suggests that SSRI antidepressants impair learning from negative feedback, while having negligible effect on learning from positive feedback. Overall, these findings shed light on the importance of dissociating the cognitive consequences of MDD from those of SSRI treatment, and from cognitive evaluation of MDD subjects in a medication-naïve state before the administration of antidepressants. Future research is needed to correlate the mood-elevating effects and the cognitive balance between reward- and punishment-based learning related to SSRIs. PMID:24065894

Learning from negative feedback in patients with major depressive disorder is attenuated by SSRI antidepressants.

PubMed

Herzallah, Mohammad M; Moustafa, Ahmed A; Natsheh, Joman Y; Abdellatif, Salam M; Taha, Mohamad B; Tayem, Yasin I; Sehwail, Mahmud A; Amleh, Ivona; Petrides, Georgios; Myers, Catherine E; Gluck, Mark A

2013-01-01

One barrier to interpreting past studies of cognition and major depressive disorder (MDD) has been the failure in many studies to adequately dissociate the effects of MDD from the potential cognitive side effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) use. To better understand how remediation of depressive symptoms affects cognitive function in MDD, we evaluated three groups of subjects: medication-naïve patients with MDD, medicated patients with MDD receiving the SSRI paroxetine, and healthy control (HC) subjects. All were administered a category-learning task that allows for dissociation between learning from positive feedback (reward) vs. learning from negative feedback (punishment). Healthy subjects learned significantly better from positive feedback than medication-naïve and medicated MDD groups, whose learning accuracy did not differ significantly. In contrast, medicated patients with MDD learned significantly less from negative feedback than medication-naïve patients with MDD and healthy subjects, whose learning accuracy was comparable. A comparison of subject's relative sensitivity to positive vs. negative feedback showed that both the medicated MDD and HC groups conform to Kahneman and Tversky's (1979) Prospect Theory, which expects losses (negative feedback) to loom psychologically slightly larger than gains (positive feedback). However, medicated MDD and HC profiles are not similar, which indicates that the state of medicated MDD is not "normal" when compared to HC, but rather balanced with less learning from both positive and negative feedback. On the other hand, medication-naïve patients with MDD violate Prospect Theory by having significantly exaggerated learning from negative feedback. This suggests that SSRI antidepressants impair learning from negative feedback, while having negligible effect on learning from positive feedback. Overall, these findings shed light on the importance of dissociating the cognitive consequences of MDD from those of SSRI treatment, and from cognitive evaluation of MDD subjects in a medication-naïve state before the administration of antidepressants. Future research is needed to correlate the mood-elevating effects and the cognitive balance between reward- and punishment-based learning related to SSRIs.

Sibling relationships of children with autistic, mentally retarded, and nonhandicapped brothers and sisters.

PubMed

McHale, S M; Sloan, J; Simeonsson, R J

1986-12-01

The subjects were 90 children between 6 and 15 years of age, 30 with autistic, 30 with mentally retarded, and 30 with nonhandicapped brothers or sisters. The children were questioned about their sibling relationships in an open-ended interview, and, in the case of children with handicapped siblings, they also responded to questions about particular problems they faced in regard to their brothers or sisters. In addition, mothers filled out a behavior rating scale in which they described the positive and negative aspects of their children's behavior toward the sibling. In general, children and mothers rated the sibling relationships positively. Group comparisons indicated that children with autistic and mentally retarded siblings did not differ on any self-report measures. Children with nonhandicapped siblings reported that their family relations were slightly more cohesive but otherwise did not differ in terms of their self-reports from children with handicapped siblings. Mothers of nonhandicapped children, however, rated the sibling relationships more negatively than did mothers of handicapped children. Further analyses revealed that status variables (age, gender, family size) were not as highly correlated with the quality of sibling relationships with handicapped children as were specific problem areas (e.g., perceptions of parental favoritism, coping ability, concerns about the handicapped child's future).

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy for the Treatment of the Open Abdomen and Incidence of Enteral Fistulas: A Retrospective Bicentre Analysis

PubMed Central

Dold, Stefan; Doberauer, Johannes P.; Mai, Peter

2013-01-01

Introduction. The open abdomen (OA) is often associated with complications. It has been hypothesized that negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in the treatment of OA may provoke enteral fistulas. Therefore, we analyzed patients with OA and NPWT with special regard to the occurrence of intestinal fistulas. Methods. The present study included all consecutive patients with OA treated with NWPT from April 2010 to August 2011 in two hospitals. Patients' demographics, indications for OA, risk factors, complications, outcome and incidence of fistulas before, during and after NPWT were recorded. Results. Of 81 patients with OA, 26 had pre-existing fistulas and 55 were free from a fistula at the beginning of NPWT. Nine of the 55 patients developed fistulas during (n = 5) or after NPWT (n = 4). Seventy-five patients received ABThera therapy, 6 patients other temporary abdominal closure devices. Only diverticulitis seemed to be a significant predisposing factor for fistulas. Mortality was slightly lower for patients without fistulas. Conclusion. The present study revealed no correlation between occurrence of fistulas before, during, and after NWPT, with diverticulitis being the only risk factor. Fistula formation during NPWT was comparable to reports from literature. Prospective studies are mandatory to clarify the impact of NPWT on fistula formation. PMID:24285953

Effect of a central redistribution of fluid volume on response to lower-body negative pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomaselli, Clare M.; Frey, Mary A. B.; Kenney, Richard A.; Hoffler, G. Wyckliffe

1990-01-01

Cardiovascular responses to lower-body negative pressure (LBNP) were studied following 1 hour of 6-deg head-down tilt to determine whether a redistribution of blood volume toward the central circulation modifies the subsequent response to orthostatic stress. Responses of 12 men, ages 30-39 years, were evaluated by electrocardiography, impedance cardiography, sphygmomanometry, and measurement of calf circumference. During the LBNP that followed head-down tilt, as compared with control LBNP (no preceding head-down tilt) subjects, had smaller stroke volume and cardiac output, greater total peripheral resistance, and less calf enlargement. These differences reflect differences in the variables immediately preceding LBNP. Magnitudes of the responses from pre-LBNP to each pressure stage of the LBNP procedure did not differ between protocols. Mean and diastolic arterial pressures were slightly elevated after LBNP-control, but they fell slightly during LBNP post-tilt.

New association of bone morphogenetic protein 4 concentrations with fat distribution in obesity and Exenatide intervention on it.

PubMed

Wang, Xingchun; Chen, Jiaqi; Li, Liang; Zhu, Cui Ling; Gao, Jingyang; Rampersad, Sharvan; Bu, Le; Qu, Shen

2017-04-04

Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4) has been proven to regulate white adipogensis. We aimed to demonstrate the correlation of BMP-4 with fat distribution and Exenatide treatment on it. We enrolled 69 obese patients. Anthropometric and metabolic indexes were collected. Fat distribution was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. BPM-4 levels were assessed using enzyme-link immunosorbent assay kit. 30 obese patients were treated with Exenatide twice a day. Change in body weight, metabolic-related indices and BPM-4 levels were evaluated after 18 weeks. 1) The mean(±SD) BMP-4 levels were 763.98 ± 324.11 pg/ml in the obese. BPM-4 levels were significantly positively correlated with estimated visceral adipose tissue mass in all subjects and also in females (r = 0.377, r = 0.625, respectively,all P < 0.05). BPM-4 levels were also significantly positively correlated with body mass index, hip circumference and total fat% in females (r = 0.375,r = 0.429,r = 0.493,respectively, all P < 0.05). BPM-4 levels were negatively correlated with total cholesterol(TC) in all subjects and males also (r = -0.373,r = -0.332,respectively, all P < 0.05). BPM-4 levels were also significantly positively correlated with free triiodothyronine in males (r = 0.441, P < 0.05). 3) Multivariate analyses showed that TC was risk factor of BMP-4 concentration in males and Est.VAT Area was risk factor of BMP-4 levels in females. 4) BMP-4 levels were significantly higher in the obesity with slightly increased thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) than the obesity without slightly increased TSH (902.08 ± 354.74 pg/ml vs. 720.24 ± 306.41 pg/ml, P < 0.05). 5) Exenatide treatment leads to a significant decreased in BMP-4 from 860.05 ± 352.65 pg/ml to 649.44 + 277.49 pg/ml independent of weight loss(P < 0.05). BMP-4 levels were associated with the visceral adipose tissue and may play a certain role in fat distribution and subclinical hypothyroidism in obesity. Exenatide treatment reduced BMP-4 levels independent of weight loss. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02118376 , Registered 16 April.

Evaluation of Macular Ganglion Cell Complex and Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Primary Craniopharyngioma by Fourier-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

PubMed

Yang, Liu; Qu, Yuanzhen; Lu, Wen; Liu, Fengjun

2016-07-03

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to compare the differences in macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) in child and adult patients with primary craniopharyngioma by Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) and to evaluate their significance in the diagnosis of primary craniopharyngioma. MATERIAL AND METHODS Ninety-six participants were divided into 3 groups: 32 in the child craniopharyngioma group (CCG) and 32 in the adult craniopharyngioma group (ACG) who were treated in Beijing Tiantan Hospital between November 2013 and October 2014, and 32 in the normal group (NG). All subjects were scanned by FD-OCT to map GCC and pRNFL thicknesses. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between GCC and pRNFL thickness, and pRNFL thickness and optic nerve head (ONH) parameters, including horizontal cup-disc ratio (HCDR), vertical cup-disc ratio (VCDR), optic disc area (ODA), and cup area (CA), respectively. RESULTS The correlation between GCC and pRNFL thickness in the CCG was slightly stronger compared with the ACG. A significant difference in GCC thickness was observed among the CCG, ACG, and NG. Although the pRNFL thickness in both the CCG and ACG was significantly higher than that in NG, no significant difference in pRNFL thickness was detected between the 2 craniopharyngioma groups. The average, superior, and inferior pRNFL thicknesses were negatively correlated with VCDR in the CCG (in double eyes) and ACG (only in left eyes). CONCLUSIONS GCC was more sensitive than pRNFL in detecting optic nerve damage in the eyes of craniopharyngioma patients. A thinner pRNFL was especially correlated with VCDR in child craniopharyngioma patients.

Evaluation of Macular Ganglion Cell Complex and Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Primary Craniopharyngioma by Fourier-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Yang, Liu; Qu, Yuanzhen; Lu, Wen; Liu, Fengjun

2016-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to compare the differences in macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) in child and adult patients with primary craniopharyngioma by Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) and to evaluate their significance in the diagnosis of primary craniopharyngioma. Material/Methods Ninety-six participants were divided into 3 groups: 32 in the child craniopharyngioma group (CCG) and 32 in the adult craniopharyngioma group (ACG) who were treated in Beijing Tiantan Hospital between November 2013 and October 2014, and 32 in the normal group (NG). All subjects were scanned by FD-OCT to map GCC and pRNFL thicknesses. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to assess the correlation between GCC and pRNFL thickness, and pRNFL thickness and optic nerve head (ONH) parameters, including horizontal cup-disc ratio (HCDR), vertical cup-disc ratio (VCDR), optic disc area (ODA), and cup area (CA), respectively. Results The correlation between GCC and pRNFL thickness in the CCG was slightly stronger compared with the ACG. A significant difference in GCC thickness was observed among the CCG, ACG, and NG. Although the pRNFL thickness in both the CCG and ACG was significantly higher than that in NG, no significant difference in pRNFL thickness was detected between the 2 craniopharyngioma groups. The average, superior, and inferior pRNFL thicknesses were negatively correlated with VCDR in the CCG (in double eyes) and ACG (only in left eyes). Conclusions GCC was more sensitive than pRNFL in detecting optic nerve damage in the eyes of craniopharyngioma patients. A thinner pRNFL was especially correlated with VCDR in child craniopharyngioma patients. PMID:27372909

Genomic Model with Correlation Between Additive and Dominance Effects.

PubMed

Xiang, Tao; Christensen, Ole Fredslund; Vitezica, Zulma Gladis; Legarra, Andres

2018-05-09

Dominance genetic effects are rarely included in pedigree-based genetic evaluation. With the availability of single nucleotide polymorphism markers and the development of genomic evaluation, estimates of dominance genetic effects have become feasible using genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP). Usually, studies involving additive and dominance genetic effects ignore possible relationships between them. It has been often suggested that the magnitude of functional additive and dominance effects at the quantitative trait loci are related, but there is no existing GBLUP-like approach accounting for such correlation. Wellmann and Bennewitz showed two ways of considering directional relationships between additive and dominance effects, which they estimated in a Bayesian framework. However, these relationships cannot be fitted at the level of individuals instead of loci in a mixed model and are not compatible with standard animal or plant breeding software. This comes from a fundamental ambiguity in assigning the reference allele at a given locus. We show that, if there has been selection, assigning the most frequent as the reference allele orients the correlation between functional additive and dominance effects. As a consequence, the most frequent reference allele is expected to have a positive value. We also demonstrate that selection creates negative covariance between genotypic additive and dominance genetic values. For parameter estimation, it is possible to use a combined additive and dominance relationship matrix computed from marker genotypes, and to use standard restricted maximum likelihood (REML) algorithms based on an equivalent model. Through a simulation study, we show that such correlations can easily be estimated by mixed model software and accuracy of prediction for genetic values is slightly improved if such correlations are used in GBLUP. However, a model assuming uncorrelated effects and fitting orthogonal breeding values and dominant deviations performed similarly for prediction. Copyright © 2018, Genetics.

Total mercury and methylmercury in fish fillets, water, and bed sediments from selected streams in the Delaware River basin, New Jersery, New York, and Pennsylvania, 1998-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brightbill, Robin A.; Riva-Murray, Karen; Bilger, Michael D.; Byrnes, John D.

2004-01-01

Within the Delaware River Basin, fish-tissue samples were analyzed for total mercury (tHg). Water and bed-sediment samples were analyzed for tHg and methylmercury (MeHg), and methylation efficiencies were calculated. This study was part of a National Mercury Pilot Program conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The Delaware River Basin was chosen because it is part of the USGS National Water-Quality Assessment Program that integrates physical, chemical, and biological sampling efforts to determine status and trends in surface-water and ground-water resources. Of the 35 sites in the study, 31 were sampled for fish. The species sampled at these sites include smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), the target species, and where smallmouth bass could not be collected, brown trout (Salmo trutta), chain pickerel (Esox niger), largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), and rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris). There were a total of 32 fish samples; 7 of these exceeded the 0.3 ?g/g (micrograms per gram) wet-weight mercury (Hg) concentration set for human health by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and 27 of these exceeded the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service criteria of 0.1 ?g/g wet weight for the protection of fish-eating birds and wildlife. Basinwide analysis of Hg in fish, water, and bed sediment showed tHg concentration in fillets correlated positively with population density, urban land cover, and impervious land surface. Negative correlations included wetland land cover, septic density, elevation, and latitude. Smallmouth bass from the urban sites had a higher median concentration of tHg than fish from agricultural, low intensity-agricultural, or forested sites. Concentrations of tHg and MeHg in water were higher in samples from the more urbanized areas of the basin and were positively correlated with urbanization and negatively correlated with forested land cover. Methylation efficiency of water was negatively correlated with urbanization. Bed-sediment patterns were similar to those observed in water. Concentrations of tHg were higher in samples from the urbanized areas. In the more forested areas, MeHg concentrations were higher than in other land-use areas. Concentrations of tHg in bed sediment were positively correlated with urbanization factors (population, urban land cover, and impervious land surface) and negatively correlated with forested land cover and elevation. Forested land cover and latitude were positively correlated with concentrations of MeHg. The methylation efficiency was higher in samples from the forested areas and was negatively correlated with urbanization. Analyses within land-use groups showed that tHg concentrations in fish fillets from the urban sites were positively correlated with forested land cover and wetland cover. Urbanization factors within the agricultural group were positively correlated with tHg in fish; concentrations of tHg in fish from sites in the low intensity-agricultural group were negatively correlated with urbanization factors. Within the agricultural land-use group, tHg concentrations in water were negatively correlated with septic density, and MeHg concentrations were negatively correlated with elevation. In the forested and low intensity-agricultural groups, MeHg in water was negatively correlated with forested and agricultural land cover. Methylation efficiency in water also was negatively correlated with forested land cover but positively correlated with agricultural land cover. Bed sediment concentrations of tHg in the forested and low-agricultural groups were positively correlated with agricultural land cover and negatively correlated with forested land cover. Concentrations of MeHg in bed sediment were positively correlated with septic density and drainage area and negatively correlated with forested land cover. Methylation efficiency was negatively correlated with population density, a

Statistical correlation of low-altitude ENA emissions with geomagnetic activity from IMAGE/MENA observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackler, D. A.; Jahn, J.-M.; Perez, J. D.; Pollock, C. J.; Valek, P. W.

2016-03-01

Plasma sheet particles transported Earthward during times of active magnetospheric convection can interact with exospheric/thermospheric neutrals through charge exchange. The resulting Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs) are free to leave the influence of the magnetosphere and can be remotely detected. ENAs associated with low-altitude (300-800 km) ion precipitation in the high-latitude atmosphere/ionosphere are termed low-altitude emissions (LAEs). Remotely observed LAEs are highly nonisotropic in velocity space such that the pitch angle distribution at the time of charge exchange is near 90°. The Geomagnetic Emission Cone of LAEs can be mapped spatially, showing where proton energy is deposited during times of varying geomagnetic activity. In this study we present a statistical look at the correlation between LAE flux (intensity and location) and geomagnetic activity. The LAE data are from the MENA imager on the IMAGE satellite over the declining phase of solar cycle 23 (2000-2005). The SYM-H, AE, and Kp indices are used to describe geomagnetic activity. The goal of the study is to evaluate properties of LAEs in ENA images and determine if those images can be used to infer properties of ion precipitation. Results indicate a general positive correlation to LAE flux for all three indices, with the SYM-H showing the greatest sensitivity. The magnetic local time distribution of LAEs is centered about midnight and spreads with increasing activity. The invariant latitude for all indices has a slightly negative correlation. The combined results indicate LAE behavior similar to that of ion precipitation.

Statistical Correlation of Low-Altitude ENA Emissions with Geomagnetic Activity from IMAGE MENA Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackler, D. A.; Jahn, J.- M.; Perez, J. D.; Pollock, C. J.; Valek, P. W.

2016-01-01

Plasma sheet particles transported Earthward during times of active magnetospheric convection can interact with exospheric/thermospheric neutrals through charge exchange. The resulting Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs) are free to leave the influence of the magnetosphere and can be remotely detected. ENAs associated with low-altitude (300-800 km) ion precipitation in the high-latitude atmosphere/ionosphere are termed low-altitude emissions (LAEs). Remotely observed LAEs are highly nonisotropic in velocity space such that the pitch angle distribution at the time of charge exchange is near 90deg. The Geomagnetic Emission Cone of LAEs can be mapped spatially, showing where proton energy is deposited during times of varying geomagnetic activity. In this study we present a statistical look at the correlation between LAE flux (intensity and location) and geomagnetic activity. The LAE data are from the MENA imager on the IMAGE satellite over the declining phase of solar cycle 23 (2000-2005). The SYM-H, AE, and Kp indices are used to describe geomagnetic activity. The goal of the study is to evaluate properties of LAEs in ENA images and determine if those images can be used to infer properties of ion precipitation. Results indicate a general positive correlation to LAE flux for all three indices, with the SYM-H showing the greatest sensitivity. The magnetic local time distribution of LAEs is centered about midnight and spreads with increasing activity. The invariant latitude for all indices has a slightly negative correlation. The combined results indicate LAE behavior similar to that of ion precipitation.

The impact of global signal regression on resting state correlations: Are anti-correlated networks introduced?

PubMed Central

Murphy, Kevin; Birn, Rasmus M.; Handwerker, Daniel A.; Jones, Tyler B.; Bandettini, Peter A.

2009-01-01

Low-frequency fluctuations in fMRI signal have been used to map several consistent resting state networks in the brain. Using the posterior cingulate cortex as a seed region, functional connectivity analyses have found not only positive correlations in the default mode network but negative correlations in another resting state network related to attentional processes. The interpretation is that the human brain is intrinsically organized into dynamic, anti-correlated functional networks. Global variations of the BOLD signal are often considered nuisance effects and are commonly removed using a general linear model (GLM) technique. This global signal regression method has been shown to introduce negative activation measures in standard fMRI analyses. The topic of this paper is whether such a correction technique could be the cause of anti-correlated resting state networks in functional connectivity analyses. Here we show that, after global signal regression, correlation values to a seed voxel must sum to a negative value. Simulations also show that small phase differences between regions can lead to spurious negative correlation values. A combination breath holding and visual task demonstrates that the relative phase of global and local signals can affect connectivity measures and that, experimentally, global signal regression leads to bell-shaped correlation value distributions, centred on zero. Finally, analyses of negatively correlated networks in resting state data show that global signal regression is most likely the cause of anti-correlations. These results call into question the interpretation of negatively correlated regions in the brain when using global signal regression as an initial processing step. PMID:18976716

The impact of global signal regression on resting state correlations: are anti-correlated networks introduced?

PubMed

Murphy, Kevin; Birn, Rasmus M; Handwerker, Daniel A; Jones, Tyler B; Bandettini, Peter A

2009-02-01

Low-frequency fluctuations in fMRI signal have been used to map several consistent resting state networks in the brain. Using the posterior cingulate cortex as a seed region, functional connectivity analyses have found not only positive correlations in the default mode network but negative correlations in another resting state network related to attentional processes. The interpretation is that the human brain is intrinsically organized into dynamic, anti-correlated functional networks. Global variations of the BOLD signal are often considered nuisance effects and are commonly removed using a general linear model (GLM) technique. This global signal regression method has been shown to introduce negative activation measures in standard fMRI analyses. The topic of this paper is whether such a correction technique could be the cause of anti-correlated resting state networks in functional connectivity analyses. Here we show that, after global signal regression, correlation values to a seed voxel must sum to a negative value. Simulations also show that small phase differences between regions can lead to spurious negative correlation values. A combination breath holding and visual task demonstrates that the relative phase of global and local signals can affect connectivity measures and that, experimentally, global signal regression leads to bell-shaped correlation value distributions, centred on zero. Finally, analyses of negatively correlated networks in resting state data show that global signal regression is most likely the cause of anti-correlations. These results call into question the interpretation of negatively correlated regions in the brain when using global signal regression as an initial processing step.

Neural correlates of processing negative and sexually arousing pictures.

PubMed

Bailey, Kira; West, Robert; Mullaney, Kellie M

2012-01-01

Recent work has questioned whether the negativity bias is a distinct component of affective picture processing. The current study was designed to determine whether there are different neural correlates of processing positive and negative pictures using event-related brain potentials. The early posterior negativity and late positive potential were greatest in amplitude for erotic pictures. Partial Least Squares analysis revealed one latent variable that distinguished erotic pictures from neutral and positive pictures and another that differentiated negative pictures from neutral and positive pictures. The effects of orienting task on the neural correlates of processing negative and erotic pictures indicate that affective picture processing is sensitive to both stimulus-driven, and attentional or decision processes. The current data, together with other recent findings from our laboratory, lead to the suggestion that there are distinct neural correlates of processing negative and positive stimuli during affective picture processing.

Neural Correlates of Processing Negative and Sexually Arousing Pictures

PubMed Central

Bailey, Kira; West, Robert; Mullaney, Kellie M.

2012-01-01

Recent work has questioned whether the negativity bias is a distinct component of affective picture processing. The current study was designed to determine whether there are different neural correlates of processing positive and negative pictures using event-related brain potentials. The early posterior negativity and late positive potential were greatest in amplitude for erotic pictures. Partial Least Squares analysis revealed one latent variable that distinguished erotic pictures from neutral and positive pictures and another that differentiated negative pictures from neutral and positive pictures. The effects of orienting task on the neural correlates of processing negative and erotic pictures indicate that affective picture processing is sensitive to both stimulus-driven, and attentional or decision processes. The current data, together with other recent findings from our laboratory, lead to the suggestion that there are distinct neural correlates of processing negative and positive stimuli during affective picture processing. PMID:23029071

Oxygenation of the shallow ocean after the Great Oxidation Event: Geochemistry and Carbon isotopes of the Paleoproterozoic Hutuo Group in North China Craton

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

She, Z.; Yang, F.; Papineau, D.

2013-12-01

The Paleoproterozoic was known as a period of profound perturbations in marine environments and biogeochemical cycles due to the Great Oxidation Event (GOE), but the interconnections and consequences of these events remain poorly understood. We investigated the geochemistry and C isotopes of the 2.09-1.96 Ga Hutuo Group in the North China Craton (NCC) which provide evidence for the oxygenation of shallow oceans. The Hutuo Group is a >10-km-thick clastic and carbonate sequence with intercalated basalts and has undergone lower greenschist facies metamorphism. Diverse stromatolite morphotypes, ranging from small domical, conical, and columnar forms to bioherms with diameters up to 4 meters, as well as giant oncoids, are developed in the Hutuo carbonates. C isotopes of the Hutuo carbonates are characterized by a general decrease in δ13Ccarb values upsection. It consists of a lower part with δ13Ccarb ranging from 1.3 ‰ to 3.4 ‰, a middle part showing alternating positive and negative excursions of δ13Ccarb from -3.6 ‰ to 2.7 ‰, and a upper part of exclusively negative excursions with δ13Ccarb as light as -5.6 ‰. Most samples have δ18Ocarb greater than -10 ‰ and show no correlation between δ18Ocarb and δ13Ccarb. This, along with relatively low Mn/Sr ratios (mostly < 10), exclude significant diagenetic modification of the C isotopes. δ13Corg of acid-insoluble residues of stromatolitic carbonates range between -30.9 ‰ and -22.3 ‰, consistent with C-fixation with the cyanobacterial RuBisCO enzymes. Therefore, the positive excursions are probably related to burial of organic matter produced by primary producers, consistent with the ending of the 2.22-2.06 Ga Lomagundi-Jatuli event. Similar positive C isotope excursions have also been reported from contemporaneous successions elsewhere in the NCC, including the Songshan Group in Henan and Liaohe Group in Liaoning. The following negative excursions, which is consistent with the excursions reported from the 2.1-2.0 Ga Zaonega Fm in the Fennoscandian Shield, thus correspond to pulsed oxidation of biomass in an oxygenated shallow ocean. The geochemical signatures of the carbonates which show minimal contamination by terrigenous materials provides constrains on the chemistry of the Paleoproterozoic ocean. PAAS-normalized REE patterns are flat or slightly LREE-depleted with variable but slightly negative to positive shale-normalized Ce anomaly and evident Eu anomaly. The carbonates have low concentrations of U, Mo, Co and Ni, and show upsection decrease in Mo, Co and Ni abundances, consistent with increasing redox states. Metapelites from the Hutuo Group show slightly positive Eu anomaly and low Mo concentrations and U/Th ratios (0.33 - 0.10), consistent with deposition in an oxygenated environment. Collectively, the data document the fluctuations of ocean redox states and final oxygenation of the Hutuo Basin in the aftermath of the GOE. Blooms of stromatolite-building cyanobacteria caused by high nutrient availability following the GOE might have played key roles in the final oxygenation of the atmosphere and shallow oceans.

Association between fluid intake and mortality in critically ill patients with negative fluid balance: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Shen, Yanfei; Huang, Xinmei; Zhang, Weimin

2017-05-12

Compared to positive fluid balance (FB), negative FB is associated with improved clinical outcomes in critically ill patients. However, as to whether achieving more negative FB can further improve outcomes has not been investigated. This study aimed to investigate whether more negative FB and restricted fluid intake were associated with improved outcomes in critically ill patients. Data were extracted from the Multi-parameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care III Database. Patients achieving negative FB at 48 hours after intensive care unit (ICU) admission were screened. The primary outcome was hospital mortality. Logistic models were built to explore the association between FB, fluid intake and mortality, using FB and fluid intake (both four levels) as design variables and using the linear spline function method. There were 2068 patients meeting the inclusion criteria. Compared to slight negative FB (level 1), there was a decreased tendency towards mortality with FB level 2 (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.69-1.11) and level 3 (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0. 65-1.11); however, only extreme negative FB (level 4) was significant (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0. 33-0.95). Fluid intake and urine output were evenly distributed over the first 48 hours after ICU admission. Fluid intake was inversely associated with hospital mortality, with the OR decreased stepwise from level 2 (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.56-0.96) to level 4 (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.30-0.74), referred to level 1. Urine output also showed a similar pattern. Diuretic use was associated with higher mortality in both models. In critically ill patients with negative FB, both increased fluid intake and urine output were associated with decreased hospital mortality. However, compared to slight FB, achieving more negative FB was not associated with reduced mortality.

Long-term visibility variation in Athens (1931-2013): a proxy for local and regional atmospheric aerosol loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Founda, Dimitra; Kazadzis, Stelios; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; Gerasopoulos, Evangelos; Lianou, Maria; Raptis, Panagiotis I.

2016-09-01

This study explores the interdecadal variability and trends of surface horizontal visibility at the urban area of Athens from 1931 to 2013, using the historical archives of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA). A prominent deterioration of visibility in the city was detected, with the long-term linear trend amounting to -2.8 km decade-1 (p < 0.001), over the entire study period. This was not accompanied by any significant trend in relative humidity or precipitation over the same period. A slight recovery of visibility levels seems to be established in the recent decade (2004-2013). It was found that very good visibility (> 20 km) occurred at a frequency of 34 % before the 1950s, while this percentage drops to just 2 % during the decade 2004-2013. The rapid impairment of the visual air quality in Athens around the 1950s points to the increased levels of air pollution on a local and/or regional scale, related to high urbanization rates and/or increased anthropogenic emissions on a global scale at that period. Visibility was found to be negatively/positively correlated with relative humidity/wind speed, the correlation being statistically valid at certain periods. Wind regime and mainly wind direction and corresponding air mass origin were found to highly control visibility levels in Athens. The comparison of visibility variation in Athens and at a non-urban reference site on Crete island revealed similar negative trends over the common period of observations. This suggests that apart local sources, visibility in Athens is highly determined by aerosol load of regional origin. AVHRR and MODIS satellite-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals over Athens and surface measurements of PM10 confirmed the relation of visibility to aerosol load.

Biochemistry and metabolism of lake trout: laboratory and field studies on the effects of contaminants

USGS Publications Warehouse

Passino, Dora R. May

1981-01-01

To evaluate the effects of ambient and higher concentrations of PCB's (Aroclor 1254) and DDE in food and water on fry of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) from Lake Michigan, I measured several biochemical indicators of stress in exposed and unexposed (control) fry. No differences between treatments were observed in oxygen consumption rates or lactate concentrations of unexercised fry, but apparent differences in specific swimming speed and lactate response in fry that swam to exhaustion suggested that exposed fry had lower stamina. Observed differences between biochemical profiles of 1-day-old sac fry reared from eggs originating from lake trout collected off Saugatuck and those originating from eggs of brood stock at the Marquette (Michigan) hatchery may have been caused by organochlorine contamination or by genetic and dietary differences between the parental stocks. Activity of the enzyme allantoinase was measured in juvenile and adult lake trout as an indicator of sublethal effects of Great Lakes contaminants. The 50% inhibition of allantoinase in vitro occurred at 6.0 mg/L Cu++, 6.7 mg/L Cd++, 34 mg/L Hg++, and 52 mg/L Pb++. Allantoinase was not affected by in vitro exposure to PCB's up to 7 μg/g, or DDE or DDT up to 10 μg/g; however, in vivo exposure resulting in 2.6 μg/g PCB's in the whole fish activated allantoinase slightly (10% significance level). Allantoinase activity was negatively correlated with total length for fish from Lake Michigan but not for fish from Lake Superior or from laboratory stocks. Mercury, PCB's, and DDT, possibly acting in combination with each other and with additional contaminants, may be the cause of the negative correlation of allantoinase activity with size in Lake Michigan lake trout.

Reproduction and vegetative growth in the dioecious shrub Acer barbinerve in temperate forests of Northeast China.

PubMed

Wang, Juan; Zhang, Chunyu; Gadow, Klaus V; Cheng, Yanxia; Zhao, Xiuhai

2015-06-01

Trade-off in dioecious plant. The trade-off between reproduction, vegetative growth and maintenance is a major issue in the life history of an organism and a record of the process which is producing the largest possible number of living offspring by natural selection. Dioecious species afford an excellent opportunity for detecting such possible trade-offs in resource allocation. In this study, we selected the dioecious shrub Acer barbinerve to examine possible trade-offs between reproduction and vegetative growth in both genders at different modular levels during three successive years. Reproductive and vegetative biomass values were assessed during successive years to evaluate their intra-annual and inter-annual trade-offs. These trade-offs were examined at shoot, branch and shrub modular levels in Acer barbinerve shrubs. An intra-annual trade-off was detected at the shoot level for both genders in 2011 and 2012. Both males and females showed a negative correlation between reproduction and vegetative growth, but this was more prominent in males. For the females of the species, inter-annual trade-offs were only found at branch and shrub levels. Slightly negative correlations in females were detected between the reproduction in 2012 and the reproduction in the two previous years. The gender ratio was significantly male biased during the three successive years of our investigation. Females had higher mortality rates in the larger diameter classes, both in 2011 and 2012. This study revealed a clear trade-off between reproduction and vegetative growth in Acer barbinerve, but results varied between males and females. The degree of autonomy of the different modular levels may affect the ability to detect such trade-offs.

Copper oxide nanoparticles and arsenic interact to alter seedling growth of rice (Oryza sativa japonica).

PubMed

Liu, Jing; Dhungana, Birendra; Cobb, George P

2018-05-04

Arsenic (As) causes phytotoxicity to rice plants, decreases rice production and causes serious human health concerns due to rice consumption. Additional stresses may be posed to rice plants due to the increasing release into the environment by the expanding production and application of copper oxide nanoparticles (nCuO). The influence of nCuO on As uptake in and effects on rice (Oryza sativa japonica) are explored here for the first time. An 18-d factorial experiment was conducted to determine main effects of nCuO (0, 0.1, 1.0, 10, 50, and 100 mg/L) and As (0 and 10 mg/kg), and the interaction between nCuO and As on rice seed germination and seedling growth. Arsenic alone decreased the germination percentage. Both As and nCuO reduced seedling shoot and root length, and exhibited interactive effects. nCuO and As also produced an interaction effect on the number of root branches (NRB) of rice seedlings. Notably, high nCuO concentrations (50 and 100 mg/L) mitigated the negative effect of As on the NRB. Copper uptake in shoots and roots was linearly correlated with Cu concentration in the sand without As addition (R 2  > 0.756). Whereas, As addition to the sand produced non-monotonic changes in Cu concentrations in shoots and roots versus Cu concentration in the sand (R 2  > 0.890). Arsenic concentration in shoots had a slightly negative linear correlation with Cu concentration in the sand (R 2  = 0.275). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Curcumin improves the therapeutic efficacy of Listeria(at)-Mage-b vaccine in correlation with improved T-cell responses in blood of a triple-negative breast cancer model 4T1.

PubMed

Singh, Manisha; Ramos, Ilyssa; Asafu-Adjei, Denise; Quispe-Tintaya, Wilber; Chandra, Dinesh; Jahangir, Arthee; Zang, Xingxing; Aggarwal, Bharat B; Gravekamp, Claudia

2013-08-01

Success of cancer vaccination is strongly hampered by immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Interleukin (IL)-6 is particularly and highly produced by triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, and has been considered as an important contributor to immune suppression in the TME. Therefore, we hypothesized that IL-6 reduction may improve efficacy of vaccination against TNBC cancer through improved T-cell responses. To prove this hypothesis, we investigated the effect of curcumin, an inhibitor of IL-6 production, on vaccination of a highly attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria(at)), encoding tumor-associated antigens (TAA) Mage-b in a TNBC model 4T1. Two therapeutic vaccination strategies with Listeria(at)-Mage-b and curcumin were tested. The first immunization strategy involved all Listeria(at)-Mage-b vaccinations and curcumin after tumor development. As curcumin has been consumed all over the world, the second immunization strategy involved curcumin before and all therapeutic vaccinations with Listeria(at)-Mage-b after tumor development. Here, we demonstrate that curcumin significantly improves therapeutic efficacy of Listeria(at)-Mage-b with both immunization strategies particularly against metastases in a TNBC model (4T1). The combination therapy was slightly but significantly more effective against the metastases when curcumin was administered before compared to after tumor development. With curcumin before tumor development in the combination therapy, the production of IL-6 was significantly decreased and IL-12 increased by myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), in correlation with improved CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses in blood. Our study suggests that curcumin improves the efficacy of Listeria(at)-Mage-b vaccine against metastases in TNBC model 4T1 through reversal of tumor-induced immune suppression.

Validation of the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ) Among Mainland Chinese Students in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Pan, Jia-Yan; Ye, Shengquan; Ng, Petrus

2016-01-01

The present study validated the combined version of the 8-item Automatic Thought Questionnaire (ATQ) and 10 positive items from the ATQ-revised among Chinese university students. A total of 412 Mainland Chinese university students were recruited in Hong Kong by an online survey. A 14-item Chinese ATQ was derived via item analysis. Satisfactory internal consistency reliability and good split-half reliability were obtained. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed a 3-correlated-factor solution for the Chinese ATQ: negative thought, positive thought (emotional), and positive thought (cognitive). The negative ATQ subscale score was positively correlated with negative affect, and negatively correlated with positive affect and life satisfaction. The two positive ATQ subscale scores were negatively correlated with negative affect, and positively correlated with positive affect and life satisfaction. The 14-item ATQ is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring automatic thoughts in the Chinese context of Hong Kong. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Effect of Vegetation on Soil Water Infiltration and Retention Capacity by Improving Soil Physiochemical Property in Semi-arid Grassland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A, Y.; Wang, G.

2017-12-01

Water shortage is the main limiting factor for semi-arid grassland development. However, the grassland are gradually degraded represented by species conversion, biomass decrease and ecosystem structure simplification under the influence of human activity. Soil water characteristics such as moisture, infiltration and conductivity are critical variables affecting the interactions between soil parameters and vegetation. In this study, Cover, Height, Shannon-Wiener diversity index, Pielou evenness index and Richness index are served as indexes of vegetation productivity and community structure. And saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and soil moisture content are served as indexes of soil water characters. The interaction between vegetation and soil water is investigated through other soil parameters, such as soil organic matter content at different vertical depths and in different degradation area (e.g., initial, transition and degraded plots). The results show that Ks significantly controlled by soil texture other than soil organic matter content. So the influence of vegetation on Ks through increasing soil organic content (SOM) might be slight. However, soil moisture content (SMC) appeared significantly positive relationship with SOM and silt content and negative relationship with sand content at all depth, significantly. This indicated that capacity of soil water storage was influenced both by soil texture and organic matter. In addition, the highest correlation coefficient of SMC was with SOM at the sub-surficial soil layer (20 40 cm). At the depth of 20 40 cm, the soil water content was relatively steady which slightly influenced by precipitation and evaporation. But it significantly influenced by soil organic matter content which related to vegetation. The correlation coefficient between SOM and SMC at topsoil layer (0 20 cm) was lowest (R2=0.36, p<0.01), which indicated the influence of vegetation on soil water content not only by soil organic matter content but also the other influential factors, such as the root water uptake, precipitation and evaporation.

Gene interference regulates aquaporin-4 expression in swollen tissue of rats with cerebral ischemic edema

PubMed Central

Hu, Hui; Lu, Hong; He, Zhanping; Han, Xiangjun; Chen, Jing; Tu, Rong

2012-01-01

To investigate the effects of mRNA interference on aquaporin-4 expression in swollen tissue of rats with ischemic cerebral edema, and diagnose the significance of diffusion-weighted MRI, we injected 5 μL shRNA- aquaporin-4 (control group) or siRNA- aquaporin-4 solution (1:800) (RNA interference group) into the rat right basal ganglia immediately before occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. At 0.25 hours after occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, diffusion-weighted MRI displayed a high signal; within 2 hours, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient decreased markedly, aquaporin-4 expression increased rapidly, and intracellular edema was obviously aggravated; at 4 and 6 hours, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient slowly returned to control levels, aquaporin-4 expression slightly increased, and angioedema was observed. In the RNA interference group, during 0.25–6 hours after injection of siRNA- aquaporin-4 solution, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient slightly fluctuated and aquaporin-4 expression was upregulated; during 0.5–4 hours, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient was significantly higher, while aquaporin-4 expression was significantly lower when compared with the control group, and intracellular edema was markedly reduced; at 0.25 and 6 hours, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient and aquaporin-4 expression were similar when compared with the control group; obvious angioedema remained at 6 hours. Pearson's correlation test results showed that aquaporin-4 expression was negatively correlated with the apparent diffusion coefficient (r = −0.806, P < 0.01). These findings suggest that upregulated aquaporin-4 expression is likely to be the main molecular mechanism of intracellular edema and may be the molecular basis for decreased relative apparent diffusion coefficient. Aquaporin-4 gene interference can effectively inhibit the upregulation of aquaporin-4 expression during the stage of intracellular edema with time-effectiveness. Moreover, diffusion-weighted MRI can accurately detect intracellular edema. PMID:25657707

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy and Ultrastructural Study of VGLUT2 Thalamic Input to Striatal Projection Neurons in Rats

PubMed Central

Lei, Wanlong; Deng, Yunping; Liu, Bingbing; Mu, Shuhua; Guley, Natalie M.; Wong, Ting; Reiner, Anton

2014-01-01

We examined thalamic input to striatum in rats using immunolabeling for the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT2). Double immunofluorescence viewed with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that VGLUT2+ terminals are distinct from VGLUT1+ terminals. CLSM of Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHAL)-labeled cortical or thalamic terminals revealed that VGLUT2 is rare in corticostriatal terminals but nearly always present in thalamostriatal terminals. Electron microscopy revealed that VGLUT2+ terminals made up 39.4% of excitatory terminals in striatum (with VGLUT1+ corticostriatal terminals constituting the rest), and 66.8% of VGLUT2+ terminals synapsed on spines and the remainder on dendrites. VGLUT2+ axo-spinous terminals had a mean diameter of 0.624 lm, while VGLUT2+ axodendritic terminals a mean diameter of 0.698 µm. In tissue in which we simultaneously immunolabeled thalamostriatal terminals for VGLUT2 and striatal neurons for D1 (with about half of spines immunolabeled for D1), 54.6% of VGLUT2+ terminals targeted D1+ spines (i.e., direct pathway striatal neurons), and 37.3% of D1+ spines received VGLUT2+ synaptic contacts. By contrast, 45.4% of VGLUT2+ terminals targeted D1-negative spines (i.e., indirect pathway striatal neurons), and only 25.8% of D1-negative spines received VGLUT2+ synaptic contacts. Similarly, among VGLUT2+ axodendritic synaptic terminals, 59.1% contacted D1+ dendrites, and 40.9% contacted D1-negative dendrites. VGLUT2+ terminals on D1+ spines and dendrites tended to be slightly smaller than those on D1-negative spines and dendrites. Thus, thala-mostriatal terminals contact both direct and indirect pathway striatal neurons, with a slight preference for direct. These results are consistent with physiological studies indicating slightly different effects of thalamic input on the two types of striatal projection neurons. PMID:23047588

Confocal laser scanning microscopy and ultrastructural study of VGLUT2 thalamic input to striatal projection neurons in rats.

PubMed

Lei, Wanlong; Deng, Yunping; Liu, Bingbing; Mu, Shuhua; Guley, Natalie M; Wong, Ting; Reiner, Anton

2013-04-15

We examined thalamic input to striatum in rats using immunolabeling for the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT2). Double immunofluorescence viewed with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed that VGLUT2+ terminals are distinct from VGLUT1+ terminals. CLSM of Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHAL)-labeled cortical or thalamic terminals revealed that VGLUT2 is rare in corticostriatal terminals but nearly always present in thalamostriatal terminals. Electron microscopy revealed that VGLUT2+ terminals made up 39.4% of excitatory terminals in striatum (with VGLUT1+ corticostriatal terminals constituting the rest), and 66.8% of VGLUT2+ terminals synapsed on spines and the remainder on dendrites. VGLUT2+ axospinous terminals had a mean diameter of 0.624 μm, while VGLUT2+ axodendritic terminals a mean diameter of 0.698 μm. In tissue in which we simultaneously immunolabeled thalamostriatal terminals for VGLUT2 and striatal neurons for D1 (with about half of spines immunolabeled for D1), 54.6% of VGLUT2+ terminals targeted D1+ spines (i.e., direct pathway striatal neurons), and 37.3% of D1+ spines received VGLUT2+ synaptic contacts. By contrast, 45.4% of VGLUT2+ terminals targeted D1-negative spines (i.e., indirect pathway striatal neurons), and only 25.8% of D1-negative spines received VGLUT2+ synaptic contacts. Similarly, among VGLUT2+ axodendritic synaptic terminals, 59.1% contacted D1+ dendrites, and 40.9% contacted D1-negative dendrites. VGLUT2+ terminals on D1+ spines and dendrites tended to be slightly smaller than those on D1-negative spines and dendrites. Thus, thalamostriatal terminals contact both direct and indirect pathway striatal neurons, with a slight preference for direct. These results are consistent with physiological studies indicating slightly different effects of thalamic input on the two types of striatal projection neurons. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Real-valued composite filters for correlation-based optical pattern recognition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rajan, P. K.; Balendra, Anushia

1992-01-01

Advances in the technology of optical devices such as spatial light modulators (SLMs) have influenced the research and growth of optical pattern recognition. In the research leading to this report, the design of real-valued composite filters that can be implemented using currently available SLMs for optical pattern recognition and classification was investigated. The design of real-valued minimum average correlation energy (RMACE) filter was investigated. Proper selection of the phase of the output response was shown to reduce the correlation energy. The performance of the filter was evaluated using computer simulations and compared with the complex filters. It was found that the performance degraded only slightly. Continuing the above investigation, the design of a real filter that minimizes the output correlation energy and the output variance due to noise was developed. Simulation studies showed that this filter had better tolerance to distortion and noise compared to that of the RMACE filter. Finally, the space domain design of RMACE filter was developed and implemented on the computer. It was found that the sharpness of the correlation peak was slightly reduced but the filter design was more computationally efficient than the complex filter.

Chemical composition and structural characteristics of Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius) m. longissimus thoracis.

PubMed

Al-Owaimer, A N; Suliman, G M; Sami, A S; Picard, B; Hocquette, J F

2014-03-01

Saudi Arabian camels of four breeds (6 animals per breed) were used to evaluate characteristics and quality of their meat. Chemical composition, fibre cross sectional area, collagen content, muscle metabolism, cooking loss, pH at 24 h post mortem, colour values (except redness) and shear force of Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle did not differ between the breeds. Elevated pH values and short sarcomeres reduced overall tenderisation, with a difference between myofibril fragmentation index (P<0.001) and sarcomere length (P<0.05) between breeds. A positive correlation was observed between the activities of the mitochondrial enzymes (r>0.49), between the glycolytic activities (PFK and LDH) (r=0.61) and between Myosin Heavy Chain IIa and LDH activity. The intramuscular fat content was positively associated with redness and muscle oxidative metabolism, whereas shear force had a slight positive association with collagen content and muscle glycolytic metabolism and a negative association with muscle oxidative metabolism and muscle fibre area. © 2013.

Impregnation with antimicrobials has an impact on degree of conversion and colour stability of acrylic liner.

PubMed

Salim, Nesreen; Satterthwaite, Julian; Rautemaa, Riina; Silikas, Nick

2012-01-01

This study investigated the impact of impregnation of a poly(ethyl methacrylate) /tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate (PEM/THFM) polymer with chlorhexidine or fluconazole on the degree of conversion (DC) and colour stability (ΔE). The DC of uncured (0 h) and cured (24 h) samples was analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and colour stability was analysed colorimetrically. The DC percentage of the control samples was significantly greater than those containing chlorhexidine and fluconazole (p≤0.05). The control discs exhibited only slight colour change compared to the impregnated discs which showed marked colour change (p≤0.05). A strong negative correlation between the extent of colour change and the degree of conversion was detected (r=0.97). The DC and colour stability were influenced by the addition of chlorhexidine or fluconazole. However, the final values were comparable to other commonly used acrylic liners and within acceptable ranges. PEM/THFM can be considered as a biocompatible drug delivery system.

Neurological, psychological and educational sequelae of low birth weight.

PubMed

Dunn, H G; Crichton, J U; Grunau, R V; McBurney, A K; McCormick, A Q; Robertson, A M; Schulzer, M

1980-01-01

In a prospective study of 501 infants of low birth weight (LBW) who mostly weighed 2,041 g (4 1/2 lb) or less, and of 203 control infants of full birth weight (FBW > 2,500 g), 335 LBW and 139 FBW children were followed beyond the age of 6 years and 6 months. The incidence of neurological defects was negatively correlated with birth weight, and the mean "global" IQ of different birth weight groups retained a direct relationship. While the relationship of birth weight to IQ gradually became less marked, the effect of social class was increasingly evident from the age of 2 years and 6 months. The preterm children whose birth weight was appropriate for gestational age (AGA) attained a slightly higher mean IQ and significantly better grade placement in the third school year than the children who were unduly light for their gestational age. Details of the neurological and ophthalmological defects are given, and the predictive significance of neonatal variables is analyzed.

The Exercise-Induced Irisin Is Associated with Improved Levels of Glucose Homeostasis Markers in Pregnant Women Participating in 8-Week Prenatal Group Fitness Program: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Worska, Aneta; Piernicka, Magdalena; Kortas, Jakub; Jastrzębski, Zbigniew; Radzimiński, Łukasz; Jaworska, Joanna; Micielska, Katarzyna

2017-01-01

Background Both exercise and pregnancy influence serum irisin concentration. Aim To determine how the interaction of pregnancy and exercise affects irisin level and whether various patterns of exercise adherence had different effect on irisin concentration. Methods It was a one-group pretest-posttest study among 9 Caucasian nulliparous healthy women in normal pregnancy (age 23 ± 3 years, 21 ± 2 weeks of gestation; mean ± SD) who participated in 8-week group fitness program. Before and after exercise intervention, we determined serum concentrations of irisin and selected parameters of lipid profile and glucose homeostasis markers. Results In active women, irisin slightly decreased with the development of pregnancy. After 8 weeks of exercising, irisin correlated negatively with fasting glucose (R = −0.922; p = 0.001), glycated hemoglobin (R = −0.784; p = 0.012), and insulin concentrations (R = −0.845; p = 0.004). In women exercising below recommended level, we observed a significant drop in irisin concentration, whereas in women exercising at least three times a week this myokine slightly increased (31% difference; 90% confidence limits ±28; a large, clear effect). Conclusions Irisin stimulated by prenatal exercise may improve glucose homeostasis markers in healthy women and compensate for metabolic changes induced by pregnancy. Moreover, the frequency of exercise may regulate the changes in exercise-induced irisin concentration. PMID:29226153

Osteopontin--a fibrosis-related marker--in dilated cardiomyopathy in patients with Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Niebroj-Dobosz, Irena; Madej-Pilarczyk, Agnieszka; Marchel, Michał; Sokołowska, Beata; Hausmanowa-Petrusewicz, Irena

2011-12-01

As osteopontin (OPN) may be assumed to have diagnostic/prognostic value in heart diseases, it is worth assessing whether it is also involved in the pathogenesis and can be applied in the diagnosis of the dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD). Serum levels of osteopontin were quantified by means of sandwich immunoassay in 25 EDMD patients (10 laminopathies AD-EDMD and 15 emerinopathies--X-EDMD), eight carriers of X-EDMD, nine disease controls (patients with dystrophinopathy) and 20 age-matched healthy controls. The levels of circulating OPN were elevated in all AD-EDMD and X-linked EDMD patients, as well as in X-EDMD carriers and patients suffering progressive muscular dystrophy. There was no correlation between the osteopontin level and different cardiac parameters, including left-ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left atrial diameter, the left ventricular ejection fraction and the CK-MB level. There was a slight negative correlation with the ages of the patients. The presented results indicate that assessments of circulating OPN levels may help to identify EDMD patients at risk of dilated cardiomyopathy and might be therefore included among the set of biomarkers referred to with a view to appropriate early cardiologic diagnosis and therapy being commenced with in time.

Neural activation during response inhibition is associated with adolescents’ frequency of risky sex and substance use

PubMed Central

Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W.; Houck, Jon M.; Bryan, Angela D.

2015-01-01

While many have identified the important role of the developing brain in youth risk behavior, few have examined the relationship between salient cognitive factors (response inhibition) and different types of real-world adolescent health risk behaviors (substance use and risky sex) within the same sample of youth. We therefore sought to examine these relationships with 95 high-risk youth (ages 14-18; M age = 16.29 years). We examined the relationship between blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response to an fMRI-based cognitive task designed to assess response inhibition (Go/NoGo) and past month risk behavior (number of substance use days; number of unprotected sex days). For this sample of youth, we found significant negative correlations between past month substance use and response inhibition within the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and right insula (uncorrected p < .001; extent threshold ≥ 10 voxels). In addition, in the same contrast, we found significant positive correlations between past month risky sex and activation within the right IFG and left middle occipital gyrus (uncorrected p < .001; extent threshold ≥ 10 voxels). These results suggest the particular relevance of these regions in this compelling, albeit slightly different pattern of response for adolescent substance use and risky sex. PMID:25532443

Neural activation during response inhibition is associated with adolescents' frequency of risky sex and substance use.

PubMed

Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W; Houck, Jon M; Bryan, Angela D

2015-05-01

While many have identified the important role of the developing brain in youth risk behavior, few have examined the relationship between salient cognitive factors (response inhibition) and different types of real-world adolescent health risk behaviors such as substance use and risky sex, within the same sample of youth. We therefore sought to examine these relationships with 95 high-risk youth (ages 14-18; M age = 16.29 years). We examined blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response to an fMRI-based cognitive task designed to assess response inhibition (Go/NoGo) and past month risk behavior (number of substance use days; number of unprotected sex days). For this sample of youth, we found significant negative correlations between past month substance use and response inhibition within the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and right insula (uncorrected p < .001; extent threshold ≥ 10 voxels). In addition, in the same contrast, we found significant positive correlations between past month risky sex and activation within the right IFG and left middle occipital gyrus (uncorrected p < .001; extent threshold ≥ 10 voxels). These results suggest the particular relevance of these regions in this compelling, albeit slightly different, pattern of response for adolescent risky behaviors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Are doctors risk takers?

PubMed

Pikkel, Dvora; Pikkel Igal, Yael Sara; Sharabi-Nov, Adi; Pikkel, Joseph

2016-01-01

Risk taking affects human behavior in general and decisions in medicine in particular. We used game theory to assess physicians' risk-taking tendencies. Physicians were recruited to the study by advertisement. It was explained that they would receive a sum of money for correct prediction of the flipping of a coin. They could try to sell their opportunity to flip the coin for an amount of money they determined. The sum offered by the participants was considered an indicator of risk taking. A demographic questionnaire assessed age, sex, seniority, and area of specialization of the participants. A multivariate analysis assessed associations between risk-taking behavior and, seniority, and specialization. Sixty-two physicians participated, 36 males and 26 females, seniority 1-34 years. Of a possible range of 0-10, the mean score for risk taking was 5.5 - just slightly more than indifference. Negative correlations were found between risk taking and seniority, and between risk taking and age (β =-0.45, P<0.001 for both). Surgeons and anesthesiologists showed greater risk taking than did other physicians (β =0.69, P<0.05); and females less than males, though the latter correlation was not statistically significant. Understanding the tendency of physicians to risk taking may elucidate their decision-making processes and contribute to understanding of causes of adverse events and to the education of physicians.

Impact of Vitamin D Supplementation on Gross Motor Development of Healthy Term Infants: A Randomized Dose-Response Trial.

PubMed

Wicklow, Brandy; Gallo, Sina; Majnemer, Annette; Vanstone, Catherine; Comeau, Kathryn; Jones, Glenville; L'Abbe, Mary; Khamessan, Ali; Sharma, Atul; Weiler, Hope; Rodd, Celia

2016-08-01

In addition to benefits for bone health, vitamin D is implicated in muscle function in children and adults. To determine if vitamin D dosage positively correlated with gross motor development at 3 and 6 months of age. We hypothesized that higher doses would be associated with higher scores for gross motor skills. A consecutive sample of 55 healthy, term, and breastfed infants from Montreal, Canada were recruited from a randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation between 2009 and 2012. Infants were randomized to 400 International Units (IU) (n = 19), 800 IU (n = 18) or 1,200 IU (n = 18) vitamin D3/day. Motor performance at 3 and 6 months was quantified by the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). Plasma vitamin D3 metabolites were measured by tandem mass spectrometry. AIMS scores did not differ at 3 months. However, total AIMS scores and sitting subscores were significantly higher at 6 months in infants receiving 400 IU/day compared to 800 IU/day and 1,200 IU/day groups (p < .05). There were weak negative correlations with length and C-3 epimer of 25(OH)D. In contrast to our hypothesis, gross motor achievements were significantly higher in infants receiving 400 IU/day vitamin D. Our findings also support longer infants being slightly delayed.

Sampling alien species inside and outside protected areas: Does it matter?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moustakas, Aristides; Voutsela, Anneta; Katsanevakis, Stelios

2018-06-01

Data of alien species presences are generally more readily available in protected than non-protected areas due to higher sampling efforts inside protected areas. Are the results and conclusions based on analyses of data collected in protected areas representative of wider non-protected regions? We address this question by analysing some recently published data of alien plants in Greece. Mixed effects models were used with alien species presences in 8.25 x 8.25 km cells as dependent variable and the percentage of protected area, as well as the agricultural and artificial land cover types richness (as indicators of human presence) as independent variables. In addition, the spatial cross-correlation between the percentage of protected area and alien species richness was examined across scales. Results indicated that the percentage of protected area per cell is a poor predictor of alien species richness. Spatial analysis indicated that cells with higher percentage of protected areas have slightly less alien species than cells with lower percentage of protected areas. This result is likely to be driven by the overall negative correlation between habitat protection and anthropogenic activities. Thus, the conclusions deduced by data deriving from protected areas are likely to hold true for patterns of alien species in non-protected areas when the human pressures are accounted for.

[Influence of body mass index on self-esteem of children aged 12-14 years].

PubMed

Ortega Becerra, M A; Muros, J J; Palomares Cuadros, J; Martín Sánchez, J A; Cepero González, M

2015-11-01

During the last decades, the increase in the rate of children and adolescents that are overweight or obese is alarming and it is related with a lower social competency, and low self-esteem. A transversal study was conducted with a representative sample of 292 students enrolled in years 8 and 9 at secondary school (13.05±0.97 years) in the city of Jaen, Spain. Girls wanted a thinner figure than boys (P < .001). Regarding self-esteem we observed statistically lower values in the case of girls (P < .000) as compared to their male counterparts. Regarding the BMI, students with a healthy weight have a statistically higher self-esteem score than students that are overweight and these have a slightly higher score than those that are obese. Positive correlation exists between the perceived silhouette and the desired silhouette (r=.485) and a negative correlation between the BMI and self-esteem (r=-.248). It is necessary to plan actions aimed as reinforcing and increasing self-esteem, focusing on the group of girls and the group of young adults with overweight and obesity problems. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

When does the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) predict autism spectrum disorders in primary school-aged children?

PubMed

Mattila, Marja-Leena; Jussila, Katja; Kuusikko, Sanna; Kielinen, Marko; Linna, Sirkka-Liisa; Ebeling, Hanna; Bloigu, Risto; Joskitt, Leena; Pauls, David; Moilanen, Irma

2009-08-01

The aims of this study were, firstly, to study the association between parents' and teachers' ratings for the Finnish version of the Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ), secondly, to find out whether the original cut-off scores of the ASSQ identify primary school-aged children with Asperger syndrome (AS) or autism by using the Finnish ASSQ, and thirdly, to evaluate the validity of the ASSQ. Parents and/or teachers of higher-functioning (full-scale intelligence quotient > or = 50) 8-year-old total population school children (n = 4,408) and 7-12-year-old outpatients with AS/autism (n = 47) completed the Finnish version of the ASSQ. Agreement between informants was slight. In the whole total population, low positive correlation was found between parents' and teachers' ratings, while in the sample of high-scoring children the correlation turned out to be negative. A cut-off of 30 for parents' and teacher's summed score and 22 for teachers' single score is recommended. A valid cut-off for parents' single score could not been estimated. The clinicians are reminded that the ASSQ is a screening instrument, not a diagnosing instrument. The importance of using both parents' and teachers' ratings for screening in clinical settings is underlined.

[Effects of venom from Sclerodermus sichuanensis Xiao on pupa of Tenebrio molitor].

PubMed

Zhuo, Zhi-Hang; Yang, Wei; Qin, Huan; Yang, Chun-Ping; Yang, Hua; Xu, Dan-Ping

2013-11-01

To explore the regulatory mechanisms of parasitism of Sclerodermus sichuanensis on Tenebrio molitor, the methods of natural parasitism and venom injection were adopted to investigate the effects of the venom from S. sichuanensis on the pupa of T. molitor in the parasitic process. Under venom injection, the paralytic degree of the pupa had a positive correlation with the concentration of injected venom, and the number of recovered pupa had a negative correlation with the injected venom concentration. The T. molitor pupa was in slight and reversible paralysis when injected with 0.01 VRE (venom reservoir equivalent) of venom, and in non-reversible and complete paralysis when 0.2 VRE was injected. The pupa died massively and appeared a wide range of melanization when injected with soil bacterial suspension alone, but the melanization delayed and the mortality declined significantly when the mixed liquor of bacterium and venom was injected. The bacteriostasis of the venom on Staphylococcus aureus was significantly stronger than that on Escherichia coli. Within a definite range of temperature, the paralytic activity decreased significantly with increasing temperature, the bacteriostasis on S. aureus increased significantly, while that on E. coli was opposite. This study showed that the venom from S. sichuanensis had the effects of paralysis, bacteriostasis, inhibiting exuviations, and delaying melanization.

Parturient perineal distensibility tolerance assessed by EPI-NO: an observational study

PubMed Central

Nakamura, Mary Uchiyama; Sass, Nelson; Elito, Julio; Petricelli, Carla Dellabarba; Alexandre, Sandra Maria; Araujo, Edward; Zanetti, Miriam Raquel Diniz

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine how parturient women tolerate the use of a perineal distensibility assessment technique using the EPI-NO device. Methods: An observational study with a total of 227 full-term parturient women was performed. During the evaluation with EPI-NO, parturient patients were asked about their sensation of discomfort. The degree of discomfort was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale, with a score from zero to 10. The Mann-Whitney test was applied to assess perineal distensibility measured by EPI-NO and the degree of discomfort caused by the test according to parity. The relation between perineal distensibility and discomfort was analyzed by using the Spearman correlation test (r). Results: The test with EPI-NO caused only slight discomfort (mean Visual Analogue Scale of 3.8), and primiparous women reported significantly greater discomfort (mean Visual Analogue Scale of 4.5) than did multiparous (mean Visual Analogue Scale=3.1), with p<0.001 women. A negative correlation was observed, in other words, the greater the perineal distensibility on the EPI-NO, the lower the pain reported by the patients (r=-0.424; p<0.001). Conclusion: The assessment of perineal distensibility with EPI-NO was well tolerated by the parturient women. PMID:24728241

Adsorption behavior of methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate on an apatite surface at neutral pH.

PubMed

Bista, Baba; Nakashima, Syozi; Nikaido, Toru; Sadr, Alireza; Takagaki, Tomohiro; Romero, Maria J R H; Sato, Takaaki; Tagami, Junji

2016-04-01

This study aimed to quantify the adsorption affinity of neutralized 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (10-MDP-N) toward hydroxyapatite (HA) and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD) at pH 7.0 by employing the Langmuir isotherm model. Furthermore, the effects of inorganic phosphate (Pi) and fluoride (F(-) ) ions on the adsorption of 10-MDP-N onto HA and DCPD were examined. Fixed amounts of HA and DCPD powders were suspended in different concentrations of 10-MDP-N solutions and were incubated for 18 h. Equilibrated concentrations of 10-MDP-N were measured by spectrophotometry and the adsorption affinity was estimated using the Langmuir model. Moreover, the adsorption was examined by zeta-potential analysis. The results indicated that significant Langmuir correlation was noted in both substrates, along with an increasing negative zeta-potential; however, in DCPD the correlation was less strong. The addition of 1.0 mM Pi slightly delayed the adsorption of 10-MDP-N onto both substrates, whereas 3.0 mM Pi drastically delayed adsorption onto HA but completely inhibited adsorption onto DCPD. Up to 50 ppm, F(-) enhanced the adsorption onto HA, and the adsorption plateaued at higher concentrations of F(-) , whereas no obvious influence of F(-) on the adsorption onto DCPD was noted. © 2016 Eur J Oral Sci.

[Immunodiagnostic methods in lupus erythematosus disseminatus].

PubMed

Storch, H; Schwenke, H; Helbig, W

1975-12-01

In 27 patients with lupus erythematodes diseminatus the determinations of the LE-cells according to the macromethod (Zimmer and Hargraves) and the micromethod (Mudrik and co-workers) were compared with the demonstration of antinuclear factors according to the indirect immunofluorescence and immune enzyme technique. The sensitiveness of the two last-mentioned immunomorphological methods is somewhat larger. In these cases the size of the titre of the antinuclear factor almost always correlates positively with the number of the LE-cells. For the purpose of the initial diagnostics and the judgment of the course a morphological method cannot be renounced, since in the acute episode a high consumption of the antinuclear factor the immunological methods negatively correlate with the number of the LE-cells. The immune enzyme technique is to be recommended on account of the smaller expenditure, permanence of the preparations and high sensitiveness as alternative method of the immunofluorescence technique. In the micromethod the large variation is opposite to the advantage of the slight quantity of blood and to an always existing evaluability. Investigations of the lymphocytes of patients with lupus erythematodes disseminatus by means of the lymphocyte transformation test and the determination of the B-cells with the help of the direct immune peroxidase technique refer to the close pathogenetic connections of cellular and humoral immune reactions in this disease.

HIV-Associated Urogenital Malignancies.

PubMed

Hentrich, Marcus; Pfister, David

2017-01-01

Non-AIDS-defining malignancies (NADM) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for HIV-infected subjects. The risk of testicular germ cell cancer (GCC) and renal cell cancer is slightly increased in the setting of HIV, whereas there is a slightly decreased risk of prostate cancer and bladder cancer. As in industrialized countries the majority of people living with HIV are men, and people aged 55 and older now account for more than a quarter of persons living with HIV, both testis and prostate cancer are assumed to occur with increased frequency in HIV-infected subjects. Overall, treatments should be the same as in HIV-negative patients with urogenital malignancies. Since the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) the outcome appears to have improved due to a decrease in HIV-related deaths. HIV-infected men who are treated with standard therapies for GCC now have a similar cancer-free survival compared with their HIV-negative counterparts. Screening and treatment for prostate cancer should follow recommendations established for HIV-negative men. During radio- or chemotherapy patients should receive concurrent cART but the drug-drug interaction potential must be taken into account. © 2017 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Neutral beamline with ion energy recovery based on magnetic blocking of electrons

DOEpatents

Stirling, W.L.

1980-07-01

A neutral beamline generator with energy recovery of the full-energy ion component of the beam based on magnetic blocking of electrons is provided. Ions from a positive ion source are accelerated to the desired beam energy from a slightly positive potential level with respect to ground through a neutralizer cell by means of a negative acceleration voltage. The unneutralized full-energy ion component of the beam exiting the neutralizer are retarded and slightly deflected and the elecrons in the neutralizer are blocked by a magnetic field generated transverse to the beamline. An electron collector in the form of a coaxial cylinder surrounding and protruding axial a few centimeters beyond the neutralizer exit terminates the electrons which exit the neutralizer in an E x B drift to the collector when the collector is biased a few hundred volts positive with respect to the neutralizer voltage. The neutralizer is operated at the negative acceleration voltage. The neutralizer is operated at the negative acceleration voltage, and the deflected full energy ions are decelerated and the charge collected at ground potential thereby expending none of their energy received from the acceleration power supply.

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Anatomy Learning Experiences Questionnaire and Correlations with Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choi-Lundberg, Derek L.; Williams, Anne-Marie M.; Zimitat, Craig

2017-01-01

The Anatomy Learning Experiences Questionnaire (ALEQ) was designed by Smith and Mathias to explore students' perceptions and experiences of learning anatomy. In this study, the psychometric properties of a slightly altered 34-item ALEQ (ALEQ-34) were evaluated, and correlations with learning outcomes investigated, by surveying first- and…

Psychosocial correlates of physical activity in adolescents with haemophilia.

PubMed

Buxbaum, N P; Ponce, M; Saidi, P; Michaels, L A

2010-07-01

Boys with haemophilia are now encouraged to exercise and take part in physical activities, but actual measures of time spent in active participation is lacking. The aim of this study was to obtain an objective measure of daily physical activity in boys with haemophilia as compared with healthy controls. The study also aimed to ascertain the social and cognitive factors associated with exercise in this population. Seventeen patients (aged 11-18 years) with haemophilia were studied and compared with 44 healthy controls (aged 10-16.5 years). Physical activity was measured by accelerometry. Psychosocial correlates were assessed using validated questionnaires. Measured physical activity levels in subjects with haemophilia were slightly higher than for the control group. Both groups spent 70% of the day inactive, with similar proportions of time in moderate and vigorous activity. Subjects with haemophilia had a favourable self-image and similar levels of anxiety as peers without a bleeding disorder. Self-efficacy scores were lower than for controls suggesting increased sensitivity to barriers and lack of acceptance of alternatives. Health beliefs did not influence physical activity, but a negative correlation of time spent in high or vigorous activity with scores for support-seeking was observed. The data demonstrate that in the appropriate social environment and with medical support, patients with haemophilia may be as physically active as their peers without a bleeding disorder. Further investigation into the psychosocial barriers of physical activity in patients with haemophilia is needed to more effectively encourage healthy behaviours.

Soil heavy metal contamination related to roasted stone coal slag: a study based on geostatistical and multivariate analyses.

PubMed

Li, De'an; Jiang, Jianguo; Li, Tianran; Wang, Jiaming

2016-07-01

Soil was examined for vanadium (V) and related metal contamination near a stone coal mine in Hubei Province, China. In total, 92 surface and vertical (0-200 cm) soil samples were collected from the site. A handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was used for in situ analysis of the soil concentrations of heavy metals, including V, chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb). The mean concentrations of these metals were 931, 721, 279, 223, 163, and 11 mg/kg, respectively. Based on the Chinese Environmental Quality Standard for Soils guidelines, up to 88.0, 76.1, and 56.5 % of the soil samples had single factor pollution indices >3 for V, Cr, and Cu, respectively. Furthermore, 2.2 % of samples were slightly polluted with Zn, while there was no Mn or Pb contamination. GaussAmp curve fitting was performed based on the sample frequency distribution of the Nemerow pollution index. The fitted mean was 5.99, indicating severe pollution. The heavy metals were clustered into two groups, V/Cr/Cu/Zn and Mn/Pb, based on the spatial distributions, the Pearson correlation and principal component analyses. The positive correlations within the V/Cr/Cu/Zn group suggested that they originated from roasted stone coal slag. Finally, the negative correlation between the two groups was attributed to mechanical mixing of the slag and original soil.

The relation of cortisol and sex hormone levels to results of psychological, performance, IQ and memory tests in military men and women.

PubMed

Flegr, Jaroslav; Hampl, Richard; Černochová, Dana; Preiss, Marek; Bičíková, Marie; Sieger, Ladislav; Příplatová, Lenka; Kaňková, Šárka; Klose, Jiří

2012-01-01

Cortisol, along with other hormones of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, belongs to one of the main factors influencing psychological and pathognomic factors, intelligence, and memory. The aim of our study was to review a large battery of psychological, performance, IQ and memory tests as to their relation with cortisol, testosterone and estrogen levels in groups of 100 men and 93 women who attended the Central Military Hospital in Prague for regular entrance psychological examinations for military personnel. In men, we detected positive correlations between cortisol and emotional lability, and negative correlations with impulsivity, while in women hypochondria and psychopathology were negatively correlated, and aggression measured with the Meili selective memory test had a positive relation to cortisol level. Testosterone correlated positively with emotional liability and negatively with impulsivity in men, and negatively with hypochondria and psychasteny, indirect aggression, irritability and paranoia in women. Estradiol correlated positively with psychopathology in men, and negatively with phobia. It was positively correlated with negativism in women. No clear correlation was observed between the concentration of steroid hormones and psychomotor performance or intelligence. Concentrations of steroid hormones correlate with results of several psychological tests, the sign and magnitude of these correlations, however, very often differ in military men and women.

The Effects of Groundwater Samplers on Water Quality. A Literature Review

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-10-01

Nacht 1983): borehole and sampler di- devices operate by applying negative pressure, ameter, sampling depth, ease of cleaning, initial or vacuum, at...come in contact with any atmospheric gases al. 1974, Barcelona et al. 1985) have shown that and are subject to only a slight negative pressure...and selenium. They felt the degassing was due to 20% for the three most volatile compounds at the partial vacuum exerted by the pump for lift, highest

Suggestibility and negative priming: two replication studies.

PubMed

David, Daniel; Brown, Richard J

2002-07-01

Research suggests that inhibiting the effect of irrelevant stimuli on subsequent thought and action (cognitive inhibition) may be an important component of suggestibility. Two small correlation studies were conducted to address the relationship between different aspects of suggestibility and individual differences in cognitive inhibition, operationalized as the degree of negative priming generated by to-be-ignored stimuli in a semantic categorization task. The first study found significant positive correlations between negative priming, hypnotic suggestibility, and creative imagination; a significant negative correlation was obtained between negative priming and interrogative suggestibility, demonstrating the discriminant validity of the study results. The second study replicated the correlation between negative priming and hypnotic suggestibility, using a different suggestibility measurement procedure that assessed subjective experience and hypnotic involuntariness as well as objective responses to suggestions. These studies support the notion that the ability to engage in cognitive inhibition may be an important component of hypnotic responsivity and maybe of other forms of suggestibility.

Parental Reactions to Toddlers' Negative Emotions and Child Negative Emotionality as Correlates of Problem Behavior at the Age of Three

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engle, Jennifer M.; McElwain, Nancy L.

2011-01-01

Parent-reported reactions to children's negative emotions and child negative emotionality were investigated as correlates of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Children (N = 107) and their parents participated in a short-term longitudinal study of social development. Mothers and fathers independently completed questionnaires assessing…

Use of Patients With Diarrhea Who Test Negative for Rotavirus as Controls to Estimate Rotavirus Vaccine Effectiveness Through Case-Control Studies.

PubMed

Tate, Jacqueline E; Patel, Manish M; Cortese, Margaret M; Payne, Daniel C; Lopman, Benjamin A; Yen, Catherine; Parashar, Umesh D

2016-05-01

Case-control studies are often performed to estimate postlicensure vaccine effectiveness (VE), but the enrollment of controls can be challenging, time-consuming, and costly. We evaluated whether children enrolled in the same hospital-based diarrheal surveillance used to identify rotavirus cases but who test negative for rotavirus (test-negative controls) can be considered a suitable alternative to nondiarrheal hospital or community-based control groups (traditional controls). We compared calculated VE estimates as a function of varying values of true VE, attack rates of rotavirus and nonrotavirus diarrhea in the population, and sensitivity and specificity of the rotavirus enzyme immunoasssay. We also searched the literature to identify rotavirus VE studies that used traditional and test-negative control groups and compared VE estimates obtained using the different control groups. Assuming a 1% attack rate for severe rotavirus diarrhea, a 3% attack rate for severe nonrotavirus diarrhea in the population, a test sensitivity of 96%, and a specificity of 100%, the calculated VE estimates using both the traditional and test-negative control groups closely approximated the true VE for all values from 30% to 100%. As true VE decreased, the traditional case-control approach slightly overestimated the true VE and the test-negative case-control approach slightly underestimated this estimate, but the absolute difference was only ±0.2 percentage points. Field VE estimates from 10 evaluations that used both traditional and test-negative control groups were similar regardless of control group used. The use of rotavirus test-negative controls offers an efficient and cost-effective approach to estimating rotavirus VE through case-control studies. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Inferring the effects of potential dispersal routes on the metacommunity structure of stream insects: as the crow flies, as the fish swims or as the fox runs?

PubMed

Kärnä, Olli-Matti; Grönroos, Mira; Antikainen, Harri; Hjort, Jan; Ilmonen, Jari; Paasivirta, Lauri; Heino, Jani

2015-09-01

1. Metacommunity research relies largely on proxies for inferring the effect of dispersal on local community structure. Overland and watercourse distances have been typically used as such proxies. A good proxy for dispersal should, however, take into account more complex landscape features that can affect an organism's movement and dispersal. The cost distance approach does just that, allowing determining the path of least resistance across a landscape. 2. Here, we examined the distance decay of assemblage similarity within a subarctic stream insect metacommunity. We tested whether overland, watercourse and cumulative cost distances performed differently as correlates of dissimilarity in assemblage composition between sites. We also investigated the effect of body size and dispersal mode on metacommunity organization. 3. We found that dissimilarities in assemblage composition correlated more strongly with environmental than physical distances between sites. Overland and watercourse distances showed similar correlations to assemblage dissimilarity between sites, being sometimes significantly correlated with biological variation of entire insect communities. In metacommunities deconstructed by body size or dispersal mode, contrary to our expectation, passive dispersers showed a slightly stronger correlation than active dispersers to environmental differences between sites, although passive dispersers also showed a stronger correlation than active dispersers to physical distances between sites. The strength of correlation between environmental distance and biological dissimilarity also varied slightly among the body size classes. 4. After controlling for environmental differences between sites, cumulative cost distances were slightly better correlates of biological dissimilarities than overland or watercourse distances between sites. However, quantitative differences in correlation coefficients were small between different physical distances. 5. Although environmental differences typically override physical distances as determinants of the composition of stream insect assemblages, correlations between environmental distances and biological dissimilarities are typically rather weak. This undetermined variation may be attributable to dispersal processes, which may be captured using better proxies for the process. We suggest that further modifying the measurement of cost distances may be a fruitful avenue, especially if complemented by more direct natural history information on insect dispersal behaviour and distances travelled by them. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2015 British Ecological Society.

Anesthetic influence on occurrence and treatment of the trigemino-cardiac reflex: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Meuwly, Cyrill; Chowdhury, Tumul; Sandu, Nora; Reck, Martin; Erne, Paul; Schaller, Bernhard

2015-05-01

Trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) is defined as sudden onset of parasympathetic dysrhythmia including hypotension, apnea, and gastric hypermotility during stimulation of any branches of the trigeminal nerve. Previous publications imply a relation between TCR and depth of anesthesia. To gain more detailed insights into this hypothesis, we performed a systematic literature review.Literature about occurrence of TCR was systematically identified through searching in Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE (Ovid SP), and the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI Web of Sciences) databases until June 2013, as well as reference lists of articles for risk calculation. In this study, TCR was defined as drop in mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate, both >20% to baseline. We calculated intraoperative cerebral state index (CSI) of each TCR-case using a newly developed method. These data were further divided into 3 subgroups: CSI <40 (deep anesthesia), CSI 40-60 (regular anesthesia), and CSI >60 (slight anesthesia).Including 45 studies with 910 patients, 140 (15%) presented with TCR, and 770 (85%) without TCR during operation. TCR occurrence showed a 1.2-fold higher pooled risk slighter anesthesia (CSI <40: 13%, at CSI 40-60: 21%, and at CSI >60: 27%) compared with deeper anesthesia. In addition, we could discover a 1.3-fold higher pooled risk of higher MABP drop with a strong negative correlation (r = -0.935; r = 0.89) and a 4.5-fold higher pooled risk of asystole during TCR under slight anesthesia compared with deeper anesthesia.Our work is the first systematic review about TCR and demonstrates clear evidence for TCR occurrence and a more severe course of the TCR in slight anesthesia underlying the importance of skills in anesthesia management during skull base surgery. Furthermore, we have introduced a new standard method to calculate the depth of anesthesia.

Anger toward God: social-cognitive predictors, prevalence, and links with adjustment to bereavement and cancer.

PubMed

Exline, Julie J; Park, Crystal L; Smyth, Joshua M; Carey, Michael P

2011-01-01

Many people see themselves as being in a relationship with God and see this bond as comforting. Yet, perceived relationships with God also carry the potential for experiencing anger toward God, as shown here in studies with the U.S. population (Study 1), undergraduates (Studies 2 and 3), bereaved individuals (Study 4), and cancer survivors (Study 5). These studies addressed 3 fundamental issues regarding anger toward God: perceptions and attributions that predict anger toward God, its prevalence, and its associations with adjustment. Social-cognitive predictors of anger toward God paralleled predictors of interpersonal anger and included holding God responsible for severe harm, attributions of cruelty, difficulty finding meaning, and seeing oneself as a victim. Anger toward God was frequently reported in response to negative events, although positive feelings predominated. Anger and positive feelings toward God showed moderate negative associations. Religiosity and age correlated negatively with anger toward God. Reports of anger toward God were slightly lower among Protestants and African Americans in comparison with other groups (Study 1). Some atheists and agnostics reported anger involving God, particularly on measures emphasizing past experiences (Study 2) and images of a hypothetical God (Study 3). Anger toward God was associated with poorer adjustment to bereavement (Study 4) and cancer (Study 5), particularly when anger remained unresolved over a 1-year period (Study 5). Taken together, these studies suggest that anger toward God is an important dimension of religious and spiritual experience, one that is measurable, widespread, and related to adjustment across various contexts and populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

[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.

Petrogenesis and tectonic implications of gabbro and plagiogranite intrusions in mantle peridotites of the Myitkyina ophiolite, Myanmar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Yang; Liu, Chuan-Zhou; Chen, Yi; Guo, Shun; Wang, Jian-Gang; Sein, Kyaing

2017-07-01

Centimeter-size intrusions of gabbros and plagiogranites occur in mantle peridotites of the Myitkyina ophiolite, Myanmar. The gabbros mainly consist of plagioclase and clinopyroxene, whereas orthopyroxene occasionally occurs. The plagiogranites are mainly composed of plagioclase, quartz and amphibole, with small amount of accessory minerals, such as zircon, apatite and rutile. Plagioclase in the gabbros varies from andesine to anorthite (An37-91), whereas plagioclase in the plagiogranites is less calcic (An1-40). Clinopyroxene in the gabbros is pervasively altered to hornblende. The gabbros contain 42.97-52.88 wt% SiO2, which show negative correlations with Al2O3, CaO and MgO, but positive correlations with Na2O, P2O5 and TiO2. Microtextural relations reveal the crystallization of clinopyroxene prior to plagioclase in the Myitkyina gabbros. This suggests that the gabbros were crystallized from hydrous melts, which is also supported by the occurrence of orthopyroxene and anorthitic plagioclase in some gabbros. The gabbros have slightly enriched Sr-Nd isotopes, with initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios of 0.703938-0.706609 and εNd(t) values of + 2.4-+7.2, and relatively variable Hf isotopes, with εHf(t) values of + 13.4-+24.9. A subduction component is required to explain the decoupled Nd-Hf isotopes of the gabbros. Binary mixing suggests that addition of ca 2% subducted sediments to a depleted mantle can account for the Nd-Hf decoupling. Therefore, both petrological and geochemical data of the gabbros support that the Myitkyina ophiolite was originated in a supra-subduction zone setting. The plagiogranites have compositions of tonalites and trondhjemites, containing 56.93-77.93 wt% SiO2, 1.27-10.79 wt% Na2O and 0.05-0.71 wt% K2O. They are slightly enriched in LREE over HREE and display positive anomalies in Eu, Zr, Hf but negative Nb anomalies. Very low TiO2 contents (0.03-0.2 wt%) of the plagiogranites suggest that they were not products of fractional crystallization of MORB but were generated by hydrous melting of gabbros. This process is also supported by the nearly constant contents of both La and Yb with increasing SiO2 of the plagiogranites. The Sr-Nd-Hf isotopes of the plagiogranites indicate the involvement of crustal component in their genesis. We proposed that the Myitkyina plagiogranites were generated by partial melting of the mafic protoliths in the subducted slab.

Early anti-correlated BOLD signal changes of physiologic origin.

PubMed

Bright, Molly G; Bianciardi, Marta; de Zwart, Jacco A; Murphy, Kevin; Duyn, Jeff H

2014-02-15

Negative BOLD signals that are synchronous with resting state fluctuations have been observed in large vessels in the cortical sulci and surrounding the ventricles. In this study, we investigated the origin of these negative BOLD signals by applying a Cued Deep Breathing (CDB) task to create transient hypocapnia and a resultant global fMRI signal decrease. We hypothesized that a global stimulus would amplify the effect in large vessels and that using a global negative (vasoconstrictive) stimulus would test whether these voxels exhibit either inherently negative or simply anti-correlated BOLD responses. Significantly anti-correlated, but positive, BOLD signal changes during respiratory challenges were identified in voxels primarily located near edges of brain spaces containing CSF. These positive BOLD responses occurred earlier than the negative CDB response across most of gray matter voxels. These findings confirm earlier suggestions that in some brain regions, local, fractional changes in CSF volume may overwhelm BOLD-related signal changes, leading to signal anti-correlation. We show that regions with CDB anti-correlated signals coincide with most, but not all, of the regions with negative BOLD signal changes observed during a visual and motor stimulus task. Thus, the addition of a physiological challenge to fMRI experiments can help identify which negative BOLD signals are passive physiological anti-correlations and which may have a putative neuronal origin. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Early anti-correlated BOLD signal changes of physiologic origin

PubMed Central

Bright, Molly G.; Bianciardi, Marta; de Zwart, Jacco A.; Murphy, Kevin; Duyn, Jeff H.

2014-01-01

Negative BOLD signals that are synchronous with resting state fluctuations have been observed in large vessels in the cortical sulci and surrounding the ventricles. In this study, we investigated the origin of these negative BOLD signals by applying a Cued Deep Breathing (CDB) task to create transient hypocapnia and a resultant global fMRI signal decrease. We hypothesized that a global stimulus would amplify the effect in large vessels and that using a global negative (vasoconstrictive) stimulus would test whether these voxels exhibit either inherently negative or simply anti-correlated BOLD responses. Significantly anti-correlated, but positive, BOLD signal changes during respiratory challenges were identified in voxels primarily located near edges of brain spaces containing CSF. These positive BOLD responses occurred earlier than the negative CDB response across most of gray matter voxels. These findings confirm earlier suggestions that in some brain regions, local, fractional changes in CSF volume may overwhelm BOLD-related signal changes, leading to signal anti-correlation. We show that regions with CDB anti-correlated signals coincide with most, but not all, of the regions with negative BOLD signal changes observed during a visual and motor stimulus task. Thus, the addition of a physiological challenge to fMRI experiments can help identify which negative BOLD signals are passive physiological anti-correlations and which may have a putative neuronal origin. PMID:24211818

Fast scrambling in holographic Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen pair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murata, Keiju

2017-11-01

We demonstrate that a holographic model of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen pair exhibits fast scrambling. Strongly entangled quark and antiquark in N = 4 super Yang-Mills theory are considered. Their gravity dual is a fundamental string whose endpoints are uniformly accelerated in opposite direction. We slightly increase the acceleration of the endpoint and show that it quickly destroys the correlation between the quark and antiquark. The proper time scale of the destruction is τ ∗ ˜ β ln S where β is the inverse Unruh temperature and S is the entropy of the accelerating quark. We also evaluate the Lyapunov exponent from correlation function as λ L = 2 π/ β, which saturates the Lyapunov bound. Our results suggest that the fast scrambling or saturation of the Lyapunov bound do not directly imply the existence of an Einstein dual. When we slightly decrease the acceleration, the quark and antiquark are causally connected and an "one-way traversable wormhole" is created on the worldsheet. It causes the divergence of the correlation function between the quark and antiquark.

Genetic and environmental correlations between subjective wellbeing and experience of life events in adolescence.

PubMed

Wootton, Robyn E; Davis, Oliver S P; Mottershaw, Abigail L; Wang, R Adele H; Haworth, Claire M A

2017-09-01

Some life events appear heritable due to the genetic influence on related behaviours. Shared genetic influence between negative behaviours and negative life events has previously been established. This study investigated whether subjective wellbeing and positive life events were genetically associated. Participants in the Twins Early Development Study (aged 16.32 ± .68 years) completed subjective wellbeing and life events assessments via two separate studies (overlapping N for wellbeing and life events measures ranged from 3527 to 9350). We conducted bivariate twin models between both positive and negative life events with subjective wellbeing and related positive psychological traits including subjective happiness, life satisfaction, optimism, hopefulness and gratitude measured at 16 years. Results suggested that the heritability of life events can partially be explained by shared genetic influences with the wellbeing indicators. Wellbeing traits were positively genetically correlated with positive life events and negatively correlated with negative life events (except curiosity where there was no correlation). Those positive traits that drive behaviour (grit and ambition) showed the highest genetic correlation with life events, whereas the reflective trait gratitude was less correlated. This suggests that gene-environment correlations might explain the observed genetic association between life events and wellbeing. Inheriting propensity for positive traits might cause you to seek environments that lead to positive life events and avoid environments which make negative life events more likely.

Possible correlation between gut microbiota and immunity among healthy middle-aged and elderly people in southwest China.

PubMed

Shen, Xi; Miao, Junjie; Wan, Qun; Wang, Shuyue; Li, Ming; Pu, Fangfang; Wang, Guoqing; Qian, Wei; Yu, Qian; Marotta, Francesco; He, Fang

2018-01-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the possible association between gut microbes and immunity among healthy middle-aged and elderly individuals in southwest China. A total of 148 healthy adults aged ≥ 50 years were divided into two age groups: middle-aged group (50-59 years; n = 67, 54.13 ± 3.32) and elderly group (≥ 60 years; n = 81, 64.70 ± 3.93). Blood samples were collected to measure serum immune and biochemical indices. Gut microbiota compositions of the groups were characterized on the basis of faecal DNA using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among the detected gut microbes, the presence of Alistipes was negatively correlated with age in both groups. In the middle-aged group, age was negatively correlated with the presence of Desulfovibrio and Faecalibacterium . In the elderly group, Coprococcus was present at significantly higher levels; age was negatively correlated with the presence of Lachnobacterium , Oxalobacter and the Chao index, whereas positively correlated with the presence of Sutterella. In the middle-aged group, the presence of Bacteroidetes was positively correlated with serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels and the percent of CD8 + T cells and negatively correlated with the CD4 + /CD8 + ratio; the presence of Firmicutes was negatively correlated with IgM levels; Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio was positively correlated with IgG and IgM levels and Simpson index was negatively correlated with the percent of CD8 + T cells and positively correlated with CD4 + /CD8 + ratio. In the elderly group, the presence of Verrucomicrobia (identified as genus Akkermansia ) was positively correlated with IgA levels and the percent of CD8 + T cells and negatively correlated with the percent of CD4 + T cells and CD4 + /CD8 + ratio; the Chao index and observed species were positively correlated with IgA levels. These results indicated that ageing could significantly correlate with the composition of gut microbiota in terms of quantity and quality. Changes in gut microbiota caused by ageing, characterized by decreased Bacteroidetes levels, might be associated with immunosenescence among healthy middle-aged and elderly people in southwest China.

Comparison of Medium Power Hall Effect Thruster Ion Acceleration for Krypton and Xenon Propellants

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-14

Concentration ppb 87 1000 Stable Isotopes 9 6 Odd Isotopes 2 1 Critical Pressure MPa 5.84 5.50 Critical Temperature K 290 209 Boiling Point (1 atm) K 161 120...The velocity profile in Fig. 6 shows the velocities slightly negative, nearest the anode (at approximately - 9 mm). This negative velocity near the...Krypton and Xenon Propellants 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6 . AUTHOR(S) William A. Hargus, Jr.; Gregory M. Azarnia; Michael R

Spatial and temporal variation of correlation between the Arctic total ozone and atmospheric temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Fuxiang; Ren, suling; Han, Shuangshuang; Zheng, xiangdong; Deng, xuejiao

2017-04-01

Daily total ozone and atmospheric temperature profile data in 2015 from the AIRS are used to investigate the spatial and temporal variation of the correlation between the Arctic atmospheric ozone and temperature. In the study, 11 lays atmospheric temperature profiles from the troposphere to the stratosphere are investigated. These layer heights are 20, 50, 70, 100, 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 hPa respectively. The results show that a significant seasonal split exists in the correlation between the Arctic ozone and atmospheric temperature. Figure 1 shows the spatial and temporal variation of the coefficient between the atmospheric ozone and temperature at 50hPa. It can be seen from the figure that an obvious spatiotemporal difference exists in the correlation between the Arctic total ozone and atmospheric temperature in the lower stratosphere. First, the seasonal difference is very remarkable, which is shown as a significant positive correlation in most regions during winter and summer, while no correlation in the majority of regions occurs during spring and autumn, with a weak positive or negative correlation in a small number regions. Second, the spatial differences are also very obvious. The summer maximum correlation coefficient occurs in the Barents Sea and other locations at 0.8 and above, while the winter maximum occurs in the Baffin Bay area at 0.6 to 0.8. However, in a small number of regions, such as the land to the west of the Bering Strait in winter and the Arctic Ocean core area in summer, the correlation coefficients were unable to pass the significance test to show no correlation. At the same time, in spring and autumn, a positive correlation only occurs over a few low-latitude land areas, while over other Arctic areas, weak negative correlation exists. The differences in horizontal position are clearly related to the land-sea distribution, underlying surface characteristics, glacial melting, and other factors. In the troposphere, the ozone and temperature have a strong negative correlation in spring and autumn, while presenting a weak negative correlation or no correlation in winter and summer. Figure 2 shows the spatial and temporal variation of the correlation coefficient between the atmospheric ozone and temperature at 500hPa. From figure 2, it can be seen that in the Arctic troposphere, the atmospheric ozone and tropospheric temperature mainly have a negative correlation. In winter and summer, a weak negative correlation is shown overall, but more than a third of the regions show no correlation. In spring, the negative correlation is the strongest between the ozone and temperature. Especially in Greenland - Queen Elizabeth Islands and southern New Siberian Islands, the correlation is the highest, with a correlation coefficient of -0.9 and above, followed by a negative correlation in autumn. Except for a small number of low-latitude scattered regions with weak correlation, the correlation coefficients of most regions are ranged between -0.5 and -0.7. At 300 hPa near the tropopause, the horizontal distribution and seasonal change of the correlation between the Arctic total ozone and atmospheric temperature are as shown in Fig. 3.At the height near the Arctic tropopause, the atmospheric ozone mainly has no correlation to temperature, especially in winter and summer, when no correlation exists in the majority of regions, while weak positive or negative correlation occurs in a small number of areas. In the majority of regions during spring, a weak negative correlation is shown, while no correlation appears in Western Greenland - Queen Elizabeth Islands. In autumn, most regions show no correlation, while weak negative correlation is presented in Eastern Greenland, Norwegian Sea - Barents Sea, and other locations. From figure 1-3, we can see a significant difference exists from the common law of positive correlation in the lower stratosphere and negative correlation in the troposphere at mid-low latitudes. The Arctic atmospheric ozone has a relation with temperature, showing significant spatial and temporal variation characteristics. In the stratosphere, winter and summer atmospheric temperatures mainly have a positive correlation to ozone. The summer maximum occurs in the Barents Sea to achieve 0.8 and above, while the winter maximum is 0.6 to 0.8 in the Baffin Bay area. In the troposphere, the autumn and spring atmospheric temperatures mainly have a negative correlation to the ozone. The spring correlation coefficient in Greenland to the Queen Elizabeth Islands reaches up to -0.9 and above, while the autumn value is -0.5 to -0.7. At about 300 hPa, the tropopause value is reduced to 0, and further decreased in the troposphere, to show a strong negative correlation. Based on the comprehensive analysis of various influence factors, the possible action mechanism of the spatiotemporal variation pattern of the correlation between the Arctic atmospheric ozone and temperature is discussed based on the seasonal differences of various influence factors. The spatial and temporal variation characteristics of the correlation between the Arctic atmospheric ozone and temperature are determined by the seasonal variation of various influencing factors of the Arctic atmospheric ozone and temperature. These factors include the atmospheric heating effect from the ozone matching with the Arctic sunshine conditions, the influence of dynamic delivery on the ozone and heat, the impact of underlying-surface glacial melting on atmospheric radiation and heat budget, and so on. At different heights in each season, the different effects from all kinds of factors on the ozone and temperature determine the spatiotemporal variation of the correlation between the ozone and temperature.

Age differences in the Big Five across the life span: evidence from two national samples.

PubMed

Donnellan, M Brent; Lucas, Richard E

2008-09-01

Cross-sectional age differences in the Big Five personality traits were investigated using 2 large datasets from Great Britain and Germany: the British Household Panel Study (BHPS; N > or = 14,039) and the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (GSEOP; N > or = 20,852). Participants, who ranged in age from 16 to the mid-80s, completed a 15-item version of the Big Five Inventory (e.g., John & Srivastava, 1999) in either 2005 or 2006. The observed age trends were generally consistent across both datasets. Extraversion and Openness were negatively associated with age, whereas Agreeableness was positively associated with age. Average levels of Conscientiousness were highest for participants in middle age. The only exception was Neuroticism, which was slightly negatively associated with age in the BHPS and slightly positively associated with age in the GSEOP. Neither gender nor education level were consistent moderators of age differences in the Big Five. (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved

Cardiovascular responses of men and women to lower body negative pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, L. D.; Kirk, P. J.; Payne, P. A.; Gerber, R. L.; Newton, S. D.; Williams, B. A.

1977-01-01

Changes in blood flow and blood redistribution were measured by impedance plethysmography in the pelvic and leg regions of six male and four female subjects during three 5-min exposures to -20, -40, and -60 mm Hg lower body negative pressure (LBNP). Female subjects demonstrated significantly higher mean heart rate and lower leg blood flow indices than the male subjects during the recumbent control periods. Men had slightly higher mean resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures and higher mean control pelvic blood indices. Women demonstrated significantly less blood pooling in the legs and slightly less in the pelvic region than the men. All of the 18 tests with male subjects at -60 mm Hg were completed without initial signs of syncope, while only two of the tests with women were completed successfully without the subject exhibiting presyncopal conditions. Results indicate that impedance plethysmography can be used to measure segmental cardiovascular responses during LBNP and that females may be less tolerant to -60 mm Hg LBNP than males.

When Slights Beget Slights: Attachment Anxiety, Subjective Time, and Intrusion of the Relational Past in the Present.

PubMed

Cortes, Kassandra; Wilson, Anne E

2016-12-01

Every close relationship has a history, but how people manage their relational past varies and can have important implications in the present. The current research investigated the role of subjective representation of time: How feeling subjectively close (vs. distant) to a past relational transgression (vs. kind act) predicted "kitchen thinking"-the tendency to bring to mind relational past memories in new, unrelated contexts. We explored the role of attachment anxiety as a predictor of subjective time perception and kitchen thinking. We found support for our hypothesis that when negative memories felt subjectively closer relative to positive memories, people were more likely to kitchen think (Studies 1-3). Kitchen thinking, in turn, predicted negative relationship outcomes (Study 4). Furthermore, people high (vs. low) in attachment anxiety were less likely to perceive the timing of their relational memories adaptively, accounting for more kitchen thinking and in turn, maladaptive relational outcomes. © 2016 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

The incidence and role of negative citations in science.

PubMed

Catalini, Christian; Lacetera, Nicola; Oettl, Alexander

2015-11-10

Citations to previous literature are extensively used to measure the quality and diffusion of knowledge. However, we know little about the different ways in which a study can be cited; in particular, are papers cited to point out their merits or their flaws? We elaborated a methodology to characterize "negative" citations using bibliometric data and natural language processing. We found that negative citations concerned higher-quality papers, were focused on a study's findings rather than theories or methods, and originated from scholars who were closer to the authors of the focal paper in terms of discipline and social distance, but not geographically. Receiving a negative citation was also associated with a slightly faster decline in citations to the paper in the long run.

Dispositional Mindfulness and Depressive Symptomatology: Correlations with Limbic and Self-Referential Neural Activity during Rest

PubMed Central

Way, Baldwin M.; Creswell, J. David; Eisenberger, Naomi I.; Lieberman, Matthew D.

2010-01-01

To better understand the relationship between mindfulness and depression, we studied normal young adults (n=27) who completed measures of dispositional mindfulness and depressive symptomatology, which were then correlated with: a) Rest: resting neural activity during passive viewing of a fixation cross, relative to a simple goal-directed task (shape-matching); and b) Reactivity: neural reactivity during viewing of negative emotional faces, relative to the same shape-matching task. Dispositional mindfulness was negatively correlated with resting activity in self-referential processing areas, while depressive symptomatology was positively correlated with resting activity in similar areas. In addition, dispositional mindfulness was negatively correlated with resting activity in the amygdala, bilaterally, while depressive symptomatology was positively correlated with activity in the right amygdala. Similarly, when viewing emotional faces, amygdala reactivity was positively correlated with depressive symptomatology and negatively correlated with dispositional mindfulness, an effect that was largely attributable to differences in resting activity. These findings indicate that mindfulness is associated with intrinsic neural activity and that changes in resting amygdala activity could be a potential mechanism by which mindfulness-based depression treatments elicit therapeutic improvement. PMID:20141298

Developmental Associations between Short-Term Variability and Long-Term Changes: Intraindividual Correlation of Positive and Negative Affect in Daily Life and Cognitive Aging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hülür, Gizem; Hoppmann, Christiane A.; Ram, Nilam; Gerstorf, Denis

2015-01-01

Conceptual notions and empirical evidence suggest that the intraindividual correlation (iCorr) of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) is a meaningful characteristic of affective functioning. PA and NA are typically negatively correlated within-person. Previous research has found that the iCorr of PA and NA is relatively stable over time…

Non-linear properties of metallic cellular materials with a negative Poisson's ratio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, J. B.; Lakes, R. S.

1992-01-01

Negative Poisson's ratio copper foam was prepared and characterized experimentally. The transformation into re-entrant foam was accomplished by applying sequential permanent compressions above the yield point to achieve a triaxial compression. The Poisson's ratio of the re-entrant foam depended on strain and attained a relative minimum at strains near zero. Poisson's ratio as small as -0.8 was achieved. The strain dependence of properties occurred over a narrower range of strain than in the polymer foams studied earlier. Annealing of the foam resulted in a slightly greater magnitude of negative Poisson's ratio and greater toughness at the expense of a decrease in the Young's modulus.

Prefrontal oxygenation correlates to the responses in facial skin blood flows during exposure to pleasantly charged movie.

PubMed

Matsukawa, Kanji; Endo, Kana; Asahara, Ryota; Yoshikawa, Miho; Kusunoki, Shinya; Ishida, Tomoko

2017-11-01

Our laboratory reported that facial skin blood flow may serve as a sensitive tool to assess an emotional status. Cerebral neural correlates during emotional interventions should be sought in relation to the changes in facial skin blood flow. To test the hypothesis that prefrontal activity has positive relation to the changes in facial skin blood flow during emotionally charged stimulation, we examined the dynamic changes in prefrontal oxygenation (with near-infrared spectroscopy) and facial skin blood flows (with two-dimensional laser speckle and Doppler flowmetry) during emotionally charged audiovisual challenges for 2 min (by viewing comedy, landscape, and horror movie) in 14 subjects. Hand skin blood flow and systemic hemodynamics were simultaneously measured. The extents of pleasantness and consciousness for each emotional stimulus were estimated by subjective rating from -5 (the most unpleasant; the most unconscious) to +5 (the most pleasant; the most conscious). Positively charged emotional stimulation (comedy) simultaneously decreased ( P  <   0.05) prefrontal oxygenation and facial skin blood flow, whereas negatively charged (horror) or neutral (landscape) emotional stimulation did not alter or slightly decreased them. Any of hand skin blood flow and systemic cardiovascular variables did not change significantly during positively charged emotional stimulation. The changes in prefrontal oxygenation had a highly positive correlation with the changes in facial skin blood flow without altering perfusion pressure, and they were inversely correlated with the subjective rating of pleasantness. The reduction in prefrontal oxygenation during positively charged emotional stimulation suggests a decrease in prefrontal neural activity, which may in turn elicit neurally mediated vasoconstriction of facial skin blood vessels. © 2017 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

The relationship between ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and objectively measured personal UVR exposure dose is modified by season and latitude.

PubMed

Sun, J; Lucas, R M; Harrison, S; van der Mei, I; Armstrong, B K; Nowak, M; Brodie, A; Kimlin, M G

2014-12-01

Despite the widespread use of ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) as a proxy measure of personal exposure to UVR, the relationship between the two is not well-defined. This paper examines the effects of season and latitude on the relationship between ambient UVR and personal UVR exposure. We used data from the AusD Study, a multi-centre cross-sectional study among Australian adults (18-75 years), where personal UVR exposure was objectively measured using polysulphone dosimeters. Data were analysed for 991 participants from 4 Australian cities of different latitude: Townsville (19.3°S), Brisbane (27.5°S), Canberra (35.3°S) and Hobart (42.8°S). Daily personal UVR exposure varied from 0.01 to 21 Standard Erythemal Doses (median = 1.1, IQR: 0.5-2.1), on average accounting for 5% of the total available ambient dose. There was an overall positive correlation between ambient UVR and personal UVR exposure (r = 0.23, p < 0.001). However, the correlations varied according to season and study location: from strong correlations in winter (r = 0.50) and at high latitudes (Hobart, r = 0.50; Canberra, r = 0.39), to null or even slightly negative correlations, in summer (r = 0.01) and at low latitudes (Townsville, r = -0.06; Brisbane, r = -0.16). Multiple regression models showed significant effect modification by season and location. Personal exposure fraction of total available ambient dose was highest in winter (7%) and amongst Hobart participants (7%) and lowest in summer (1%) and in Townsville (4%). These results suggest season and latitude modify the relationship between ambient UVR and personal UVR exposure. Ambient UVR may not be a good indicator for personal exposure dose under some circumstances.

Post-exercise heart-rate recovery correlates to resting heart-rate variability in healthy men.

PubMed

Molina, Guilherme Eckhardt; Fontana, Keila Elizabeth; Porto, Luiz Guilherme Grossi; Junqueira, Luiz Fernando

2016-12-01

The relationship between post-exercise heart-rate recovery (HRR) and resting cardiac autonomic modulation is an incompletely explored issue. To correlate HRR with resting supine and orthostatic autonomic status. HRR at the 1st, 3th, and 5th min following maximal treadmill exercise were correlated with 5-min time-domain (CV, pNN50 and rMSSD) and frequency-domain (TP, LF, HF, LFn, HFn, and LF/HF ratio) indices of heart-rate variability (HRV) in both supine and standing positions in 31 healthy physically active non-athletes men. Statistical analysis employed non-parametric tests with two-tailed p value set at 5 %. Absolute HRR and Δ %HRR at each post-exercise time did not correlated with HRV in supine position, as well as at 1st min in standing position. At the 3rd min and 5th min, these measures negatively correlated with pNN50, rMSSD, TP, and HF indices, and only in the 5th min, they showed negative correlation with HFn and positive correlation with LF, LFn, and LF/HF ratio in the standing position. Coefficient of HRR (CHRR) at the 1st min negatively correlated with pNN50 and rMSSD and at 3rd and 5th min showed positive correlation with LFn and LF/HF ratio in supine position. With HRV indices in standing position CHRR from the 1st to 5th min showed the same respective negative and positive correlations as the other measures. HRR from the 1st to 5th min post-exercise negatively correlated with parasympathetic modulation in resting orthostatic, but showed no correlation in supine position. At the 3rd and 5th min, a positive correlation with combined sympathetic-parasympathetic modulation in both positions was observed.

Workplace drug testing and worker drug use.

PubMed

Carpenter, Christopher S

2007-04-01

To examine the nature and extent of the association between workplace drug testing and worker drug use. Repeated cross-sections from the 2000 to 2001 National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) and the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Multivariate logistic regression models of the likelihood of marijuana use are estimated as a function of several different workplace drug policies, including drug testing. Specific questions about penalty severity and the likelihood of detection are used to further evaluate the nature of the association. Individuals whose employers perform drug tests are significantly less likely to report past month marijuana use, even after controlling for a wide array of worker and job characteristics. However, large negative associations are also found for variables indicating whether a firm has drug education, an employee assistance program, or a simple written policy about substance use. Accounting for these other workplace characteristics reduces-but does not eliminate-the testing differential. Frequent testing and severe penalties reduce the likelihood that workers use marijuana. Previous studies have interpreted the large negative correlation between workplace drug testing and employee substance use as representing a causal deterrent effect of drug testing. Our results using more comprehensive data suggest that these estimates have been slightly overstated due to omitted variables bias. The overall pattern of results remains largely consistent with the hypothesis that workplace drug testing deters worker drug use.

Implicit and Explicit Illusory Correlation as a Function of Political Ideology

PubMed Central

Carraro, Luciana; Negri, Paolo; Castelli, Luigi; Pastore, Massimiliano

2014-01-01

Research has demonstrated that people who embrace different ideological orientations often show differences at the level of basic cognitive processes. For instance, conservatives (vs. liberals) display an automatic selective attention for negative (vs. positive) stimuli, and tend to more easily form illusory correlations between negative information and minority groups. In the present work, we further explored this latter effect by examining whether it only involves the formation of explicit attitudes or it extends to implicit attitudes. To this end, following the typical illusory correlation paradigm, participants were presented with members of two numerically different groups (majority and minority) each performing either a positive or negative behaviour. Negative behaviors were relatively infrequent, and the proportion of positive and negative behaviors within each group was the same. Next, explicit and implicit (i.e., IAT-measured) attitudes were assessed. Results showed that conservatives (vs. liberals) displayed stronger explicit as well as implicit illusory correlations effects, forming more negative attitudes toward the minority (vs. majority) group at both the explicit and implicit level. PMID:24820311

Implicit and explicit illusory correlation as a function of political ideology.

PubMed

Carraro, Luciana; Negri, Paolo; Castelli, Luigi; Pastore, Massimiliano

2014-01-01

Research has demonstrated that people who embrace different ideological orientations often show differences at the level of basic cognitive processes. For instance, conservatives (vs. liberals) display an automatic selective attention for negative (vs. positive) stimuli, and tend to more easily form illusory correlations between negative information and minority groups. In the present work, we further explored this latter effect by examining whether it only involves the formation of explicit attitudes or it extends to implicit attitudes. To this end, following the typical illusory correlation paradigm, participants were presented with members of two numerically different groups (majority and minority) each performing either a positive or negative behaviour. Negative behaviors were relatively infrequent, and the proportion of positive and negative behaviors within each group was the same. Next, explicit and implicit (i.e., IAT-measured) attitudes were assessed. Results showed that conservatives (vs. liberals) displayed stronger explicit as well as implicit illusory correlations effects, forming more negative attitudes toward the minority (vs. majority) group at both the explicit and implicit level.

Plasma homovanillic acid levels in schizophrenic patients: correlation with negative symptoms.

PubMed

Dávila, Ricardo; Zumárraga, Mercedes; Basterreche, Nieves; Arrúe, Aurora; Anguiano, Juan B

2007-05-30

The relation between changes in the levels of plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA) and clinical evolution during neuroleptic treatment of schizophrenic patients has not been satisfactorily characterized, as a number of conflicting findings have been reported. Significant correlations have generally been found using the assessment of positive symptoms as an index of clinical outcome. Nevertheless, attempts to correlate pHVA concentrations with negative symptoms have yielded contradictory results. With a view to evaluating if different responses in negative symptoms are associated with distinct pHVA profiles, we examined the levels of pHVA in 46 neuroleptic-free schizophrenic patients and in these patients after neuroleptic treatment. Negative and positive symptoms were also addressed before and after treatment. Our results reveal that at least two classes of negative symptoms exist; the clinical evolution of the first class of negative symptoms parallels that of positive symptoms, and clinical improvement correlates with reduced dopaminergic activity. In contrast, in the second class, reduced dopaminergic activity is associated with a further deterioration of negative symptoms. These findings corroborate the heterogeneity of negative symptoms and may contribute to a better definition of endophenotypes in the schizophrenic syndrome.

Comparison of pharmacy students' perceived and actual knowledge using the Pharmacy Curricular Outcomes Assessment.

PubMed

Naughton, Cynthia A; Friesner, Daniel L

2012-05-10

To determine whether a correlation exists between third-year PharmD students' perceived pharmacy knowledge and actual pharmacy knowledge as assessed by the Pharmacy Curricular Outcomes Assessment (PCOA). In 2010 and 2011, the PCOA was administered in a low-stakes environment to third-year pharmacy students at North Dakota State University College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences (COPNAS). A survey instrument was also administered on which students self-assessed their perceived competencies in each of the core areas covered by the PCOA examination. The pharmacy students rated their competencies slightly higher than average. Performance on the PCOA was similar to but slightly higher than national averages. Correlations between each of the 4 content areas (basic biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, social/administrative sciences, and clinical sciences) mirrored those reported nationally by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). Student performance on the basic biomedical sciences portion of the PCOA was significantly correlated with students' perceived competencies in the biomedical sciences. No other correlations between actual and perceived competencies were significant. A lack of correlation exists between what students perceive they know and what they actually know in the areas of pharmaceutical science; social, behavioral, and administrative science; and clinical science. Therefore, additional standardized measures are needed to assess curricular effectiveness and provide comparisons among pharmacy programs.

The luminosity function of star clusters in 20 star-forming galaxies based on Hubble legacy archive photometry

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

Whitmore, Bradley C.; Bowers, Ariel S.; Lindsay, Kevin

2014-04-01

Luminosity functions (LFs) have been determined for star cluster populations in 20 nearby (4-30 Mpc), star-forming galaxies based on Advanced Camera for Surveys source lists generated by the Hubble Legacy Archive (HLA). These cluster catalogs provide one of the largest sets of uniform, automatically generated cluster candidates available in the literature at present. Comparisons are made with other recently generated cluster catalogs demonstrating that the HLA-generated catalogs are of similar quality, but in general do not go as deep. A typical cluster LF can be approximated by a power law, dN/dL∝L {sup α}, with an average value for α ofmore » –2.37 and rms scatter = 0.18 when using the F814W ('I') band. A comparison of fitting results based on methods that use binned and unbinned data shows good agreement, although there may be a systematic tendency for the unbinned (maximum likelihood) method to give slightly more negative values of α for galaxies with steeper LFs. We find that galaxies with high rates of star formation (or equivalently, with the brightest or largest numbers of clusters) have a slight tendency to have shallower values of α. In particular, the Antennae galaxy (NGC 4038/39), a merging system with a relatively high star formation rate (SFR), has the second flattest LF in the sample. A tentative correlation may also be present between Hubble type and values of α, in the sense that later type galaxies (i.e., Sd and Sm) appear to have flatter LFs. Hence, while there do appear to be some weak correlations, the relative similarity in the values of α for a large number of star-forming galaxies suggests that, to first order, the LFs are fairly universal. We examine the bright end of the LFs and find evidence for a downturn, although it only pertains to about 1% of the clusters. Our uniform database results in a small scatter (≈0.4 to 0.5 mag) in the correlation between the magnitude of the brightest cluster (M {sub brightest}) and log of the number of clusters brighter than M{sub I} = –9 (log N). We also examine the magnitude of the brightest cluster versus log SFR for a sample including both dwarf galaxies and ULIRGs. This shows that the correlation extends over roughly six orders of magnitude but with scatter that is larger than for our spiral sample, probably because of the high levels of extinction in many of the LIRGs.« less

The Association Between Self-Rated Fitness and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Adults.

PubMed

Jensen, Karina Gregersen; Rosthøj, Susanne; Linneberg, Allan; Aadahl, Mette

2018-06-01

To assess criterion validity of a single item question on self-rated physical fitness against objectively measured cardiorespiratory fitness. From the Health2008 study 749 men and women between 30 and 60 years of age rated their fitness as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor. Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated with the watt-max test. Agreement between self-rated and objectively measured physical fitness was assessed by Cohen's weighted kappa coefficient. Correlation was determined by Goodman & Kruskal's gamma correlation coefficient. All analyses were stratified according to gender. Data from 323 men and 426 women were analysed. There was a slight agreement between self-rated and objectively measured fitness in men (weighted kappa: 0.18, [95%CI: 0.13;0.23]) and a fair agreement in women (weighted kappa: 0.27, [95%CI: 0.22;0.32]). In both genders, self-rated fitness was positively correlated with objectively measured fitness (moderate correlation; gamma correlation coefficient for men: 0.63 [95%CI: 0.54;0.72] and women: 0.67 [95%CI: 0.59;0.75]). There was a slight to fair agreement and moderate, positive correlations between self-rated physical fitness and watt-max estimated cardiorespiratory fitness. Hence, a single-item question on physical fitness may be a cost-effective method of assessing fitness in large population studies, but is not valid for individual assessments. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The Relationship Between Humor Styles and Forgiveness

PubMed Central

Hampes, William

2016-01-01

Research has shown that a factor in a victim’s forgiveness of an offender is the victim’s ability to make more positive, or at least less negative, attributions of the offender’s behavior and that perspective-taking can be a factor in facilitating that process. Self-enhancing humor has been found to be positively correlated with perspective-taking empathy and aggressive humor found to be negatively correlated with perspective-taking empathy. Therefore it was predicted that self-enhancing humor would be positively correlated with forgiveness and aggressive humor negatively correlated with forgiveness. The Humor Styles Questionnaire, the Absence of Negative and Presence of Positive subscales of the Forgiveness Scale, and the Forgiveness Likelihood Scale were administered to 112 college undergraduates. Self-enhancing humor was significantly and positively correlated with all of the forgiveness measures, aggressive humor and self-defeating humor were significantly and negatively correlated with some of the forgiveness measures and affiliative humor was not significantly correlated with any of the forgiveness measures. The results were interpreted in terms of previous findings for humor styles, perspective-taking empathy, depression, self-esteem and anxiety. Future research involving the extent to which other personality variables, such as perspective-taking empathy, mediate the relationship between self-enhancing humor and forgiveness was suggested. PMID:27547252

Statistical analysis of the correlation between the equatorial electrojet and the occurrence of the equatorial ionisation anomaly over the East African sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mungufeni, Patrick; Bosco Habarulema, John; Migoya-Orué, Yenca; Jurua, Edward

2018-06-01

This study presents statistical quantification of the correlation between the equatorial electrojet (EEJ) and the occurrence of the equatorial ionisation anomaly (EIA) over the East African sector. The data used were for quiet geomagnetic conditions (Kp ≤ 3) during the period 2011-2013. The horizontal components, H, of geomagnetic fields measured by magnetometers located at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (dip lat. ˜ 1° N), and Adigrat, Ethiopia (dip lat. ˜ 6° N), were used to determine the EEJ using differential techniques. The total electron content (TEC) derived from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals using 19 receivers located along the 30-40° longitude sector was used to determine the EIA strengths over the region. This was done by determining the ratio of TEC over the crest to that over the trough, denoted as the CT : TEC ratio. This technique necessitated characterisation of the morphology of the EIA over the region. We found that the trough lies slightly south of the magnetic equator (0-4° S). This slight southward shift of the EIA trough might be due to the fact that over the East African region, the general centre of the EEJ is also shifted slightly south of the magnetic equator. For the first time over the East African sector, we determined a threshold daytime EEJ strength of ˜ 40 nT that is mostly associated with prominent EIA occurrence during a high solar activity period. The study also revealed that there is a positive correlation between daytime EEJ and EIA strengths, with a strong positive correlation occurring during the period 13:00-15:00 LT.

Risk and Resolution: The Influence of Presidential Personality Predispositions on Military Disengagement Decisions

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

personality. Their Five Factor Model ( FFM ) melds characteristics found in nearly all personality and psychological tests. The model consists of...and Costa found MBTI scales to correlate strongly with four of the five FFM traits: MBTI-Introversion correlates negatively to FFM Extraversion, MBTI...N correlates positively to FFM Openness, MBTI-Feeling correlates positively to FFM Agreeableness, and MBTI-P correlates negatively to FFM

Correlational and thermodynamic properties of finite-temperature electron liquids in the hypernetted-chain approximation.

PubMed

Tanaka, Shigenori

2016-12-07

Correlational and thermodynamic properties of homogeneous electron liquids at finite temperatures are theoretically analyzed in terms of dielectric response formalism with the hypernetted-chain (HNC) approximation and its modified version. The static structure factor and the local-field correction to describe the strong Coulomb-coupling effects beyond the random-phase approximation are self-consistently calculated through solution to integral equations in the paramagnetic (spin unpolarized) and ferromagnetic (spin polarized) states. In the ground state with the normalized temperature θ=0, the present HNC scheme well reproduces the exchange-correlation energies obtained by quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) simulations over the whole fluid phase (the coupling constant r s ≤100), i.e., within 1% and 2% deviations from putative best QMC values in the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic states, respectively. As compared with earlier studies based on the Singwi-Tosi-Land-Sjölander and modified convolution approximations, some improvements on the correlation energies and the correlation functions including the compressibility sum rule are found in the intermediate to strong coupling regimes. When applied to the electron fluids at intermediate Fermi degeneracies (θ≈1), the static structure factors calculated in the HNC scheme show good agreements with the results obtained by the path integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) simulation, while a small negative region in the radial distribution function is observed near the origin, which may be associated with a slight overestimation for the exchange-correlation hole in the HNC approximation. The interaction energies are calculated for various combinations of density and temperature parameters ranging from strong to weak degeneracy and from weak to strong coupling, and the HNC values are then parametrized as functions of r s and θ. The HNC exchange-correlation free energies obtained through the coupling-constant integration show reasonable agreements with earlier results including the PIMC-based fitting over the whole fluid region at finite degeneracies in the paramagnetic state. In contrast, a systematic difference between the HNC and PIMC results is observed in the ferromagnetic state, which suggests a necessity of further studies on the exchange-correlation free energies from both aspects of analytical theory and simulation.

Correlation analyses of covering and righting behaviors to fitness related traits of the sea urchin Glyptocidaris crenularis in different environmental conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Jing; Zhang, Lisheng; Zhao, Chong; Feng, Wenping; Sun, Ping; Chang, Yaqing

2016-11-01

Complex marine benthic environments shape a number of ecologically important behaviors in sea urchins, including covering and righting behaviors. The present study correlated covering and righting behaviors to a series of fitness-related traits in sea urchins. Righting response time of Glyptocidaris crenularis was significantly positively correlated with body size, but significantly negatively correlated with food consumption. Covering behavior was not significantly correlated with test diameter, test height or body weight, but covering response time was negatively correlated with body weight. A significantly negative correlation was found between righting response time and covering response time. Glyptocidaris crenularis showed a significantly positive correlation in covering response time with and without exposure to poured sand, but no significance in covering ability (number of shells used to cover). The present study provides new insight into internal mechanisms and evolutionary drives of covering and righting behaviors of sea urchins.

Religion, coping and outcome in out-patients with depression or diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Amadi, K U; Uwakwe, R; Odinka, P C; Ndukuba, A C; Muomah, C R; Ohaeri, J U

2016-06-01

The study assesses the association between religiosity and coping style with the outcome of depression and diabetes. Using a simple random sampling, we recruited 112 participants with diabetes and an equal number with depression consecutively, matching for gender. Religiosity was determined using Religious Orientation Scale (revised) (ROS-R), coping styles with Brief Religious Coping (Brief RCOPE) scale and Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale (adapted). Primary and secondary outcomes were evaluated using Sheehan's Disability Scale (SDS) and Becks Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) respectively. Among participants with diabetes, BDI-II total scores correlated negatively with ROS-R Extrinsic Social (r = -0.2, P < 0.05) and Fighting Spirit (r = -0.3, P < 0.05) but correlated positively with Helplessness/Hopelessness (r = 0.3, P < 0.05) and Brief RCOPE Negative (r = 0.4, P < 0.05). SDS global scores correlated positively with Helplessness/Hopelessness (r = 0.3, P < 0.05) and Brief RCOPE Negative (r = 0.4, P < 0.05). Among participants with depression, BDI-II total scores correlated negatively with Intrinsic religiosity (r = -0.2, P < 0.05) and Fighting Spirit (r = -0.4, P < 0.05) but correlated positively with Helplessness/Hopelessness (r = 0.6, P < 0.05) and Brief RCOPE Negative (r = 0.7, P < 0.05). SDS global scores correlated negatively with Intrinsic religiosity (r = -0.2, P < 0.05) and Fighting Spirit (r = -0.3, P < 0.05) but correlated positively with Helplessness/Hopelessness (r = 0.5, P < 0.05) and Brief RCOPE Negative (r = 0.4, P < 0.05). High intrinsic and extrinsic religiosities are likely to be associated with positive coping skills and better treatment outcome in patients with depression or diabetes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cell-wall properties contributing to improved deconstruction by alkaline pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis in diverse maize (Zea mays L.) lines

PubMed Central

Li, Muyang; Heckwolf, Marlies; Crowe, Jacob D.; Williams, Daniel L.; Magee, Timothy D.; Kaeppler, Shawn M.; de Leon, Natalia; Hodge, David B.

2015-01-01

A maize (Zea mays L. subsp. mays) diversity panel consisting of 26 maize lines exhibiting a wide range of cell-wall properties and responses to hydrolysis by cellulolytic enzymes was employed to investigate the relationship between cell-wall properties, cell-wall responses to mild NaOH pre-treatment, and enzymatic hydrolysis yields. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose in the untreated maize was found to be positively correlated with the water retention value, which is a measure of cell-wall susceptibility to swelling. It was also positively correlated with the lignin syringyl/guaiacyl ratio and negatively correlated with the initial cell-wall lignin, xylan, acetate, and p-coumaric acid (pCA) content, as well as pCA released from the cell wall by pre-treatment. The hydrolysis yield following pre-treatment exhibited statistically significant negative correlations to the lignin content after pre-treatment and positive correlations to the solubilized ferulic acid and pCA. Several unanticipated results were observed, including a positive correlation between initial lignin and acetate content, lack of correlation between acetate content and initial xylan content, and negative correlation between each of these three variables to the hydrolysis yields for untreated maize. Another surprising result was that pCA release was negatively correlated with hydrolysis yields for untreated maize and, along with ferulic acid release, was positively correlated with the pre-treated maize hydrolysis yields. This indicates that these properties that may negatively contribute to the recalcitrance in untreated cell walls may positively contribute to their deconstruction by alkaline pre-treatment. PMID:25871649

Whole brain volume changes and its correlation with clinical symptom severity in patients with schizophrenia: A DARTEL-based VBM study.

PubMed

Kim, Gwang-Won; Kim, Yun-Hyeon; Jeong, Gwang-Woo

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volume alterations in whole-brain structures in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls using voxel-based morphometry (VBM), and further to assess the correlation between GM and WM volume variations and symptom severity in schizophrenia. A total of 22 patients with schizophrenia and 22 age-matched healthy controls participated. Magnetic resonance image data were processed using SPM8 software with diffeomorphic anatomical registration via an exponentiated Lie algebra (DARTEL) algorithm. Patients with schizophrenia exhibited significantly decreased GM volumes of the insula, superior temporal gyrus (STG), gyrus rectus, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) compared with healthy controls. The GM volumes of the STG and gyrus rectus were negatively correlated with the positive scales on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and those of the STG and ACC were negatively correlated with the negative scales. The durations of illness in schizophrenia were negatively correlated with the GM volumes of the insula, STG, and ACC. Patients with schizophrenia exhibited significantly decreased WM volumes of the superior frontal gyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, and STG. The WM volumes of the STG were negatively correlated with the duration of illness. Our findings suggest that GM and WM volume abnormalities in the STG are associated with the psychopathology of schizophrenia.

Effects of Intergenerational Interaction on Aging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernandez, Carmen Requena; Gonzalez, Marta Zubiaur

2008-01-01

The world population pyramid has changed shape. However, this does not mean that societies have changed their negative concept of old age. Our study proposes an intergenerational service-learning program with 179 university students and 101 slightly depressed elderly people. The results show that the elderly people who interacted improved in…

The Relationship Between Attachment Styles, Self-Monitoring and Cybercrime in Social Network Users.

PubMed

Yaghoobi, Abolghasem; Mohammadzade, Serwa; Chegini, Ali Asghar; Yarmohammadi Vasel, Mosaeib; Zoghi Paidar, Mohammad Reza

2016-09-01

The anonymity in the cyberspace environment, as well as the rapid advent of and improvements to online activities has increased cybercrime. The aim of this paper was to survey the relationship between attachment styles, self-monitoring and cybercrime in social network users. The Collins and Read Adult Attachment Scale, and the Snyder self-monitoring and cybercrime scales were sent to 500 social network users. Of these, 203 users (103 men and 100 women) filled out the questionnaires. The results showed that women achieved higher scores in self-monitoring and the anxious attachment style, and men achieved higher scores in cybercrime and the anxious attachment style. There was a negative correlation between self-monitoring and cybercrime, and the anxious attachment style had a positive correlation with cybercrime and a negative correlation with self-monitoring. The secure attachment style had a positive correlation with self-monitoring and a negative correlation with cybercrime. The dependent attachment style had a positive correlation with self-monitoring and a negative correlation with cybercrime. All correlations were significant. Attachment styles have significant relationships with both self-monitoring and cybercrime. Self-monitoring and attachment styles are significant predictors of cybercrimes.

The Relationship Between Attachment Styles, Self-Monitoring and Cybercrime in Social Network Users

PubMed Central

Yaghoobi, Abolghasem; Mohammadzade, Serwa; Chegini, Ali Asghar; Yarmohammadi Vasel, Mosaeib; Zoghi Paidar, Mohammad Reza

2016-01-01

Background The anonymity in the cyberspace environment, as well as the rapid advent of and improvements to online activities has increased cybercrime. Objectives The aim of this paper was to survey the relationship between attachment styles, self-monitoring and cybercrime in social network users. Patients and Methods The Collins and Read Adult Attachment Scale, and the Snyder self-monitoring and cybercrime scales were sent to 500 social network users. Of these, 203 users (103 men and 100 women) filled out the questionnaires. Results The results showed that women achieved higher scores in self-monitoring and the anxious attachment style, and men achieved higher scores in cybercrime and the anxious attachment style. There was a negative correlation between self-monitoring and cybercrime, and the anxious attachment style had a positive correlation with cybercrime and a negative correlation with self-monitoring. The secure attachment style had a positive correlation with self-monitoring and a negative correlation with cybercrime. The dependent attachment style had a positive correlation with self-monitoring and a negative correlation with cybercrime. All correlations were significant. Conclusions Attachment styles have significant relationships with both self-monitoring and cybercrime. Self-monitoring and attachment styles are significant predictors of cybercrimes. PMID:27818964

Stress at the place of work and cognitive functions among women performing intellectual work during peri- and post-menopausal period.

PubMed

Gujski, Mariusz; Pinkas, Jarosław; Juńczyk, Tomasz; Pawełczak-Barszczowska, Adrianna; Raczkiewicz, Dorota; Owoc, Alfred; Bojar, Iwona

2017-10-06

The analysis of the relationship between stress at work and results of cognitive functions amongst women, at peri- and post-menopausal age, performing intellectual work. The study group included women, aged 45-66 years old, employed as intellectual workers. Research instruments were: the Montreal Cognitive Assessment; computer tests of the CNS Vital Signs; the Subjective Work Characteristics Questionnaire, and a questionnaire designed by the author. The results were statistically analyzed. Nearly a half of respondents experienced high stress at the place of work; 1/3 - on the average level, on a low level - every fifth. The largest number of respondents experienced stress caused by social contacts. Among a half of the women, stress was caused by the lack of awards at work, followed by the lack of support. Slightly fewer of them experienced stress caused by the feeling of psychological load related to the complexity of work or the feeling of uncertainty caused by the organization of work. Every third woman experienced stress due to the sense of responsibility or the lack of control. The smallest number experienced stress caused by physical arduousness, the sense of threat and unpleasant working conditions. The examined women obtained the best results with respect to simple attention, the worst results - with respect to the reaction time. The results concerning the remaining 9 cognitive functions were ranked in the middle of the aforementioned results. The intensity of stress at work and factors which caused this stress, negatively correlated with simple attention of women in the early peri-menopausal period, while positively correlating with the psychomotor and processing speed of women in the late peri-menopausal period. Among the post-menopausal women, negative correlations were observed between the majority of cognitive functions and the intensity of stress at work, and the majority of factors which caused this stress. Cognitive functions of the examined women remained within the range of average evaluations, and were correlated with stress-inducing factors at the place of work. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(6):943-961. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Dynamics of T-cell subsets and their relationship with oral and systemic opportunistic infections in HIV/AIDS patients during the first year of HAART in Guangxi, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Linlin; Huang, Yuxiao; Liu, Zhenmin; Liu, Wei; Qin, Qi; Tao, Renchuan

2015-07-01

To analyze the dynamic changes in Th1, Th2, Tc1, and Tc2 of HIV/AIDS patients during the first year of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and to explore their relationship with oral and systemic opportunistic infections, a cohort study was carried out among HIV/AIDS patients in Guangxi, China. Ninety HIV/AIDS patients and 30 healthy controls (HC) were included. The enrolled HIV/AIDS patients were examined at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months of HAART. On each visit, oral and systemic opportunistic infections were recorded, oral Candida load and plasma viral load (VL) were counted, differential T-cell counts and flow cytometric analysis of T-cell subsets were performed. During the first year of HAART, the total number of opportunistic infections decreased steadily with the change in oral candidiasis (OC) most representatively. A significant Th1→Th2 switch (Th1/Th2 ratio 0.23 ± 0.12, HC 1.45 ± 0.38) and slight Tc1→Tc2 shift (Tc1/Tc2 ratio 0.93 ± 0.29, HC 1.13 ± 0.33) were found at baseline, and both received slow mitigation after HAART. LgCFU and clinical OC were correlated positively with both LgVL and clinical stage (P < 0.05) at baseline. LgCFU was also correlated positively with clinical stage at all four time points (P < 0.05). In multiple factor analysis, Th1 was confirmed to be correlated negatively with LgVL (Std.B = -0.295, P = 0.025) and LgCFU (Std.B = -0.227, P < 0.001) at baseline. After HAART, LgCFU and clinical stage were only correlated negatively with CD4 when all factors were included. These results suggest that oral candidiasis and oral Candida load could be useful clinical markers in the evaluation of HIV/AIDS patients. Th1 may play an important role against oral and systemic opportunistic infections. Tc1 and Tc2 both showed positive roles in the control of viremia without HAART. J. Med. Virol. 87:1158-1167, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hydroxyurea and Growth in Young Children With Sickle Cell Disease

PubMed Central

Houston, Patricia E.; Wang, Winfred C.; Iyer, Rathi V.; Goldsmith, Jonathan; Casella, James F.; Reed, Caroline K.; Rogers, Zora R.; Waclawiw, Myron A.; Thompson, Bruce

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Growth impairment is a known complication of sickle cell disease. Effects of hydroxyurea (HU) on growth in very young children are not known. METHODS: Height, weight, BMI, and head circumference (HC) were compared with World Health Organization (WHO) standards in BABY HUG, a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled 2-year clinical trial of HU in 193 children 9 to 18 months of age. Anthropometric data were closely monitored and converted to z scores by using WHO standardized algorithms for descriptive analyses. The treatment and placebo groups were compared longitudinally by using a mixed model analysis. RESULTS: At entry, the z scores of BABY HUG children were higher than WHO norms. After 2 years of HU or placebo treatment, there were no significant differences between the groups, except for the mean HC z scores at study exit (HU: +0.8 versus placebo: +1.0, P = .05). Baseline z scores were the best predictors of z scores at study exit. The absolute neutrophil count, absolute reticulocyte count, and total white blood cell count had significant negative correlations with growth measures. CONCLUSIONS: Both groups had normal or near normal anthropometric measures during the study. The HC z scores at study entry and exit were slightly greater than WHO norms. Higher baseline white blood cell count, absolute reticulocyte count, and absolute neutrophil count were associated with poorer growth. The significance of the slightly lower HC in the treatment group at study exit is not clear. Trends toward normalization of weight and height and effects on HC will be monitored in ongoing BABY HUG follow-up studies. PMID:25157002

Jumping to Conclusions, a Lack of Belief Flexibility and Delusional Conviction in Psychosis

PubMed Central

So, Suzanne H.; Freeman, Daniel; Dunn, Graham; Kapur, Shitij; Kuipers, Elizabeth; Bebbington, Paul; Fowler, David; Garety, Philippa A.

2012-01-01

Two reasoning biases, jumping to conclusions (JTC) and belief inflexibility, have been found to be associated with delusions. We examined these biases and their relationship with delusional conviction in a longitudinal cohort of people with schizophrenia-spectrum psychosis. We hypothesized that JTC, lack of belief flexibility, and delusional conviction would form distinct factors, and that JTC and lack of belief flexibility would predict less change in delusional conviction over time. Two hundred seventy-three patients with delusions were assessed over twelve months of a treatment trial (Garety et al., 2008). Forty-one percent of the sample had 100% conviction in their delusions, 50% showed a JTC bias, and 50%–75% showed a lack of belief flexibility. Delusional conviction, JTC, and belief flexibility formed distinct factors although conviction was negatively correlated with belief flexibility. Conviction declined slightly over the year in this established psychosis group, whereas the reasoning biases were stable. There was little evidence that reasoning predicted the slight decline in conviction. The degree to which people believe their delusions, their ability to think that they may be mistaken and to consider alternative explanations, and their hastiness in decision making are three distinct processes although belief flexibility and conviction are related. In this established psychosis sample, reasoning biases changed little in response to medication or psychological therapy. Required now is examination of these processes in psychosis groups where there is greater change in delusion conviction, as well as tests of the effects on delusions when these reasoning biases are specifically targeted. PMID:21910515

Contrasting Strategies of Alfalfa Stem Elongation in Response to Fall Dormancy in Early Growth Stage: The Tradeoff between Internode Length and Internode Number

PubMed Central

Wang, Zongli; Sun, Qizhong

2015-01-01

Fall dormancy (FD) in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) can be described using 11 FD ratings, is widely used as an important indicator of stress resistance, productive performance and spring growth. However, the contrasting growth strategies in internode length and internode number in alfalfa cultivars with different FD rating are poorly understood. Here, a growth chamber study was conducted to investigate the effect of FD on plant height, aboveground biomass, internode length, and internode number in alfalfa individuals in the early growth stages. In order to simulate the alfalfa growth environment in the early stage, 11 alfalfa cultivars with FD ratings from one to 11 were chosen and seeded at the greenhouse, and then were transplanted into an artificial growth chamber. The experimental design was a randomized complete block in a split-plot arrangement with three replicates. Plant height, above-ground biomass, internode length, and internode number were measured in early growth stage in all individuals. Our findings showed that plant height and the aboveground biomass of alfalfa did not significantly differ among 11 different FD rated cultivars. Also, internode length and internode number positively affected plant height and the aboveground biomass of alfalfa individuals and the average internode length significantly increased with increasing FD rating. However, internode number tended to sharply decline when the FD rating increased. Moreover, there were no correlations, slightly negative correlations, and strongly negative correlations between internode length and internode number in alfalfa individuals among the three scales, including within-FD ratings, within-FD categories and inter-FD ratings, respectively. Therefore, our results highlighted that contrasting growth strategies in stem elongation were adopted by alfalfa with different FD ratings in the early growth stage. Alfalfa cultivars with a high FD rating have longer internodes, whereas more dormant alfalfa cultivars have a larger number of internodes. There were tradeoffs between internode length and internode number in response to FD in alfalfa, which reflected certain scale-dependence. PMID:26281014

Correlations between brain structure and symptom dimensions of psychosis in schizophrenia, schizoaffective, and psychotic bipolar I disorders.

PubMed

Padmanabhan, Jaya L; Tandon, Neeraj; Haller, Chiara S; Mathew, Ian T; Eack, Shaun M; Clementz, Brett A; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Sweeney, John A; Tamminga, Carol A; Keshavan, Matcheri S

2015-01-01

Structural alterations may correlate with symptom severity in psychotic disorders, but the existing literature on this issue is heterogeneous. In addition, it is not known how cortical thickness and cortical surface area correlate with symptom dimensions of psychosis. Subjects included 455 individuals with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or bipolar I disorders. Data were obtained as part of the Bipolar Schizophrenia Network for Intermediate Phenotypes study. Diagnosis was made through the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Positive and negative symptom subscales were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Structural brain measurements were extracted from T1-weight structural MRIs using FreeSurfer v5.1 and were correlated with symptom subscales using partial correlations. Exploratory factor analysis was also used to identify factors among those regions correlating with symptom subscales. The positive symptom subscale correlated inversely with gray matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness in frontal and temporal regions, whereas the negative symptom subscale correlated inversely with right frontal cortical surface area. Among regions correlating with the positive subscale, factor analysis identified four factors, including a temporal cortical thickness factor and frontal GMV factor. Among regions correlating with the negative subscale, factor analysis identified a frontal GMV-cortical surface area factor. There was no significant diagnosis by structure interactions with symptom severity. Structural measures correlate with positive and negative symptom severity in psychotic disorders. Cortical thickness demonstrated more associations with psychopathology than cortical surface area. © 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.

Correlated hydrogen bonding fluctuations and vibrational cross peaks in N-methyl acetamide: simulation based on a complete electrostatic density functional theory map.

PubMed

Hayashi, Tomoyuki; Mukamel, Shaul

2006-11-21

The coherent nonlinear response of the entire amide line shapes of N-methyl acetamide to three infrared pulses is simulated using an electrostatic density functional theory map. Positive and negative cross peaks contain signatures of correlations between the fundamentals and the combination state. The amide I-A and I-III cross-peak line shapes indicate positive correlation and anticorrelation of frequency fluctuations, respectively. These can be ascribed to correlated hydrogen bonding at C[double bond]O and N-H sites. The amide I frequency is negatively correlated with the hydrogen bond on carbonyl C[double bond]O, whereas the amide A and III are negatively and positively correlated, respectively, with the hydrogen bond on amide N-H.

Adaptive Evolution Is Substantially Impeded by Hill–Robertson Interference in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Castellano, David; Coronado-Zamora, Marta; Campos, Jose L.; Barbadilla, Antonio; Eyre-Walker, Adam

2016-01-01

Hill–Robertson interference (HRi) is expected to reduce the efficiency of natural selection when two or more linked selected sites do not segregate freely, but no attempt has been done so far to quantify the overall impact of HRi on the rate of adaptive evolution for any given genome. In this work, we estimate how much HRi impedes the rate of adaptive evolution in the coding genome of Drosophila melanogaster. We compiled a data set of 6,141 autosomal protein-coding genes from Drosophila, from which polymorphism levels in D. melanogaster and divergence out to D. yakuba were estimated. The rate of adaptive evolution was calculated using a derivative of the McDonald–Kreitman test that controls for slightly deleterious mutations. We find that the rate of adaptive amino acid substitution at a given position of the genome is positively correlated to both the rate of recombination and the mutation rate, and negatively correlated to the gene density of the region. These correlations are robust to controlling for each other, for synonymous codon bias and for gene functions related to immune response and testes. We show that HRi diminishes the rate of adaptive evolution by approximately 27%. Interestingly, genes with low mutation rates embedded in gene poor regions lose approximately 17% of their adaptive substitutions whereas genes with high mutation rates embedded in gene rich regions lose approximately 60%. We conclude that HRi hampers the rate of adaptive evolution in Drosophila and that the variation in recombination, mutation, and gene density along the genome affects the HRi effect. PMID:26494843

Effect of physical sediments reworking on hydrocarbon degradation and bacterial community structure in marine coastal sediments.

PubMed

Duran, Robert; Bonin, Patricia; Jezequel, Ronan; Dubosc, Karine; Gassie, Claire; Terrisse, Fanny; Abella, Justine; Cagnon, Christine; Militon, Cecile; Michotey, Valérie; Gilbert, Franck; Cuny, Philippe; Cravo-Laureau, Cristiana

2015-10-01

The present study aimed to examine whether the physical reworking of sediments by harrowing would be suitable for favouring the hydrocarbon degradation in coastal marine sediments. Mudflat sediments were maintained in mesocosms under conditions as closer as possible to those prevailing in natural environments with tidal cycles. Sediments were contaminated with Ural blend crude oil, and in half of them, harrowing treatment was applied in order to mimic physical reworking of surface sediments. Hydrocarbon distribution within the sediment and its removal was followed during 286 days. The harrowing treatment allowed hydrocarbon compounds to penetrate the first 6 cm of the sediments, and biodegradation indexes (such as n-C18/phytane) indicated that biodegradation started 90 days before that observed in untreated control mesocosms. However, the harrowing treatment had a severe impact on benthic organisms reducing drastically the macrofaunal abundance and diversity. In the harrowing-treated mesocosms, the bacterial abundance, determined by 16S rRNA gene Q-PCR, was slightly increased; and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analyses of 16S rRNA genes showed distinct and specific bacterial community structure. Co-occurrence network and canonical correspondence analyses (CCA) based on T-RFLP data indicated the main correlations between bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) as well as the associations between OTUs and hydrocarbon compound contents further supported by clustered correlation (ClusCor) analysis. The analyses highlighted the OTUs constituting the network structural bases involved in hydrocarbon degradation. Negative correlations indicated the possible shifts in bacterial communities that occurred during the ecological succession.

Computer-aided diagnosis with potential application to rapid detection of disease outbreaks.

PubMed

Burr, Tom; Koster, Frederick; Picard, Rick; Forslund, Dave; Wokoun, Doug; Joyce, Ed; Brillman, Judith; Froman, Phil; Lee, Jack

2007-04-15

Our objectives are to quickly interpret symptoms of emergency patients to identify likely syndromes and to improve population-wide disease outbreak detection. We constructed a database of 248 syndromes, each syndrome having an estimated probability of producing any of 85 symptoms, with some two-way, three-way, and five-way probabilities reflecting correlations among symptoms. Using these multi-way probabilities in conjunction with an iterative proportional fitting algorithm allows estimation of full conditional probabilities. Combining these conditional probabilities with misdiagnosis error rates and incidence rates via Bayes theorem, the probability of each syndrome is estimated. We tested a prototype of computer-aided differential diagnosis (CADDY) on simulated data and on more than 100 real cases, including West Nile Virus, Q fever, SARS, anthrax, plague, tularaemia and toxic shock cases. We conclude that: (1) it is important to determine whether the unrecorded positive status of a symptom means that the status is negative or that the status is unknown; (2) inclusion of misdiagnosis error rates produces more realistic results; (3) the naive Bayes classifier, which assumes all symptoms behave independently, is slightly outperformed by CADDY, which includes available multi-symptom information on correlations; as more information regarding symptom correlations becomes available, the advantage of CADDY over the naive Bayes classifier should increase; (4) overlooking low-probability, high-consequence events is less likely if the standard output summary is augmented with a list of rare syndromes that are consistent with observed symptoms, and (5) accumulating patient-level probabilities across a larger population can aid in biosurveillance for disease outbreaks. c 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The economic burden of malaria.

PubMed

Gallup, J L; Sachs, J D

2001-01-01

Malaria and poverty are intimately connected. Controlling for factors such as tropical location, colonial history, and geographical isolation, countries with intensive malaria had income levels in 1995 of only 33% that of countries without malaria, whether or not the countries were in Africa. The high levels of malaria in poor countries are not mainly a consequence of poverty. Malaria is geographically specific. The ecological conditions that support the more efficient malaria mosquito vectors primarily determine the distribution and intensity of the disease. Intensive efforts to eliminate malaria in the most severely affected tropical countries have been largely ineffective. Countries that have eliminated malaria in the past half century have all been either subtropical or islands. These countries' economic growth in the 5 years after eliminating malaria has usually been substantially higher than growth in the neighboring countries. Cross-country regressions for the 1965-1990 period confirm the relationship between malaria and economic growth. Taking into account initial poverty, economic policy, tropical location, and life expectancy, among other factors, countries with intensive malaria grew 1.3% less per person per year, and a 10% reduction in malaria was associated with 0.3% higher growth. Controlling for many other tropical diseases does not change the correlation of malaria with economic growth, and these diseases are not themselves significantly negatively correlated with economic growth. A second independent measure of malaria has a slightly higher correlation with economic growth in the 1980-1996 period. We speculate about the mechanisms that could cause malaria to have such a large impact on the economy, such as foreign investment and economic networks within the country.

Choroidal and scleral mechanisms of compensation for spectacle lenses in chicks.

PubMed

Wildsoet, C; Wallman, J

1995-05-01

It is known that when hyperopic or myopic defocus is imposed on chick eyes by spectacle lenses, they rapidly compensate, becoming myopic or hyperopic respectively, by altering the depth of their vitreous chamber. Changes in two components--ocular length and choroidal thickness--underlie this rapid compensation. With monocular lens treatment, hyperopic defocus imposed by negative lenses resulted in substantially increased ocular elongation and a slight thinning of the choroid, both changes resulting in myopia; myopic defocus imposed by positive lenses resulted a dramatic increase in choroidal thickness, which pushed the retina forward toward the image plane, and a slight decrease in ocular elongation, both changes resulting in hyperopia. The refractive error after 5 days of lens wear correlated well with vitreous chamber depth, which reflected the changes in both choroidal thickness and ocular length. The degree of compensation for lenses was not affected by whether the fellow eye was covered or open. Both form-deprivation myopia and lens-induced myopia declined with age in parallel, but wearing a -15 D lens produced more myopia than did form deprivation. The spectacle lenses affected the refractive error not only of the lens-wearing eye, but also, to a much lesser degree, of the untreated fellow eye. At lens removal refractive errors were opposite in sign to the lense worn, and the subsequent changes in choroidal thickness and ocular length were also opposite to those that occurred when the lenses were in place. In this situation as well, effects of the spectacle lenses on the fellow eyes were observed. Eyes with no functional afferent connection to the brain because of either prior optic nerve section or intraocular tetrodotoxin injections showed compensatory changes to imposed defocus, but these were limited to compensation for imposed myopic defocus, at least for the eyes with optic nerve section. In addition, optic nerve section, but not tetrodotoxin treatment, moved the set-point of the visual compensatory mechanism toward hyperopia. Optic nerve section prevents myopia in response to negative lenses but not to diffusers, suggesting that compensation for hyperopia requires the central nervous system.

Forming a negative impression of another person correlates with activation in medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala.

PubMed

Iidaka, Tetsuya; Harada, Tokiko; Sadato, Norihiro

2011-09-01

Neural correlates involved in the formation of negative impression from face were investigated using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging and a partial conditioning paradigm. Eighteen normal volunteers underwent imaging while they viewed the faces of two unfamiliar individuals: one individual's face was partially accompanied by negative emotion but the other's was not. After the volunteers learned the relationship between the faces and the emotion, they formed a more negative impression of the person's face when the emotion was presented. Subtraction analysis of the individuals' neutral faces revealed activation in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and superior temporal sulcus, but this activity did not correlate with the change of impression from face. On the other hand, the response in the left amygdala negatively correlated with the change of impression from face in the first run. Time modulation analysis revealed that activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex associated with negative emotion was the largest in the initial part of the acquisition. These results suggest that a negative impression from face may be formed by orchestrated activity in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala, and that the activity has a prominent role in the initial acquisition of negative emotion.

[Correlation between psychological state and emotional intelligence in residents of gynecology, and obstetrics].

PubMed

Carranza-Lira, Sebastián

2016-01-01

Emotional intelligence is our capacity to acknowledge our own emotions, and the emotions of other people; it also has to do with the way emotions must be understood, and used productively. Given that an altered state of mind can have an impact on emotional intelligence, our objective was to correlate the psychological state with emotional intelligence in residents of gynecology, and obstetrics. We assessed 76 gynecology and obstetrics residents by using What's my M3 and TMMS-24 instruments, in order to know the influence of psychological state on emotional intelligence. In male students of second grade, there was a positive correlation between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and emotional attention (EA), and a negative correlation with emotional clarity (EC). In third grade males, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) correlated positively with EA. In male students of fourth grade there was a positive correlation between OCD and EA. In second grade female students, depression correlated negatively with emotional repair (ER). In third grade female students anxiety, bipolar disorder, and PTSD correlated positively with EA. In fourth grade female students there was a negative correlation between depression and EA, and between anxiety, OCD, and PTSD with EC. Psychological status has a favorable impact on EA and a negative effect on EC and ER.

MAGNETIC ACTIVITY ANALYSIS FOR A SAMPLE OF G-TYPE MAIN SEQUENCE KEPLER TARGETS

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

Mehrabi, Ahmad; He, Han; Khosroshahi, Habib, E-mail: mehrabi@basu.ac.ir

2017-01-10

The variation of a stellar light curve owing to rotational modulation by magnetic features (starspots and faculae) on the star’s surface can be used to investigate the magnetic properties of the host star. In this paper, we use the periodicity and magnitude of the light-curve variation as two proxies to study the stellar magnetic properties for a large sample of G-type main sequence Kepler targets, for which the rotation periods were recently determined. By analyzing the correlation between the two magnetic proxies, it is found that: (1) the two proxies are positively correlated for most of the stars in ourmore » sample, and the percentages of negative, zero, and positive correlations are 4.27%, 6.81%, and 88.91%, respectively; (2) negative correlation stars cannot have a large magnitude of light-curve variation; and (3) with the increase of rotation period, the relative number of positive correlation stars decreases and the negative correlation one increases. These results indicate that stars with shorter rotation period tend to have positive correlation between the two proxies, and a good portion of the positive correlation stars have a larger magnitude of light-curve variation (and hence more intense magnetic activities) than negative correlation stars.« less

Inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizae does not improve 137Cs uptake in crops grown in the Chernobyl region.

PubMed

Vinichuk, M; Mårtensson, A; Rosén, K

2013-12-01

Methods for cleaning up radioactive contaminated soils are urgently needed. In this study we investigated whether the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can improve (137)Cs uptake by crops. Barley, cucumber, perennial ryegrass, and sunflower were inoculated with AM fungi and grown in low-level radionuclide contaminated soils in a field experiment 70 km southwest of Chernobyl, Ukraine, during two successive years (2009-2010). Roots of barley, cucumber and sunflower plants were slightly or moderately infected with AM fungus and root infection frequency was negatively or non-correlated with (137)Cs uptake by plants. Roots of ryegrass were moderately infected with AM fungus and infection frequency was moderately correlated with (137)Cs uptake by ryegrass. The application of AM fungi to soil in situ did not enhance radionuclide plant uptake or biomass. The responsiveness of host plants and AM fungus combination to (137)Cs uptake varied depending on the soil, although mycorrhization of soil in the field was conditional and did not facilitate the uptake of radiocesium. The total amount of (137)Cs uptake by plants growing on inoculated soil was equal to amounts in plant cultivated on non-inoculated soil. Thus, the use of AM fungi in situ for bioremediation of soil contaminated with a low concentration of (137)Cs could not be recommended. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of throat microbial flora in smokers with or without COPD

PubMed Central

Diao, Wenqi; Shen, Ning; Du, Yipeng; Qian, Ke; He, Bei

2017-01-01

The study aimed to determine the relationship between throat microbiome and COPD. Sixty-five Chinese males (n=20, smokers without COPD; n=45 smokers with COPD) were included. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling indicated differences of microbiome between COPD and controls, but no difference was observed between COPD patients with differing degrees of lung function or disease severity. Rarefaction analyses suggested that operational taxonomic units (OTUs, species-level) richness decreased in COPD. The dominant taxa between COPD and controls were similar, but the proportions of taxonomic distribution were different. The dominant phyla were Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Fusobacteria. The dominant genera were Haemophilus, Leptotrichia, Porphyromonas, Fusobacterium, Veillonella, Streptococcus, Neisseria and Prevotella. Two dominant OTUs, otu3 (Veillonella_dispar) and otu4 (Streptococcus_unclassified), were identified. Otu3 and its father-level taxa, which were negatively correlated with predicted percent of forced expiratory volume in a second (FEV1%pred), were increased in COPD. By contrast, otu4 and its father-level taxa, which were positively correlated with FEV1%pred, were decreased in COPD. Otu4 also showed a slight potential as a COPD biomarker. To conclude, the throat microbiome was different between smokers with or without COPD, which is similar to findings from the lower respiratory tract. This study may strengthen our understanding of the relationship between microbiomes of different airway sites and COPD. PMID:28740374

Correlations between age, kinematics, and chemistry as seen by the RAVE survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojno, Jennifer; Kordopatis, Georges; Steinmetz, Matthias; McMillan, Paul; Binney, James; Famaey, Benoit; Monari, Giacomo; Minchev, Ivan; Wyse, Rosemary F. G.; Antoja, Teresa; Siebert, Arnaud; Carrillo, Ismael; Bland-Hawthorn, Joss; Grebel, Eva K.; Zwitter, Tomaž; Bienaymé, Olivier; Gibson, Brad; Kunder, Andrea; Munari, Ulisse; Navarro, Julio; Parker, Quentin; Reid, Warren; Seabroke, George

2018-07-01

We explore the connections between stellar age, chemistry, and kinematics across a Galactocentric distance of 7.5 < R(kpc) < 9.0, using a sample of ˜12 000 intermediate-mass (FGK) turn-off stars observed with the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) survey. The kinematics of this sample are determined using radial velocity measurements from RAVE, and parallax and proper motion measurements from the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS). In addition, ages for RAVE stars are determined using a Bayesian method, taking TGAS parallaxes as a prior. We divide our sample into young (0 < τ < 3 Gyr) and old (8 < τ < 13 Gyr) populations, and then consider different metallicity bins for each of these age groups. We find significant differences in kinematic trends of young and old, metal-poor and metal-rich, stellar populations. In particular, we find a strong metallicity dependence in the mean Galactocentric radial velocity as a function of radius (partial {V_R}/partial R) for young stars, with metal-rich stars having a much steeper gradient than metal-poor stars. For partial {V_{φ }}/partial R, young, metal-rich stars significantly lag the LSR with a slightly positive gradient, while metal-poor stars show a negative gradient above the LSR. We interpret these findings as correlations between metallicity and the relative contributions of the non-axisymmetries in the Galactic gravitational potential (the spiral arms and the bar) to perturb stellar orbits.

Preliminary study of the distribution of gaseous mercury species in the air of Guiyang city, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, L.; Feng, X.; Zheng, W.; Yan, H.

2003-05-01

Total gaseous mercury (TGM) in ambient air consists of Hg^0 and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) in general. Although RGM only constitutes a small portion of TGM in the air, it contributes the most to both dry and wet deposition of mercury from the atmosphere. TGM and RGM concentrations in ambient air at one site of Guiyang City were determined in March 2002. TGM concentrations were monitored using an automated mercury vapor analyzer Tekran2537A, and RGM in ambient air was sampled using KCI coated tubular denuders. The sampled RGM denuders were analyzed using thermal desorption coupled with CVAFS detection. The average concentrations of TGM and RGM are 7.09 ng m^{-3} and 37.5pg m^{-3} respectively during the sampling period. The primary anthropogenic source for both Hg^0 and RGM is coal combustion in the study area. TGM concentrations are significantly elevated comparing to the global background values, whereas RGM concentrations are only slightly higher than the reported values in remote areas in Europe and US. RGM only constitutes 0.5% ofTGM in the air at the sampling period. There is a significant negative correlation between RGM concentration and relative humidity (RH), with a coefficient correlation of 0.39 (α<0.01). High relative humidity during the sampling is responsible for the relatively low RGM concentrations observed.

CD45RO enriches for activated, highly mutated human germinal center B cells

PubMed Central

Jackson, Stephen M.; Harp, Natessa; Patel, Darshna; Zhang, Jeffrey; Willson, Savannah; Kim, Yoon J.; Clanton, Christian

2007-01-01

To date, there is no consensus regarding the influence of different CD45 isoforms during peripheral B-cell development. Examining correlations between surface CD45RO expression and various physiologic processes ongoing during the germinal center (GC) reaction, we hypothesized that GC B cells, like T cells, that up-regulate surface RO should progressively acquire phenotypes commonly associated with activated, differentiating lymphocytes. GC B cells (IgD−CD38+) were subdivided into 3 surface CD45RO fractions: RO−, RO+/−, and RO+. We show here that the average number of mutations per IgVH transcript increased in direct correlation with surface RO levels. Conjunctional use of RO and CD69 further delineated low/moderately and highly mutated fractions. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) mRNA was slightly reduced among RO+ GC B cells, suggesting that higher mutation averages are unlikely due to elevated somatic mutation activity. Instead, RO+ GC B cells were negative for Annexin V, comprised mostly (93%) of CD77− centrocytes, and were enriched for CD69+ cells. Collectively, RO+ GC B cells occupy what seems to be a specialized niche comprised mostly of centrocytes that may be in transition between activation states. These findings are among the first to sort GC B cells into populations enriched for live mutated cells solely using a single extracellular marker. PMID:17644737

Influence of plankton mercury dynamics and trophic pathways on mercury concentrations of top predator fish of a mining-impacted reservoir

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stewart, A.R.; Saiki, M.K.; Kuwabara, J.S.; Alpers, Charles N.; Marvin-DiPasquale, M.; Krabbenhoft, D.P.

2008-01-01

Physical and biogeochemical characteristics of the aquatic environment that affect growth dynamics of phytoplankton and the zooplankton communities that depend on them may also affect uptake of methylmercury (MeHg) into the pelagic food web of oligotrophic reservoirs. We evaluated changes in the quality and quantity of suspended particulate material, zooplankton taxonomy, and MeHg concentrations coincident with seasonal changes in water storage of a mining-impacted reservoir in northern California, USA. MeHg concentrations in bulk zooplankton increased from 4 ng??g-1 at low water to 77 ?? 6.1 ng??g-1 at high water and were positively correlated with cladoceran biomass (r = 0.66) and negatively correlated with rotifer biomass (r = -0.65). Stable isotope analysis revealed overall higher MeHg concentrations in the pelagic-based food web relative to the benthic-based food web. Statistically similar patterns of trophic enrichment of MeHg (slopes) for the pelagic and benthic food webs and slightly higher MeHg concentrations in zooplankton than in benthic invertebrates suggest that the difference in MeHg bioaccumulation among trophic pathways is set at the base of the food webs. These results suggest an important role for plankton dynamics in driving the MeHg content of zooplankton and ultimately MeHg bioaccumulation in top predators in pelagic-based food webs. ?? 2008 NRC.

Effect of household size on mental problems in children: results from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study.

PubMed

Grinde, Bjørn; Tambs, Kristian

2016-06-02

Most people in industrialized societies grow up in core (parents only) families with few if any siblings. Based on an evolutionary perspective, it may be argued that this environment reflects a mismatch, in that the tribal setting offered a larger number of close affiliates. The present project examined whether this mismatch may have a negative impact on mental health. We used data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), which includes 114 500 children. The mothers were recruited during pregnancy and followed up with questionnaires as the infants grew older. Correlates between number and type of people living in the household and questions probing mental health were corrected for likely confounders. The number of household members correlated with scores on good mental health at all ages tested (3, 5 and 8 years). The effects were distinct, highly significant, and present regardless of how mental issues were scored. The outcome could be attributed to having older siblings, rather than adults beyond parents. The more siblings, and the closer in age, the more pronounced was the effect. Living with a single mother did not make any difference compared to two parents. Girls were slightly more responsive to the presence of siblings than boys. Household pets did not have any appreciable impact. A large household is associated with fewer mental problems in children.

Breast milk provides better antioxidant power than does formula.

PubMed

Aycicek, Ali; Erel, Ozcan; Kocyigit, Abdurrahim; Selek, Sahbettin; Demirkol, Mehmet Resit

2006-06-01

We examined the effect of breast milk on plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total peroxide (TP), and oxidative stress index (OSI), which are biomarkers of oxidative status. Fifty-four healthy term infants 3 to 6 mo of age were fed breast milk or a cow's milk modified formula. Plasma TAC, vitamin C, albumin, bilirubin, and uric acid levels were measured as indexes of antioxidative markers. Plasma TP levels were measured as an oxidative stress marker. The OSI was calculated to assess oxidative status. No significant differences were observed between groups with respect to growth or anthropometric measurements. Plasma uric acid, total protein, and albumin concentrations were slightly higher in the breast-fed group than in the formula-fed group. There was a positive correlation between infant's age and serum albumin levels; between TAC and plasma uric acid, albumin, and total bilirubin; and between plasma iron and TP levels in both groups (r > 0.256, P < 0.05). In addition, there was a negative correlation between plasma iron and TAC (r = -0.267, P = 0.01). Plasma TAC and vitamin C levels were significantly higher in the breast-fed group than in the formula-fed group (P < 0.05). Plasma TP levels and the OSI were higher in the formula-fed group than those in the breast-fed group (P < 0.05). Our data suggest that breast milk provides better antioxidant power than does formula.

Validity of Three-Dimensional Photonic Scanning Technique for Estimating Percent Body Fat.

PubMed

Shitara, K; Kanehisa, H; Fukunaga, T; Yanai, T; Kawakami, Y

2013-01-01

Three-dimensional photonic scanning (3DPS) was recently developed to measure dimensions of a human body surface. The purpose of this study was to explore the validity of body volume measured by 3DPS for estimating the percent body fat (%fat). Design, setting, participants, and measurement: The body volumes were determined by 3DPS in 52 women. The body volume was corrected for residual lung volume. The %fat was estimated from body density and compared with the corresponding reference value determined by the dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). No significant difference was found for the mean values of %fat obtained by 3DPS (22.2 ± 7.6%) and DXA (23.5 ± 4.9%). The root mean square error of %fat between 3DPS and reference technique was 6.0%. For each body segment, there was a significant positive correlation between 3DPS- and DXA-values, although the corresponding value for the head was slightly larger in 3DPS than in DXA. Residual lung volume was negatively correlated with the estimated error in %fat. The body volume determined with 3DPS is potentially useful for estimating %fat. A possible strategy for enhancing the measurement accuracy of %fat might be to refine the protocol for preparing the subject's hair prior to scanning and to improve the accuracy in the measurement of residual lung volume.

Description of trihalomethane levels in three UK water suppliers.

PubMed

Whitaker, Heather; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J; Best, Nicola; Fawell, John; Gowers, Alison; Elliot, Paul

2003-01-01

Samples of drinking water are routinely analysed for four trihalomethanes (THMs), which are indicators of by-products of disinfection with chlorine, by UK water suppliers to demonstrate compliance with regulations. The THM data for 1992-1993 to 1997-1998 for three water suppliers in the north and midlands of England were made available for a UK epidemiological study of the association between disinfection by-products and adverse birth outcomes. This paper describes the THM levels in these three supply regions and discusses possible sources of variation. THM levels varied between different suppliers' water, and average THM levels were within the regulatory limits. Chloroform was the predominant THM in all water types apart from the ground water of one supplier. The supplier that distributed more ground and lowland surface water had higher dibromochloromethane (DBCM) and bromoform levels and lower chloroform levels than the other two suppliers. In the water of two suppliers, seasonal fluctuations in bromodichloromethane (BDCM) and DBCM levels were found with levels peaking in the summer and autumn. In the other water supplier, chloroform levels followed a similar seasonal trend whereas BDCM and DBCM levels did not. For all three water suppliers, chloroform levels declined throughout 1995 when there was a drought period. There was a moderate positive correlation between the THMs most similar in their structure (chloroform and BDCM, BDCM and DBCM, and DBCM and bromoform) and a slight negative correlation between chloroform and bromoform levels.

Correlations between age, kinematics, and chemistry as seen by the RAVE survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wojno, Jennifer; Kordopatis, Georges; Steinmetz, Matthias; McMillan, Paul; Binney, James; Famaey, Benoit; Monari, Giacomo; Minchev, Ivan; Wyse, Rosemary F. G.; Antoja, Teresa; Siebert, Arnaud; Carrillo, Ismael; Bland-Hawthorn, Joss; K Grebel, Eva; Zwitter, Tomaž; Bienaymé, Olivier; Gibson, Brad; Kunder, Andrea; Munari, Ulisse; Navarro, Julio; Parker, Quentin; Reid, Warren; Seabroke, George

2018-04-01

We explore the connections between stellar age, chemistry, and kinematics across a Galactocentric distance of 7.5 < R (kpc) < 9.0, using a sample of ˜12 000 intermediate-mass (FGK) turnoff stars observed with the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) survey. The kinematics of this sample are determined using radial velocity measurements from RAVE, and parallax and proper motion measurements from the Tycho-Gaia Astrometric Solution (TGAS). In addition, ages for RAVE stars are determined using a Bayesian method, taking TGAS parallaxes as a prior. We divide our sample into young (0 < τ < 3 Gyr) and old (8 < τ < 13 Gyr) populations, and then consider different metallicity bins for each of these age groups. We find significant differences in kinematic trends of young and old, metal-poor and metal-rich, stellar populations. In particular, we find a strong metallicity dependence in the mean Galactocentric radial velocity as a function of radius (∂VR/∂R) for young stars, with metal-rich stars having a much steeper gradient than metal-poor stars. For ∂Vϕ/∂R, young, metal-rich stars significantly lag the LSR with a slightly positive gradient, while metal-poor stars show a negative gradient above the LSR. We interpret these findings as correlations between metallicity and the relative contributions of the non-axisymmetries in the Galactic gravitational potential (the spiral arms and the bar) to perturb stellar orbits.

Relations of spanking and other parenting characteristics to self-esteem and perceived fairness of parental discipline.

PubMed

Larzelere, R E; Klein, M; Schumm, W R; Alibrando, S A

1989-06-01

Punishment has long been a controversial topic in psychology, perhaps partly because its effects are different under different circumstances. This study used retrospective reports from college students to examine the effects of spanking, a common aversive punishment, on self-esteem and perceived fairness of parental discipline, while taking the effects of other parental characteristics into account. No parental characteristic interacted with the slightly negative effect of spanking on self-esteem and fairness. However, controlling for positive communication or for a parent-oriented motivation for spanking eliminated the negative effects of spanking, suggesting that the negative effects reflected use of spanking as a replacement for positive communication with the child.

Vibrational spectroscopic characterization of growth bands in Porites coral from South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yinxian; Yu, Kefu; Ayoko, Godwin A.; Frost, Ray L.; Shi, Qi; Feng, Yuexing; Zhao, Jianxin

2013-08-01

A series of samples from different growth bands of Porites coral skeleton were studied using Raman, infrared reflectance methods. The Raman spectra proved that skeleton samples from different growth bands have the same mineral phase as aragonite, but a band at 133 cm-1 for the top layer shows a transition from ˜120 cm-1 for vaterite to ˜141 cm-1 for aragonite. It is inferred that the vaterite should be the precursor of aragonite of coral skeleton. The positional shift in the infrared spectra of the skeleton samples from growth bands correlate significantly to their minor elements (Li, Mg, Sr, Mn, Fe and U) contents. Mg, Sr and U especially have significant negative correlations with the positions of the antisymmetric stretching band ν3 at ˜1469 cm-1. And Li shows a high negative correlation with ν2 band (˜855 cm-1), while Sr and Mn show similar negative correlation with ν4 band (˜712 cm-1). And Mn also shows a negative correlation with ν1 band (˜1082 cm-1). A significantly negative correlation is observed for U with ν1 + ν4 band (˜1786 cm-1). However, Fe shows positive correlation with ν1, ν2, ν3, ν4 and ν1 + ν4 bands shifts, especially a significant correlation with ν1 band (˜1082 cm-1). New insights into the characteristics of coral at different growth bands of skeleton are given in present work.

Cloud-to-ground lightning activity in Colombia: A 14-year study using lightning location system data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrera, J.; Younes, C.; Porras, L.

2018-05-01

This paper presents the analysis of 14 years of cloud-to-ground lightning activity observation in Colombia using lightning location systems (LLS) data. The first Colombian LLS operated from 1997 to 2001. After a few years, this system was upgraded and a new LLS has been operating since 2007. Data obtained from these two systems was analyzed in order to obtain lightning parameters used in designing lightning protection systems. The flash detection efficiency was estimated using average peak current maps and some theoretical results previously published. Lightning flash multiplicity was evaluated using a stroke grouping algorithm resulting in average values of about 1.0 and 1.6 for positive and negative flashes respectively and for both LLS. The time variation of this parameter changes slightly for the years considered in this study. The first stroke peak current for negative and positive flashes shows median values close to 29 kA and 17 kA respectively for both networks showing a great dependence on the flash detection efficiency. The average percentage of negative and positive flashes shows a 74.04% and 25.95% of occurrence respectively. The daily variation shows a peak between 23 and 02 h. The monthly variation of this parameter exhibits a bimodal behavior typical of the regions located near The Equator. The lightning flash density was obtained dividing the study area in 3 × 3 km cells and resulting in maximum average values of 25 and 35 flashes km- 2 year- 1 for each network respectively. A comparison of these results with global lightning activity hotspots was performed showing good correlation. Besides, the lightning flash density variation with altitude shows an inverse relation between these two variables.

Travelling-wave ion mobility mass spectrometry and negative ion fragmentation of hybrid and complex N-glycans

PubMed Central

Harvey, David J.; Scarff, Charlotte A.; Edgeworth, Matthew; Pagel, Kevin; Thalassinos, Konstantinos; Struwe, Weston B.; Crispin, Max; Scrivens, Jim

2016-01-01

Nitrogen cross sections of hybrid and complex glycans released from the glycoproteins IgG, gp120 (from human immunodeficiency virus), ovalbumin, α1-acid glycoprotein, thyroglobulin and fucosylated glycoproteins from the human parotid gland were measured with a travelling-wave ion mobility mass spectrometer using dextran as the calibrant. The utility of this instrument for isomer separation was also investigated. Some isomers, such as Man3GlcNAc3 from chicken ovalbumin and Man3GlcNAc3Fuc1 from thyroglobulin could be partially resolved and identified by their negative ion fragmentation spectra. Several other larger glycans, however, although existing as isomers, produced only asymmetric rather than separated arrival time distributions (ATDs). Nevertheless, in these cases, isomers could often be detected by plotting extracted fragment ATDs of diagnostic fragment ions from the negative ion spectra obtained in the transfer cell of the Waters Synapt mass spectrometer. Coincidence in the drift times of all fragment ions with an overall asymmetric ATD profile usually suggested that separations were due to conformers or anomers, whereas symmetrical ATDs of fragments showing differences in drift times indicated isomer separation. Although some significant differences in cross sections were found for the smaller isomeric glycans, the differences found for the larger compounds were usually too small to be analytically useful. Possible correlations between cross sections and structural types were also investigated and it was found that complex glycans tended to have slightly smaller cross sections than high-mannose glycans of comparable molecular weight. In addition, biantennary glycans containing a core fucose and/or a bisecting GlcNAc residue fell on different mobility-m/z trend lines to those glycans not so substituted with both of these substituents contributing to larger cross sections. PMID:27477117

Genetic analysis of traits affecting the success of embryo transfer in dairy cattle.

PubMed

König, S; Bosselmann, F; von Borstel, U U; Simianer, H

2007-08-01

The primary aim of this study was to estimate variance components for traits related to embryo transfer (ET) by applying generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) for different distributions of traits (normal, binomial, and Poisson) in a synergistic context. Synergistic models were originally developed for traits affected by several genotypes, denoted as maternal, paternal, and direct effects. In the case of ET, the number of flushed ova (FO) only depends on a donor's maternal genetic effect, whereas paternal fertility must be considered for other embryo survival traits, such as the number of transferable embryos (TE), the number of degenerated embryos (DE), the number of unfertilized oocytes (UO), and the percentage of transferable embryos (PTE). Data for these traits were obtained from 4,196 flushes of 2,489 Holstein cows within 4 regions of northwest Germany from January 1998 through October 2004. Estimates of maternal heritability were 0.231 for FO, 0.096 for TE, 0.021 for DE, 0.135 for UO, and 0.099 for PTE, whereas the relative genetic impact of the paternal component was near zero. Estimates of the genetic correlations between the maternal and the paternal component were slightly negative, indicating a genetic antagonism. For the analysis of pregnancy after ET, 8,239 transfers to 6,819 different Holstein-Friesian recipients were considered by applying threshold methodology. The direct heritability for pregnancy in the recipient after ET was 0.056. The relative genetic impact of maternal and paternal components on pregnancy of recipients describing a donor's and a sire's ability to produce viable embryos was below 1%. The genetic correlations of the direct effect of the recipient with the sire of embryos (paternal effect) and the donor cow (maternal effect) for pregnancy after ET were -0.32 and -0.14, respectively. With the exception of FO and PTE (-0.17), estimates of genetic correlations among traits for the maternal site were distinctly positive, especially between FO and TE (0.74). Based on this high genetic correlation and due to the higher heritability for FO, indirect selection on FO will increase selection response in TE by about 22% compared with direct selection on TE. The negative genetic correlation of -0.27 between TE and lactation milk yield indicates the need for development of an index for bull dams in multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) breeding schemes combining production as well as traits related to ET.

Reproductive hormones in menstrual blood.

PubMed

Zhou, J P; Fraser, I S; Caterson, I; Grivas, A; McCarron, G; Norman, T; Tan, K

1989-08-01

Menstrual and peripheral blood samples were collected from 19 regularly cycling women on days 1-3 of the menstrual cycle. Menstrual samples were collected with a soft silicone rubber menstrual cup. Hematocrit, PRL, LH, FSH, estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P4) were measured in all samples. Validation studies were carried out for RIAs of PRL, LH, and FSH in menstrual plasma. The menstrual plasma PRL level was significantly higher than its peripheral blood level on day 1 (63.3 +/- 14.7 and 12.1 +/- 2.9 micrograms/L, respectively; t = 3.331; P less than 0.01), and menstrual PRL was significantly higher on day 1 than on day 2 (t = 3.340; P less than 0.01). There was a strong negative correlation between log menstrual PRL concentration and time of onset of menstruation (r = -0.596; P less than 0.01). Menstrual plasma FSH levels were significantly lower than peripheral levels on each of days 1-3 (day 1:t = 4.787; P less than 0.001), and there was a significant positive correlation between menstrual and peripheral levels (r = 0.607; P less than 0.01). By contrast, menstrual plasma LH was significantly higher than the peripheral level on days 1 and 2 (day 1:t = 3.105; day 2:t = 3.180; P less than 0.01), with no correlation between menstrual and peripheral levels. Menstrual E2 was slightly lower than and significantly positively correlated with peripheral E2 (r = 0.646; P less than 0.01). Menstrual P4 was lower than but showed no correlation with peripheral levels. As expected, the menstrual blood hematocrit was less than 0.20 and highly significantly lower than that of peripheral venous blood. These results suggest that PRL is released in substantial amounts from secretory endometrium into the menstrual flow during the first day of menstrual breakdown. LH may also be released in small amounts from menstrual endometrium, while menstrual FSH, E2, and P4 probably arise entirely from the peripheral circulation.

The Ostomy Adjustment Scale: translation into Norwegian language with validation and reliability testing.

PubMed

Indrebø, Kirsten Lerum; Andersen, John Roger; Natvig, Gerd Karin

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to adapt the Ostomy Adjustment Scale to a Norwegian version and to assess its construct validity and 2 components of its reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability). One hundred fifty-eight of 217 patients (73%) with a colostomy, ileostomy, or urostomy participated in the study. Slightly more than half (56%) were men. Their mean age was 64 years (range, 26-91 years). All respondents had undergone ostomy surgery at least 3 months before participation in the study. The Ostomy Adjustment Scale was translated into Norwegian according to standard procedures for forward and backward translation. The questionnaire was sent to the participants via regular post. The Cronbach alpha and test-retest were computed to assess reliability. Construct validity was evaluated via correlations between each item and score sums; correlations were used to analyze relationships between the Ostomy Adjustment Scale and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, the Quality of Life Scale, the Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. The Cronbach alpha was 0.93, and test-retest reliability r was 0.69. The average correlation quotient item to sum score was 0.49 (range, 0.31-0.73). Results showed moderate negative correlations between the Ostomy Adjustment Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (-0.37 and -0.40), and moderate positive correlations between the Ostomy Adjustment Scale and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, the Quality of Life Scale, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (0.30-0.45) with the exception of the pain domain in the Short Form 36 (0.28). Regression analysis showed linear associations between the Ostomy Adjustment Scale and sociodemographic and clinical variables with the exception of education. The Norwegian language version of the Ostomy Adjustment Scale was found to possess construct validity, along with internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The instrument is sensitive for sociodemographic and clinical variables pertinent to persons with urostomies, colostomies, and ileostomies.

Cell-wall properties contributing to improved deconstruction by alkaline pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis in diverse maize (Zea mays L.) lines.

PubMed

Li, Muyang; Heckwolf, Marlies; Crowe, Jacob D; Williams, Daniel L; Magee, Timothy D; Kaeppler, Shawn M; de Leon, Natalia; Hodge, David B

2015-07-01

A maize (Zea mays L. subsp. mays) diversity panel consisting of 26 maize lines exhibiting a wide range of cell-wall properties and responses to hydrolysis by cellulolytic enzymes was employed to investigate the relationship between cell-wall properties, cell-wall responses to mild NaOH pre-treatment, and enzymatic hydrolysis yields. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose in the untreated maize was found to be positively correlated with the water retention value, which is a measure of cell-wall susceptibility to swelling. It was also positively correlated with the lignin syringyl/guaiacyl ratio and negatively correlated with the initial cell-wall lignin, xylan, acetate, and p-coumaric acid (pCA) content, as well as pCA released from the cell wall by pre-treatment. The hydrolysis yield following pre-treatment exhibited statistically significant negative correlations to the lignin content after pre-treatment and positive correlations to the solubilized ferulic acid and pCA. Several unanticipated results were observed, including a positive correlation between initial lignin and acetate content, lack of correlation between acetate content and initial xylan content, and negative correlation between each of these three variables to the hydrolysis yields for untreated maize. Another surprising result was that pCA release was negatively correlated with hydrolysis yields for untreated maize and, along with ferulic acid release, was positively correlated with the pre-treated maize hydrolysis yields. This indicates that these properties that may negatively contribute to the recalcitrance in untreated cell walls may positively contribute to their deconstruction by alkaline pre-treatment. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Cell-wall properties contributing to improved deconstruction by alkaline pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis in diverse maize ( Zea mays L.) lines

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

Li, Muyang; Heckwolf, Marlies; Crowe, Jacob D.

A maize (Zea mays L. subsp. mays) diversity panel consisting of 26 maize lines exhibiting a wide range of cell-wall properties and responses to hydrolysis by cellulolytic enzymes was employed to investigate the relationship between cell-wall properties, cell-wall responses to mild NaOH pre-treatment, and enzymatic hydrolysis yields. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose in the untreated maize was found to be positively correlated with the water retention value, which is a measure of cell-wall susceptibility to swelling. It was also positively correlated with the lignin syringyl/guaiacyl ratio and negatively correlated with the initial cell-wall lignin, xylan, acetate, and p-coumaric acid (pCA)more » content, as well as pCA released from the cell wall by pre-treatment. The hydrolysis yield following pre-treatment exhibited statistically significant negative correlations to the lignin content after pre-treatment and positive correlations to the solubilized ferulic acid and pCA. Several unanticipated results were observed, including a positive correlation between initial lignin and acetate content, lack of correlation between acetate content and initial xylan content, and negative correlation between each of these three variables to the hydrolysis yields for untreated maize. Also, another surprising result was that pCA release was negatively correlated with hydrolysis yields for untreated maize and, along with ferulic acid release, was positively correlated with the pre-treated maize hydrolysis yields. In conclusion, this indicates that these properties that may negatively contribute to the recalcitrance in untreated cell walls may positively contribute to their deconstruction by alkaline pre-treatment« less

Cell-wall properties contributing to improved deconstruction by alkaline pre-treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis in diverse maize ( Zea mays L.) lines

DOE PAGES

Li, Muyang; Heckwolf, Marlies; Crowe, Jacob D.; ...

2015-02-20

A maize (Zea mays L. subsp. mays) diversity panel consisting of 26 maize lines exhibiting a wide range of cell-wall properties and responses to hydrolysis by cellulolytic enzymes was employed to investigate the relationship between cell-wall properties, cell-wall responses to mild NaOH pre-treatment, and enzymatic hydrolysis yields. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose in the untreated maize was found to be positively correlated with the water retention value, which is a measure of cell-wall susceptibility to swelling. It was also positively correlated with the lignin syringyl/guaiacyl ratio and negatively correlated with the initial cell-wall lignin, xylan, acetate, and p-coumaric acid (pCA)more » content, as well as pCA released from the cell wall by pre-treatment. The hydrolysis yield following pre-treatment exhibited statistically significant negative correlations to the lignin content after pre-treatment and positive correlations to the solubilized ferulic acid and pCA. Several unanticipated results were observed, including a positive correlation between initial lignin and acetate content, lack of correlation between acetate content and initial xylan content, and negative correlation between each of these three variables to the hydrolysis yields for untreated maize. Also, another surprising result was that pCA release was negatively correlated with hydrolysis yields for untreated maize and, along with ferulic acid release, was positively correlated with the pre-treated maize hydrolysis yields. In conclusion, this indicates that these properties that may negatively contribute to the recalcitrance in untreated cell walls may positively contribute to their deconstruction by alkaline pre-treatment« less

The occurrence of ice production in slightly supercooled Arctic stratiform clouds as observed by ground-based remote sensors at the ARM NSA site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Damao; Wang, Zhien; Luo, Tao; Yin, Yan; Flynn, Connor

2017-03-01

Ice particle formation in slightly supercooled stratiform clouds is not well documented or understood. In this study, 4 years of combined lidar depolarization and radar reflectivity (Ze) measurements are analyzed to distinguish between cold drizzle and ice crystal formations in slightly supercooled Arctic stratiform clouds over the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program Climate Research Facility North Slope of Alaska Utqiaġvik ("Barrow") site. Ice particles are detected and statistically shown to be responsible for the strong precipitation in slightly supercooled Arctic stratiform clouds at cloud top temperatures as high as -4°C. For ice precipitating Arctic stratiform clouds, the lidar particulate linear depolarization ratio (δpar_lin) correlates well with radar Ze at each temperature range, but the δpar_lin-Ze relationship varies with temperature ranges. In addition, lidar depolarization and radar Ze observations of ice generation characteristics in Arctic stratiform clouds are consistent with laboratory-measured temperature-dependent ice growth habits.

Unusual transformation from strong negative to positive thermal expansion in PbTiO3-BiFeO3 perovskite.

PubMed

Chen, Jun; Fan, Longlong; Ren, Yang; Pan, Zhao; Deng, Jinxia; Yu, Ranbo; Xing, Xianran

2013-03-15

Tetragonal PbTiO(3)-BiFeO(3) exhibits a strong negative thermal expansion in the PbTiO(3)-based ferroelectrics that consist of one branch in the family of negative thermal expansion materials. Its strong negative thermal expansion is much weakened, and then unusually transforms into positive thermal expansion as the particle size is slightly reduced. This transformation is a new phenomenon in the negative termal expansion materials. The detailed structure, temperature dependence of unit cell volume, and lattice dynamics of PbTiO(3)-BiFeO(3) samples were studied by means of high-energy synchrotron powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Such unusual transformation from strong negative to positive thermal expansion is highly associated with ferroelectricity weakening. An interesting zero thermal expansion is achieved in a wide temperature range (30-500 °C) by adjusting particle size due to the negative-to-positive transformation character. The present study provides a useful method to control the negative thermal expansion not only for ferroelectrics but also for those functional materials such as magnetics and superconductors.

Manifestations of interpersonal dependency and depressive subtypes in outpatient psychotherapy patients.

PubMed

Huprich, Steven; Rosen, Alexandra; Kiss, Andrea

2013-08-01

The present study investigated the relationship between normative and pathological dependency and anaclitic and introjective depressive experiences among 71 patients participating in outpatient psychotherapy at a university-based psychology clinic. We examined the interrelationships among the Relationship Profile Test subscales, the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire subscales and the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2. Results indicated that destructive overdependence was positively correlated with anaclitic and introjective depression and negatively correlated with overall perceptions of mental health. Dysfunctional detachment was positively correlated with introjective depression and negatively correlated with generalized perceptions of one's own mental health. Healthy dependency was negatively correlated with introjective depression and positively correlated with mental health. These results not only support the construct validity of the Relationship Profile Test but also shed light on a link between depression, dependence and self-criticism. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Positive and negative symptom scores are correlated with activation in different brain regions during facial emotion perception in schizophrenia patients: a voxel-based sLORETA source activity study.

PubMed

Kim, Do-Won; Kim, Han-Sung; Lee, Seung-Hwan; Im, Chang-Hwan

2013-12-01

Schizophrenia is one of the most devastating of all mental illnesses, and has dimensional characteristics that include both positive and negative symptoms. One problem reported in schizophrenia patients is that they tend to show deficits in face emotion processing, on which negative symptoms are thought to have stronger influence. In this study, four event-related potential (ERP) components (P100, N170, N250, and P300) and their source activities were analyzed using EEG data acquired from 23 schizophrenia patients while they were presented with facial emotion picture stimuli. Correlations between positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) scores and source activations during facial emotion processing were calculated to identify the brain areas affected by symptom scores. Our analysis demonstrates that PANSS positive scores are negatively correlated with major areas of the left temporal lobule for early ERP components (P100, N170) and with the right middle frontal lobule for a later component (N250), which indicates that positive symptoms affect both early face processing and facial emotion processing. On the other hand, PANSS negative scores are negatively correlated with several clustered regions, including the left fusiform gyrus (at P100), most of which are not overlapped with regions showing correlations with PANSS positive scores. Our results suggest that positive and negative symptoms affect independent brain regions during facial emotion processing, which may help to explain the heterogeneous characteristics of schizophrenia. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurements of historical total ozone from the Chalonge-Divan stellar spectrum program: A reanalysis of the 1953-1972 data and a comparison with simultaneous Dobson Arosa measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffin, R. E. M.; Fioletov, V.; McConnell, J. C.

2006-06-01

We report new determinations of total ozone obtained by reanalyzing a unique set of astronomical observations that were made in the mid-20th century at observatories in France (Haute-Provence) and Switzerland (Jungfraujoch) for the purpose of calculating nightly atmospheric extinction coefficients in the UV (Rayleigh scattering and total ozone) as part of a program to measure absolute stellar fluxes. Only a small fraction of the original ozone results, corresponding to data obtained during 1958-1959, are in the public domain at the World Ozone and Ultraviolet Data Centre; the rest were on handwritten sheets and were stored at Haute-Provence. Both astronomical sites are close enough geographically to Arosa (Switzerland) that the respective ozone values can be compared directly. The comparison reveals a generally very close resemblance, even down to the pattern of daily variations, with a correlation coefficient of 0.78, but an overall negative bias of 6-7% in the stellar results. The bias appears to be slightly larger prior to 1958.

Aqueous Extract of Phyllanthus niruri Leaves Displays In Vitro Antioxidant Activity and Prevents the Elevation of Oxidative Stress in the Kidney of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Male Rats

PubMed Central

Giribabu, Nelli; Rao, Pasupuleti Visweswara; Kumar, Korla Praveen; Muniandy, Sekaran; Swapna Rekha, Somesula; Salleh, Naguib

2014-01-01

P. niruri has been reported to possess antidiabetic and kidney protective effects. In the present study, the phytochemical constituents and in vitro antioxidant activity of P. niruri leaf aqueous extract were investigated together with its effect on oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes levels in diabetic rat kidney. Results. Treatment of diabetic male rats with P. niruri leaf aqueous extract (200 and 400 mg/kg) for 28 consecutive days prevents the increase in the amount of lipid peroxidation (LPO) product, malondialdehyde (MDA), and the diminution of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity levels in the kidney of diabetic rats. The amount of LPO showed strong negative correlation with SOD, CAT, and GPx activity levels. P. niruri leaf aqueous extract exhibits in vitro antioxidant activity with IC50 slightly lower than ascorbic acid. Phytochemical screening of plant extract indicates the presence of polyphenols. Conclusion. P. niruri leaf extract protects the kidney from oxidative stress induced by diabetes. PMID:24991228

Can hydrothermal pretreatment improve anaerobic digestion for biogas from lignocellulosic biomass?

PubMed

Wang, Dou; Shen, Fei; Yang, Gang; Zhang, Yanzong; Deng, Shihuai; Zhang, Jing; Zeng, Yongmei; Luo, Tao; Mei, Zili

2018-02-01

Hydrothermally-pretreated rice straw (HPRS) from various pretreatment temperatures was anaerobically-digested in whole slurry. Results indicated promoting pretreatment temperature significantly deconstructed rice straw, and facilitated the conversion of insoluble fractions to soluble fractions. Although 306.6 mL/g TS biogas was maximally yielded in HPRS-90 and HPRS-180, respectively, via digestion in whole slurry, it was only 3% promotion compared to the unpretreated rice straw. HPRS-210 yielded 208.5 mL/g TS biogas, which was 30% reduction with longer lag period of 19.8 d, suggesting serious inhibitions happened. Through slightly increasing organic loading, more serious acidification and reduction on biogas yield, especially at higher pretreatment temperatures, indicated the soluble fractions controlled digestion performances. Pearson correlation analysis suggested negative relationship existed between methane yield and the soluble fractions including soluble carbohydrates, formic acid and furfural. Hydrothermal pretreatment, especially at higher temperature, did not improve anaerobic digestion, thereby, was not recommended, however, lower temperature can be considered potentially. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polishing of anaerobic secondary effluent by Chlorella vulgaris under low light intensity.

PubMed

Cheng, Tuoyuan; Wei, Chun-Hai; Leiknes, TorOve

2017-10-01

To investigate anaerobic secondary effluent polishing by microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris) under low light intensity (14μmol/m 2 /s), bubbling column reactors were operated in batches of 8 d with initial ammonium nitrogen 10-50mg/L, initial phosphate phosphorus 2-10mg/L and microalgal seed 40mg/L. Maximum microalgal biomass and minimum generation time were 370.9mg/L and 2.5d, respectively. Nitrogen removal (maximum 99.6%) was mainly attributed to microalgal growth rate, while phosphorus removal (maximum 49.8%) was related to microalgal growth rate, cell phosphorus content (maximum 1.5%) and initial nutrients ratio. Dissolved microalgal organics release in terms of chemical oxygen demand (maximum 63.2mg/L) and hexane extractable material (i.e., oil and grease, maximum 8.5mg/L) was firstly reported and mainly affected by nitrogen deficiency and deteriorated effluent quality. Ultrafiltration critical flux (16.6-39.5L/m 2 /h) showed negative linear correlation to microalgal biomass. Anaerobic membrane bioreactor effluent polishing showed similar results with slight inhibition to synthetic effluent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation of ascending aorta elasticity and the severity of coronary artery stenosis in hypertensive patients with coronary heart disease assessed by M-mode and tissue Doppler echocardiography.

PubMed

Lu, Qixiu; Liu, Houlin

2015-03-01

The main objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between ascending aorta elasticity and the severity of coronary artery stenosis in essential hypertensive patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) using M-mode and tissue Doppler echocardiography. A total of 184 hypertensive patients with CHD were enrolled. Patients were divided into three groups based on the severity of coronary stenosis measured by coronary arteriography (CAG): slight stenosis (group 1), moderate stenosis (group 2) and serious stenosis (group 3). M-mode and tissue Doppler echocardiography were performed, and elasticity indexes of ascending aorta including stiffness index, distensibility index, and S wave speed of anterior wall were calculated and correlated with the severity of coronary stenosis. Ascending aorta stiffness index was increased, whereas distensibility index and S wave speed of anterior wall were decreased in moderate and severe stenosis groups compared with slight stenosis group (P < 0.01). Elasticity indexes change in a stepwise pattern with the narrowness of coronary artery, and there was a significant correlation between aortic elasticity and severity of coronary artery by Pearson correlation analysis (P < 0.01). Elasticity indexes of ascending aorta correlate well with severity of coronary stenosis. Elasticity indexes of ascending aorta can serve as predictors for coronary arterial lesion in hypertensive patients.

Comparison of Pharmacy Students’ Perceived and Actual Knowledge Using the Pharmacy Curricular Outcomes Assessment

PubMed Central

Friesner, Daniel L.

2012-01-01

Objective. To determine whether a correlation exists between third-year PharmD students’ perceived pharmacy knowledge and actual pharmacy knowledge as assessed by the Pharmacy Curricular Outcomes Assessment (PCOA). Methods. In 2010 and 2011, the PCOA was administered in a low-stakes environment to third-year pharmacy students at North Dakota State University College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Allied Sciences (COPNAS). A survey instrument was also administered on which students self-assessed their perceived competencies in each of the core areas covered by the PCOA examination. Results. The pharmacy students rated their competencies slightly higher than average. Performance on the PCOA was similar to but slightly higher than national averages. Correlations between each of the 4 content areas (basic biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, social/administrative sciences, and clinical sciences) mirrored those reported nationally by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). Student performance on the basic biomedical sciences portion of the PCOA was significantly correlated with students’ perceived competencies in the biomedical sciences. No other correlations between actual and perceived competencies were significant. Conclusion. A lack of correlation exists between what students perceive they know and what they actually know in the areas of pharmaceutical science; social, behavioral, and administrative science; and clinical science. Therefore, additional standardized measures are needed to assess curricular effectiveness and provide comparisons among pharmacy programs. PMID:22611272

Intraobserver reproducibility of retinal nerve fiber layer measurements using scanning laser polarimetry and optical coherence tomography in normal and ocular hypertensive subjects.

PubMed

Lleó-Pérez, A; Ortuño-Soto, A; Rahhal, M S; Martínez-Soriano, F; Sanchis-Gimeno, J A

2004-01-01

To evaluate quantitatively the intraobserver reproducibility of measurements of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in healthy subjects and an ocular hypertensive population using two nerve fiber analyzers. Sixty eyes of normal (n=30) and ocular hypertensive subjects (n=30) were consecutively recruited for this study and underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination and achromatic automated perimetry. RNFL were measured using scanning laser polarimeter (GDx-VCC) and optical coherence tomography (OCT Model 3000). Reproducibility of the RNFL measurements obtained with both nerve fiber analyzers were compared using the coefficient of variation. In both groups the authors found fair correlations between the two methods in all ratio and thickness parameters. The mean coefficient of variation for measurement of the variables ranged from 2.24% to 13.12% for GDx-VCC, and from 5.01% to 9.24% for OCT Model 3000. The authors could not detect any significant differences between healthy and ocular hypertensive eyes, although in normal eyes the correlations improved slightly. Nevertheless, the test-retest correlation was slightly better for GDx-VCC than for OCT Model 3000 (5.55% and 7.11%, respectively). Retinal mapping software of both nerve fiber analyzers allows reproducible measurement of RNFL in both healthy subjects and ocular hypertensive eyes, and shows fair correlations and good intraobserver reproducibility. However, in our study, GDx showed a better test-retest correlation.

Microbiological quality and somatic cell count in bulk milk of dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius): descriptive statistics, correlations, and factors of variation.

PubMed

Nagy, P; Faye, B; Marko, O; Thomas, S; Wernery, U; Juhasz, J

2013-09-01

The objectives of the present study were to monitor the microbiological quality and somatic cell count (SCC) of bulk tank milk at the world's first large-scale camel dairy farm for a 2-yr period, to compare the results of 2 methods for the enumeration of SCC, to evaluate correlation among milk quality indicators, and to determine the effect of specific factors (year, season, stage of lactation, and level of production) on milk quality indicators. The study was conducted from January 2008 to January 2010. Total viable count (TVC), coliform count (CC), California Mastitis Test (CMT) score, and SCC were determined from daily bulk milk samples. Somatic cell count was measured by using a direct microscopic method and with an automatic cell counter. In addition, production parameters [total daily milk production (TDM, kg), number of milking camels (NMC), average milk per camel (AMC, kg)] and stage of lactation (average postpartum days, PPD) were recorded for each test day. A strong correlation (r=0.33) was found between the 2 methods for SCC enumeration; however, values derived using the microscopic method were higher. The geometric means of SCC and TVC were 394×10(3) cells/mL and 5,157 cfu/mL during the observation period, respectively. Somatic cell count was >500×10(3) cells/mL on 14.6% (106/725) and TVC was >10×10(3) cfu/mL on 4.0% (30/742) of the test days. Both milk quality indicators had a distinct seasonal pattern. For log SCC, the mean was lowest in summer and highest in autumn. The seasonal pattern of log TVC was slightly different, with the lowest values being recorded during the spring. The monthly mean TVC pattern showed a clear difference between years. Coliform count was <10 cfu/mL in most of the samples (709/742, 95.6%). A positive correlation was found between log SCC and log TVC (r=0.32), between log SCC and CMT score (r=0.26), and between log TVC and CC in yr 1 (r=0.30). All production parameters and stage of lactation showed strong seasonal variation. Log SCC was negatively correlated with TDM (r=-0.35), AMC (r=-0.37), and NMC (r=-0.15) and positively correlated with PPD (r=0.40). Log TVC had a negative correlation with AMC (r=-0.40) but a positive correlation with NMC (r=0.32), TDM (r=0.16), and PPD (r=0.45). The linear mixed model with stepwise variable selection showed that the main sources of log SCC variation were PPD, TDM, PPD × season, and season. For log TVC, the same factors and year contributed to the variation. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neutral beamline with ion energy recovery based on magnetic blocking of electrons

DOEpatents

Stirling, William L.

1982-01-01

A neutral beamline generator with energy recovery of the full-energy ion ponent of the beam based on magnetic blocking of electrons is provided. Ions from a positive ion source are accelerated to the desired beam energy from a slightly positive potential level with respect to ground through a neutralizer cell by means of a negative acceleration voltage. The unneutralized full-energy ion component of the beam exiting the neutralizer are retarded and slightly deflected and the electrons in the neutralizer are blocked by a magnetic field generated transverse to the beamline. An electron collector in the form of a coaxial cylinder surrounding and protruding axial a few centimeters beyond the neutralizer exit terminates the electrons which exit the neutralizer in an E x B drift to the collector when the collector is biased a few hundred volts positive with respect to the neutralizer voltage. The neutralizer is operated at the negative acceleration voltage, and the deflected full energy ions are decelerated and the charge collected at ground potential thereby expending none of their energy received from the acceleration power supply.

Correlation among Y Balance Test-Lower Quarter Composite Scores, Hip Musculoskeletal Characteristics, and Pitching Kinematics in NCAA Division I Baseball Pitchers.

PubMed

Culiver, Adam; Garrison, J Craig; Creed, Kalyssa M; Conway, John E; Goto, Shiho; Werner, Sherry

2018-01-24

Numerous studies have reported kinematic data on baseball pitchers using 3D motion analysis, but no studies to date have correlated this data with clinical outcome measures. To examine the relationship among Y Balance Test-Lower Quarter (YBT-LQ) composite scores, musculoskeletal characteristics of the hip and pitching kinematics in NCAA Division I baseball pitchers. Cross-sectional. 3D motion analysis laboratory. 19 healthy male collegiate baseball pitchers. Internal and external hip passive range of motion (PROM); hip abduction strength; YBT-LQ composite scores; kinematic variables of the pitching motion. Stride length demonstrated a moderate positive correlation with dominant limb YBT-LQ composite score (r=0.524, p=0.018) and non-dominant limb YBT-LQ composite score (r=0.550, p=0.012), and a weak positive correlation with normalized time to maximal humerus velocity (r=0.458, p=0.043). Stride length had a moderate negative correlation with normalized time to maximal thorax velocity (r= -0.522, p=0.018) and dominant hip TRM (r= -0.660, p=0.002), and had a strong negative correlation with normalized time from SFC to maximal knee flexion (r= -0.722, p<0.001). Dominant limb YBT-LQ composite score had a weak negative correlation with hip abduction strength difference (r= -0.459, p=0.042) and normalized time to maximal thorax velocity (r= -0.468, p=0.037), as well as a moderate negative correlation with dominant hip TRM (r= -0.160, p=0.004). Non-dominant limb YBT-LQ composite score demonstrated a weak negative correlation with normalized time to maximal thorax velocity (r= -0.450, p=0.046) and had a moderate negative correlation with dominant hip TRM (r= -0.668, p=0.001). Hip abduction strength difference demonstrated a weak positive correlation with dominant hip TRM (r=0.482, p=0.032). Dominant hip TRM had a moderate positive correlation with normalized time to maximal thorax velocity (r=0.484, p=0.031). There were no other significant relationships between the remaining variables. YBT-LQ is a clinical measure which can be used to correlate with hip musculoskeletal characteristics and pitching kinematics in NCAA Division I pitchers.

The link between callosal thickness and intelligence in healthy children and adolescents.

PubMed

Luders, Eileen; Thompson, Paul M; Narr, Katherine L; Zamanyan, Alen; Chou, Yi-Yu; Gutman, Boris; Dinov, Ivo D; Toga, Arthur W

2011-02-01

The link between brain structure and intelligence is a well-investigated topic, but existing analyses have mainly focused on adult samples. Studies in healthy children and adolescents are rare, and normative data specifically addressing the association between corpus callosum morphology and intellectual abilities are quite limited. To advance this field of research, we mapped the correlations between standardized intelligence measures and callosal thickness based on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Our large and well-matched sample included 200 normally developing subjects (100 males, 100 females) ranging from 6 to 17 years of age. Although the strongest correlations were negative and confined to the splenium, the strength and the direction of intelligence-callosal thickness associations varied considerably. While significant correlations in females were mainly positive, significant correlations in males were exclusively negative. However, only the negative correlations in the overall sample (i.e., males and females combined) remained significant when controlling for multiple comparisons. The observed negative correlations between callosal thickness and intelligence in children and adolescents contrast with the positive correlations typically reported in adult samples. However, negative correlations are in line with reports from other pediatric studies relating cognitive measures to other brain attributes such as cortical thickness, gray matter volume, and gray matter density. Altogether, these findings suggest that relationships between callosal morphology and cognition are highly dynamic during brain maturation. Sex effects on links between callosal thickness and intelligence during childhood and adolescence are present but appear rather weak in general. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The link between callosal thickness and intelligence in healthy children and adolescents

PubMed Central

Luders, Eileen; Thompson, Paul M.; Narr, Katherine L.; Zamanyan, Alen; Chou, Yi-Yu; Gutman, Boris; Dinov, Ivo D.; Toga, Arthur W.

2010-01-01

The link between brain structure and intelligence is a well-investigated topic, but existing analyses have mainly focused on adult samples. Studies in healthy children and adolescents are rare, and normative data specifically addressing the association between corpus callosum morphology and intellectual abilities is quite limited. To advance this field of research, we mapped the correlations between standardized intelligence measures and callosal thickness based on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. Our large and well-matched sample included 200 normally developing subjects (100 males, 100 females) ranging from 6 to 17 years of age. Although the strongest correlations were negative and confined to the splenium, the strength and the direction of intelligence-callosal thickness associations varied considerably with respect to age and sex. While significant correlations in females were mainly positive, significant correlations in males were exclusively negative. However, only the negative correlations in the overall sample (i.e., males and females combined) remained significant when controlling for multiple comparisons. The observed negative correlations between callosal thickness and intelligence in children and adolescents contrast with the positive correlations typically reported in adult samples. However, negative correlations are in line with reports from other pediatric studies relating cognitive measures to other brain attributes such as cortical thickness, gray matter volume, and gray matter density. Altogether, these findings suggest that relationships between callosal morphology and cognition are highly dynamic during brain maturation. Sex effects on links between callosal thickness and intelligence during childhood and adolescence are present but appear rather weak in general. PMID:20932920

Self-worth and psychological adjustment of obese children: An analysis through the Draw-A-Person

PubMed Central

Scimeca, Giuseppe; Alborghetti, Amelia; Bruno, Antonio; Troili, Giulia Maria; Pandolfo, Gianluca; Muscatello, Maria Rosaria Anna; Zoccali, Rocco Antonio

2016-01-01

AIM To investigate psychopathological correlates of child obesity via the Draw-A-Person test (DAP). METHODS The participants were 50 children with a mean age of 9.74 years. Body mass index (BMI) was used as a measure of body fat. Children were divided into normal (n = 17), overweight (n = 14) and obese (n = 19). Two qualitative methods of scoring the DAP based on an integrative approach were used to assess self-concept (ESW) and overall level of children’s adjustment (EAC). A procedure for judging interpretative skills of clinicians was implemented before they evaluated children’s drawings. RESULTS As predicted by our hypothesis, BMI was negatively correlated with ESW, r (50) = -0.29, P < 0.05, but not with EAC, r (50) = - 0.08, P = ns. To evaluate the effect of gender, Pearson correlations were re-computed regrouping the sample accordingly: BMI and EAC reached a significant negative correlation in female subjects, r (24) = -0.36, P < 0.05, and a positive correlation in male subjects, r (26) = 0.37, P = < 0.05; negative correlation between BMI and ESW became stronger in females, r (24) = -0.51, P < 0.01 but not in males, whose correlation disappeared resulting not-significant, r (26) = -0.06, P = ns. No effect of age was found. Results indicate that obesity has a negative correlation exclusively on overall adjustment and self-concept in female children. CONCLUSION It was concluded that there is a negative bias toward females that reveals how the stigma of obesity is widespread in Western society. PMID:27679772

Novel Assessment of Interstitial Lung Disease Using the "Computer-Aided Lung Informatics for Pathology Evaluation and Rating" (CALIPER) Software System in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies.

PubMed

Ungprasert, Patompong; Wilton, Katelynn M; Ernste, Floranne C; Kalra, Sanjay; Crowson, Cynthia S; Rajagopalan, Srinivasan; Bartholmai, Brian J

2017-10-01

To evaluate the correlation between measurements from quantitative thoracic high-resolution CT (HRCT) analysis with "Computer-Aided Lung Informatics for Pathology Evaluation and Rating" (CALIPER) software and measurements from pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD). A cohort of patients with IIM-associated ILD seen at Mayo Clinic was identified from medical record review. Retrospective analysis of HRCT data and PFTs at baseline and 1 year was performed. The abnormalities in HRCT were quantified using CALIPER software. A total of 110 patients were identified. At baseline, total interstitial abnormalities as measured by CALIPER, both by absolute volume and by percentage of total lung volume, had a significant negative correlation with diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), total lung capacity (TLC), and oxygen saturation. Analysis by subtype of interstitial abnormality revealed significant negative correlations between ground glass opacities (GGO) and reticular density (RD) with DLCO and TLC. At one year, changes of total interstitial abnormalities compared with baseline had a significant negative correlation with changes of TLC and oxygen saturation. A negative correlation between changes of total interstitial abnormalities and DLCO was also observed, but it was not statistically significant. Analysis by subtype of interstitial abnormality revealed negative correlations between changes of GGO and RD and changes of DLCO, TLC, and oxygen saturation, but most of the correlations did not achieve statistical significance. CALIPER measurements correlate well with functional measurements in patients with IIM-associated ILD.

Modeling of Kerena Emergency Condenser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bryk, Rafał; Schmidt, Holger; Mull, Thomas; Wagner, Thomas; Ganzmann, Ingo; Herbst, Oliver

2017-12-01

KERENA is an innovative boiling water reactor concept equipped with several passive safety systems. For the experimental verification of performance of the systems and for codes validation, the Integral Test Stand Karlstein (INKA) was built in Karlstein, Germany. The emergency condenser (EC) system transfers heat from the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) to the core flooding pool in case of water level decrease in the RPV. EC is composed of a large number of slightly inclined tubes. During accident conditions, steam enters into the tubes and condenses due to the contact of the tubes with cold water at the secondary side. The condensed water flows then back to the RPV due to gravity. In this paper two approaches for modeling of condensation in slightly inclined tubes are compared and verified against experiments. The first approach is based on the flow regime map. Depending on the regime, heat transfer coefficient is calculated according to specific semi-empirical correlation. The second approach uses a general, fully-empirical correlation. The models are developed with utilization of the object-oriented Modelica language and the open-source OpenModelica environment. The results are compared with data obtained during a large scale integral test, simulating loss of coolant accident performed at Integral Test Stand Karlstein (INKA). The comparison shows a good agreement.Due to the modularity of models, both of them may be used in the future in systems incorporating condensation in horizontal or slightly inclined tubes. Depending on his preferences, the modeller may choose one-equation based approach or more sophisticated model composed of several exchangeable semi-empirical correlations.

The Effects of Anger, Sadness and Happiness on Persuasive Message Processing: A Test of the Negative State Relief Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Monique M.; Brown, Kenneth M.; Morris-Villagran, Melinda; Villagran, Paul D.

2001-01-01

Examines the strength of the effects of happiness and sadness on attitude change, and compares these effects with the effect of anger on attitude change and persuasive message processing. Finds that message strength was positively correlated with attitude, intention and behavior, but was negatively correlated with negative thoughts, and counter…

Warfare and wildlife declines in Africa's protected areas.

PubMed

Daskin, Joshua H; Pringle, Robert M

2018-01-18

Large-mammal populations are ecological linchpins, and their worldwide decline and extinction disrupts many ecosystem functions and services. Reversal of this trend will require an understanding of the determinants of population decline, to enable more accurate predictions of when and where collapses will occur and to guide the development of effective conservation and restoration policies. Many correlates of large-mammal declines are known, including low reproductive rates, overhunting, and habitat destruction. However, persistent uncertainty about the effects of one widespread factor-armed conflict-complicates conservation-planning and priority-setting efforts. Case studies have revealed that conflict can have either positive or negative local impacts on wildlife, but the direction and magnitude of its net effect over large spatiotemporal scales have not previously been quantified. Here we show that conflict frequency predicts the occurrence and severity of population declines among wild large herbivores in African protected areas from 1946 to 2010. Conflict was extensive during this period, occurring in 71% of protected areas, and conflict frequency was the single most important predictor of wildlife population trends among the variables that we analysed. Population trajectories were stable in peacetime, fell significantly below replacement with only slight increases in conflict frequency (one conflict-year per two-to-five decades), and were almost invariably negative in high-conflict sites, both in the full 65-year dataset and in an analysis restricted to recent decades (1989-2010). Yet total population collapse was infrequent, indicating that war-torn faunas can often recover. Human population density was also correlated (positively) with wildlife population trajectories in recent years; however, we found no significant effect, in either timespan, of species body mass, protected-area size, conflict intensity (human fatalities), drought frequency, presence of extractable mineral resources, or various metrics of development and governance. Our results suggest that sustained conservation activity in conflict zones-and rapid interventions following ceasefires-may help to save many at-risk populations and species.

Development of a Water Clarity Index for the Southeastern U.S. As a Climate Indicator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheridan, S. C.; Hu, C.; Lee, C. C.; Barnes, B.; Pirhalla, D.; Ransi, V.; Shein, K. A.

2014-12-01

A common index of water quality is water clarity, which can be estimated by measuring the diffuse attenuation coefficient for downwelling irradiance (Kd). Kd estimates the availability of light to marine organisms at various depths. Marine habitats, including such species as coral and seagrass, can be negatively affected by extreme episodes of sediment suspension, where water clarity is reduced and little light penetrates. Evidence of increased stress on coastal ecosystems exists, partially due to climate change, yet a systematic analysis of extreme events and trends is difficult due to limited data. To address this concern, we have developed as a potential climate indicator a Kd-Index for nine regions along the US coast of the Gulf of Mexico, in which Kd values have been standardized over time and space to allow for a more holistic assessment of climate drivers and their trends. Variability in the Kd-Index is then assessed with regard to occurrences of surface weather types (using the Spatial Synoptic Classification), a synoptic climatology of mean sea-level-pressure patterns across the region, along with heavy precipitation events. Kd can be estimated from MODIS and SeaWiFS observations from 1997 to date; an earlier period of satellite observations from 1978-86 is also available. A non-linear autoregressive neural network model with external input (NARX) is used to develop the historical relationship between Kd-Index and atmospheric conditions, and then this model is used to simulate a full time series from 1948 to 2013. The modeled data set is strongly correlated with observations, with correlations above 0.8 for many regions. Hit rates of extreme Kd-Index values - those which would most likely be associated with a negative environmental impact - exceed 70% in some regions. Across the full data set, long term trends vary slightly across regions but are generally small. Trends in extreme events appear to be more consistently increasing across the domain.

Alexithymia Components Are Differentially Related to Explicit Negative Affect But Not Associated with Explicit Positive Affect or Implicit Affectivity.

PubMed

Suslow, Thomas; Donges, Uta-Susan

2017-01-01

Alexithymia represents a multifaceted personality construct defined by difficulties in recognizing and verbalizing emotions and externally oriented thinking. According to clinical observations, experience of negative affects is exacerbated and experience of positive affects is decreased in alexithymia. Findings from research based on self-report indicate that all alexithymia facets are negatively associated with the experience of positive affects, whereas difficulties identifying and describing feelings are related to heightened negative affect. Implicit affectivity, which can be measured using indirect assessment methods, relates to processes of the impulsive system. The aim of the present study was to examine, for the first time, the relations between alexithymia components and implicit and explicit positive and negative affectivity in healthy adults. The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Implicit Positive and Negative Affect Test and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were administered to two hundred and forty-one healthy individuals along with measures of depression and trait anxiety. Difficulties identifying feelings were correlated with explicit negative trait affect, depressive mood and trait anxiety. Difficulties describing feelings showed smaller but also significant correlations with depressive mood and trait anxiety but were not correlated with explicit state or trait affect as assessed by the PANAS. Externally oriented thinking was not significantly correlated with any of the implicit and explicit affect measures. According to our findings, an externally oriented, concrete way of thinking appears to be generally unrelated to dispositions to develop positive or negative affects. Difficulties identifying feelings seem to be associated with increased conscious negative affects but not with a heightened disposition to develop negative affects at an automatic response level.

Workplace Drug Testing and Worker Drug Use

PubMed Central

Carpenter, Christopher S

2007-01-01

Objective To examine the nature and extent of the association between workplace drug testing and worker drug use. Data Sources Repeated cross-sections from the 2000 to 2001 National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) and the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Study Design Multivariate logistic regression models of the likelihood of marijuana use are estimated as a function of several different workplace drug policies, including drug testing. Specific questions about penalty severity and the likelihood of detection are used to further evaluate the nature of the association. Principal Findings Individuals whose employers perform drug tests are significantly less likely to report past month marijuana use, even after controlling for a wide array of worker and job characteristics. However, large negative associations are also found for variables indicating whether a firm has drug education, an employee assistance program, or a simple written policy about substance use. Accounting for these other workplace characteristics reduces—but does not eliminate—the testing differential. Frequent testing and severe penalties reduce the likelihood that workers use marijuana. Conclusions Previous studies have interpreted the large negative correlation between workplace drug testing and employee substance use as representing a causal deterrent effect of drug testing. Our results using more comprehensive data suggest that these estimates have been slightly overstated due to omitted variables bias. The overall pattern of results remains largely consistent with the hypothesis that workplace drug testing deters worker drug use. PMID:17362218

Language mapping with navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation in pediatric and adult patients undergoing epilepsy surgery: Comparison with extraoperative direct cortical stimulation.

PubMed

Lehtinen, Henri; Mäkelä, Jyrki P; Mäkelä, Teemu; Lioumis, Pantelis; Metsähonkala, Liisa; Hokkanen, Laura; Wilenius, Juha; Gaily, Eija

2018-06-01

Navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) is becoming increasingly popular in noninvasive preoperative language mapping, as its results correlate well enough with those obtained by direct cortical stimulation (DCS) during awake surgery in adult patients with tumor. Reports in the context of epilepsy surgery or extraoperative DCS in adults are, however, sparse, and validation of nTMS with DCS in children is lacking. Furthermore, little is known about the risk of inducing epileptic seizures with nTMS in pediatric epilepsy patients. We provide the largest validation study to date in an epilepsy surgery population. We compared language mapping with nTMS and extraoperative DCS in 20 epilepsy surgery patients (age range 9-32 years; 14 children and adolescents). In comparison with DCS, sensitivity of nTMS was 68%, specificity 76%, positive predictive value 27%, and negative predictive value 95%. Age, location of ictal-onset zone near or within DCS-mapped language areas or severity of cognitive deficits had no significant effect on these values. None of our patients had seizures during nTMS. Our study suggests that nTMS language mapping is clinically useful and safe in epilepsy surgery patients, including school-aged children and patients with extensive cognitive dysfunction. Similar to in tumor surgery, mapping results in the frontal region are most reliable. False negative findings may be slightly more likely in epilepsy than in tumor surgery patients. Mapping results should always be verified by other methods in individual patients.

Boredom proneness: its relationship to positive and negative affect.

PubMed

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

1991-12-01

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

Unattractive infant faces elicit negative affect from adults

PubMed Central

Schein, Stevie S.; Langlois, Judith H.

2015-01-01

We examined the relationship between infant attractiveness and adult affect by investigating whether differing levels of infant facial attractiveness elicit facial muscle movement correlated with positive and negative affect from adults (N = 87) using electromyography. Unattractive infant faces evoked significantly more corrugator supercilii and levator labii superioris movement (physiological correlates of negative affect) than attractive infant faces. These results suggest that unattractive infants may be at risk for negative affective responses from adults, though the relationship between those responses and caregiving behavior remains elusive. PMID:25658199

‘Fire hardening’ spear wood does slightly harden it, but makes it much weaker and more brittle

PubMed Central

Chan, Tak Lok

2016-01-01

It is usually assumed that ‘fire hardening’ the tips of spears, as practised by hunter–gatherers and early Homo spp., makes them harder and better suited for hunting. This suggestion was tested by subjecting coppiced poles of hazel to a fire-hardening process and comparing their mechanical properties to those of naturally seasoned poles. A Shore D hardness test showed that fire treatment slightly increased the hardness of the wood, but flexural and impact tests showed that it reduced the strength and work of fracture by 30% and 36%, respectively. These results suggest that though potentially slightly sharper and more durable, fire-hardened tips would actually be more likely to break off when used, as may have been the case with the earliest known wooden tool, the Clacton spear. Fire might first have been used to help sharpen the tips of spears, and fire-hardening would have been a mostly negative side effect, not its primary purpose. PMID:27194289

Correlations between psychometric schizotypy, scan path length, fixations on the eyes and face recognition.

PubMed

Hills, Peter J; Eaton, Elizabeth; Pake, J Michael

2016-01-01

Psychometric schizotypy in the general population correlates negatively with face recognition accuracy, potentially due to deficits in inhibition, social withdrawal, or eye-movement abnormalities. We report an eye-tracking face recognition study in which participants were required to match one of two faces (target and distractor) to a cue face presented immediately before. All faces could be presented with or without paraphernalia (e.g., hats, glasses, facial hair). Results showed that paraphernalia distracted participants, and that the most distracting condition was when the cue and the distractor face had paraphernalia but the target face did not, while there was no correlation between distractibility and participants' scores on the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ). Schizotypy was negatively correlated with proportion of time fixating on the eyes and positively correlated with not fixating on a feature. It was negatively correlated with scan path length and this variable correlated with face recognition accuracy. These results are interpreted as schizotypal traits being associated with a restricted scan path leading to face recognition deficits.

Direct connections assist neurons to detect correlation in small amplitude noises

PubMed Central

Bolhasani, E.; Azizi, Y.; Valizadeh, A.

2013-01-01

We address a question on the effect of common stochastic inputs on the correlation of the spike trains of two neurons when they are coupled through direct connections. We show that the change in the correlation of small amplitude stochastic inputs can be better detected when the neurons are connected by direct excitatory couplings. Depending on whether intrinsic firing rate of the neurons is identical or slightly different, symmetric or asymmetric connections can increase the sensitivity of the system to the input correlation by changing the mean slope of the correlation transfer function over a given range of input correlation. In either case, there is also an optimum value for synaptic strength which maximizes the sensitivity of the system to the changes in input correlation. PMID:23966940

Task versus relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

De Dreu, Carsten K W; Weingart, Laurie R

2003-08-01

This study provides a meta-analysis of research on the associations between relationship conflict, task conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction. Consistent with past theorizing, results revealed strong and negative correlations between relationship conflict, team performance, and team member satisfaction. In contrast to what has been suggested in both academic research and introductory textbooks, however, results also revealed strong and negative (instead of the predicted positive) correlations between task conflict team performance, and team member satisfaction. As predicted, conflict had stronger negative relations with team performance in highly complex (decision making, project, mixed) than in less complex (production) tasks. Finally, task conflict was less negatively related to team performance when task conflict and relationship conflict were weakly, rather than strongly, correlated.

Contingent negative variation in patients with deficit schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder with psychotic features: measurement and correlation with clinical characteristics.

PubMed

Li, Zhe; Deng, Wei; Liu, Xiang; Zheng, Zhong; Li, Mingli; Li, Yinfei; Han, Yuanyuan; Ma, Xiaohong; Wang, Qiang; Liu, Xiehe; Li, Tao

2015-04-01

Schizophrenia is a highly heterogeneous disease. Event-related potentials have been regarded to establish intermediate phenotypes of schizophrenia. Our previous study found that patients with deficit schizophrenia (DS) are relatively homogeneous and show a significantly longer onset latency of contingent negative variation (CNV) expectancy wave. To further examine CNV in patients with first-episode and drug-naïve DS or bipolar I disorder (BP I) with psychotic features, and also investigate correlations between CNV and clinical characteristics in DS and BP I. We elicited a CNV using an alarm (S1)-imperative (S2) paradigm in 30 DS patients or 33 BP I with psychotic features as well as 40 healthy controls. CNV amplitude was significantly smaller and reaction time significantly longer in the DS and BP I groups than in healthy controls. Post-imperative negative variation (PINV) interval was significantly shorter in the DS group than in healthy controls. The onset latency of CNV expectancy wave was significantly longer and PINV area significantly smaller in the DS group than in the other groups. In the DS group, CNV amplitude and PINV interval correlated negatively with the subscale of negative symptoms on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS); CNV amplitude also correlated negatively with disease duration. In the BP I group, CNV amplitude and reaction time showed no correlation with clinical features. CNV amplitude is a common trait marker for psychosis. The onset latency of CNV expectancy wave appears to be a specific trait marker and may be used to identify candidate genes for DS.

[Clinical factors relating to the arterial elastic function measured by PWV, C1/C2 and AI in hypertensive patients].

PubMed

Cai, Kai-yu; Zhang, Wei-zhong; Qiu, Hui-li; Wu, Mei-zhi

2007-03-01

To analyze the clinical factors relating to arterial elastic function measured with pulse wave velocity (PWV), large and small arterial elastic indexes (C(1) and C(2)) and augmentation index (AI) in hypertensive patients. A total of 2176 hypertensive patients were enrolled and divided into three groups: Elastic function was measured in 1100 subjects by (PWV), in 647 subjects by C(1) and C(2) and in 429 by AI. PWV was positively correlated with age, systolic pressure, pulse pressure and negatively correlated with body height and weights (all P < 0.05). C(1) and C(2) values were higher in male than that in female patients (P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with age, systolic pressure, pulse pressure and heart rate while positively correlated with body height, weight and body mass index. In hypercholesterolemia patients (n = 168), C(1) and C(2) were negatively correlated with serum cholesterol level (P < 0.05). AI value was higher in female than that in male patients (P < 0.01) and positively correlated with age, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, pulse pressure while negatively correlated with body height, weight and heart rate. Age, systolic and pulse pressure as well as body height and weights are the main factors correlated to arterial elastic function measured by PWV, C(1) and C(2) and AI.

Emotional blunting with antidepressant treatments: A survey among depressed patients.

PubMed

Goodwin, G M; Price, J; De Bodinat, C; Laredo, J

2017-10-15

Emotional blunting is regularly reported in depressed patients on antidepressant treatment but its actual frequency is poorly understood. We have previously used qualitative methods to develop an appropriate scale, the Oxford Questionnaire on the Emotional Side-Effects of Antidepressants (OQESA). Six hundred and sixty nine depressed patients on treatment and 150 recovered (formerly depressed) controls (aged ≥18 years) participated in this internet-based survey. The rate of emotional blunting in treated depressed patients was 46%, slightly more frequent in men than women (52% versus 44%) and in those with higher Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale scores. There was no difference according to antidepressant agent, though it appeared less frequent with bupropion. Depressed patients with emotional blunting had much higher total blunting scores on OQESA than controls (42.83 ± 14.73 versus 25.73 ± 15.00, p < 0.0001) and there was a correlation between total blunting score and HAD-Depression score (r = 0.521). Thus, those with HAD-D score >7 (n = 170) had a higher total questionnaire score, 49.23±12.03, than those with HAD-D score ≤7 (n = 140), 35.07 ± 13.98, and the difference between the two groups was highly significant. However, patients with HAD-D score ≤7 (n = 140) had a higher total score (35.07 ± 13.98) than the recovered controls (n = 150) (25.73 ± 15.00), and the difference between the two groups was significant. Among the patients with emotional blunting, 37% had a negative perception of their condition and 38% positive. Men reported a more negative perception than women (p=0.008), and patients with a negative perception were more likely to have higher HAD scores. Higher levels of emotional blunting are associated with a more negative perception of it by the patient (r = -0.423). Include self-evaluation and the modest size of the sample for detection of differences between antidepressants. Emotional blunting is reported by nearly half of depressed patients on antidepressants. It appears to be common to all monoaminergic antidepressants. The OQESA scores are highly correlated with HAD depression score; emotional blunting cannot be described simply as a side-effect of antidepressants, but also as a symptom of depression. A higher degree of emotional blunting is associated with a poorer quality of remission. The OQESA scale allows the detection of this phenomenon. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of pencil beam–based homogeneous vs inhomogeneous target dose planning for stereotactic body radiotherapy of peripheral lung tumors through Monte Carlo–based recalculation

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

Ohtakara, Kazuhiro, E-mail: ohtakara@murakami.asahi-u.ac.jp; Hoshi, Hiroaki

2015-10-01

This study was conducted to ascertain whether homogeneous target dose planning is suitable for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) of peripheral lung cancer under appropriate breath-holding. For 20 peripheral lung tumors, paired dynamic conformal arc plans were generated by only adjusting the leaf margin to the planning target volume (PTV) edge for fulfilling the conditions such that the prescription isodose surface (IDS) encompassing exactly 95% of the PTV (PTV D{sub 95}) corresponds to 95% and 80% IDS, normalized to 100% at the PTV isocenter under a pencil beam (PB) algorithm with radiologic path length correction. These plans were recalculated using themore » x-ray voxel Monte Carlo (XVMC) algorithm under otherwise identical conditions, and then compared. Lesions abutting the parietal pleura or not were defined as edge or island tumors, respectively, and the influences of the target volume and its location relative to the chest wall on the target dose were examined. The median (range) leaf margin required for the 95% and 80% plans was 3.9 mm (1.3 to 5.0) and −1.2 mm (−1.8 to 0.1), respectively. Notably, the latter was significantly correlated negatively with PTV. In the 80% plans, the PTV D{sub 95} was slightly higher under XVMC, whereas the PTV D{sub 98} was significantly lower, irrespective of the dose calculation algorithm used. Other PTV and all gross tumor volume doses were significantly higher, while the lung doses outside the PTV were slightly lower. The target doses increased as a function of PTV and were significantly lower for island tumors than for edge tumors. In conclusion, inhomogeneous target dose planning using smaller leaf margin for a larger tumor volume was deemed suitable in ensuring more sufficient target dose while slightly reducing lung dose. In addition, more inhomogeneous target dose planning using <80% IDS (e.g., 70%) for PTV covering would be preferable for island tumors.« less

Micropepsia pineolensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a mildly acidophilic alphaproteobacterium isolated from a poor fen, and proposal of Micropepsiaceae fam. nov. within Micropepsiales ord. nov.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A novel, obligately anaerobic, acid-tolerant, fermentative alphaproteobacterium, designated strain CS4T, was isolated from an acidic, oligotrophic (nutrient-poor) poor fen located near Pineola, NC, USA. Cultures contained Gram-negative, slightly curved, non-motile, non-spore forming, non-prosthecat...

"Juntos Pero No Revueltos": Microaggressions and Language in the Mathematics Education of Non-Dominant Latinas/os

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LópezLeiva, Carlos A.; Khisty, Lena Licón

2014-01-01

In this paper, we discuss the characteristics of microaggressions based on minority language(s) as a form of discriminatory practice against non-dominant students in the mathematics context. Microaggressions are subtle, brief, and commonplace verbal, behavioral, or visual negative slights or insults toward people of color. We extend the concept of…

The Importance of Parameter Variances, Correlations Lengths, and Cross-Correlations in Reactive Transport Models: Key Considerations for Assessing the Need for Microscale Information (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reimus, P. W.

2010-12-01

A process-oriented modeling approach is implemented to examine the importance of parameter variances, correlation lengths, and especially cross-correlations in contaminant transport predictions over large scales. It is shown that the most important consideration is the correlation between flow rates and retardation processes (e.g., sorption, matrix diffusion) in the system. If flow rates are negatively correlated with retardation factors in systems containing multiple flow pathways, then characterizing these negative correlation(s) may have more impact on reactive transport modeling than microscale information. Such negative correlations are expected in porous-media systems where permeability is negatively correlated with clay content and rock alteration (which are usually associated with increased sorption). Likewise, negative correlations are expected in fractured rocks where permeability is positively correlated with fracture apertures, which in turn are negatively correlated with sorption and matrix diffusion. Parameter variances and correlation lengths are also shown to have important effects on reactive transport predictions, but they are less important than parameter cross-correlations. Microscale information pertaining to contaminant transport has become more readily available as characterization methods and spectroscopic instrumentation have achieved lower detection limits, greater resolution, and better precision. Obtaining detailed mechanistic insights into contaminant-rock-water interactions is becoming a routine practice in characterizing reactive transport processes in groundwater systems (almost necessary for high-profile publications). Unfortunately, a quantitative link between microscale information and flow and transport parameter distributions or cross-correlations has not yet been established. One reason for this is that quantitative microscale information is difficult to obtain in complex, heterogeneous systems, so simple systems that lack the complexity and heterogeneity of real aquifer materials are often studied. Another is that instrumentation used to obtain microscale information often probes only one variable or family of variables at a time, so linkages to other variables must be inferred by indirect means from other lines of evidence. Despite these limitations, microscale information can be useful in the development and validation of reactive transport models. For example, knowledge of mineral phases that have strong affinities for contaminants can help in the development of cross-correlations between flow and sorption parameters via characterization of permeability and mineral distributions in aquifers. Likewise, microscale information on pore structures in low-permeability zones and contaminant penetration distances into these zones from higher-permeability zones (e.g., fractures) can provide valuable constraints on the representation of diffusive mass transfer processes between flowing porosity and secondary porosity. The prioritization of obtaining microscale information in any groundwater system can be informed by modeling exercises such as those conducted for this study.

A pilot study examining correlates of body image among women living with SCI.

PubMed

Bassett, R L; Martin Ginis, K A; Buchholz, A C

2009-06-01

Cross-sectional pilot study. To explore correlates of body image among women with spinal cord injury (SCI), within the framework of Cash's cognitive behavioral model of body image. Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Women with SCI (N=11, 64% with tetraplegia) reported their functional and appearance body image (Adult Body Satisfaction Questionnaire). A 3-day recall of leisure time physical activity (LTPA), three measures of body composition (that is, weight, waist circumference, body fat) and several demographic variables were assessed as potential correlates. Appearance satisfaction was negatively correlated with all three measures of body composition and positively correlated with years postinjury. Functional satisfaction was positively correlated with years postinjury, and negatively correlated with various LTPA variables. Functional and appearance body image may improve with time following SCI. Body composition may impact satisfaction with physical appearance for some women. The negative relationship between LTPA and functional satisfaction merits further examination, as functional dissatisfaction may motivate individuals to engage in certain types and intensities of LTPA. Correlates of body image differ between appearance and functional satisfaction. Future research should examine appearance and functional satisfaction separately among women with SCI.

Parental Involvement and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodwin, Sarah Christine

2015-01-01

This research study examined the correlation between student achievement and parent's perceptions of their involvement in their child's schooling. Parent participants completed the Parent Involvement Project Parent Questionnaire. Results slightly indicated parents of students with higher level of achievement perceived less demand or invitations…

Is it possible to combine different psychotic symptom scales in bipolar disorder?

PubMed

Fernandez-Garcimartin, Helena; Bagney, Alexandra; Moreno-Ortega, Marta; Dompablo, Monica; Torio, Iosune; Lobo, Antonio; Jimenez-Arriero, Miguel-Angel; Palomo, Tomas; Rodriguez-Jimenez, Roberto

2014-12-30

It has been suggested that data on positive and negative psychotic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia as assessed using different scales may be combined. For the first time, we assessed correlations between the positive syndrome subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-P) and the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), and between the negative syndrome subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-N) and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) in patients with bipolar disorder. We also aimed to confirm these correlations in patients with schizophrenia. This cross-sectional study was conducted with a group of 94 patients (40 diagnosed with bipolar disorder, 54 with schizophrenia). Assessments were carried out using the PANSS, SAPS and SANS. Large significant correlations were found between the PANSS-P and SAPS, and between the PANSS-N and SANS, in both the bipolar disorder group and the schizophrenia group. These results confirm previous findings regarding correlations between these scales in schizophrenia, and support the hypothesis that similar correlations exist in bipolar disorder. Therefore, our data support the potential usefulness in collaborative research of combining results from different scales for the assessment of psychotic symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder.

Exopolymeric substances from drinking water biofilms: Dynamics of production and relation with disinfection by products.

PubMed

Lemus Pérez, M F; Rodríguez Susa, M

2017-06-01

Exopolymeric substances (EPS) as an external matrix of biofilm could react with disinfectants in drinking water networks forming disinfection by-products (DBP). Based on an experimental setup using two chlorine conditions-biofilm 1 (2.6 ± 0.8 mgCl/L) and biofilm 2 (0.7 ± 0.2 mg Cl/L)-samples of biofilms were recovered during 9 campaigns and EPS were extracted. Analyses of SUVA, fluorescence and amino acid (AA) content were carried out on the EPS to observe variation over time and correlations with DBP formation potential (DBP fp ) after chlorination. SUVA values were under 2 L/mgC*m showing that both EPS were hydrophilic. Slightly higher SUVA in biofilm 2 with low variation over time was observed. Fluorescence showed that aromatic proteins and fulvic like substances were the principal components and increased in biofilm 1 over time. AA decreased with time, and higher values of alanine, threonine, proline and isoleucine were observed in biofilm 2. Based on general associations, the SUVA of biofilm 2 correlated well with chloroform (CF) (r = 0.80). Generally, in both biofilms, tryptophan-like substances were negatively correlated with DBP while humic acid-like substances correlated positively, but with low indexes (r = 0.3-0.6). Correlations of data from individual sampling increased the indices (r over 0.8), suggesting a temporal influence of other factors on DBP fp such as inorganics, filtered water and the structural composition of EPS. In biofilm 1, Br-haloacetic acids (Br-HAA), dibromoacetonitrile and bromochloro acetonitrile were inversely associated with arginine and valine, as were di and trichloropropanone to arginine. On the contrary, in biofilm 2, the following amino acids correlated positively with DBP: alanine with Br-HAA, alanine with CF, alanine with N-DBP (chloropicrin, di and tri-chloro acetonitrile), and valine with CF. As this is the first report about the relation between temporal variation of EPS and DBP fp of biofilms in two different chlorinated conditions, it provides new evidence about the function of these complex substances in drinking water systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neural Correlates of Biased Responses: The Negative Method Effect in the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Is Associated with Right Amygdala Volume.

PubMed

Wang, Yinan; Kong, Feng; Huang, Lijie; Liu, Jia

2016-10-01

Self-esteem is a widely studied construct in psychology that is typically measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). However, a series of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have suggested that a simple and widely used unidimensional factor model does not provide an adequate explanation of RSES responses due to method effects. To identify the neural correlates of the method effect, we sought to determine whether and how method effects were associated with the RSES and investigate the neural basis of these effects. Two hundred and eighty Chinese college students (130 males; mean age = 22.64 years) completed the RSES and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Behaviorally, method effects were linked to both positively and negatively worded items in the RSES. Neurally, the right amygdala volume negatively correlated with the negative method factor, while the hippocampal volume positively correlated with the general self-esteem factor in the RSES. The neural dissociation between the general self-esteem factor and negative method factor suggests that there are different neural mechanisms underlying them. The amygdala is involved in modulating negative affectivity; therefore, the current study sheds light on the nature of method effects that are related to self-report with a mix of positively and negatively worded items. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Atmospheric pressure as a force that fills developing bones with marrow and air.

PubMed

Kurbel, Sven; Radić, Radivoje; Kristek, Branka; Ivezić, Zdravko; Selthofer, Robert; Kotromanović, Zeljko

2004-01-01

Many theories try to explain the existence and function of paranasal sinuses. This paper is an attempt to correlate process of paranasal sinus development in human with bone pneumatization processes in animals. It is here proposed that this mechanism starts in utero and continues after birth. During endochondral development, a solid hyaline cartilage model transforms into long bones. Central chondrocytes hypertrophy and their lacunae become confluent. Dissolving of the cartilage intercellular matrix forms a primitive marrow cavity. It is soon invaded by the periostal bud. Once circulation is established in the developing bone, the dissolved hyaline matrix can be slowly washed away from the bone cavity. Circulation in the bone cavity can develop slight subatmospheric pressures, similar to negative interstitial pressures in subcutaneous tissues. The amniotic fluid conducts atmospheric pressure to the fetal body. The pressure is trying to fill enlarging bone cavities through the existing vascular openings, or to create new openings. Bone walls of developing paranasal bones are to weak to resist the pressure gradient on their walls. New openings form on the weakest spots allowing airway mucosa to form initial paranasal sinuses. The enlarging cavities of long bones that are remote from the body surface and airway also develop a slightly subatmospheric pressure that fills them with cellular elements. These elements enter bone through the feeding vessels and form bone marrow. During after birth skeletal growth, bone remodeling shapes paranasal sinuses in a process of slow evolution that do not require measurable pressure gradients. When two sinuses come in vicinity, their growth rate declines, since the remaining thin and fragile bone lamella between them does not retract anymore.

Direct comparison of PI-RADS version 2 and version 1 regarding interreader agreement and diagnostic accuracy for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer.

PubMed

Becker, Anton S; Cornelius, Alexander; Reiner, Cäcilia S; Stocker, Daniel; Ulbrich, Erika J; Barth, Borna K; Mortezavi, Ashkan; Eberli, Daniel; Donati, Olivio F

2017-09-01

to simultaneously evaluate interreader agreement and diagnostic accuracy in the of PI-RADS v2 and compare it to v1. A total of 67 patients (median age 65.3 y, range 51.2-78.2 y; PSA 6.8μg/L, 0.2-33μg/L) undergoing MRI of the prostate and subsequent transperineal template biopsy within ≤6 months from MRI were included. Four readers from two institutions evaluated the likelihood of prostate cancer using PI-RADS v1 and v2 in two separate reading sessions ≥3 months apart. Interreader agreement was assessed for each pulse-sequence and for total PI-RADS scores using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Differences were considered significant for non-overlapping 95%-confidence intervals. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (A Z ). A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Interreader agreement for DCE-scores was good in v2 (ICC 2 =0.70; 95% CI: 0.66-0.74) and slightly lower in v1 (ICC 1 =0.64, 0.59-0.69). Agreement for DWI scores (ICC 1 =0.77, ICC 2 =0.76) as well as final PI-RADS scores per quadrant were nearly identical (ICC 1 =ICC 2 =0.71). Diagnostic accuracy showed no significant differences (p=0.09-0.93) between v1 and v2 in any of the readers (range: A Z =0.78-0.88). PI-RADS scores show similar interreader agreement in v2 and v1 at comparable diagnostic performance. The simplification of the DCE interpretation in v2 might slightly improve agreement while not negatively affecting diagnostic performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Moderate mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition induces autophagy in HTR8/SVneo cells via O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine signaling.

PubMed

Zhang, Qiuxia; Na, Quan; Song, Weiwei

2017-10-01

Autophagy, a highly regulated process with a dual role (pro-survival or pro-death), has been implicated in adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanism whereby mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling regulates autophagy by modulating protein O-GlcNAcylation in human trophoblasts. HTR8/SVneo cells were incubated in serum-free medium for different time intervals or treated with varying doses of Torin1. Protein expression and cell apoptosis were detected by immunoblotting and flow cytometry, respectively. Short-term serum starvation or slight suppression of mTOR signaling promoted autophagy and decreased apoptosis in HTR8/SVneo cells. Conversely, prolonged serum starvation or excessive inhibition of mTOR reduced autophagy and enhanced cell apoptosis. Both serum starvation and mTOR signaling suppression reduced protein O-GlcNAcylation. Upregulation and downregulation of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) levels attenuated and augmented autophagy, respectively. Moderate mTOR inhibition-induced autophagy was blocked by upregulation of protein O-GlcNAcylation. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation studies revealed that Beclin1 and synaptosome associated protein 29 (SNAP29) could be O-GlcNAcylated, and that slight mTOR inhibition resulted in decreased O-GlcNAc modification of Beclin1 and SNAP29. Notably, we observed an inverse correlation between phosphorylation (Ser15) and O-GlcNAcylation of Beclin1. mTOR signaling inhibition played dual roles in regulating autophagy and apoptosis in HTR8/SVneo cells. Moderate mTOR suppression might induce autophagy via modulating O-GlcNAcylation of Beclin1 and SNAP29. Moreover, the negative interplay between Beclin1 O-GlcNAcylation and phosphorylation (Ser15) may be involved in autophagy regulation by mTOR signaling. © 2017 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Effects of stearidonic acid on serum triacylglycerol concentrations in overweight and obese subjects: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pieters, D J M; Mensink, R P

2015-01-01

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which may reduce the risk for coronary heart disease (CHD), can be synthesized at low rates from α-linolenic acid (ALA). The rate-limiting step for this conversion is the Δ6-desaturation of ALA into stearidonic acid (SDA). Thus providing oils rich in SDA may increase endogenous synthesis of EPA, which may subsequently lower serum triacylglycerol concentrations, an effect frequently observed after EPA supplementation. We therefore studied the effects of Echium oil on serum triacylglycerol concentrations and the omega-3 index, which correlate negatively with the risk for CHD. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial was conducted, in which 36 healthy overweight and slightly obese subjects daily received 10 g of Echium oil (providing 1.2 g of SDA) or a high oleic acid sunflower oil (HOSO) as control for 6 weeks, with a washout period of at least 14 days. Four subjects dropped out. Differences between periods were tested for statistical significance (P<0.05) using a paired t-test. Serum triacylglycerol and other lipid concentrations were not significantly affected by consumption of Echium oil compared with HOSO. Echium oil significantly increased percentage of EPA in red blood cell (RBC) membranes with 0.14 ± 0.25% (mean ± s.d.) compared with HOSO (P=0.02). No significant effects on docosahexaenoic acid in RBC membranes or on the omega-3 index were found. In healthy overweight and slightly obese subjects, an increased intake of SDA from Echium oil does not lower serum triacylglycerol concentrations. Despite an increase in the percentage of EPA in RBC membranes, the omega-3 index was not changed.

Relationship between Lipids Levels of Serum and Seminal Plasma and Semen Parameters in 631 Chinese Subfertile Men

PubMed Central

Yao, Qi; Fan, Kai; Wang, Guo-Hong; Feng, Rui-Xiang; Liang, Yuan-Jiao; Chen, Li; Ge, Yi-Feng; Yao, Bing

2016-01-01

Objective This prospective study was designed to investigate the relationship between lipids levels in both serum and seminal plasma and semen parameters. Methods 631 subfertile men were enrolled. Their obesity-associated markers were measured, and semen parameters were analyzed. Also, seminal plasma and serum TC, TG, HDL and LDL and serum FFA, FSH, LH, total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2) and SHBG levels were detected. Results Seminal plasma and serum TG, TC and LDL levels were positively related to age. Serum TC, TG and LDL were positively related to obesity-associated markers (P < 0.001), while only seminal plasma TG was positively related to them (P < 0.05). For lipids levels in serum and seminal plasma, only TG level had slightly positive correlation between them (r = 0.081, P = 0.042). There was no significant correlation between serum lipids levels and semen parameters. However, seminal plasma TG, TC, LDL and HDL levels were negatively related to one or several semen parameters, including semen volume (SV), sperm concentration (SC), total sperm count (TSC), sperm motility, progressive motility (PR) and total normal-progressively motile sperm counts (TNPMS). Moreover, seminal plasma TG, TC, LDL and HDL levels in patients with oligospermatism, asthenospermia and teratozoospermia were higher than those with normal sperm concentration, motility or morphology. After adjusting age and serum LH, FSH, TT, E2 and SHBG levels, linear regression analysis showed that SV was still significantly correlated with seminal plasma LDL (P = 0.012), both of SC and TSC with seminal plasma HDL (P = 0.028 and 0.002), and both of PR and sperm motility with seminal plasma TC (P = 0.012 and 0.051). Conclusion The abnormal metabolism of lipids in male reproductive system may contribute to male factor infertility. PMID:26726884

Climate Signal Detection in Wine Quality Using Gridded vs. Station Data in North-East Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mika, Janos; Razsi, Andras; Gal, Lajos

2017-04-01

The grapevine is one of the oldest cultivated plants. Today's viticultural regions for quality wine production are located in relatively narrow geographical and therefore climatic niches. Our target area, the Matra Region in NE Hungary is fairly close to the edge of optimal wine production concerning its climate conditions. Fifty year (1961-2010) wine and quality (natural sugar content, in weight % of must) data are analysed and compared to parallel climate variables. Two sets of station-based monthly temperature, sunshine duration and precipitation data, taken from neighbouring stations, Eger-Kőlyuktető (1961-2010) and Kompolt (1976-2006) are used in 132 combinations, together with daily grid-point data provided by the CarpatClim Project (www.carpatclim-eu.org/pages/home). By now it is clear that (1) wine quality, is in significant negative correlation with the annual precipitation and in positive correlation with temperature and sunshine duration. (2) Applying a wide combination of monthly data we obtain even stronger correlations (higher significance according to t-tests) even from the station-based data, but it is difficult to select and optimum model from the many proper combinations differing in performance over the test sample just slightly. (3) The interpolated site-specific areal averages from the grid-point data provide even better results and stronger differences between the best models and the few other candidates. (4) Further improvement of statistical signal detection capacity of the above climate variables by using 5-day averages, point at the strong vulnerability of wine quality on climate anomalies of some key phenological phases of the investigated grapevine-mixes. Enhanced spatial and temporal resolution provides much better fit to the observed wine quality data. The study has been supported by the OTKA-113209 national project.

A Public Database of Immersive VR Videos with Corresponding Ratings of Arousal, Valence, and Correlations between Head Movements and Self Report Measures.

PubMed

Li, Benjamin J; Bailenson, Jeremy N; Pines, Adam; Greenleaf, Walter J; Williams, Leanne M

2017-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) has been proposed as a methodological tool to study the basic science of psychology and other fields. One key advantage of VR is that sharing of virtual content can lead to more robust replication and representative sampling. A database of standardized content will help fulfill this vision. There are two objectives to this study. First, we seek to establish and allow public access to a database of immersive VR video clips that can act as a potential resource for studies on emotion induction using virtual reality. Second, given the large sample size of participants needed to get reliable valence and arousal ratings for our video, we were able to explore the possible links between the head movements of the observer and the emotions he or she feels while viewing immersive VR. To accomplish our goals, we sourced for and tested 73 immersive VR clips which participants rated on valence and arousal dimensions using self-assessment manikins. We also tracked participants' rotational head movements as they watched the clips, allowing us to correlate head movements and affect. Based on past research, we predicted relationships between the standard deviation of head yaw and valence and arousal ratings. Results showed that the stimuli varied reasonably well along the dimensions of valence and arousal, with a slight underrepresentation of clips that are of negative valence and highly arousing. The standard deviation of yaw positively correlated with valence, while a significant positive relationship was found between head pitch and arousal. The immersive VR clips tested are available online as supplemental material.

Prevalence of fibromyalgia and chronic widespread pain in community-dwelling elderly subjects living in São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Santos, Adriana M Barsante; Burti, Juliana Schulze; Lopes, Jaqueline B; Scazufca, Márcia; Marques, Amélia Pasqual; Pereira, Rosa Maria R

2010-11-01

To estimate the prevalence of fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic widespread pain (CWP) in community-dwelling elderly individuals living in São Paulo, to assess the spectrum of problems related to these diseases using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and to correlate the FIQ with the number of tender points and with pain threshold. Our sample consisted of 361 individuals (64% women, 36% men, mean age of 73.3±5.7 years). Individuals were classified into four groups: FM (according to American College of Rheumatology criteria), CWP, regional pain (RP) and no pain (NP). Pain characteristics and dolorimetry for 18 tender points and the FIQ were assessed. The prevalence of FM was 5.5% [95% confidence interval (CI)=5.4-5.7], and the prevalence of CWP was 14.1% (95% CI: 10.5-17.7%). The frequency of RP was 52.6% and the prevalence of NP was 27.7%. FIQ scores were higher in people with FM (44.5), followed by CWP (31.4), RP (18.1) and NP (5.5) (p<0.001). There was a positive correlation between the domains of the FIQ and the number of tender points (p<0.05), and a negative correlation between FIQ score and pain threshold (p<0.05). In our elderly subjects, the prevalence of FM was slightly higher compared to previously reported studies, and CWP was around 14%. The spectrum of problems related to chronic pain was more severe in FM followed by CWP, strongly suggesting that these conditions should be diagnosed and adequately treated in older individuals. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Evolution Is Substantially Impeded by Hill-Robertson Interference in Drosophila.

PubMed

Castellano, David; Coronado-Zamora, Marta; Campos, Jose L; Barbadilla, Antonio; Eyre-Walker, Adam

2016-02-01

Hill-Robertson interference (HRi) is expected to reduce the efficiency of natural selection when two or more linked selected sites do not segregate freely, but no attempt has been done so far to quantify the overall impact of HRi on the rate of adaptive evolution for any given genome. In this work, we estimate how much HRi impedes the rate of adaptive evolution in the coding genome of Drosophila melanogaster. We compiled a data set of 6,141 autosomal protein-coding genes from Drosophila, from which polymorphism levels in D. melanogaster and divergence out to D. yakuba were estimated. The rate of adaptive evolution was calculated using a derivative of the McDonald-Kreitman test that controls for slightly deleterious mutations. We find that the rate of adaptive amino acid substitution at a given position of the genome is positively correlated to both the rate of recombination and the mutation rate, and negatively correlated to the gene density of the region. These correlations are robust to controlling for each other, for synonymous codon bias and for gene functions related to immune response and testes. We show that HRi diminishes the rate of adaptive evolution by approximately 27%. Interestingly, genes with low mutation rates embedded in gene poor regions lose approximately 17% of their adaptive substitutions whereas genes with high mutation rates embedded in gene rich regions lose approximately 60%. We conclude that HRi hampers the rate of adaptive evolution in Drosophila and that the variation in recombination, mutation, and gene density along the genome affects the HRi effect. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

[Development mechanism of concentrated poverty areas under the sustainable livelihood: The example of the development-restricted ecological district of Ningxia, Northwest China].

PubMed

Zhong, Jun-tao; Mi, Wen-bao; Fan, Xin-gang; Yang, Mei-ling

2015-09-01

Livelihood capital has a close relationship with the income and expenditure of farmers' households. For example, the survival strategies of farmers' households are determined by it and it also influences regional development mechanisms and models. Under the analysis framework of sustainable livelihoods, this study evaluated farmers' livelihood capital, income, and expenditure, based on a participatory rural appraisal and a statistical method, in the development-restricted ecological district of Ningxia, decomposed into the nationality, terrain, and type of farmers' household. Further, by using an index of non-farm business households, the correlations between the livelihood capital and income with the expenditure of farmers' households and the index of non-farm business households were quantified to understand the mechanism of regional development. The results showed that livelihood capital was generally low in the study area. In particular, the livelihood capital of Hui nationality households was slightly higher than that of Han nationality households, that of river valley households was higher than that of mountain households, and that of combined occupation households and non-farm business households was significantly higher than that of agricultural households. Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between the net annual income of farmers' households and the non-agricultural index, human capital, physical capital, and financial capital, while a significant negative correlation existed between net annual income and natural capital. These findings suggested that efforts were required to enhance the capacity of the non-agricultural index and the human, material, and other capital in the study area. They also served as a guideline for the circulation of peasants' means of production in order to accelerate the polarization of natural capital.

Effect of post-polymerization heat-treatments on degree of conversion, leaching residual MMA and in vitro cytotoxicity of autopolymerizing acrylic repair resin.

PubMed

Bural, Canan; Aktaş, Esin; Deniz, Günnur; Ünlüçerçi, Yeşim; Kızılcan, Nilgün; Bayraktar, Gülsen

2011-11-01

This study evaluated the effect of post-polymerization heat-treatments on degree of conversion (DC), residual methyl methacrylate concentration (MMA(r)) and in vitro cytotoxicity of autopolymerizing acrylic repair resin. A total of 336 specimens were prepared by bench- and hydroflask-curing and subjected to post-polymerization heat-treatments: a) water immersion at 60°C for 30 min, b) microwaving at 500 W for 3 min, c) combined use of water immersion and microwaving d) no treatment (as control). Specimens were eluted in cell culture medium for 1, 2, 5 and 7 days. DC and MMA(r) in eluates were measured by FTIR spectrometry and HPLC, respectively. In vitro cytotoxicity of eluates on L-929 fibroblasts was determined by XTT assay. Data were statistically analyzed with Dunn's multiple comparison and Pearson correlation tests (p≤0.05). DC was highest (99.9%) in bench- and hydroflask-cured groups which were subjected to water immersion. At all elution periods, MMA(r) was detected in eluates of all treatment groups and were higher in bench-cured groups than hydro-flask cured groups. Cell proliferation values indicated slightly cytotoxic effect throughout 7 days; regardless of the curing method or post-polymerization treatment. The correlation between MMA(r) and cell proliferation was negative after elution of 1, 2, 5 days and was only statistically significant (p<0.05) at 5 days. At elution of 7 days, the correlation was positive with no significance. Post-polymerization heat-treatment of autopolymerizing acrylic repair resin by immersion in water at 60°C for 30 min is clinically recommended to improve the DC while reducing the leaching residual MMA. Copyright © 2011 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies on optimum harvest time for hybrid rice seed.

PubMed

Fu, Hong; Cao, Dong-Dong; Hu, Wei-Min; Guan, Ya-Jing; Fu, Yu-Ying; Fang, Yong-Feng; Hu, Jin

2017-03-01

Timely harvest is critical for hybrid rice to achieve maximum seed viability, vigor and yield. However, how to predict the optimum harvest time has been rarely reported so far. The seed vigor of Zhuliangyou 06 (ZLY06) increased and reached the highest level at 20 days after pollination (DAP), when seed moisture content had a lower value, which was maintained until final seed maturation. For Chunyou 84 (CY84), seed vigor, fresh and dry weight had relatively high values at 25 DAP, when seed moisture content reached the lowest value and changed slightly from 25 to 55 DAP. In both hybrid rice varieties, seed glume chlorophyll content declined rapidly from 10 to 30 DAP and remained at a very low level after 35 DAP. Starch content exhibited an increasing trend during seed maturation, while both soluble sugar content and amylase activity decreased significantly at the early stages of seed development. Moreover, correlation analyses showed that seed dry weight, starch content and superoxide dismutase activity were significantly positively correlated with seed vigor. In contrast, chlorophyll content, moisture content, soluble sugar, soluble protein, abscisic acid, gibberellin content, electrical conductivity, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activities were significantly negatively correlated with seed vigor. Physiological and biochemical parameters were obviously more closely related with seed vigor than with seed germinability during seed development. Seed vigor could be better used as a comprehensive factor to predict the optimum seed harvest time. It is suggested that for ZLY06 seeds could be harvested as early as 20 DAP, whereas for CY84 the earliest optimum harvest time was 25 DAP. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Public Database of Immersive VR Videos with Corresponding Ratings of Arousal, Valence, and Correlations between Head Movements and Self Report Measures

PubMed Central

Li, Benjamin J.; Bailenson, Jeremy N.; Pines, Adam; Greenleaf, Walter J.; Williams, Leanne M.

2017-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) has been proposed as a methodological tool to study the basic science of psychology and other fields. One key advantage of VR is that sharing of virtual content can lead to more robust replication and representative sampling. A database of standardized content will help fulfill this vision. There are two objectives to this study. First, we seek to establish and allow public access to a database of immersive VR video clips that can act as a potential resource for studies on emotion induction using virtual reality. Second, given the large sample size of participants needed to get reliable valence and arousal ratings for our video, we were able to explore the possible links between the head movements of the observer and the emotions he or she feels while viewing immersive VR. To accomplish our goals, we sourced for and tested 73 immersive VR clips which participants rated on valence and arousal dimensions using self-assessment manikins. We also tracked participants' rotational head movements as they watched the clips, allowing us to correlate head movements and affect. Based on past research, we predicted relationships between the standard deviation of head yaw and valence and arousal ratings. Results showed that the stimuli varied reasonably well along the dimensions of valence and arousal, with a slight underrepresentation of clips that are of negative valence and highly arousing. The standard deviation of yaw positively correlated with valence, while a significant positive relationship was found between head pitch and arousal. The immersive VR clips tested are available online as supplemental material. PMID:29259571

[Habitat suitability index of larval Japanese Halfbeak (Hyporhamphus sajori) in Bohai Sea based on geographically weighted regression.

PubMed

Zhao, Yang; Zhang, Xue Qing; Bian, Xiao Dong

2018-01-01

To investigate the early supplementary processes of fishre sources in the Bohai Sea, the geographically weighted regression (GWR) was introduced to the habitat suitability index (HSI) model. The Bohai Sea larval Japanese Halfbeak HSI GWR model was established with four environmental variables, including sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), water depth (DEP), and chlorophyll a concentration (Chl a). Results of the simulation showed that the four variables had different performances in August 2015. SST and Chl a were global variables, and had little impacts on HSI, with the regression coefficients of -0.027 and 0.006, respectively. SSS and DEP were local variables, and had larger impacts on HSI, while the average values of absolute values of their regression coefficients were 0.075 and 0.129, respectively. In the central Bohai Sea, SSS showed a negative correlation with HSI, and the most negative correlation coefficient was -0.3. In contrast, SSS was correlated positively but weakly with HSI in the three bays of Bohai Sea, and the largest correlation coefficient was 0.1. In particular, DEP and HSI were negatively correlated in the entire Bohai Sea, while they were more negatively correlated in the three bays of Bohai than in the central Bohai Sea, and the most negative correlation coefficient was -0.16 in the three bays. The Poisson regression coefficient of the HSI GWR model was 0.705, consistent with field measurements. Therefore, it could provide a new method for the research on fish habitats in the future.

A functional approach to the body condition assessment of lactating donkeys as a tool for welfare evaluation

PubMed Central

Raspa, Federica; Giribaldi, Marzia; Barbero, Raffaella; Bergagna, Stefania; Antoniazzi, Sara; Mc Lean, Amy K.; Minero, Michela; Cavallarin, Laura

2017-01-01

Background The breeding of lactating donkeys is increasing in Western Europe; with it the evaluation of body condition is growing in importance since it is considered a key principle for their welfare. However, assessment of body condition is a complex task, since several factors are involved. The aim of the present study is to investigate which animal-based indicators are the most reliable to describe the body condition of lactating donkeys. For this purpose, new animal-based indicators, which are easy to measure in field conditions (including body measurements, fatty neck score (FNS), dental score), are recorded and their relationship with BCS (a proxy measure for overall adiposity) was assessed. The ones that reveal an association with the BCS are included in an integrated principal component analysis to understand which are the most related to BCS. Methods Fifty-three healthy lactating donkeys of various breeds, including 7 Martina Franca, 10 Ragusano, 2 Romagnolo and 34 crossbreeds, were evaluated. The animal-based indicators that were recorded were: length (OP, olecranon tuber-pinbone and SH, shoulder-hip), heart girth (HG), abdominal circumference (AC), neck length (NL), neck height (NH) and neck thickness (NT) at 0.50 and neck circumference (NC) at 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75, body condition score (BCS) and fatty neck score (FNS). The owners’ evaluation of the BCS was also considered. A dental assessment was performed and the month of lactation and age of each animal was recorded. Results No correlation was found between BCS and the other morphometric body measurements. On the contrary the FNS was correlated with the morphometric measurements of the neck (positive correlation to 0.50 NH and 0.50 NT, 0.50 NC, 0.75 mean NC, and negative correlation to the mean NC:NH and mean NC:NT, 0.50 NC:NT and 0.50 NC:NH ratios). A significant inverse relationship was identified between BCS and dental score. A Principal Component analysis (PCA) separated the BCS classes on the first principal component (PC1). PC1 revealed a meaningful positive correlation between the BCS and the neck measurements (NT, NH and FNS), with high positive loadings, while a negative correlation was found for dental abnormalities. The owners’ evaluation of BCS was different from the expert evaluator’ assessment, since they tended to give higher score that was slightly but significantly correlated to AC. Discussion A new scoring system, called Fatty Neck Score (FNS), has been proposed for the judgement of the adiposity status of donkey neck. The results suggest that caregivers might use the proposed animal based indicators (BCS, FNS and dental scores) together as a tool for the evaluation of the body condition of lactating donkeys. Our findings highlight that caregivers need to be trained in order to be able to properly record these indicators. Ultimately use of these indicators may help to improve the welfare of lactating donkeys. PMID:28367363

Unsupervised parameter optimization for automated retention time alignment of severely shifted gas chromatographic data using the piecework alignment algorithm.

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

Pierce, Karisa M.; Wright, Bob W.; Synovec, Robert E.

2007-02-02

First, simulated chromatographic separations with declining retention time precision were used to study the performance of the piecewise retention time alignment algorithm and to demonstrate an unsupervised parameter optimization method. The average correlation coefficient between the first chromatogram and every other chromatogram in the data set was used to optimize the alignment parameters. This correlation method does not require a training set, so it is unsupervised and automated. This frees the user from needing to provide class information and makes the alignment algorithm more generally applicable to classifying completely unknown data sets. For a data set of simulated chromatograms wheremore » the average chromatographic peak was shifted past two neighboring peaks between runs, the average correlation coefficient of the raw data was 0.46 ± 0.25. After automated, optimized piecewise alignment, the average correlation coefficient was 0.93 ± 0.02. Additionally, a relative shift metric and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to independently quantify and categorize the alignment performance, respectively. The relative shift metric was defined as four times the standard deviation of a given peak’s retention time in all of the chromatograms, divided by the peak-width-at-base. The raw simulated data sets that were studied contained peaks with average relative shifts ranging between 0.3 and 3.0. Second, a “real” data set of gasoline separations was gathered using three different GC methods to induce severe retention time shifting. In these gasoline separations, retention time precision improved ~8 fold following alignment. Finally, piecewise alignment and the unsupervised correlation optimization method were applied to severely shifted GC separations of reformate distillation fractions. The effect of piecewise alignment on peak heights and peak areas is also reported. Piecewise alignment either did not change the peak height, or caused it to slightly decrease. The average relative difference in peak height after piecewise alignment was –0.20%. Piecewise alignment caused the peak areas to either stay the same, slightly increase, or slightly decrease. The average absolute relative difference in area after piecewise alignment was 0.15%.« less

Correlations for number of sunspots, unemployment rate, and suicide mortality in Japan.

PubMed

Otsu, Akiko; Chinami, Masanobu; Morgenthale, Stephan; Kaneko, Yoshihiro; Fujita, Daisuke; Shirakawa, Taro

2006-04-01

We studied the correlations among sunspot numbers, business cycles, and suicide mortalitites. Based on data from Japan between 1971 and 2001, a significant negative correlation between sunspot numbers and unemployment rate was found, R= -.17. The correlation between suicide mortality and unemployment rate was positive for males (R=.46) and negative for females (R =-.69). Both are statistically significant. The hypothesis that variation of sun activity may affect the economy and the unemployment rate and hence increase the male suicide mortality is raised.

A positive take on schizophrenia negative symptom scales: Converting scores between the SANS, NSA and SDS.

PubMed

Preda, Adrian; Nguyen, Dana D; Bustillo, Juan R; Belger, Aysenil; O'Leary, Daniel S; McEwen, Sarah; Ling, Shichun; Faziola, Lawrence; Mathalon, Daniel H; Ford, Judith M; Potkin, Steven G; van Erp, Theo G M

2018-06-20

To provide quantitative conversions between commonly used scales for the assessment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Linear regression analyses generated conversion equations between symptom scores from the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), the Schedule for the Deficit Syndrome (SDS), the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), or the Negative Symptoms Assessment (NSA) based on a cross sectional sample of 176 individuals with schizophrenia. Intraclass correlations assessed the rating conversion accuracy based on a separate sub-sample of 29 patients who took part in the initial study as well as an independent sample of 28 additional subjects with schizophrenia. Between-scale negative symptom ratings were moderately to highly correlated (r = 0.73-0.91). Intraclass correlations between the original negative symptom rating scores and those obtained via using the conversion equations were in the range of 0.61-0.79. While there is a degree of non-overlap, several negative symptoms scores reflect measures of similar constructs and may be reliably converted between some scales. The conversion equations are provided at http://www.converteasy.org and may be used for meta- and mega-analyses that examine negative symptoms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of Turkish version of brief negative symptom scale.

PubMed

Polat Nazlı, Irmak; Ergül, Ceylan; Aydemir, Ömer; Chandhoke, Swati; Üçok, Alp; Gönül, Ali Saffet

2016-11-01

Negative symptoms in schizophrenia have been assessed by many instruments. However, a current consensus on these symptoms has been built and new tools, such as the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS), are generated. This study aimed to evaluate reliability and validity of the Turkish version of BNSS. The scale was translated to Turkish and backtranslated to English. After the approval of the translation, 75 schizophrenia patients were interviewed with BNSS, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) and Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS). Reliability and validity analyses were then calculated. In the reliability analysis, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.96 and item-total score correlation coefficients were between 0.655-0.884. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.665. The inter-rater reliability was 0.982 (p < 0.0001). In the validity analysis, the total score of BNSS-TR was correlated with PANSS Total Score, Positive Symptoms Subscale, Negative Symptoms Subscale, and General Psychopathology Subscale. CDSS and ESRS were not correlated with BNSS-TR. The factor structure of the scale was consisting the same items as in the original version. Our study confirms that the Turkish version of BNSS is an applicable tool for the evaluation of negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

Factors Affecting the Inter-annual to Centennial Time Scale Variability of All Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malik, Abdul; Brönnimann, Stefan

2016-04-01

The All Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (AISMR) is highly important for the livelihood of more than 1 billion people living in the Indian sub-continent. The agriculture of this region is heavily dependent on seasonal (JJAS) monsoon rainfall. An early start or a slight delay of monsoon, or an early withdrawal or prolonged monsoon season may upset the farmer's agricultural plans, can cause significant reduction in crop yield, and hence economic loss. Understanding of AISMR is also vital because it is a part of global atmospheric circulation system. Several studies show that AISMR is influenced by internal climate forcings (ICFs) viz. ENSO, AMO, PDO etc. as well as external climate forcings (ECFs) viz. Greenhouse Gases, volcanic eruptions, and Total Solar Irradiance (TSI). We investigate the influence of ICFs and ECFs on AISMR using recently developed statistical technique called De-trended Partial-Cross-Correlation Analysis (DPCCA). DPCCA can analyse a complex system of several interlinked variables. Often, climatic variables, being cross correlated, are simultaneously tele-connected with several other variables and it is not easy to isolate their intrinsic relationship. In the presence of non-stationarities and background signals the calculated correlation coefficients can be overestimated and erroneous. DPCCA method removes the non-stationarities and partials out the influence of background signals from the variables being cross correlated and thus give a robust estimate of correlation. We have performed the analysis using NOAA Reconstructed SSTs and homogenised instrumental AISMR data set from 1854-1999. By employing the DPCCA method we find that there is a statistically insignificant negative intrinsic relation (by excluding the influence of ICFs, and ECFs except TSI) between AISMR and TSI on decadal to centennial time scale. The ICFs considerably modulate the relation between AISMR and solar activity between 50-80 year time scales and transform this relationship to statistically significant positive. We conclude that the positive relation between AISMR and solar activity, as found by other authors, is due to the combined effect of AMO, PDO and multi-decadal ENSO variability on AISMR. The solar activity influences the ICFs and this influence is then transmitted to AISMR. Further, we find that there is statistically positive intrinsic relation between AISMR and AMO from 26 to 100 year time scales which is modulated by ICFs (PDO, ENSO) and ECFs. PDO, ENSO, and solar activity weaken this intrinsic relationship whereas the combined effect of ECFc (solar activity, volcanic eruptions, CO2, & tropospheric aerosol optical depth) results in strengthening of this relationship from 70 to 100 year time scales. There is a negative intrinsic relation between AISMR and PDO which is not statistically significant at any time scale. However this relationship becomes statistically significant only in the presence of combined effect of North Atlantic SSTs and ENSO (4-39 year time scale) and individual effect of TSI (3-26 year time scale) on AISMR. We also find that there is statistical significant negative relationship between AISMR and ENSO on inter-annual to centennial time scale and the strength of this relationship is modulated by solar activity from 3 to 40 year time scale.

Enumeration of Escherichia coli in swab samples from pre- and post-chilled pork and lamb carcasses using 3M™ Petrifilm™ Select E. coli and Simplate® Coliforms/E. coli.

PubMed

Hauge, Sigrun J; Østensvik, Øyvin; Monshaugen, Marte; Røtterud, Ole-Johan; Nesbakken, Truls; Alvseike, Ole

2017-08-01

The aim of the study was to compare two analytical methods; 3M Petrifilm™ Select E. coli and SimPlate® Coliforms &E. coli, for detection and enumeration of E. coli using swab samples from naturally contaminated pork and lamb carcasses that were collected before and after chilling. Blast chilling was used for pork carcasses. Swab samples (n=180) were collected from 60 warm and 60 chilled pork carcasses, and 30 warm and 30 chilled lamb carcasses, and analysed in parallel. The concordance correlation coefficient between Petrifilm and SimPlate was 0.89 for pork and 0.81 for lamb carcasses. However, the correlation was higher for warm carcasses (0.90) than chilled carcasses (0.72). For chilled lamb carcasses, the correlation was only 0.50, and SimPlate gave slightly higher results than Petrifilm (P=0.09). Slower chilling gave slightly lesser agreement between methods than for blast chilling, however, both Petrifilm and SimPlate methodologies are suitable and recommended for use in small laboratories in abattoirs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overall elemental dry deposition velocities measured around Lake Michigan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Seung-Muk; Shahin, Usama; Sivadechathep, Jakkris; Sofuoglu, Sait C.; Holsen, Thomas M.

Overall dry deposition velocities of several elements were determined by dividing measured fluxes by measured airborne concentrations in different particle size ranges. The dry deposition measurements were made with a smooth surrogate surface on an automated dry deposition sampler (Eagle II) and the ambient particle concentrations were measured with a dichotomous sampler. These long-term measurements were made in Chicago, IL, South Haven, MI, and Sleeping Bear Dunes, MI, from December 1993 through October 1995 as part of the Lake Michigan Mass Balance Study. In general, the dry deposition fluxes of elements were highly correlated with coarse particle concentrations, slightly less well correlated with total particle concentrations, and least well correlated with fine particle concentrations. The calculated overall dry deposition velocities obtained using coarse particle concentrations varied from approximately 12 cm s -1 for Mg in Chicago to 0.2 cm s -1 for some primarily anthropogenic metals at the more remote sites. The velocities calculated using total particle concentrations were slightly lower. The crustal elements (Mg, Al, and Mn) had higher deposition velocities than anthropogenic elements (V, Cr, Cu, Zn, Mo, Ba and Pb). For crustal elements, overall dry deposition velocities were higher in Chicago than at the other sites.

Unattractive infant faces elicit negative affect from adults.

PubMed

Schein, Stevie S; Langlois, Judith H

2015-02-01

We examined the relationship between infant attractiveness and adult affect by investigating whether differing levels of infant facial attractiveness elicit facial muscle movement correlated with positive and negative affect from adults (N=87) using electromyography. Unattractive infant faces evoked significantly more corrugator supercilii and levator labii superioris movement (physiological correlates of negative affect) than attractive infant faces. These results suggest that unattractive infants may be at risk for negative affective responses from adults, though the relationship between those responses and caregiving behavior remains elusive. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation of Respiratory Activity of Contralateral Diaphragm Muscles for Evaluation of Recovery Following Hemiparesis

PubMed Central

Dow, Douglas E.; Zhan, Wen-Zhi; Sieck, Gary C.; Mantilla, Carlos B.

2014-01-01

Respiration is impaired by disruption of the central drive for inspiration to the diaphragm muscle (DIAm). Some function may recover involving nerve regeneration, reinnervation or neuroplasticity. A research animal model involves inducing hemiparesis of the DIAm and monitoring any recovery under different conditions. Methods to accurately track the level of functional recovery are needed. In this study, an algorithm was developed and tested to quantify the relative amount of electromyogram (EMG) activity that temporally correlated for an experimental (EXP) hemi-DIAm with its intact contralateral hemi-DIAm. An average rectified value (ARV) trace was calculated. A template was formed of the ARV trace of the intact hemi-DIAm, with higher positive values corresponding with periods of inspirations and lower negative values corresponding with quiet periods. This template was multiplied by the EXP ARV trace to reward (more positive) periods of correlating activity, and punish (more negative) periods of high activity on the EXP side that corresponded with quiet periods on the intact side. The average integrated value was the index of correlating contralateral activity (ICCA). A negative ICCA value indicated no net correlation of activity, and a positive value indicated a net correlation of activity. The algorithm was tested on rats having the conditions of control or hemi-paresis induced by denervatation (DNV), tetrodotoxin administration (TTX) or cervical spinal hemi-section (SH). Control had high positive ICCA values, and DNV had negative values. TTX maintained negative ICCA values at 3, 7 and 14 days, indicating a lack of functional recovery. SH maintained negative values at 3 and 7 days, but a subset had positive values at 14 days indicating some functional recovery. PMID:19965125

Evolution of sensitivity to fosfomycin in bacteria isolated in 1973, 1974 and 1975 in the Servicio de Microbiologia y Epidemiologia of the 'Clinica Puerta de Hierro', Madrid.

PubMed

Dámaso, D; Moreno-López, M; Martínez-Beltrán, J

1977-01-01

The bacteriostatic activity of fosfomycin was studied in vitro against 1,243 clinical isolations of gram-positive cocci and 4,086 isolations of gram-negative bacilli that were obtained in 1973, 1974 and in the period from January to May of 1975. MIC was determined by the agar diffusion method, quantifying it by means of the standard curve that was worked out with the strain of E. coli NCTC 10,418. A slight increase in resistance was observed in the gram-positive cocci: 64 mug/ml were inhibitory for 63% of the 249 isolations obtained in 1973, 59.1% of the 716 isolations obtained in 1974, and 57.5% of the 278 isolations from 1975. A slight loss of sensitivity was also observed in the gram-negative bacilli: the aforementioned concentration of fosfomycin inhibited 36% of the 742 isolations from 1973, 33.6% of the 2,387 isolations from 1974 and 32.6% of the 957 isolations from 1975. 933 g of this antibiotic were consumed in our hospital in 1973, 4,203 g in 1974 and 957 g in 1975. The consumption rate per patient per year was 0.15, 0.72 and 0.20 g, respectively. In conclusion, although no change was observed in the sensitivity of some bacterial strains to fosfomycin, the overall study indicates a slight decrease in the sensitivity, although it does not apparently have any relationship to the consumption of fosfomycin in our hospital.

Agreement between allergen-specific IgE assays and ensuing immunotherapy recommendations from four commercial laboratories in the USA

PubMed Central

Plant, Jon D; Neradelik, Moni B; Polissar, Nayak L; Fadok, Valerie A; Scott, Brian A

2014-01-01

Background Canine allergen-specific IgE assays in the USA are not subjected to an independent laboratory reliability monitoring programme. Hypothesis/Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the agreement of diagnostic results and treatment recommendations of four serum IgE assays commercially available in the USA. Methods Replicate serum samples from 10 atopic dogs were submitted to each of four laboratories for allergen-specific IgE assays (ACTT®, VARL Liquid Gold, ALLERCEPT® and Greer® Aller-g-complete®). The interlaboratory agreement of standard, regional panels and ensuing treatment recommendations were analysed with the kappa statistic (κ) to account for agreement that might occur merely by chance. Six comparisons of pairs of laboratories and overall agreement among laboratories were analysed for ungrouped allergens (as tested) and also with allergens grouped according to reported cross-reactivity and taxonomy. Results The overall chance-corrected agreement of the positive/negative test results for ungrouped and grouped allergens was slight (κ = 0.14 and 0.13, respectively). Subset analysis of the laboratory pair with the highest level of diagnostic agreement (κ = 0.36) found slight agreement (κ = 0.13) for ungrouped plants and fungi, but substantial agreement (κ = 0.71) for ungrouped mites. The overall agreement of the treatment recommendations was slight (κ = 0.11). Altogether, 85.1% of ungrouped allergen treatment recommendations were unique to one laboratory or another. Conclusions and clinical importance Our study indicated that the choice of IgE assay may have a major influence on the positive/negative results and ensuing treatment recommendations. PMID:24461034

Correlations Between Nutrition Habits, Anxiety and Metabolic Parameters in Greek Healthy Adults.

PubMed

Lambrinakou, Stavroula; Katsa, Maria Efthymia; Zyga, Sofia; Ioannidis, Anastasios; Sachlas, Athanasios; Panoutsopoulos, Georgios; Pistikou, Anna Maria; Magana, Maria; Kougioumtzi Dimoligianni, Dafni Eleni; Kolovos, Petros; Rojas Gil, Andrea Paola

2017-01-01

Anxiety combined with nervousness and apprehension consist a focal response to different life conditions. Lifestyle habits, anxiety and biochemical markers are in a constant interaction. To investigate the prevalence of anxiety in healthy adults and its possible association with biochemical factors-lipid profile, liver markers, thyroid hormones-and lifestyle habits. Quantitative descriptive correlation study. A total of 100 healthy adults participated in the research. A specially designed questionnaire and Hamilton's scale were used. Anthropometric and biochemical analyses were performed. Overall, 61% of the participants presented moderate to very serious anxiety. The average score on the Hamilton scale was 13.82 (±9.000), with men exhibiting less stress than women. For p ≤ 0.05: Stress was positively correlated with impaired thyroid and hepatic function. Hepatic function was affected by both sugar products and water melon, which were positively correlated with total bilirubin and AST/SGOT respectively. Tomato, peppers and legumes were negatively correlated with AST/SGOT. Deep fried food was positively correlated with GGT and triglycerides. Legumes and fish were negatively correlated with CPK. Regarding the lipid metabolism, it was found that food cooked with oil was positively associated with uric acid, but non-cooked olive oil was negatively correlated with the risk for CAD. Thyroid function was negatively correlated with non-homemade food and pasta consumption and positively correlated with consumption of whole grains and green tea. Participants with subclinical hypothyroidism seemed to consume less vitamin B12, folic acid and vegetables. No direct correlation between lifestyle habits and anxiety was found. Nevertheless, eating habits influenced biochemical markers-especially the thyroid hormones-which may be indirectly responsible for anxiety and related moods.

Individual set-point and gain of emmetropization in chickens.

PubMed

Tepelus, Tudor Cosmin; Schaeffel, Frank

2010-01-01

During the developmental process of emmetropization evidence shows that visual feedback guides the eye as it approaches a refractive state close to zero, or slightly hyperopic. How this "set-point" is internally defined, in the presence of continuous shifts of the focal plane with different viewing distances and accommodation, remains unclear. Minimizing defocus blur over time should produce similar end-point refractions in different individuals. However, we found that individual chickens display considerable variability in their set-point refractive states, despite that they all had the same visual experience. This variability is not random since the refractions in both eyes were highly correlated - even though it is known that they can emmetropize independently. Furthermore, if chicks underwent a period of experimentally induced ametropia, they returned to their individual set-point refractions during recovery (correlation of the refractions before treatment versus after recovery: n=19 chicks, 38 eyes, left eyes: slope 1.01, R=0.860; right eyes: slope 0.85, R=0.610, p<0.001, linear regression). Also, the induced deprivation myopia was correlated in both eyes (n=18 chicks, 36 eyes, p<0.01, orthogonal regression). If chicks were treated with spectacle lenses, the compensatory changes in refraction were, on average, appropriate but individual chicks displayed variable responses. Again, the refractions of both eyes remained correlated (negative lenses, n=18 chicks, 36 eyes, slope 0.89, R=0.504, p<0.01, positive lenses: n=21 chicks, 42 eyes, slope 1.14, R=0.791, p<0.001). The amount of deprivation myopia that developed in two successive treatment cycles, with an intermittent period of recovery, was not correlated; only vitreous chamber growth was almost significantly correlated in both cycles (n=7 chicks, 14 eyes; p<0.05). The amounts of ametropia and vitreous chamber changes induced in two successive cycles of treatment, first with lenses and then with diffusers, were also not correlated, suggesting that the "gains of lens compensation" are different from those in deprivation myopia. In summary, (1) there appears to be an endogenous, possibly genetic, definition of the set-point of emmetropization in each individual, which is similar in both eyes, (2) visual conditions that induce ametropia produce variable changes in refractions, with high correlations between both eyes, (3) overall, the "gain of emmetropization" appears only weakly controlled by endogenous factors.

Correlates of video game screen time among males: body mass, physical activity, and other media use.

PubMed

Ballard, Mary; Gray, Melissa; Reilly, Jenny; Noggle, Matthew

2009-08-01

This study examined the correlations between media use, body mass variables, and physical activity among 116 male undergraduates (white n=106; African American n=5, Latin American n=1, Asian American n=2, and 2 others). Length of video game play during one sitting was positively related to body mass index (BMI; r=.27, p<.01) and negatively correlated with frequency of exercise (r=-.21, p<.05) and days of walking (r=-.22, p<.05). Frequency of video game play was negatively correlated with length of exercising (r=-.21, p<.05). Years of video game play was negatively correlated with length of exercise (r=-.21, p<.05). These results were stronger among those who play online games. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that video game use predicted BMI, accounting for 6.9% of the variance. The implications of the results are discussed.

Comparison of face types in Chinese women using three-dimensional computed tomography.

PubMed

Zhou, Rong-Rong; Zhao, Qi-Ming; Liu, Miao

2015-04-01

This study compared inverted triangle and square faces of 21 young Chinese Han women (18-25 years old) using three-dimensional computed tomography images retrieved from a records database. In this study, 11 patients had inverted triangle faces and 10 had square faces. The anatomic features were examined and compared. There were significant differences in lower face width, lower face height, masseter thickness, middle/lower face width ratio, and lower face width/height ratio between the two facial types (p < 0.01). Lower face width was positively correlated with masseter thickness and negatively correlated with gonial angle. Lower face height was positively correlated with gonial angle and negatively correlated with masseter thickness, and gonial angle was negatively correlated with masseter thickness. In young Chinese Han women, inverted triangle faces and square faces differ significantly in masseter thickness and lower face height. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Homonegative Attitudes and their Correlates Among Vietnamese College Students.

PubMed

Thanh Nguyen, Toan; Kimura, Kenichi; Morinaga, Yasuko

2016-06-01

This study investigated sex differences in homonegativity and their correlates among 197 Vietnamese college students (males = 49, females = 148, M = 20.9 years, SD = 2.9) in Ho Chi Minh City. The survey included Vietnamese-language versions of four scales measuring attitudes toward homosexuality (ATHS), traditional masculinity ideology, knowledge of homosexuality, and contact experiences with homosexuals. An exploratory factor analysis indicated a 3-factor structure for the ATHS: Homonegativity, Tolerance, and Positive Images. Male respondents reported significantly higher scores on homonegativity. Traditional masculinity ideology was positively related to females' homonegativity, but negatively correlated with tolerant attitudes of both males and females. Knowledge about homosexuality was negatively correlated with homonegativity. Media contact with homosexuals was negatively correlated with males' homonegativity, but positively correlated with both females and males' tolerant attitudes. Results suggest that future research develop a new scale to measure Vietnamese's homonegativity and that media contact as well as ample and accurate knowledge about homosexuality can alter homonegativity. © The Author(s) 2016.

Changes in coping and social motives for drinking and alcohol consumption across the menstrual cycle.

PubMed

Joyce, Kayla M; Hudson, Amanda; O'Connor, Roisin; Thompson, Kara; Hodgin, Megan; Perrot, Tara; Stewart, Sherry H

2018-04-01

Alcohol use has been reported to fluctuate over women's menstrual cycles (MCs), with increased intake occurring premenstrually/menstrually (phases characterized by heightened negative affect) and during the ovulatory phase (a phase characterized by positive affect). This suggests women may drink for particular emotion-focused reasons at specific points in their cycles. However, no research had yet examined MC variability in drinking motives, or links between cycle-related changes in drinking motives and alcohol consumption. Ninety-four normally cycling women (M age  = 22.9 years old, SD age  = 4.7) completed daily diary measures (via Smartphone surveys), with questions pertaining to state drinking motives and quantity of alcohol consumed for the course of a full MC. Drinking motives differed by cycle phase. Women reported a slight increase in drinking to self-medicate for negative affect premenstrually, with drinking to cope peaking in the menstrual phase and declining mid-cycle. Women reported a slight increasing trend across the cycle in social motives for drinking, while enhancement motives remained relatively stable across the cycle. Cycle-related changes in drinking motives predicted increases in the quantity of alcohol consumed. Drinking to cope with negative affect predicted a greater number of drinks menstrually (days 1-5). While social motives predicted a greater number of drinks during the follicular and ovulatory phases (days 5-16), enhancement motives were unrelated to drinking quantity across cycle phase. Clinicians should be attentive to cycle phase when treating reproductive-aged women with alcohol disorders (e.g., encouraging the use of healthier means of coping with negative affect during menses). © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Conservatism and Cognitive Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stankov, Lazar

2009-01-01

Conservatism and cognitive ability are negatively correlated. The evidence is based on 1254 community college students and 1600 foreign students seeking entry to United States' universities. At the individual level of analysis, conservatism scores correlate negatively with SAT, Vocabulary, and Analogy test scores. At the national level of…

Phonetic measures of reduced tongue movement correlate with negative symptom severity in hospitalized patients with first-episode schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Covington, Michael A; Lunden, S L Anya; Cristofaro, Sarah L; Wan, Claire Ramsay; Bailey, C Thomas; Broussard, Beth; Fogarty, Robert; Johnson, Stephanie; Zhang, Shayi; Compton, Michael T

2012-12-01

Aprosody, or flattened speech intonation, is a recognized negative symptom of schizophrenia, though it has rarely been studied from a linguistic/phonological perspective. To bring the latest advances in computational linguistics to the phenomenology of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, a clinical first-episode psychosis research team joined with a phonetics/computational linguistics team to conduct a preliminary, proof-of-concept study. Video recordings from a semi-structured clinical research interview were available from 47 first-episode psychosis patients. Audio tracks of the video recordings were extracted, and after review of quality, 25 recordings were available for phonetic analysis. These files were de-noised and a trained phonologist extracted a 1-minute sample of each patient's speech. WaveSurfer 1.8.5 was used to create, from each speech sample, a file of formant values (F0, F1, F2, where F0 is the fundamental frequency and F1 and F2 are resonance bands indicating the moment-by-moment shape of the oral cavity). Variability in these phonetic indices was correlated with severity of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale negative symptom scores using Pearson correlations. A measure of variability of tongue front-to-back position-the standard deviation of F2-was statistically significantly correlated with the severity of negative symptoms (r=-0.446, p=0.03). This study demonstrates a statistically significant and meaningful correlation between negative symptom severity and phonetically measured reductions in tongue movements during speech in a sample of first-episode patients just initiating treatment. Further studies of negative symptoms, applying computational linguistics methods, are warranted. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phonetic Measures of Reduced Tongue Movement Correlate with Negative Symptom Severity in Hospitalized Patients with First-Episode Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders

PubMed Central

Covington, Michael A.; Lunden, S.L. Anya; Cristofaro, Sarah L.; Wan, Claire Ramsay; Bailey, C. Thomas; Broussard, Beth; Fogarty, Robert; Johnson, Stephanie; Zhang, Shayi; Compton, Michael T.

2012-01-01

Background Aprosody, or flattened speech intonation, is a recognized negative symptom of schizophrenia, though it has rarely been studied from a linguistic/phonological perspective. To bring the latest advances in computational linguistics to the phenomenology of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, a clinical first-episode psychosis research team joined with a phonetics/computational linguistics team to conduct a preliminary, proof-of-concept study. Methods Video recordings from a semi-structured clinical research interview were available from 47 first-episode psychosis patients. Audio tracks of the video recordings were extracted, and after review of quality, 25 recordings were available for phonetic analysis. These files were de-noised and a trained phonologist extracted a 1-minute sample of each patient’s speech. WaveSurfer 1.8.5 was used to create, from each speech sample, a file of formant values (F0, F1, F2, where F0 is the fundamental frequency and F1 and F2 are resonance bands indicating the moment-by-moment shape of the oral cavity). Variability in these phonetic indices was correlated with severity of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale negative symptom scores using Pearson correlations. Results A measure of variability of tongue front-to-back position—the standard deviation of F2—was statistically significantly correlated with the severity of negative symptoms (r=−0.446, p=0.03). Conclusion This study demonstrates a statistically significant and meaningful correlation between negative symptom severity and phonetically measured reductions in tongue movements during speech in a sample of first-episode patients just initiating treatment. Further studies of negative symptoms, applying computational linguistics methods, are warranted. PMID:23102940

Dorso-medial and ventro-lateral functional specialization of the human retrosplenial complex in spatial updating and orienting.

PubMed

Burles, Ford; Slone, Edward; Iaria, Giuseppe

2017-04-01

The retrosplenial complex is a region within the posterior cingulate cortex implicated in spatial navigation. Here, we investigated the functional specialization of this large and anatomically heterogeneous region using fMRI and resting-state functional connectivity combined with a spatial task with distinct phases of spatial 'updating' (i.e., integrating and maintaining object locations in memory during spatial displacement) and 'orienting' (i.e., recalling unseen locations from current position in space). Both spatial 'updating' and 'orienting' produced bilateral activity in the retrosplenial complex, among other areas. However, spatial 'updating' produced slightly greater activity in ventro-lateral portions, of the retrosplenial complex, whereas spatial 'orienting' produced greater activity in a more dorsal and medial portion of it (both regions localized along the parieto-occipital fissure). At rest, both ventro-lateral and dorso-medial subregions of the retrosplenial complex were functionally connected to the hippocampus and parahippocampus, regions both involved in spatial orientation and navigation. However, the ventro-lateral subregion of the retrosplenial complex displayed more positive functional connectivity with ventral occipital and temporal object recognition regions, whereas the dorso-medial subregion activity was more correlated to dorsal activity and frontal activity, as well as negatively correlated with more ventral parietal structures. These findings provide evidence for a dorso-medial to ventro-lateral functional specialization within the human retrosplenial complex that may shed more light on the complex neural mechanisms underlying spatial orientation and navigation in humans.

Does natural variation in diversity affect biotic resistance?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harrison, Susan; Cornell, Howard; Grace, James B.

2015-01-01

Theories linking diversity to ecosystem function have been challenged by the widespread observation of more exotic species in more diverse native communities. Few studies have addressed the key underlying process by dissecting how community diversity is shaped by the same environmental gradients that determine biotic and abiotic resistance to new invaders. In grasslands on highly heterogeneous soils, we used addition of a recent invader, competitor removal and structural equation modelling (SEM) to analyse soil influences on community diversity, biotic and abiotic resistance and invader success. Biotic resistance, measured by reduction in invader success in the presence of the resident community, was negatively correlated with species richness and functional diversity. However, in the multivariate SEM framework, biotic resistance was independent of all forms of diversity and was positively affected by soil fertility via community biomass. Abiotic resistance, measured by invader success in the absence of the resident community, peaked on infertile soils with low biomass and high community diversity. Net invader success was determined by biotic resistance, consistent with this invader's better performance on infertile soils in unmanipulated conditions. Seed predation added slightly to biotic resistance without qualitatively changing the results. Soil-related genotypic variation in the invader also did not affect the results. Synthesis. In natural systems, diversity may be correlated with invasibility and yet have no effect on either biotic or abiotic resistance to invasion. More generally, the environmental causes of variation in diversity should not be overlooked when considering the potential functional consequences of diversity.

Insight into the prebiotic concept: lessons from an exploratory, double blind intervention study with inulin-type fructans in obese women.

PubMed

Dewulf, Evelyne M; Cani, Patrice D; Claus, Sandrine P; Fuentes, Susana; Puylaert, Philippe G B; Neyrinck, Audrey M; Bindels, Laure B; de Vos, Willem M; Gibson, Glenn R; Thissen, Jean-Paul; Delzenne, Nathalie M

2013-08-01

To highlight the contribution of the gut microbiota to the modulation of host metabolism by dietary inulin-type fructans (ITF prebiotics) in obese women. A double blind, placebo controlled, intervention study was performed with 30 obese women treated with ITF prebiotics (inulin/oligofructose 50/50 mix; n=15) or placebo (maltodextrin; n=15) for 3 months (16 g/day). Blood, faeces and urine sampling, oral glucose tolerance test, homeostasis model assessment and impedancemetry were performed before and after treatment. The gut microbial composition in faeces was analysed by phylogenetic microarray and qPCR analysis of 16S rDNA. Plasma and urine metabolic profiles were analysed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Treatment with ITF prebiotics, but not the placebo, led to an increase in Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii; both bacteria negatively correlated with serum lipopolysaccharide levels. ITF prebiotics also decreased Bacteroides intestinalis, Bacteroides vulgatus and Propionibacterium, an effect associated with a slight decrease in fat mass and with plasma lactate and phosphatidylcholine levels. No clear treatment clustering could be detected for gut microbial analysis or plasma and urine metabolomic profile analyses. However, ITF prebiotics led to subtle changes in the gut microbiota that may importantly impact on several key metabolites implicated in obesity and/or diabetes. ITF prebiotics selectively changed the gut microbiota composition in obese women, leading to modest changes in host metabolism, as suggested by the correlation between some bacterial species and metabolic endotoxaemia or metabolomic signatures.

Prevalence and characteristics of fibromyalgia among HIV-positive patients in southern Israel.

PubMed

Dotan, Idit; Riesenberg, Klaris; Toledano, Ronen; Schlaeffer, Francisc; Smolyakov, Alexander; Saidel-Odes, Lisa; Wechsberg, Oded; Ablin, Jacob N; Novack, Victor; Buskila, Dan

2016-01-01

Fibromyalgia and chronic pain have previously associated with HIV infection for over two decades. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of FMS symptoms in an ethnically heterogeneous population of HIV-infected individuals in southern Israel, applying the proposed new diagnostic criteria for diagnosis of fibromyalgia symdrome (FMS). 156 HIV-positive patients followed at the AIDS clinic of the Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC) who gave written informed consent were recruited in the trial. FMS was diagnosed based on the widespread pain index (WPI) and the Symptom Severity Score (SSS) comprising the modified 2011 diagnostic criteria for FMS. CD4 levels ad viral load were obtained. One hundred and thirty-nine patients (89.1%) were receiving HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy). A total of 22 patients (14.1%) were found to fulfill current criteria for diagnosis of FMS. FMS-criteria positive individuals were slightly younger than criteria-negative individuals (40.3±9.2 vs. 42.6±11.9, p=0.39), but this difference did not reach statistical significance. There was no significant difference between the groups regarding gender, family status, religion, occupation or education. No correlation was found between CD4 and viral load levels and symptoms of FMS. Despite the dramatic improvement in management of HIV, FMS symptoms remain highly prevalent among these patients and are not directly correlated with indices of active disease. FMS is an important clinical issue to address among patients suffering from HIV infection.

Large Decadal Decline of the Arctic Multiyear Ice Cover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Comiso, Josefino C.

2011-01-01

The perennial ice area was drastically reduced to 38% of its climatological average in 2007 but recovered somewhat in 2008, 2009 and 2010 with the areas being 10%, 24%, and 11% higher than in 2007, respectively. However, the trends in the extent and area remain strongly negative at -12.2% and -13.5 %/decade, respectively. The thick component of the perennial ice, called multiyear ice, as detected by satellite data in the winters of 1979 to 2011 was studied and results reveal that the multiyear ice extent and area are declining at an even more rapid rate of -15.1% and -17.2 % per decade, respectively, with record low value in 2008 followed by higher values in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Such high rate in the decline of the thick component of the Arctic ice cover means a reduction in average ice thickness and an even more vulnerable perennial ice cover. The decline of the multiyear ice area from 2007 to 2008 was not as strong as that of the perennial ice area from 2006 to 2007 suggesting a strong role of second year ice melt in the latter. The sea ice cover is shown to be strongly correlated with surface temperature which is increasing at about three times global average in the Arctic but appears weakly correlated with the AO which controls the dynamics of the region. An 8 to 9-year cycle is apparent in the multiyear ice record which could explain in part the slight recovery in the last three years.

Seasonal variation in the biochemical composition of red seaweed ( Catenella repens) from Gangetic delta, northeast coast of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banerjee, Kakoli; Ghosh, Rajrupa; Homechaudhuri, Sumit; Mitra, Abhijit

2009-10-01

The biochemical composition of red seaweeds, Catenella repens was investigated in this present study along with subsequent analysis of relevant physico-chemical variables. In this study, the relationship between the nutritive components of this species and the ambient environmental parameters was established. Protein content varied from 2.78 ± 0.30% of dry weight (stn.3) to 16.03 ± 0.96% of dry weight (stn.1) with highest values during monsoon. The protein levels were positively correlated with dissolved nitrate content and negatively correlated with water temperature (except stn.3) and salinity. Carbohydrate content of this species varied significantly ( p < 0.05) during pre-monsoon between stations and the values showed positive relationship with salinity and surface water temperature. In contrast to carbohydrate, lipid concentration was lowest in values and varied very slightly between seasons and stations. Astaxanthin content of the seaweed species was greater in pre-monsoon than monsoon and post-monsoon in all the selected stations. Compared with the three seasons, samples of red seaweed collected in pre-monsoon has high carbohydrate-astaxanthin in contrast to protein-lipid which showed high values during monsoon. Statistical analysis computed among the environmental and biochemical parameters suggests the potential role played by the abiotic parameters on biosynthetic pathways of seaweed. This paper also highlights the influence of the nutritional quality of water that can be used for mass cultivation of Catenella repens.

Why Is Benzene Unique? Screening Magnetic Properties of C6 H6 Isomers.

PubMed

Janda, Tomáš; Foroutan-Nejad, Cina

2018-05-25

Magnetic properties are commonly used to identify new aromatic molecules because it is generally believed that magnetization and energetic stability are correlated. To verify the potential correlation between the energy and magnetic response properties, we examined a set of 198 isomers of C 6 H 6 . The energy and magnetic properties of these molecules can be directly compared with no need to invoke any arbitrary reference state because the studied systems are all isomers. Benzene is the global minimum on the potential energy surface of C 6 H 6 , 35 kcal mol -1 lower in energy than the second most stable isomer, fulvene. Unlike its electronic energy, isotropic magnetizability of benzene is slightly lower than the average magnetizability of its isomers. Altogether, 44 isomers of C 6 H 6 were identified to have more negative magnetic susceptibility than benzene but were between 67.0 to 168.6 kcal mol -1 higher in energy than benzene. However, benzene is unique in two ways. Analyzing the paramagnetic contribution to the magnetic susceptibility as originally suggested by Bilde and Hansen (Mol. Phys., 1997, 92, 237) revealed that 53 molecules have lower paramagnetic susceptibility than benzene but among monocyclic systems benzene has the least paramagnetic susceptibility. Furthermore, benzene has the largest out-of-plane magnetic susceptibility that originates from the strongest ring current among all studied species. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Nitrate decreases ruminal methane production with slight changes to ruminal methanogen composition of nitrate-adapted steers.

PubMed

Zhao, Liping; Meng, Qingxiang; Li, Yan; Wu, Hao; Huo, Yunlong; Zhang, Xinzhuang; Zhou, Zhenming

2018-03-20

This study was conducted to examine effects of nitrate on ruminal methane production, methanogen abundance, and composition. Six rumen-fistulated Limousin×Jinnan steers were fed diets supplemented with either 0% (0NR), 1% (1NR), or 2% (2NR) nitrate (dry matter basis) regimens in succession. Rumen fluid was taken after two-week adaptation for evaluation of in vitro methane production, methanogen abundance, and composition measurements. Results showed that nitrate significantly decreased in vitro ruminal methane production at 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h (P < 0.01; P < 0.01; P = 0.01). The 1NR and 2NR regimens numerically reduced the methanogen population by 4.47% and 25.82% respectively. However, there was no significant difference observed between treatments. The alpha and beta diversity of the methanogen community was not significantly changed by nitrate either. However, the relative abundance of the methanogen genera was greatly changed. Methanosphaera (P L  = 0.0033) and Methanimicrococcus (P L  = 0.0113) abundance increased linearly commensurate with increasing nitration levels, while Methanoplanus abundance was significantly decreased (P L  = 0.0013). The population of Methanoculleus, the least frequently identified genus in this study, exhibited quadratic growth from 0% to 2% when nitrate was added (P Q  = 0.0140). Correlation analysis found that methane reduction was significantly related to Methanobrevibacter and Methanoplanus abundance, and negatively correlated with Methanosphaera and Methanimicrococcus abundance.

Declining hydraulic efficiency as transpiring leaves desiccate: two types of response.

PubMed

Brodribb, Tim J; Holbrook, N Michele

2006-12-01

The conductance of transpiring leaves to liquid water (Kleaf) was measured across a range of steady-state leaf water potentials (Psileaf). Manipulating the transpiration rate in excised leaves enabled us to vary Psileaf in the range -0.1 MPa to less than -1.5 MPa while using a flowmeter to monitor the transpiration stream. Employing this technique to measure how desiccation affects Kleaf in 19 species, including lycophytes, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms, we found two characteristic responses. Three of the six angiosperm species sampled maintained a steady maximum Kleaf while Psileaf remained above -1.2 MPa, although desiccation of leaves beyond this point resulted in a rapid decline in Kleaf. In all other species measured, declining Psileaf led to a proportional decrease in Kleaf, such that midday Psileaf of unstressed plants in the field was sufficient to depress Kleaf by an average of 37%. It was found that maximum Kleaf was strongly correlated with maximum CO2 assimilation rate, while Kleaf = 0 occurred at a Psileaf slightly less negative than at leaf turgor loss. A strong linear correlation across species between Psileaf at turgor loss and Psileaf at Kleaf = 0 raises the possibility that declining Kleaf was related to declining cell turgor in the leaf prior to the onset of vein cavitation. The vulnerability of leaves rehydrating after desiccation was compared with vulnerability of leaves during steady-state evaporation, and differences between methods suggest that in many cases vein cavitation occurs only as Kleaf approaches zero.

Burnout and its relationship with personality factors in oncology nurses.

PubMed

De la Fuente-Solana, Emilia I; Gómez-Urquiza, José L; Cañadas, Gustavo R; Albendín-García, Luis; Ortega-Campos, Elena; Cañadas-De la Fuente, Guillermo A

2017-10-01

To assess burnout levels in oncology nurses, to evaluate at what stage of burnout suffering they are and to analyze the relationship between burnout with personality factors. A quantitative, observational, cross-sectional multicenter study was done. Oncology nurses (n = 101) from the Andalusian Health Service (Andalusia, Spain) were included. The main variables were personality factors, assessed with the NEO-FFI questionnaire, anxiety and depression, assessed with the Educational-Clinical Questionnaire: Anxiety and Depression, and burnout, evaluated with the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Student t-statistic was used for hypothesis contrasts and Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to establish the association between personality factors and burnout. According to the burnout phases model, 29.6% of the sample is in the most severe phases. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization are positively correlated with neuroticism and negatively correlated with agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion and openness. Personal accomplishment has a negative correlation with neuroticism and negative correlations with agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion and openness. Finally, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization have a positive correlation with anxiety and depression, while personal accomplishment has a negative correlation with anxiety and depression. A significant number of oncology nurses are in the most severe stages of burnout suffering. Personality factors have a key role in burnout development. The importance of personality factors in burnout development should be taken into account. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Personality and occupation stress of workers in processing line in Guangzhou].

PubMed

Lin, Qiu-hong; Zhang, Wei-sen; Zhou, Jing-dong; Fan, Yuan-yu; Liu, Li-fen; Li, Jian-lin; Liu, Wei-wei

2009-12-01

To study relationships between personality and occupational stress of workers in processing line in Guangzhou. 452 workers in processing line in Guangzhou were investigated by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI). N scores and P scores of EPQ were positively correlated with the occupational stress and the poor physical fitness status (r value was 0.196, 0.128, 0.202, 0.218, respectively) (P < 0.01). N scores of EPQ were positively correlated with the type A behavior (r = 0.164) and negatively correlated with the mental well-being level (r = -0.196, P < 0.01). P scores of EPQ were negative correlated with the sense of job satisfaction and the stress coping ability(r value was -0.146, -0.140, respectively) (P < 0.01). E scores and L scores of EPQ were negatively correlated with the type A behavior (r value was -0.159, -0.138, respectively) (P < 0.01). E scores of EPQ were positively correlated with the stress coping ability (r = 0.176, P < 0.01). L scores of EPQ were negatively correlated with the occupational stress, the poor physical fitness status and the explanation to vicinity event (r value was -0.139, -0.140, -0.111, respectively) (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The personality of neuroticism, psychoticism and introversion may be related to the occupational stress, the sense of job satisfaction and unhealthy mental reaction.

Positive And Negative Feedback Loops Coupled By Common Transcription Activator And Repressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sielewiesiuk, Jan; Łopaciuk, Agata

2015-03-01

Dynamical systems consisting of two interlocked loops with negative and positive feedback have been studied using the linear analysis of stability and numerical solutions. Conditions for saddle-node bifurcation were formulated in a general form. Conditions for Hopf bifurcations were found in a few symmetrical cases. Auto-oscillations, when they exist, are generated by the negative feedback repressive loop. This loop determines the frequency and amplitude of oscillations. The positive feedback loop of activation slightly modifies the oscillations. Oscillations are possible when the difference between Hilll's coefficients of the repression and activation is sufficiently high. The highly cooperative activation loop with a fast turnover slows down or even makes the oscillations impossible. The system under consideration can constitute a component of epigenetic or enzymatic regulation network.

The incidence and role of negative citations in science

PubMed Central

Catalini, Christian; Lacetera, Nicola; Oettl, Alexander

2015-01-01

Citations to previous literature are extensively used to measure the quality and diffusion of knowledge. However, we know little about the different ways in which a study can be cited; in particular, are papers cited to point out their merits or their flaws? We elaborated a methodology to characterize “negative” citations using bibliometric data and natural language processing. We found that negative citations concerned higher-quality papers, were focused on a study’s findings rather than theories or methods, and originated from scholars who were closer to the authors of the focal paper in terms of discipline and social distance, but not geographically. Receiving a negative citation was also associated with a slightly faster decline in citations to the paper in the long run. PMID:26504239

Leverage effect and its causality in the Korea composite stock price index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Chang-Yong

2012-02-01

In this paper, we investigate the leverage effect and its causality in the time series of the Korea Composite Stock Price Index from November of 1997 to September of 2010. The leverage effect, which can be quantitatively expressed as a negative correlation between past return and future volatility, is measured by using the cross-correlation coefficient of different time lags between the two time series of the return and the volatility. We find that past return and future volatility are negatively correlated and that the cross correlation is moderate and decays over 60 trading days. We also carry out a partial correlation analysis in order to confirm that the negative correlation between past return and future volatility is neither an artifact nor influenced by the traded volume. To determine the causality of the leverage effect within the decay time, we additionally estimate the cross correlation between past volatility and future return. With the estimate, we perform a statistical hypothesis test to demonstrate that the causal relation is in favor of the return influencing the volatility rather than the other way around.

Measurement of retinal blood flow in normal Chinese-American subjects by Doppler Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Srinivas, Sowmya; Tan, Ou; Wu, Shuang; Nittala, Muneeswar Gupta; Huang, David; Varma, Rohit; Sadda, SriniVas R

2015-02-10

To measure total retinal blood flow (TRBF) in normal, healthy Chinese Americans by using semi-automated analysis of Doppler Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) scans. Two hundred sixty-six normal, healthy Chinese-American participants (266 eyes) were enrolled from The Chinese American Eye Study. All participants underwent complete ophthalmic examination, including best-corrected visual acuity, indirect ophthalmoscopy, and Doppler FD-OCT imaging, using the circumpapillary double circular scan protocol. Total retinal blood flow and other vascular parameters (e.g., venous and arterial cross-sectional area and their velocities) were calculated by using Doppler OCT of Retinal Circulation software. Associations between TRBF and other clinical parameters were assessed by using bivariate correlations and linear regression. The mean age of study participants was 57.40 ± 5.60 (range, 50-82) years. The mean TRBF was 49.34 ± 10.08 (range, 27.17-78.08, 95% confidence interval: 25.98-69.10) μL/min. The mean venous area was 0.0548 (±0.0084) mm(2). Superior retinal hemispheric blood flow (25.50 ± 6.62 μL/min) was slightly greater than inferior retinal hemispheric blood flow (23.84 ± 7.19 μL/min, P = 0.008). The mean flow velocity was 15.16 ± 3.12 mm/s. There was a weak but significant negative correlation between TRBF and age (r = -0.15, P = 0.012). No significant correlation was found between TRBF and axial length (r = 0.11, P = 0.08). Retinal blood flow was not significantly correlated with any other clinical parameters, including body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and intraocular pressure. Normal Doppler OCT-derived total retinal blood values in a Chinese-American population showed considerable variability, some of which was explained by age. These observations should help design future studies evaluating TRBF in populations with eye disease. Copyright 2015 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Cerebral gray matter volume in patients with chronic migraine: correlations with clinical features.

PubMed

Coppola, Gianluca; Petolicchio, Barbara; Di Renzo, Antonio; Tinelli, Emanuele; Di Lorenzo, Cherubino; Parisi, Vincenzo; Serrao, Mariano; Calistri, Valentina; Tardioli, Stefano; Cartocci, Gaia; Ambrosini, Anna; Caramia, Francesca; Di Piero, Vittorio; Pierelli, Francesco

2017-12-08

To date, few MRI studies have been performed in patients affected by chronic migraine (CM), especially in those without medication overuse. Here, we performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyses to investigate the gray matter (GM) volume of the whole brain in patients affected by CM. Our aim was to investigate whether fluctuations in the GM volumes were related to the clinical features of CM. Twenty untreated patients with CM without a past medical history of medication overuse underwent 3-Tesla MRI scans and were compared to a group of 20 healthy controls (HCs). We used SPM12 and the CAT12 toolbox to process the MRI data and to perform VBM analyses of the structural T1-weighted MRI scans. The GM volume of patients was compared to that of HCs with various corrected and uncorrected thresholds. To check for possible correlations, patients' clinical features and GM maps were regressed. Initially, we did not find significant differences in the GM volume between patients with CM and HCs (p < 0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons). However, using more-liberal uncorrected statistical thresholds, we noted that compared to HCs, patients with CM exhibited clusters of regions with lower GM volumes including the cerebellum, left middle temporal gyrus, left temporal pole/amygdala/hippocampus/pallidum/orbitofrontal cortex, and left occipital areas (Brodmann areas 17/18). The GM volume of the cerebellar hemispheres was negatively correlated with the disease duration and positively correlated with the number of tablets taken per month. No gross morphometric changes were observed in patients with CM when compared with HCs. However, using more-liberal uncorrected statistical thresholds, we observed that CM is associated with subtle GM volume changes in several brain areas known to be involved in nociception/antinociception, multisensory integration, and analgesic dependence. We speculate that these slight morphometric impairments could lead, at least in a subgroup of patients, to the development and continuation of maladaptive acute medication usage.

Mapping Near-Surface Salinization Using Long-wavelength AIRSAR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paine, Jeffery G.

2003-01-01

In May 1999, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory acquired airborne synthetic aperture radar (AIRSAR) data over the Hatchel and Montague Test Sites in Texas. We analyzed P- and L-band polarimetric radar data from these AIRSAR missions to assess whether AIRSAR could be used as a rapid and remote platform for screening large areas at risk for near-surface soil and water salinization. Ongoing geological, geophysical, and hydrological studies at the Hatchel Test Site in Runnels County and the Montague Test Site in Montague County have demonstrated the utility of high-resolution airborne electromagnetic (EM) induction in mapping electrical conductivity changes that accompany shallow natural and oil-field related salinization at these sites in the Colorado and Red River basins. We compared AIRSAR and airborne EM data quantitatively by (1) selecting representative flight lines from airborne EM surveys of the Hatchel and Montague sites, (2) extracting measurement locations and apparent conductivities at the highest available EM frequency, (3) identifying and extracting all P- and L-band backscatter intensities for all locations within 5 m of an airborne EM measurement, and (4) examining the spatial and magnitude relationships between apparent conductivity and all radar polarization and polarization-ratio combinations. For both test sites, backscatter intensity in all individual P- and L-band polarizations was slightly negatively correlated with apparent conductivity. In most modes this was manifested as a decrease in the range and magnitude of backscatter intensity as apparent conductivity increased. Select single-band and cross-band polarization ratios exhibited somewhat higher correlation with apparent conductivity by partly diminishing the dominance of the vegetation contribution to V backscatter intensity. The highest correlation with conductivity was obtained using the L-band vertical- to cross-polarization ratio, the P-band vertical- to L-band cross-polarization ratio, and the P-band vertical-to cross-polarization ratio. These correlations were higher for the more arid (and less electrically conductive) Hatchel Test Site than they were for the Montague Test Site.

External validity of a hierarchical dimensional model of child and adolescent psychopathology: Tests using confirmatory factor analyses and multivariate behavior genetic analyses.

PubMed

Waldman, Irwin D; Poore, Holly E; van Hulle, Carol; Rathouz, Paul J; Lahey, Benjamin B

2016-11-01

Several recent studies of the hierarchical phenotypic structure of psychopathology have identified a General psychopathology factor in addition to the more expected specific Externalizing and Internalizing dimensions in both youth and adult samples and some have found relevant unique external correlates of this General factor. We used data from 1,568 twin pairs (599 MZ & 969 DZ) age 9 to 17 to test hypotheses for the underlying structure of youth psychopathology and the external validity of the higher-order factors. Psychopathology symptoms were assessed via structured interviews of caretakers and youth. We conducted phenotypic analyses of competing structural models using Confirmatory Factor Analysis and used Structural Equation Modeling and multivariate behavior genetic analyses to understand the etiology of the higher-order factors and their external validity. We found that both a General factor and specific Externalizing and Internalizing dimensions are necessary for characterizing youth psychopathology at both the phenotypic and etiologic levels, and that the 3 higher-order factors differed substantially in the magnitudes of their underlying genetic and environmental influences. Phenotypically, the specific Externalizing and Internalizing dimensions were slightly negatively correlated when a General factor was included, which reflected a significant inverse correlation between the nonshared environmental (but not genetic) influences on Internalizing and Externalizing. We estimated heritability of the general factor of psychopathology for the first time. Its moderate heritability suggests that it is not merely an artifact of measurement error but a valid construct. The General, Externalizing, and Internalizing factors differed in their relations with 3 external validity criteria: mother's smoking during pregnancy, parent's harsh discipline, and the youth's association with delinquent peers. Multivariate behavior genetic analyses supported the external validity of the 3 higher-order factors by suggesting that the General, Externalizing, and Internalizing factors were correlated with peer delinquency and parent's harsh discipline for different etiologic reasons. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Elevated Serum Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Alteration of Thyroid Hormones in Children from Guiyu, China

PubMed Central

Xu, Xijin; Liu, Junxiao; Zeng, Xiang; Lu, Fangfang; Chen, Aimin; Huo, Xia

2014-01-01

Informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling results in serious environmental pollution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and heavy metals. This study explored whether there is an association between PBDEs, heavy metal and key growth- and development-related hormones in children from Guiyu, an e-waste area in southern China. We quantified eight PBDE congeners using gas chromatographic mass spectrometry, lead and cadmium utilizing graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, three thyroids with radioimmunoassay and two types of growth hormones by an enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) in 162 children, 4 to 6 years old, from Guiyu. In blood, median total PBDE was 189.99 ng/g lipid. Lead and cadmium concentrations in blood averaged 14.53±4.85 µg dL−1 and 0.77±0.35 µg L−1, respectively. Spearman partial correlation analysis illustrated that lead was positively correlated with BDE153 and BDE183. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was positively correlated with almost all PBDE congeners and negatively correlated with insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), whereas free triiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4) were negatively correlated with BDE154. However, no correlation between the hormones and blood lead or cadmium levels was found in this study. Adjusted multiple linear regression analysis showed that total PBDEs was negatively associated with FT3 and positively associated with TSH. Notably, FT4 was positively correlated with FT3, house functions as a workshop, and father's work involved in e-waste recycling and negatively correlated with vitamin consumptions. TSH was negatively related with FT4, paternal residence time in Guiyu, working hours of mother, and child bean products intake. IGFBP-3 was positively correlated with IGF-1 and house close to an e-waste dump. These results suggest that elevated PBDEs and heavy metals related to e-waste in Guiyu may be important risk factors for hormone alterations in children. PMID:25415336

The Relationship Between Physical Fitness, Preadolescent Obesity, and Academic Achievement in Seventh Grade Students in South Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patterson, Phillip Stephen

Abstract It was not known if, or to what degree, a relationship existed among academic achievement in science, physical fitness, and preadolescent obesity. This quantitative, correlational study explored the relationship between physical fitness, preadolescent obesity, and academic achievement in 136 seventh grade students at an urban middle school in South Carolina who received 50 minutes of physical education daily for one semester. The researcher hypothesized that the level of physical fitness influences preadolescent obesity and academic performance. The hypotheses stated that there would be a positive correlation between physical fitness and achievement in science, a negative correlation between preadolescent obesity and achievement in science, and a negative correlation between fitness and preadolescent obesity. Pearson product-moment correlations were used to test the hypotheses. Physical fitness was measured using the FitnessGram. Academic performance was measured using the science benchmark assessment. The results revealed that physical fitness was positively correlated with academic achievement (r = .32, p = .001), obesity was negatively related to academic achievement (r = -.27, p = .001), and students' BMI was negatively related to physical fitness (r = -.71, p < .001). The findings of this research have significant implications for school policy and public health in terms of the possibilities for physical activity interventions. Keywords: FitnessGram, physical fitness, preadolescent obesity, body mass index.

Systematic bias of correlation coefficient may explain negative accuracy of genomic prediction.

PubMed

Zhou, Yao; Vales, M Isabel; Wang, Aoxue; Zhang, Zhiwu

2017-09-01

Accuracy of genomic prediction is commonly calculated as the Pearson correlation coefficient between the predicted and observed phenotypes in the inference population by using cross-validation analysis. More frequently than expected, significant negative accuracies of genomic prediction have been reported in genomic selection studies. These negative values are surprising, given that the minimum value for prediction accuracy should hover around zero when randomly permuted data sets are analyzed. We reviewed the two common approaches for calculating the Pearson correlation and hypothesized that these negative accuracy values reflect potential bias owing to artifacts caused by the mathematical formulas used to calculate prediction accuracy. The first approach, Instant accuracy, calculates correlations for each fold and reports prediction accuracy as the mean of correlations across fold. The other approach, Hold accuracy, predicts all phenotypes in all fold and calculates correlation between the observed and predicted phenotypes at the end of the cross-validation process. Using simulated and real data, we demonstrated that our hypothesis is true. Both approaches are biased downward under certain conditions. The biases become larger when more fold are employed and when the expected accuracy is low. The bias of Instant accuracy can be corrected using a modified formula. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Immunohistochemical status of p53, MDM2, bcl2, bax, and ER in invasive ductal breast carcinoma in Tunisian patients.

PubMed

Baccouche, Sami; Daoud, Jamel; Frikha, Mounir; Mokdad-Gargouri, Raja; Gargouri, Ali; Jlidi, Rachid

2003-12-01

TP53 gene alterations have been associated with sporadic breast cancer. To assess the role of p53 in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast among Tunisian patients, p53 protein status was studied by immuno-histochemical analysis. The p53 protein was expressed in 41 of 70 (58%) tumors. Study of the status of its target gene expression showed that MDM2 was overexpressed in 43 tumors (61%), bcl2 in 29 (41%), and bax in only 9 (12%). Estrogen receptor (ER) was detected in 38 tumor tissues (54%). The accumulated p53 was significantly associated with MDM2-positive, bcl2-negative, and ER-negative tumors (P = 0.024, P = 0.000027, and P = 0.000008, respectively), whereas with bax the correlaton was not significant. Bcl2 immunostaining displayed a positive correlation with ER (P = 0.001). A significantly higher fraction of p53-positive cells was observed in ER-negative SBRII-SBRIII tumors than in ER-positive SBRI-SBRII tumors (P = 0.000066). bcl2-positive tumors were significantly correlated with ER-positive/SBRI-SBRII tumors (P = 0.007), but negatively correlated with p53/bax (P = 0000004). MDM2 immunostaining displayed the same phenotype as p53 in the correlation with bcl2 and ER (P = 0.003), strengthened by significant associations between MDM2-positive/p53-positive and bcl2-negative or ER-negative, respectively (P = 0.00005 and P = 0.000001, respectively). MDM2-positive cells were significantly correlated with the p53-positive/bax-negative phenotype (P = 0.04). These results suggest that p53 accumulated in these tumor tissues is associated with bad prognostic markers (ER-negative, SBRIII) of IDC. MDM2 overexpression might be responsible for the accumulated p53 value in IDC. Regulation of the apoptotic process is involved in IDC; bcl2 is associated with a good prognostic marker (ER-positive and SBRI-II), whereas the regulation of bax is complex and does not necessarily correlate with the overexpression of p53.

Negative soil moisture-precipitation feedback in dry and wet regions.

PubMed

Yang, Lingbin; Sun, Guoqing; Zhi, Lu; Zhao, Jianjun

2018-03-05

Soil moisture-precipitation (SM-P) feedback significantly influences the terrestrial water and energy cycles. However, the sign of the feedback and the associated physical mechanism have been debated, leaving a research gap regarding global water and climate changes. Based on Koster's framework, we estimate SM-P feedback using satellite remote sensing and ground observation data sets. Methodologically, the sign of the feedback is identified by the correlation between monthly soil moisture and next-month precipitation. The physical mechanism is investigated through coupling precipitation and soil moisture (P-SM), soil moisture ad evapotranspiration (SM-E) and evapotranspiration and precipitation (E-P) correlations. Our results demonstrate that although positive SM-P feedback is predominant over land, non-negligible negative feedback occurs in dry and wet regions. Specifically, 43.75% and 40.16% of the negative feedback occurs in the arid and humid climate zones. Physically, negative SM-P feedback depends on the SM-E correlation. In dry regions, evapotranspiration change is soil moisture limited. In wet regions, evapotranspiration change is energy limited. We conclude that the complex SM-E correlation results in negative SM-P feedback in dry and wet regions, and the cause varies based on the environmental and climatic conditions.

Impacts of Effective Temperature on Sectional View Drawing Ability and Implications for Engineering and Technology Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katsioloudis, Petros J.

2017-01-01

Temperature can influence thermal comfort, working performance, and social behavior. In a classroom that is slightly cool, an assumption can be made that learning could be affected in a negative way. Considering this, a quasi-experimental study was done to determine if a significant difference of effective temperature have an effect on students':…

Parent Attitudes Toward the Virginia Beach Year-Round School Pilot Project. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlechty, Phillip C.

Part of the Virginia Beach year-round school program evaluation, this final report contains a detailed analysis of parental attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions. The data leads to the following conclusions: a majority (53.3 percent) of parents are dubious or negative toward the 45-15 pilot project; a slight majority of parents in the pilot schools…

Prevalence of Mycoplasma haemolamae infection in Peruvian and Chilean llamas and alpacas.

PubMed

Tornquist, Susan J; Boeder, Lisa; Rios-Phillips, Carolina; Alarcon, Virgilio

2010-09-01

Mycoplasma haemolamae is a hemotropic mycoplasma that affects red blood cells of llamas (Lama glama) and alpacas (Lama pacos). It is variably associated with anemia, and most infections are subclinical. Development of a polymerase chain reaction assay has facilitated detection of this infection in llamas and alpacas in the United States and other countries. Whether the infection occurs in camelids in South America has previously been unknown. The current study documents a 15.8% infection rate among 76 Peruvian llamas, a 19.3% infection rate among Peruvian alpacas at one site, and a 9.26% infection rate in 108 Chilean alpacas from selected herds. All of the camelids tested appeared to be clinically healthy. No gender or species predilection was found. Only 1 positive camelid younger than 18 months was found. Infection is not associated with anemia, and the mean packed cell volume (PCV) in positive Peruvian camelids was slightly higher than the mean PCV in negative Peruvian camelids. In the Chilean alpacas, the positive alpacas had a slightly lower PCV than the negative alpacas, although the mean PCV was not in the anemic range in any of the groups.

Differential regulation of IL-23 production in M1 macrophages by TIR8/SIGIRR through TLR4- or TLR7/8-mediated signaling.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Rui; Sakamoto, Arisa; Yamamoto, Takatoshi; Narahara, Shinji; Sugiuchi, Hiroyuki; Yamaguchi, Yasuo

2017-11-01

Cross-talks between toll-like receptors (TLRs) including various negative regulatory mechanisms are many unknown. We investigated the differential mechanism of IL-23 production in M1 macrophages by single immunoglobulin interleukin-1 receptor-related (SIGIRR) molecule through TLR4 or TLR7/8. IL-12p40 production by M1 macrophages pretreated with human neutrophil elastase (HNE) was synergistically enhanced IL-12p40, but not IL-23 production, after exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS (a TLR4 agonist) induced a slight increase of IL-23 production, while Resiquimod (a TLR7/8 agonist) significantly enhanced IL-23 production. Expression of SIGIRR protein, a negative regulator of TLR4, was higher in M1 macrophages than in monocytes. Interestingly, SIGIRR siRNA induced a slight increment of IL-23 production after exposure of macrophages to LPS, while IL-23 production in response to Resiquimod was significantly upregulated by SIGIRR siRNA. Silencing SIGIRR enhanced IRF4 protein level determined by western blotting or ELISA. IRF4 siRNA dramatically restored IL-23 production after exposure to Resiquimod in macrophages transfected with SIGIRR siRNA. In conclusion, production of IL-23 is differentially regulated in M1 macrophages by SIGIRR through TLR4- or TLR7/8-mediated signaling. SIGIRR is both a negative regulator of TLR4 and a positive regulator of TLR7/8. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adolescent attachment styles and their relation to the temperament and character traits of personality in a general population.

PubMed

Chotai, Jayanti; Jonasson, Mattias; Hägglöf, Bruno; Adolfsson, Rolf

2005-05-01

Attachment styles as well as personality traits in adolescents and adults have been found to be associated with their health outcomes and with their personality pathology. In this cross-sectional exploratory study, we study the relationship between attachment styles that derive from our data employing the items of Feeney et al. (1994) self-report attachment style questionnaire (ASQ), and personality traits given by the junior version of Cloninger et al. (1993) self-report temperament and character inventory (TCI), in a sample of 426 adolescents (54% females) from a general population. The secure attachment style was correlated significantly negatively with the personality trait harm avoidance (HA), but significantly positively with the personality traits novelty seeking (NS), reward dependence (RD), cooperativeness (CO) and self-transcendence (ST). The preoccupied (anxious/ambivalent) attachment style was correlated significantly positively with HA and NS, but significantly negatively with self-directedness (SD). The fearful-avoidant category was correlated significantly negatively with NS. Our five-factor solution of the attachment styles and their relation to the TCI point towards a need for a modification of the two-axis, four-category attachment model of Bartholomew (1990) and Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991), with their category dismissing-avoidant replaced by the two categories defined here as dismissing relations (correlated significantly negatively with CO) and dismissing others (correlated significantly negatively with RD and significantly positively with SD).

Validation of a 4-item Negative Symptom Assessment (NSA-4): a short, practical clinical tool for the assessment of negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Alphs, Larry; Morlock, Robert; Coon, Cheryl; Cazorla, Pilar; Szegedi, Armin; Panagides, John

2011-06-01

The 16-item Negative Symptom Assessment (NSA-16) scale is a validated tool for evaluating negative symptoms of schizophrenia. The psychometric properties and predictive power of a four-item version (NSA-4) were compared with the NSA-16. Baseline data from 561 patients with predominant negative symptoms of schizophrenia who participated in two identically designed clinical trials were evaluated. Ordered logistic regression analysis of ratings using NSA-4 and NSA-16 were compared with ratings using several other standard tools to determine predictive validity and construct validity. Internal consistency and test--retest reliability were also analyzed. NSA-16 and NSA-4 scores were both predictive of scores on the NSA global rating (odds ratio = 0.83-0.86) and the Clinical Global Impressions--Severity scale (odds ratio = 0.91-0.93). NSA-16 and NSA-4 showed high correlation with each other (Pearson r = 0.85), similar high correlation with other measures of negative symptoms (demonstrating convergent validity), and lesser correlations with measures of other forms of psychopathology (demonstrating divergent validity). NSA-16 and NSA-4 both showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach α, 0.85 and 0.64, respectively) and test--retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.87 and 0.82). This study demonstrates that NSA-4 offers accuracy comparable to the NSA-16 in rating negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Tuition Discounting in Challenging Times.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubbell, Loren Loomis; Lapovsky, Lucie

2002-01-01

The twelfth annual tuition discounting survey by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) revealed that tuition discounts are up slightly; it also provided data on participation rates, grant levels, distribution changes, correlation with endowments, shifts on the horizon, and other significant changes. (EV)

High Correlated Paternity Leads to Negative Effects on Progeny Performance in Two Mediterranean Shrub Species

PubMed Central

Nora, Sofia; Aparicio, Abelardo; Albaladejo, Rafael G.

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic habitat deterioration can promote changes in plant mating systems that subsequently may affect progeny performance, thereby conditioning plant recruitment for the next generation. However, very few studies yet tested mating system parameters other than outcrossing rates; and the direct effects of the genetic diversity of the pollen received by maternal plants (i.e. correlated paternity) has often been overlooked. In this study, we investigated the relation between correlated paternity and progeny performance in two common Mediterranean shrubs, Myrtus communis and Pistacia lentiscus. To do so, we collected open-pollinated progeny from selected maternal plants, calculated mating system parameters using microsatellite genotyping and conducted sowing experiments under greenhouse and field conditions. Our results showed that some progeny fitness components were negatively affected by the high correlated paternity of maternal plants. In Myrtus communis, high correlated paternity had a negative effect on the proportion and timing of seedling emergence in the natural field conditions and in the greenhouse sowing experiment, respectively. In Pistacia lentiscus, seedling emergence time under field conditions was also negatively influenced by high correlated paternity and a progeny survival analysis in the field experiment showed greater mortality of seedlings from maternal plants with high correlated paternity. Overall, we found effects of correlated paternity on the progeny performance of Myrtus communis, a self-compatible species. Further, we also detected effects of correlated paternity on the progeny emergence time and survival in Pistacia lentiscus, an obligate outcrossed species. This study represents one of the few existing empirical examples which highlight the influence that correlated paternity may exert on progeny performance in multiple stages during early seedling growth. PMID:27835658

High Correlated Paternity Leads to Negative Effects on Progeny Performance in Two Mediterranean Shrub Species.

PubMed

Nora, Sofia; Aparicio, Abelardo; Albaladejo, Rafael G

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic habitat deterioration can promote changes in plant mating systems that subsequently may affect progeny performance, thereby conditioning plant recruitment for the next generation. However, very few studies yet tested mating system parameters other than outcrossing rates; and the direct effects of the genetic diversity of the pollen received by maternal plants (i.e. correlated paternity) has often been overlooked. In this study, we investigated the relation between correlated paternity and progeny performance in two common Mediterranean shrubs, Myrtus communis and Pistacia lentiscus. To do so, we collected open-pollinated progeny from selected maternal plants, calculated mating system parameters using microsatellite genotyping and conducted sowing experiments under greenhouse and field conditions. Our results showed that some progeny fitness components were negatively affected by the high correlated paternity of maternal plants. In Myrtus communis, high correlated paternity had a negative effect on the proportion and timing of seedling emergence in the natural field conditions and in the greenhouse sowing experiment, respectively. In Pistacia lentiscus, seedling emergence time under field conditions was also negatively influenced by high correlated paternity and a progeny survival analysis in the field experiment showed greater mortality of seedlings from maternal plants with high correlated paternity. Overall, we found effects of correlated paternity on the progeny performance of Myrtus communis, a self-compatible species. Further, we also detected effects of correlated paternity on the progeny emergence time and survival in Pistacia lentiscus, an obligate outcrossed species. This study represents one of the few existing empirical examples which highlight the influence that correlated paternity may exert on progeny performance in multiple stages during early seedling growth.

Influence of zinc, lead, and cadmium pollutants on the microflora of hawthorn leaves

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

Bewley, R.J.F.; Campbell, R.

1980-01-01

Transect studies were conducted to determine the relative effects of zinc, lead, and cadmium pollution on microorganisms occurring on hawthorn leaves at varying distances from a smelting complex. Sporobolomyces roseus was absent from the most heavily contaminated leaves but, although lead was inhibitory, other environmental factors were also important in determining its overall population level. Conversely, Aureobasidium pullulans and nonpigmented yeasts showed a significant partial positive correlation with lead but were inhibited by zinc and/or cadmium. Numbers of bacterial colonies were only slightly reduced by the combined effect of all three metals, but total numbers of bacteria were highly negativelymore » correlated with lead. Filamentous fungi, isolated by leaf washing, were only slightly inhibited by all three metals, and the degree of mycelial proliferation on senescent leaves was little affected by heavy metal pollution. Computer-generated maps were produced of the distribution of A. pullulans in relation to zinc and lead fallout. 14 references, 7 figures, 2 tables.« less

Verbal fluency and positron emission tomographic mapping of regional cerebral glucose metabolism.

PubMed

Boivin, M J; Giordani, B; Berent, S; Amato, D A; Lehtinen, S; Koeppe, R A; Buchtel, H A; Foster, N L; Kuhl, D E

1992-06-01

Impairment in verbal fluency (VF) has been a consistently reported clinical feature of focal cerebral deficits in frontal and temporal regions. More recent behavioral activation studies with healthy control subjects using positron emission tomography (PET), however, have noted a negative correlation between performance on verbal fluency tasks and regional cortical activity. To see if this negative relationship extends to steady-state non-activation PET measures, thirty-three healthy adults were given a VF task within a day of their 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose PET scan. VF was found to correlate positively with left temporal cortical region metabolic activity but to correlate negatively with right and left frontal activity. VF was not correlated significantly with right temporal cortical metabolic activity. Some previous studies with normals using behavioral activation paradigms and PET have reported negative correlations between metabolic activity and cognitive performance similar to that reported here. An explanation for the disparate relationships that were observed between frontal and temporal brain areas and VF might be found in the mediation of different task demands by these separate locations, i.e., task planning and/or initiation by frontal regions and verbal memory by the left temporal area.

Validation of ultrasonography for non-invasive assessment of diaphragm function in muscular dystrophy.

PubMed

Whitehead, Nicholas P; Bible, Kenneth L; Kim, Min Jeong; Odom, Guy L; Adams, Marvin E; Froehner, Stanley C

2016-12-15

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe, degenerative muscle disease that is commonly studied using the mdx mouse. The mdx diaphragm muscle closely mimics the pathophysiological changes in DMD muscles. mdx diaphragm force is commonly assessed ex vivo, precluding time course studies. Here we used ultrasonography to evaluate time-dependent changes in diaphragm function in vivo, by measuring diaphragm movement amplitude. In mdx mice, diaphragm amplitude decreased with age and values were much lower than for wild-type mice. Importantly, diaphragm amplitude strongly correlated with ex vivo specific force values. Micro-dystrophin administration increased mdx diaphragm amplitude by 26% after 4 weeks. Diaphragm amplitude correlated positively with ex vivo force values and negatively with diaphragm fibrosis, a major cause of DMD muscle weakness. These studies validate diaphragm ultrasonography as a reliable technique for assessing time-dependent changes in mdx diaphragm function in vivo. This technique will be valuable for testing potential therapies for DMD. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe, degenerative muscle disease caused by dystrophin mutations. The mdx mouse is a widely used animal model of DMD. The mdx diaphragm muscle most closely recapitulates key features of DMD muscles, including progressive fibrosis and considerable force loss. Diaphragm function in mdx mice is commonly evaluated by specific force measurements ex vivo. While useful, this method only measures force from a small muscle sample at one time point. Therefore, accurate assessment of diaphragm function in vivo would provide an important advance to study the time course of functional decline and treatment benefits. Here, we evaluated an ultrasonography technique for measuring time-dependent changes of diaphragm function in mdx mice. Diaphragm movement amplitude values for mdx mice were considerably lower than those for wild-type, decreased from 8 to 18 months of age, and correlated strongly with ex vivo specific force. We then investigated the time course of diaphragm amplitude changes following administration of an adeno-associated viral vector expressing Flag-micro-dystrophin (AAV-μDys) to young adult mdx mice. Diaphragm amplitude peaked 4 weeks after AAV-μDys administration, and was 26% greater than control mdx mice at this time. This value decreased slightly to 21% above mdx controls after 12 weeks of treatment. Importantly, diaphragm amplitude again correlated strongly with ex vivo specific force. Also, diaphragm amplitude and specific force negatively correlated with fibrosis levels in the muscle. Together, our results validate diaphragm ultrasonography as a reliable technique for assessing time-dependent changes in dystrophic diaphragm function in vivo, and for evaluating potential therapies for DMD. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

Validation of ultrasonography for non‐invasive assessment of diaphragm function in muscular dystrophy

PubMed Central

Bible, Kenneth L.; Kim, Min Jeong; Odom, Guy L.; Adams, Marvin E.; Froehner, Stanley C.

2016-01-01

Key points Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe, degenerative muscle disease that is commonly studied using the mdx mouse. The mdx diaphragm muscle closely mimics the pathophysiological changes in DMD muscles. mdx diaphragm force is commonly assessed ex vivo, precluding time course studies. Here we used ultrasonography to evaluate time‐dependent changes in diaphragm function in vivo, by measuring diaphragm movement amplitude.In mdx mice, diaphragm amplitude decreased with age and values were much lower than for wild‐type mice. Importantly, diaphragm amplitude strongly correlated with ex vivo specific force values.Micro‐dystrophin administration increased mdx diaphragm amplitude by 26% after 4 weeks. Diaphragm amplitude correlated positively with ex vivo force values and negatively with diaphragm fibrosis, a major cause of DMD muscle weakness.These studies validate diaphragm ultrasonography as a reliable technique for assessing time‐dependent changes in mdx diaphragm function in vivo. This technique will be valuable for testing potential therapies for DMD. Abstract Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe, degenerative muscle disease caused by dystrophin mutations. The mdx mouse is a widely used animal model of DMD. The mdx diaphragm muscle most closely recapitulates key features of DMD muscles, including progressive fibrosis and considerable force loss. Diaphragm function in mdx mice is commonly evaluated by specific force measurements ex vivo. While useful, this method only measures force from a small muscle sample at one time point. Therefore, accurate assessment of diaphragm function in vivo would provide an important advance to study the time course of functional decline and treatment benefits. Here, we evaluated an ultrasonography technique for measuring time‐dependent changes of diaphragm function in mdx mice. Diaphragm movement amplitude values for mdx mice were considerably lower than those for wild‐type, decreased from 8 to 18 months of age, and correlated strongly with ex vivo specific force. We then investigated the time course of diaphragm amplitude changes following administration of an adeno‐associated viral vector expressing Flag‐micro‐dystrophin (AAV‐μDys) to young adult mdx mice. Diaphragm amplitude peaked 4 weeks after AAV‐μDys administration, and was 26% greater than control mdx mice at this time. This value decreased slightly to 21% above mdx controls after 12 weeks of treatment. Importantly, diaphragm amplitude again correlated strongly with ex vivo specific force. Also, diaphragm amplitude and specific force negatively correlated with fibrosis levels in the muscle. Together, our results validate diaphragm ultrasonography as a reliable technique for assessing time‐dependent changes in dystrophic diaphragm function in vivo, and for evaluating potential therapies for DMD. PMID:27570057

Correlation between extension-block K-wire insertion angle and postoperative extension loss in mallet finger fracture.

PubMed

Lee, S K; Kim, Y H; Moon, K H; Choy, W S

2018-02-01

Extension-block pinning represents a simple and reliable surgical technique. Although this procedure is commonly performed successfully, some patients develop postoperative extension loss. To date, the relationship between extension-block Kirschner wire (K-wire) insertion angle and postoperative extension loss in mallet finger fracture remains unclear. We aimed to clarify this relationship and further evaluate how various operative and non-operative factors affect postoperative extension loss after extension-block pinning for mallet finger fracture. A retrospective study was conducted to investigate a relationship between extension block K-wire insertion angle and postoperative extension loss. The inclusion criteria were: (1) a dorsal intra-articular fracture fragment involving 30% of the base of the distal phalanx with or without volar subluxation of the distal phalanx; and (2) <3 weeks delay from the injury without treatment. Extension-block K-wire insertion angle and fixation angle of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint were assessed using lateral radiograph at immediate postoperative time. Postoperative extension loss was assessed by using lateral radiograph at latest follow-up. Extension-block K-wire insertion angle was defined as the acute angle between extension block K-wire and longitudinal axis of middle phalangeal head. DIP joint fixation angle was defined as the acute angle between the distal phalanx and middle phalanx longitudinal axes. Seventy-five patients were included. The correlation analysis revealed that extension-block K-wire insertion angle had a negative correlation with postoperative extension loss, whereas fracture size and time to operation had a positive correlation (correlation coefficient for extension block K-wire angle: -0.66, facture size: +0.67, time to operation: +0.60). When stratifying patients in terms of negative and positive fixation angle of the DIP joint, the independent t-test showed that mean postoperative extension loss is -3.67° and +4.54° (DIP joint fixation angles of <0° and ≥0°, respectively, P=0.024). When stratifying patients in terms of extension-block K-wire insertion angle (30°, 30°-40°, >40°), ANOVA showed significantly less postoperative extension loss for higher insertion angles (>40°) than for medium insertion angles (30°-40°). Mean postoperative extension loss difference between higher insertion angle (>40°) and medium insertion angle (30°-40°) was 11° (P=0.002). Using an insertion angle of the extension-block K-wire of 40°-45° and a slightly hyperextended position of the DIP joint may help reducing postoperative extension loss. Therapeutic level III. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Stereotyped behavior of severely disabled children in classroom and free-play settings.

PubMed

Thompson, T J; Berkson, G

1985-05-01

The relationships between stereotyped behavior, object manipulation, self-manipulation, teacher attention, and various developmental measures were examined in 101 severely developmentally disabled children in their classrooms and a free-play setting. Stereotyped behavior without objects was positively correlated with self-manipulation and CA and was negatively correlated with complex object manipulation, developmental age, developmental quotient, and teacher attention. Stereotyped behavior with objects was negatively correlated with complex object manipulation. Partial correlations showed that age, self-manipulation, and developmental age shared unique variance with stereotyped behavior without objects.

[Study on correlation of glucagons, type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose regulation].

PubMed

Xu, Tao; Shi, Me; Qiu, Yun-Xia; Wang, Yan-Gang

2014-06-01

To analyze the changes of patients with type 2 diabetes in different stages in glucagon (GC) and free fatty acid (FFA) in fasting, OGT and L-Arg experiments, and discusses the role of pancreatic alphabeta cells in diabetes pathogenesis by studying the relations among indexes such as glucagon (GC), free fatty acid (FFA) and blood glucose (BG), insulin, insulin homeostasis model (HOMA) and glucose metabolism hormone secretion curve, in order to provide theoretical basis for the treatment of diabetes. Study objects were divided into the T2DM group (45 cases), the IGT group (28 cases) and the NGT group (30 cases) for an OGTT experiment and then an L-Arg experiment on the next day. Under the fasting state, their blood glucose (FBG), insulin (F), glucagon (FGC), free fatty acid (FFA) were detected to calculate HOMA-beta, insulin sensitivity index (ISI) and HOMA-IR of different groups. Meanwhile, efforts were made to calculate different time quantum detected in OGTT and L-Arg experiments and area under the curve AUC(BG), AUC(INS) and AUC(GC). Obvious overall differences were observed in FFA and FGC of the three groups. FGC of each group was negatively correlated with HOMA-beta and ISI. Among all of the 103 study objects, FGC was positively correlated with FBG and HOMA-IR and negatively correlated with HOMA-beta and ISI, with no correlation with FINS; FFA was positively correlated with FBG, HOMA-IR and negatively correlated with FINS, HOMA-beta, ISI. FGC and FFA were positively correlated in the T2DM group and the IGT group, but with no statistical correlation in the NGT group. The sequence of the three study objects was T2DM > IGR > NGT in AUC(GC) in the OGTT experiment and T2DM > IGR > NGT in in AUC(GC) in the L-Arg experiment, with the significant positive correlation between AUC(GC) and AUC(BG) and significant negative correlation with AUC(INS). Glucagon and free fatty acid of T2DM and IGT patients increased, which was positively correlated with blood glucose and HOMA-IR and negatively correlated with INS, HOMA-beta and ISI. The increase in glucagons of T2DM and IGT patients indicated inappropriate secretion of pancreatic alphabeta cells among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Predictors of Health Behavior from a Behavior-Analytic Orientation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birkimer, John C.; And Others

1996-01-01

Discovers a high correlation between positive emotional states, supportive self talk, and specific healthy behaviors in college students. The correlated health behaviors were vigorous exercise, mild exercise, seat belts, and avoidance of alcohol and junk food. Considers the impact of negative self talk on the avoidance of negative behavior. (MJP)

Teachers' Attitudes toward African American Vernacular English: A Quantitative Correlational Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daily, Danny L., Jr.

2017-01-01

African Americans students, who use African American Vernacular English (AAVE) in the academic setting, receive negative misconceptions by English educators. Negative teacher attitudes might cause African American students to lack commitment to learning. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine whether English teachers…

IQ and Fertility: A Cross-National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shatz, Steven M.

2008-01-01

Many studies have found a small to moderate negative correlation between IQ and fertility rates. However, these studies have been limited to the United States and some European countries. The present study was a between-nation study using national IQ scores and national fertility rates. There were strong negative correlations found between…

Theory of slightly fluctuating ratchets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozenbaum, V. M.; Shapochkina, I. V.; Lin, S. H.; Trakhtenberg, L. I.

2017-04-01

We consider a Brownian particle moving in a slightly fluctuating potential. Using the perturbation theory on small potential fluctuations, we derive a general analytical expression for the average particle velocity valid for both flashing and rocking ratchets with arbitrary, stochastic or deterministic, time dependence of potential energy fluctuations. The result is determined by the Green's function for diffusion in the time-independent part of the potential and by the features of correlations in the fluctuating part of the potential. The generality of the result allows describing complex ratchet systems with competing characteristic times; these systems are exemplified by the model of a Brownian photomotor with relaxation processes of finite duration.

Bias-induced conformational switching of supramolecular networks of trimesic acid at the solid-liquid interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ubink, J.; Enache, M.; Stöhr, M.

2018-05-01

Using the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope, an electric field-induced reversible phase transition between two planar porous structures ("chickenwire" and "flower") of trimesic acid was accomplished at the nonanoic acid/highly oriented pyrolytic graphite interface. The chickenwire structure was exclusively observed for negative sample bias, while for positive sample bias only the more densely packed flower structure was found. We suggest that the slightly negatively charged carboxyl groups of the trimesic acid molecule are the determining factor for this observation: their adsorption behavior varies with the sample bias and is thus responsible for the switching behavior.

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.

The effect of temperature mixing on the observable (T, β)-relation of interstellar dust clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juvela, M.; Ysard, N.

2012-03-01

Context. Detailed studies of the shape of dust emission spectra are possible thanks to the current instruments capable of simultaneous observations in several sub-millimetre bands (e.g., Herschel and Planck). The relationship between the observed spectra and the intrinsic dust grain properties is known to be affected by the noise and the line-of-sight temperature variations. However, some controversy remains even on the basic effects resulting from the mixing of temperatures along the line-of-sight or within the instrument beam. Aims: Regarding the effect of temperature variations, previous studies have suggested either a positive or a negative correlation between the colour temperature TC and the observed spectral index βObs. Our aim is to show that both cases are possible and to determine the principal factors leading to either behaviour. Methods: We start by studying the behaviour of the sum of two or three modified black bodies at different temperatures. Then, with radiative transfer models of spherical clouds, we examine the probability distributions of the dust mass as a function of the physical dust temperature. With these results as a guideline, we examine the (TC, βobs) relations for different sets of clouds. Results: Even in the simple case of models consisting of two blackbodies at temperatures T0 and T0 + ΔT0, the correlation between TC and βobs can be either positive or negative. If one compares models where the temperature difference ΔT0 between the two blackbodies is varied, the correlation is negative. If the models differ in their mean temperature T0 rather than in ΔT0, the correlation remains positive. Radiative transfer models show that externally heated clouds have different mean temperatures but the widths of their temperature distributions are rather similar. Thus, in observations of samples of such clouds the correlation between TC and βObs is expected to be positive. The same result applies to clouds illuminated by external radiation fields of different intensity. For internally heated clouds a negative correlation is the more likely alternative. Conclusions: Previous studies of the (TC,β) relation have been correct in that, depending on the cloud sample, both positive and negative correlations are possible. For externally heated clouds the effect is opposite to the negative correlation seen in the observations. If the signal-to-noise ratio is high, the observed negative correlation could be explained by the temperature dependence of the dust optical properties but that intrinsic dependence could be even steeper than the observed one.

Diverse correlation patterns between microRNAs and their targets during tomato fruit development indicates different modes of microRNA actions.

PubMed

Lopez-Gomollon, Sara; Mohorianu, Irina; Szittya, Gyorgy; Moulton, Vincent; Dalmay, Tamas

2012-12-01

MicroRNAs negatively regulate the accumulation of mRNAs therefore when they are expressed in the same cells their expression profiles show an inverse correlation. We previously described one positively correlated miRNA/target pair, but it is not known how widespread this phenomenon is. Here, we investigated the correlation between the expression profiles of differentially expressed miRNAs and their targets during tomato fruit development using deep sequencing, Northern blot and RT-qPCR. We found an equal number of positively and negatively correlated miRNA/target pairs indicating that positive correlation is more frequent than previously thought. We also found that the correlation between microRNA and target expression profiles can vary between mRNAs belonging to the same gene family and even for the same target mRNA at different developmental stages. Since microRNAs always negatively regulate their targets, the high number of positively correlated microRNA/target pairs suggests that mutual exclusion could be as widespread as temporal regulation. The change of correlation during development suggests that the type of regulatory circuit directed by a microRNA can change over time and can be different for individual gene family members. Our results also highlight potential problems for expression profiling-based microRNA target identification/validation.

Relationship Between Persistent Negative Symptoms and Findings of Neurocognition and Neuroimaging in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

İnce, Ezgi; Üçok, Alp

2018-01-01

Negative symptoms are defined as loss or reduction of otherwise present behaviors or functions in illness situation, and they have constituted an important aspect of schizophrenia. Although negative symptoms have usually been considered as a single entity, neurobiological investigations yielded discrepant results. To overcome challenges that derive from this discrepancy, researchers have proposed several approaches to structure negative symptoms into more homogenous constructs. Concept of persistent negative symptoms (PNS) is one of the proposed approaches, and includes both primary and secondary negative symptoms that persist after adequate treatment. PNS is relatively easy to assess, and by definition, more inclusive; yet it represents an unmet therapeutic need. Therefore, it is a target of several neurobiological and pharmacological studies. There are several structural and functional brain alterations associated with negative symptoms. On the other hand, neurocognitive investigations in patients with schizophrenia have revealed deficits in several domains that showed correlations with negative symptoms. There are several shared features between negative symptoms and neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia such as prevalence rates, course through the illness, prognostic importance, and impact on social functioning. However, exact mechanisms behind the neurobiology of PNS and how it interacts with neurocognition remain to be explained. Earlier reviews on neuroimaging and neurocognitive correlates of PNS have been focused on studies with broadly defined negative symptoms that were selected by methodological closeness to PNS. In this review, we focus on neural correlates and neurocognitive associations of PNS, and we discuss PNS findings available to date.

Heat Coma Temperature and Supercooling Point in Oceanic Sea Skaters (Heteroptera, Gerridae)

PubMed Central

Harada, Tetsuo

2018-01-01

Heat coma temperatures (HCTs) and super cooling points (SCPs) were examined for nearly 1000 oceanic sea skaters collected from in the Pacific and Indian Oceans representing four Halobates species; H. germanus, H. micans, H. sericeus, and H. sp. Analysis was conducted using the entire dataset because a negative correlation was seen between the HCTs and SCPs in all four species. A weak negative correlation was seen between HCTs and SCPs with a cross tolerance between warmer HCTs and colder SCPs. The weakness of the correlation may be due to the large size of the dataset and to the variability in ocean surface temperature. The negative correlation does however suggest that oceanic sea skaters may have some form of cross tolerance with a common physiological mechanism for their high and low temperature tolerances. PMID:29401693

Meta-analysis and systematic review of factors biasing the observed prevalence of congenitally missing teeth in permanent dentition excluding third molars.

PubMed

Rakhshan, Vahid

2013-10-01

No meta-analyses or systematic reviews have been conducted to evaluate numerous potential biasing factors contributing to the controversial results on congenitally missing teeth (CMT). We aimed to perform a rather comprehensive meta-analysis and systematic review on this subject. A thorough search was performed during September 2012 until April 2013 to find the available literature regarding CMT prevalence. Besides qualitatively discussing the literature, the meta-sample homogeneity, publication bias, and the effects of sample type, sample size, minimum and maximum ages of included subjects, gender imbalances, and scientific credit of the publishing journals on the reported CMT prevalence were statistically analyzed using Q-test, Egger regression, Spearman coefficient, Kruskal-Wallis, Welch t test (α=0.05), and Mann-Whitney U test (α=0.016, α=0.007). A total of 111 reports were collected. Metadata were heterogeneous (P=0.000). There was not a significant publication bias (Egger Regression P=0.073). Prevalence rates differed in different types of populations (Kruskal-Wallis P=0.001). Studies on orthodontic patients might report slightly (about 1%) higher prevalence (P=0.009, corrected α=0.016). Non-orthodontic dental patients showed a significant 2% decline [P=0.007 (Mann-Whitney U)]. Enrolling more males in researches might significantly reduce the observed prevalence (Spearman ρ=-0.407, P=0.001). Studies with higher minimums of subjects' age showed always slightly less CMT prevalence. This reached about -1.6% around the ages 10 to 13 and was significant for ages 10 to 12 (Welch t test P<0.05). There seems to be no limit over the maximum age (Welch t test P>0.2). Studies' sample sizes were correlated negatively with CMT prevalence (ρ=-0.250, P=0.009). It was not verified whether higher CMT rates have better chances of being published (ρ=0.132, P=0.177). CMT definition should be unified. Samples should be sex-balanced. Enrolling both orthodontic and dental patients in similar proportions might be preferable over sampling from each of those groups. Sampling from children over 12 years seems advantageous. Two or more observers should examine larger samples to reduce the false negative error tied with such samples.

Attenuation Tomography of Northern California and the Yellow Sea/Korean Peninsula from Coda-Source Normalized and Direct LG Amplitudes

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

method correlate slightly with global Vs30 measurements . While the coda-source and amplitude ratio methods do not correlate with Vs30 measurements ...Ford et al., 2008), we compared 1-D methods to measure QLg and attempted to assess the error associated with the results. The assessment showed the...reverse two-station (RTS), source-pair/receiver-pair (SPRP), and the new coda-source normalization (CS) methods to measure Q of the regional phase, Lg

An empirical test of Rogers' original and revised theory of correlates in adolescents.

PubMed

Yarcheski, A; Mahon, N E

1991-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine Rogers' original and revised theory of correlates in adolescents. The correlates were measured by Perceived Field Motion, Human Field Rhythms, Creativity, Sentience, Fast Tempo, and Waking Periods. The original theory was tested with data obtained from samples of early (n = 116), middle (n = 116), and late (n = 116) adolescents. The revised theory was tested in a fourth selectively combined sample of adolescents, aged 12 to 21 (n = 89). Data were collected in classroom settings. Although the findings did not support either theory, they did indicate that: (1) four of the six correlates studied performed as correlates when examined in three discrete phases of adolescence, as determined by chronological age, (2) the means of the individual correlates increased slightly in frequency levels developmentally, and (3) the correlates emerged at different frequency levels when examined in adolescents, aged 12 to 21.

Phenotypic relationships between docility and reproduction in Angus heifers.

PubMed

White, K L; Bormann, J M; Olson, K C; Jaeger, J R; Johnson, S; Downey, B; Grieger, D M; Waggoner, J W; Moser, D W; Weaber, R L

2016-02-01

The objective of this study was to elucidate the phenotypic relationships between docility and first-service AI conception rate in heifers. Data ( = 337) collected from 3 cooperator herds in Kansas at the start of synchronization protocol included exit velocity (EV), chute score (CS), fecal cortisol (FC), and blood serum cortisol (BC). Data were analyzed using logistic regression with 30-d pregnancy rate as the dependent variable. The model included the fixed effect of contemporary group and the covariates FC, BC, EV, CS, BW, and age. Correlation coefficients were calculated between all continuous traits. Pregnancy rate ranged from 34% to 60% between herds. Blood cortisol positively correlated with EV ( = 0.22, < 0.01), negatively correlated with age ( = -0.12, < 0.03), and tended to be negatively correlated with BW ( = -0.10, = 0.09). Exit velocity was positively correlated with CS ( = 0.24, < 0.01) and negatively correlated with BW ( = -0.15, < 0.01) and age ( = -0.12, < 0.03). Chute score negatively correlated with age ( = -0.14, < 0.01), and age and BW were moderately positively correlated ( = 0.42, < 0.01), as expected. Older, heavier animals generally had better temperament, as indicated by lower BC, EV, and CS. The power of our test could detect no significant predictors of 30-d pregnancy for the combined data from all ranches. When the data were divided by ranch, CS ( < 0.03) and BW ( < 0.01) were both significant predictors for 30-d pregnancy for ranch 1. The odds ratio estimate for CS has an inverse relationship with pregnancy, meaning that a 1-unit increase in average CS will reduce the probability of pregnancy at ranch 1 by 48.1%. Weight also has a negative impact on pregnancy because a 1-kg increase in BW will decrease the probability of pregnancy by 2.2%. Fertility is a complex trait that depends on many factors; our data suggest that docility is 1 factor that warrants further investigation.

Nodal infection in Markovian susceptible-infected-susceptible and susceptible-infected-removed epidemics on networks are non-negatively correlated

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cator, E.; Van Mieghem, P.

2014-05-01

By invoking the famous Fortuin, Kasteleyn, and Ginibre (FKG) inequality, we prove the conjecture that the correlation of infection at the same time between any pair of nodes in a network cannot be negative for (exact) Markovian susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) and susceptible-infected-removed (SIR) epidemics on networks. The truth of the conjecture establishes that the N-intertwined mean-field approximation (NIMFA) upper bounds the infection probability in any graph so that network design based on NIMFA always leads to safe protections against malware spread. However, when the infection or/and curing are not Poisson processes, the infection correlation between two nodes can be negative.

Nodal infection in Markovian susceptible-infected-susceptible and susceptible-infected-removed epidemics on networks are non-negatively correlated.

PubMed

Cator, E; Van Mieghem, P

2014-05-01

By invoking the famous Fortuin, Kasteleyn, and Ginibre (FKG) inequality, we prove the conjecture that the correlation of infection at the same time between any pair of nodes in a network cannot be negative for (exact) Markovian susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) and susceptible-infected-removed (SIR) epidemics on networks. The truth of the conjecture establishes that the N-intertwined mean-field approximation (NIMFA) upper bounds the infection probability in any graph so that network design based on NIMFA always leads to safe protections against malware spread. However, when the infection or/and curing are not Poisson processes, the infection correlation between two nodes can be negative.

Variations in the milk yield and milk composition of dairy cows during lactation.

PubMed

Bedö, S; Nikodémusz, E; Percsich, K; Bárdos, L

1995-01-01

Variations in the milk yield and milk composition of a dairy cow colony (n = 23) were analyzed during 11 months of lactation. Milk yield followed a characteristic decreasing pattern in negative correlations with solid components (milk protein, lactose, total solids, milk fat). Titrable acidity (degree SH) was significantly (p < 0.1) higher in the milk of fresh-milking cows and it correlated negatively with lactose and positively with milk protein, milk fat and total solids. The concentrations of Zn, Fe and Cu tended to decrease, while Mn showed insignificant variation during lactation. Milk vitamin A showed a significant positive whilst milk vitamin E had a negative correlation with milk fat.

Petrography and Geochemistry of the Zamora Batholith in the south of the sub-Andean zone (Ecuador)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Villares, F. M.

2013-05-01

The Zamora Batholith is an intrusive complex that is located in the extreme south-east of Ecuador. It has dimensions of 200 x 50 km approximately. It is mainly located in the Zamora Chinchipe province from which it takes its name. This study consisted in the petrographic and geochemical characterization of the Zamora Batholith in the area covered by 1: 50,000 geological maps of Centro Shaime, Guayzimi, Paquisha, Los Encuentros and El Pangui. Fieldwork was done by the "Proyecto Mapeo Geológico escala 1:50.000 (zonas prospectivas mineras)" of the Instituto Nacional de Investigación Geológico, Minero, Metalúrgico of Ecuador. This research was performed with 59 thin sections and 10 whole - rock chemical analysis done in the C.I.C of the Granada University. The Zamora Batholith intrudes Triassic to Jurassic volcanic rocks. It is overlaid by sandstones of the Hollin Formation of the Upper Aptian age and shale and limestone from the Napo Formation. Post-cretaceous deposits of ash and lava flows of andesitic to rhyolitic compositions cover the batholith. The petrography of the Zamora Batholith ranges from tonalite to monzogranite with the same qualitative mineralogy. The rocks are composed by different proportions of plagioclase, amphibole, feldspar K, quartz, biotite, opaque, pyroxene and epidote, as accessory minerals has zircon, sphene and apatite. To the south of the Conguime and Guayzimi towns, the dominant petrography is medium to coarse grained amphibole granodiorite with tonalitic and monzogranitic subordinates. To the north monzogranites are dominant rocks and subordinate granodiorites. To the East of Santa Elena the sienogranites are associated with El Hito porphyritic granite that intrudes to Zamora Batholith. Frequently the batholith has propylitic alteration; which produces a primary association of chlorite, epidote, calcite and pyrite. The granitoids have dioritic to granitic compositions (60.09 to 73.6 wt.% SiO2) and are I - type, medium to high-K calc-alkaline. They have affinities slightly peraluminous (ASI = 1,00 to 1,16). CaO is moderate to high (CaO ≈ 3.58), the alkalis have averaged of Na2O≈3,09 and K2O≈3,28. The concentrations of Na2O/K2O are moderate ranging between 0.7 and 1.7, with an average value of 1.04. The contents of Ba and Sr are moderate. The content of Zr is low (61 to 161 ppm). The multi-element diagrams normalized to chondritic values and to primitive mantle show Nb and Ta negative anomaly. Considering the multi-element diagrams, the rocks are slightly enriched in LILE (Large Ion-Lithophile-elements) mainly in Rb, Cs and Ba and slight positive anomalies in K and Sr, other incompatible elements have negative anomalies such as HFSE ( High Field Strength Elements) Ti, Nb, Ta. The values of (Eu/Eu*)N are in the range of 0.54 to 1.03. (Eu* = (SmN*GdN)1/2). Correlations between major element and silica, and relationships between trace elements indicate that fractional crystallization is a dominant process in the magma evolution. Most granitoids are also slightly peraluminous; but we believe this characteristic is due to rock alteration. The Zamora Batolith is a plutonic complex generated within a magmatic arc in normal conditions of maturity.

The effect of motivation on working memory: an fMRI and SEM study.

PubMed

Szatkowska, Iwona; Bogorodzki, Piotr; Wolak, Tomasz; Marchewka, Artur; Szeszkowski, Wojciech

2008-09-01

This study investigated the effective connectivity between prefrontal regions of human brain supporting motivational influence on working memory. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to examine the interaction between the lateral orbitofrontal (OFC), medial OFC, and dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPFC) regions in the left and right hemisphere during performance of the verbal 2-back working memory task under two reinforcement conditions. The "low-motivation" condition was not associated with monetary reinforcement, while the "high-motivation" condition involved the probability of winning a certain amount of money. In the "low-motivation" condition, the OFC regions in both hemispheres positively influenced the left DLPFC activity. In the "high-motivation" condition, the connectivity in the network including the right OFC regions and left DLPFC changed from positive to negative, whereas the positive connectivity in the network composed of the left OFC and left DLPFC became slightly enhanced compared with the "low-motivation" condition. However, only the connection between the right lateral OFC and left DLPFC showed a significant condition-dependent change in the strength of influence conveyed through the pathway. This change appears to be the functional correlate of motivational influence on verbal working memory.

HIF-1α regulates Cx40-dependent vasodilatation following hemorrhagic shock in rats

PubMed Central

Duan, Chenyang; Chen, Ken; Yang, Guangming; Li, Tao; Liu, Liangming

2017-01-01

HIF-1α plays an essential role in hemorrhagic shock-induced vasoconstriction. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we studied both the role of HIF-1α in regulating vasodilatation, and the involvement of Cx40 in this process. We found that endothelium-dependent vasodilatation exhibited an overall decline after hemorrhagic shock: at the beginning of shock vasodilatation reactivity significantly decreased, followed by a slight increase from 0.5 h to 2 h after shock. After 2 h vasodilatation dropped again. Throughout this process, protein levels of HIF-1α gradually increased. In the late period of shock, vasodilatation reactivity was enhanced by oligomycin, an HIF-1α inhibitor, suggesting that HIF-1α may promote vasoconstriction. Moreover, in the late period of shock Cx40 levels gradually increased and exhibited a negative correlation with endothelium-dependent vasoconstriction reactivity. Furthermore, Cx40 AODN significantly improved vasoconstriction reactivity and could be regulated by either an HIF-1α inhibitor or an agonist. Together, these data suggest that HIF-1α may inhibit endothelium-dependent vasodilatation reactivity following hemorrhagic shock by up-regulating Cx40, especially in the late period of shock. PMID:28386353

Chemical composition of precipitation in a Mexican Maya region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bravo, H. A.; Saavedra, M. I. R.; Sánchez, P. A.; Torres, R. J.; Granada, L. M. M.

The chemical characteristics of wet precipitation in Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo State, Mexico, were measured from April 1994 to December 1995. Puerto Morelos is located in the Caribbean Mayan coastal region of the Peninsula of Yucatan, and is normally exposed to winds from the Caribbean region. Wetfall was analyzed for pH, conductivity and Cl -, NO 3-, SO 42-, Na +, NH 4+, K +, Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ ion concentrations. Volume-weighted mean pH for the whole sampling period was 5.35, although values as low as 4.6 were measured in several rain samples. Concentrations of all species correlated negatively with rain volume. Sea-salt aerosols contributed with most of the Na +, Cl -, Mg 2+, K + and SO 42- found in wet precipitation. The mean [SO 42-excess] was 9.7 μEq l -1, which agrees with the background hemispheric values of ≈10 μEq l -1 reported elsewhere. The mean [NO 3-] was 11.4 μEq l -1, almost four times higher than the background hemispheric value of ≈2.5 μEq l -1 reported elsewhere. However, a major component causing the slight acidity character of rain in Puerto Morelos seems to be H 2SO 4.

Tuberculosis in Mexico and the USA, Comparison of Trends Over Time 1990-2010.

PubMed

Hernández-Garduño, Eduardo; Mendoza-Damián, Fabiola; Garduño-Alanís, Adriana; Ayón-Garibaldo, Salvador

2015-07-01

The aim was to compare tuberculosis trends in Mexico and United States and to evaluate Mexican diagnostic methods and contact investigation. Retrospective comparative study of tuberculosis cases and incidence rates between both countries (1990-2010). Diagnostic methods and contact investigations were also evaluated for Mexico. Estimates were obtained from official websites. In Mexico, no clear trend was found over time for cases. Pulmonary (PTB) and all forms of tuberculosis (AFTB) incidence decreased 2.0% annually. There was a negative correlation between the mean contacts examined per case and AFTB incidence (r(2)=-0.44, p=0.01) with a 33% reduction in AFTB incidence. In United States, PTB and AFTB cases have been decreasing 6.0% and 5.6% annually, respectively. The incidence decreased 7.3% and 6.8%, respectively. The incidence of tuberculosis in Mexico is decreasing slightly over time at 2% annually. In the United States, cases and incidence rates have been decreasing at a higher rate (5% to 7% annually). The inverse association between number of contacts examined per state and incidence rates in Mexico underscore the importance of reinforcing and improving contact investigations with the likely translation of a decrease of TB incidence at a higher rate.

Personality correlates of revenge-seeking: Multidimensional links to physical aggression, impulsivity, and aggressive pleasure.

PubMed

Chester, David S; DeWall, C Nathan

2018-05-01

People differ in how much they seek retribution for interpersonal insults, slights, rejections, and other antagonistic actions. Identifying individuals who are most prone towards such revenge-seeking is a theoretically-informative and potentially violence-reducing endeavor. However, we have yet to understand the extent to which revenge-seeking individuals exhibit specific features of aggressiveness, impulsivity, and what motivates their hunt for retribution. Toward this end, we conducted three studies (total N = 673), in which revenge-seeking was measured alongside these other constructs. Analyses repeatedly demonstrated that revenge-seeking was associated with greater physical (but not verbal) aggressiveness, anger, and hostility. Revenge-seeking's link to physical aggression was partially accounted for by impulses toward enjoying aggression and the tendency to use aggression to improve mood. Dominance analyses revealed that sadism explained the most variance in revenge-seeking. Revenge-seeking was associated with greater impulsive responses to negative and positive affect, as well as greater premeditation of behavior. These findings paint a picture of revenge-seekers as physically aggressive curators of anger, whose retributive acts are performed with planned malice and motivated by the act's entertaining and therapeutic qualities. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Electronic and chemical structure of the H 2O/GaN(0001) interface under ambient conditions

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Xueqiang; Ptasinska, Sylwia

2016-04-25

We employed ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the electronic and chemical properties of the H 2O/GaN(0001) interface under elevated pressures and/or temperatures. A pristine GaN(0001) surface exhibited upward band bending, which was partially flattened when exposed to H 2O at room temperature. However, the GaN surface work function was slightly reduced due to the adsorption of molecular H 2O and its dissociation products. At elevated temperatures, a negative charge generated on the surface by a vigorous H 2O/GaN interfacial chemistry induced an increase in both the surface work function and upward band bending. We tracked the dissociative adsorptionmore » of H 2O onto the GaN(0001) surface by recording the core-level photoemission spectra and obtained the electronic and chemical properties at the H 2O/GaN interface under operando conditions. In conclusion, our results suggest a strong correlation between the electronic and chemical properties of the material surface, and we expect that their evolutions lead to significantly different properties at the electrolyte/ electrode interface in a photoelectrochemical solar cell.« less

Contact zone between chromosomal races of Mus musculus domesticus. 2. Fertility and segregation in laboratory-reared and wild mice heterozygous for multiple robertsonian rearrangements.

PubMed

Castiglia, R; Capanna, E

2000-08-01

Litter size, anaphase I nondisjunction and X-Y dissociation at metaphase I were studied in homozygous and heterozygous house mice from a central Italian chromosomal hybrid zone between the CD (2n=22) race and the standard race (2n=40). We also observed the segregation of the two chromosomal forms (Robertsonian and non-Robertsonian) in male and female multiple heterozygotes from the karyotype of their offspring and chromosomal arm counts of metaphase II. Litter size was significantly reduced in the F1 hybrids, but there was no difference in litter size between male and female F1s. Fertility in wild mice decreased with increasing numbers of structural heterozygosities (0-5). Some metacentrics appear to be under meiotic drive but there was no rule as to which of the two forms was favoured in backcrosses. An original observation of a negative correlation between the length of metacentrics and transmission rate was described in hybrids. Slight cosegregation of chromosomes with a similar morphology was present in the progeny of males and females. These observations are discussed in relation to the stability of this hybrid zone through time.

Relationship between gonad maturation and heavy metal accumulation in the clam, Galatea paradoxa (Born 1778) from the Volta estuary, Ghana.

PubMed

Adjei-Boateng, D; Obirikorang, K A; Amisah, S; Madkour, H A; Otchere, F A

2011-12-01

The relationship between gonadal development and the concentrations of four heavy metals Mn, Zn, Fe and Hg in the tissues of the clam Galatea paradoxa was evaluated at the Volta estuary, Ghana, over an 18-month period. Metal concentrations in the clam tissues were highly variable over the sampling period and seemed to be influenced by the reproductive cycle of the clam. Mn concentrations varied over a wide range from 49 to 867 μg/g and exhibited a significant positive correlation with gonadal development (p = 0.0146, r(2) = 0.3190). Zn and Fe concentrations ranged from 13 to 59 μg/g and 79 to 484 μg/g, respectively and both revealed negative relationships between gonad development and metal accumulation (Zn (p = 0.0554, r(2) = 0.0554) and Fe (p = 0.1040, r(2) = 0.1567)). Hg concentrations ranged from 0.026 to 0.059 μg/g over the sampling period and exhibited a slight positive relationship between gonadal development and metal accumulation (p = 0.0861, r(2) = 0.1730).

Plume magmatism and crustal growth at 2.9 to 3.0 Ga in the Steep Rock and Lumby Lake area, Western Superior Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomlinson, K. Y.; Hughes, D. J.; Thurston, P. C.; Hall, R. P.

1999-01-01

The greenstone belts of the western Superior Province are predominantly 2.78 to 2.69 Ga and provide evidence of oceanic and arc volcanism during the accretionary phase of development of the Superior Province. There is also scattered evidence of Meso-Archean crust (predominantly 2.9 to 3.0 Ga) within the western Superior Province. The Meso-Archean greenstone belts commonly contain platformal sediments and unconformably overlie granitoid basement. The platformal sediments occur associated with komatiitic and tholeiitic volcanic rocks that suggest a history of magmatism associated with rifting during the Meso-Archean. The central Wabigoon Subprovince is a key area of Meso-Archean crust and in its southern portion comprises the Steep Rock, Finlayson and Lumby Lake greenstone belts. The Steep Rock greenstone belt unconformably overlies 3 Ga continental basement and contains platformal sediments succeeded by komatiitic and tholeiitic volcanic rocks. The Lumby Lake greenstone belt contains thick sequences of mafic volcanics, a number of komatiite horizons, and thin platformal sedimentary units. The two belts are joined by the predominantly mafic volcanic Finlayson greenstone belt. The volcanics throughout these three greenstone belts may be correlated to some extent and a range of basaltic and komatiite types is present. Al-undepleted komatiites present in the Lumby Lake greenstone belt have an Al 2O 3/TiO 2 ratio ranging from 14 to 27 and (Gd/Yb) N from 0.7 to 1.3. These are divided into basaltic komatiites with generally unfractionated mantle-normalised multi-element profiles, and spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts with slightly light REE enriched multi-element profiles and small negative Nb and Ta anomalies. The unfractionated basaltic komatiites represent high degree partial melts of the upper mantle whereas the spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts represent evolutionary products of the komatiite liquids following olivine and chromite fractionation and crustal contamination. Al-depleted komatiites are present in both the Lumby Lake and Steep Rock belts and have Al 2O 3/TiO 2 ratio ranges from 2.5 to 5. These display strong enrichment in the light REE and Nb and strong depletion in the heavy REE and Y ((Gd/Yb) N=2-4). They represent a deep mantle plume source generated from a high degree of partial melting in the majorite garnet stability field. The basaltic flows in all three greenstone belts are predominantly slightly light REE depleted and represent a slightly depleted upper mantle source. Basalts spatially associated with the unfractionated basaltic komatiites and the slightly light REE enriched spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts are also slightly enriched in light REE and have negative Nb and Ta anomalies. These basalts represent evolved products of the primitive basaltic komatiites and enriched spinifex-textured high-Mg basalts after further crustal contamination and olivine and clinopyroxene fractionation. The geochemical stratigraphy in the Lumby Lake belt is consistent with an ascending mantle plume model. The light REE depleted basalts were derived from upper mantle melted by an ascending mantle plume. These are overlain by the unfractionated basaltic komatiites and their evolutionary products which represent hotter plume head material derived from a mixture of plume mantle and entrained depleted upper mantle. In turn, these are overlain by strongly light REE and HFSE enriched komatiites that represent a deep plume source that has not been mixed with depleted mantle and are, therefore, likely to have been derived from a plume core or tail. Volcanism was protracted in these three greenstone belts lasting ca. 70 Ma and combined stratigraphic evidence from the Lumby Lake and Steep Rock belts suggests that more than one plume may have ascended and tapped the same mantle sources, over time, within the area. Plume magmatism and rifting of continental platforms thus appears to have been an important feature of crustal development in the Meso-Archean.

[Relationship between weight, body composition and bone mass in peritoneal dialysis].

PubMed

Negri, A L; Barone, R; Bogado, C E; Zanchetta, J R

2005-01-01

Patients in chronic dialysis show a decrease in total bone mass. The factors that determine this decrease are not well known. In normal populations weight and its compartments are important determinants of bone mass. We studied total bone mineral content (TBMC), a measure of bone mass, and body composition using DEXA densitometry in 65 patients (45 females and 20 males) who had been in peritoneal dialysis for a mean of 40.3 +/- 23.2 months. Forty-eight patients (73.8%) had been previously in hemodialysis. The mean total time in dialysis for these patients was 76.8 months. As a group patients showed a very significant positive correlation between TBMC and weight, height, and lean body mass. A negative correlation was found between TBMC with the time in dialysis and iPTH. In men we found significant simple positive correlations between TBMC and weight, height and lean body mass. In women we found simple positive correlations of TBMC with weight, height and lean body mass and a negative correlation with iPTH. In the multiple regression analysis, lean body mass was the only body composition parameter that had a significantly positive correlation with TBMC in men; in women only height correlated positively with TBMC and iPTH continued to correlate negatively with bone mass. When we considered pre and postmenopausal women separately, bone mass was correlated positively with height and lean body mass and negatively with iPTH in postmenopausal women and only with height in pre-menopausal females. We conclude that the lean body mass compartment. is the most important component of weight that determines TBMC in peritoneal dialysis patients particularly in males and postmenopausal women. In postmenopausal women, secondary hyperparathyroidism seems to be particularly detrimental on bone mass.

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

Laboratory assessment of the mobility of water-dispersed engineered nanoparticles in a red soil (Ultisol)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dengjun; Su, Chunming; Zhang, Wei; Hao, Xiuzhen; Cang, Long; Wang, Yujun; Zhou, Dongmei

2014-11-01

Soils are major sinks of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) as results of land applications of sewage sludge, accidental spills, or deliberate applications of ENPs (e.g., nano-pesticides). In this study, the transport behaviors of four widely used ENPs (i.e., titanium dioxide [TiO2], buckminsterfullerene [C60], single-walled carbon nanotube [SWNT], and elemental silver [Ag0]) were investigated in water-saturated columns packed with either a quartz sand, a red soil (Ultisol), or sand/soil mixtures with soil mass fraction (λ) from 0% to 100% at slightly acidic solution pH (4.0-5.0). The mobility of tested ENPs decreased significantly with increasing λ, which was attributed to increased surface area and/or retention sites imparted by iron oxides, clay minerals, and organic matter in the red soil. Breakthrough curves of all ENPs exhibited blocking effects (decreasing deposition rate over time) and were well-described using an unfavorable and favorable, two-site kinetic attachment model accounting for random sequential adsorption on the favorable site. Modeled maximum retention capacity and first-order attachment rate coefficient on the favorable site both increased linearly with increasing λ, suggesting that transport parameters of ENPs in natural soils may be accurately extrapolated from transport parameters in the sand/soil mixtures. In addition, the mobility of three negatively charged ENPs (C60, SWNT, and Ag0 NPs) was reversely correlated with their average hydrodynamic diameters, highlighting that the average hydrodynamic diameter of negatively charged ENPs is the dominant physicochemical characteristics controlling their mobility in the Ultisol.

What are the characteristics of 'sexually ready' adolescents? Exploring the sexual readiness of youth in urban poor Accra.

PubMed

Biney, Adriana A E; Dodoo, F Nii-Amoo

2016-01-05

Adolescent sexual activity, especially among the urban poor, remains a challenge. Despite numerous interventions and programs to address the negative consequences arising from early and frequent sexual activity among youth in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ghana, only slight progress has been made. A plausible explanation is that our understanding of what adolescents think about sex and about their own sexuality is poor. In that sense, examining how adolescents in urban poor communities think about their sexual readiness, and identifying characteristics associated with that sexual self-concept dimension, should deepen our understanding of this topical issue. A total of 196 male and female adolescents, ages 12 to 19, were surveyed in the 2011 RIPS Urban Health and Poverty Project in Accra, Ghana. The youth responded to three statements which determined their levels of sexual readiness. Other background characteristics were also obtained enabling the assessment of the correlates of their preparedness to engage in sex. The data were analyzed using ordered logistic regression models. Overall, the majority of respondents did not consider themselves ready for sex. Multivariate analyses indicated that sexual experience, exposure to pornographic movies, gender, ethnicity and household wealth were significantly linked to their readiness for sex. Sexual readiness is related to sexual activity as well as other characteristics of the adolescents, suggesting the need to consider these factors in the design of programs and interventions to curb early sex. The subject of sexual readiness has to be investigated further to ensure adolescents do not identify with any negative effects of this sexual self-view.

Intraday LeBaron effects

PubMed Central

Bianco, Simone; Corsi, Fulvio; Renò, Roberto

2009-01-01

We study the relation at intraday level between serial correlation and volatility of the Standard and Poor (S&P) 500 stock index futures returns. At daily and weekly levels, serial correlation and volatility forecasts have been found to be negatively correlated (LeBaron effect). After finding a significant attenuation of the original effect over time, we show that a similar but more pronounced effect holds by using intraday measures, by such as realized volatility and variance ratio. We also test the impact of unexpected volatility, defined as the part of volatility which cannot be forecasted, on the presence of intraday serial correlation in the time series by employing a model for realized volatility based on the heterogeneous market hypothesis. We find that intraday serial correlation is negatively correlated to volatility forecasts, whereas it is positively correlated to unexpected volatility.

[A cross-correlational analysis of the background neuronal pulse trains in surviving slices of the guinea pig neocortex].

PubMed

Bortnik, A T; Iakupova, L P

1991-01-01

Cross-correlation analysis of interdependence of the background spike activity was carried out for pairs of adjacent neurons simultaneously recorded in the incubated slices of the neocortex of guinea-pig. Statistical correlation of spike discharges was detected in 16 out of 26 recorded pairs of the neurons. Significant correlation was observed mainly in the range of +/- 100 ms from the null point. Cross-correlation had symmetric or asymmetric maxima up to 150 ms long and negative shifts up to 200 ms long. More complex positive-negative types of cross-correlations were also obtained. The data were compared to those known from other authors for the intact brain. The contribution of intrinsic intracortical interactions and extrinsic afferent influences in these correlations of activity is discussed.

Developing a PTEN-ERG Signature to Improve Molecular Risk Stratification in Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

that there exist distinctive molecular correlates of PTEN loss in the context of ETS-negative versus ETS-positive human prostate cancers and that...distinctive molecular correlates of PTEN loss in the context of ETS-negative versus ETS-positive human PCa and that these may drive prognosis...and MSKCC cohort, correlate these data with gene expression data from the same cohort to confirm ETS status and enable full gene expression analyses of

Motor performance and correlates of mental health in children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

PubMed

Fellinger, Matthäus J; Holzinger, Daniel; Aigner, Martin; Beitel, Christoph; Fellinger, Johannes

2015-10-01

This cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between motor performance and mental health in a representative population of children with hearing impairment. Ninety-three pupils (45 males, 48 females) aged 6 years to 16 years (mean 11 y 3 mo, SD 2 y 9 mo) with hearing impairment of at least 40 dB and a Nonverbal IQ greater than 70 were assessed for motor performance with the Zürich Neuromotor Assessment (ZNA) and for mental health with the parent version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Children with hearing impairment had lower motor performance scores in all four ZNA subscales compared with ZNA norms (z-scores -1.42 to -2.67). After controlling for Nonverbal IQ, ZNA pure motor performance correlated negatively with the SDQ total difficulties score. Pure motor, pegboard, and dynamic balance subscales correlated negatively with peer-relationship problems. Dynamic balance correlated negatively with emotional problems. Performance in pure motor and dynamic balance skills correlated negatively with age. Except for static balance, no correlation was found between motor performance and the degree of hearing impairment. Results confirm that a high percentage of children with hearing impairment have poor motor performance. These problems are associated with difficulties in social relationships. Early recognition of these problems may lead to interventions to assist children with hearing impairment with their peer relationships. © 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Cerebellar Purkinje Cells Generate Highly Correlated Spontaneous Slow-Rate Fluctuations.

PubMed

Cao, Ying; Liu, Yu; Jaeger, Dieter; Heck, Detlef H

2017-01-01

Cerebellar Purkinje cells (PC) fire action potentials at high, sustained rates. Changes in spike rate that last a few tens of milliseconds encode sensory and behavioral events. Here we investigated spontaneous fluctuations of PC simple spike rate at a slow time scale of the order of 1 s. Simultaneous recordings from pairs of PCs that were aligned either along the sagittal or transversal axis of the cerebellar cortex revealed that simple spike rate fluctuations at the 1 s time scale were highly correlated. Each pair of PCs had either a predominantly positive or negative slow-rate correlation, with negative correlations observed only in PC pairs aligned along the transversal axis. Slow-rate correlations were independent of faster rate changes that were correlated with fluid licking behavior. Simultaneous recordings from PCs and cerebellar nuclear (CN) neurons showed that slow-rate fluctuations in PC and CN activity were also highly correlated, but their correlations continually alternated between periods of positive and negative correlation. The functional significance of this new aspect of cerebellar spike activity remains to be determined. Correlated slow-rate fluctuations seem too slow to be involved in the real-time control of ongoing behavior. However, slow-rate fluctuations of PCs converging on the same CN neuron are likely to modulate the excitability of the CN neuron, thus introduce a possible slow modulation of cerebellar output activity.

Aging-related changes in the default mode network and its anti-correlated networks: a resting-state fMRI study.

PubMed

Wu, Jing-Tao; Wu, Hui-Zhen; Yan, Chao-Gan; Chen, Wen-Xin; Zhang, Hong-Ying; He, Yong; Yang, Hai-Shan

2011-10-17

Intrinsic brain activity in a resting state incorporates components of the task negative network called default mode network (DMN) and task-positive networks called attentional networks. In the present study, the reciprocal neuronal networks in the elder group were compared with the young group to investigate the differences of the intrinsic brain activity using a method of temporal correlation analysis based on seed regions of posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). We found significant decreased positive correlations and negative correlations with the seeds of PCC and vmPFC in the old group. The decreased coactivations in the DMN network components and their negative networks in the old group may reflect age-related alterations in various brain functions such as attention, motor control and inhibition modulation in cognitive processing. These alterations in the resting state anti-correlative networks could provide neuronal substrates for the aging brain. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between Agronomic Parameters, Phenolic Composition of Grape Skin, and Texture Properties of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo.

PubMed

García-Estévez, Ignacio; Andrés-García, Paula; Alcalde-Eon, Cristina; Giacosa, Simone; Rolle, Luca; Rivas-Gonzalo, Julián C; Quijada-Morín, Natalia; Escribano-Bailón, M Teresa

2015-09-09

The relationship between the agronomic parameters of grapevine and the phenolic composition of skin of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo grapes was assessed. The physical and mechanical properties of berries and their skins were also determined and correlated to the chemical composition. Results showed a significant negative correlation between grapevine vigor-related parameters (such as leaf area and bunch weight) and anthocyanin composition, whereas the percentage (w/w) of seeds was negatively correlated with the amount of flavanols of grape skins. Texture properties of grape skins also showed an important relationship with chemical composition. Berry hardness showed a negative correlation with the coumaroyl-anthocyanin derivatives, but it was positively correlated to skin flavanic composition. Moreover, significant regressions with high coefficients of determination were found between phenolic composition and grapevine vigor-related and texture variables, thus pointing out that these parameters might be useful for estimating the phenolic composition of grape skins.

Generalization of Clustering Coefficients to Signed Correlation Networks

PubMed Central

Costantini, Giulio; Perugini, Marco

2014-01-01

The recent interest in network analysis applications in personality psychology and psychopathology has put forward new methodological challenges. Personality and psychopathology networks are typically based on correlation matrices and therefore include both positive and negative edge signs. However, some applications of network analysis disregard negative edges, such as computing clustering coefficients. In this contribution, we illustrate the importance of the distinction between positive and negative edges in networks based on correlation matrices. The clustering coefficient is generalized to signed correlation networks: three new indices are introduced that take edge signs into account, each derived from an existing and widely used formula. The performances of the new indices are illustrated and compared with the performances of the unsigned indices, both on a signed simulated network and on a signed network based on actual personality psychology data. The results show that the new indices are more resistant to sample variations in correlation networks and therefore have higher convergence compared with the unsigned indices both in simulated networks and with real data. PMID:24586367

Influence of Cytokines and Soluble Receptors in the Quality of Life and Functional Capacity of Workers Exposed to Silica.

PubMed

Braz, Nayara Felicidade Tomaz; Carneiro, Ana Paula Scalia; Avelar, Núbia Carelli Pereira de; Miranda, Aline Silva de; Lacerda, Ana Cristina Rodrigues; Teixeira, Mauro Martins; Teixeira, Antônio Lúcio; Mendonça, Vanessa Amaral

2016-03-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the plasma levels of inflammatory mediators in subjects exposed to silica, with and without silicosis compared with unexposed control group; and to check the association between inflammatory mediators with pulmonary function, quality of life, functional capacity, and dyspnea grade. Inflammatory mediators were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. There were 30 subjects exposed to silica and 24 control group. Interleukin-6 plasma levels were higher in subjects exposed to silica with and without silicosis than in the control group. There was a positive correlation between radiological severity and the quality of life, whereas there was a negative correlation between radiological severity and pulmonary function. A negative correlation between sTNFR1 plasma level and functional capacity was found. Interleukin-10 was negatively correlated with the quality of life total score and was positively correlated with the functional capacity and pulmonary function.

Protamine mRNA ratio in stallion spermatozoa correlates with mare fecundity.

PubMed

Paradowska-Dogan, A; Fernandez, A; Bergmann, M; Kretzer, K; Mallidis, C; Vieweg, M; Waliszewski, P; Zitzmann, M; Weidner, W; Steger, K; Kliesch, S

2014-07-01

Highly compacted sperm DNA in protamine toroids and a minor fraction of nucleohistones are prerequisites for the efficient transmission of the paternal genome into the oocyte at fertilization. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether protamines might serve as a prognostic factor for stallion fertility. In situ hybridization detected specific expression of P1 mRNA in the cytoplasm of stage I to VII spermatids, whereas comparable immunohistochemical stainings showed that protein expression was delayed till elongating spermatids in differentiation stages III to VIII. No staining was detectable in cryptorchid testis because of the lack of spermatids in the seminiferous tubules. Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we identified mRNA transcripts of P1 and 2 variants of protamine- 2 (P2, P3) in ejaculated spermatozoa from 45 thoroughbred stallions. According to the mare fertility descriptor (i.e. the 'none-return-rate 28 percentage' or NRR28%), stallions were divided into three groups (i.e. high, reduced and low fertility). The P2/P1 mRNA ratio was found to be significantly reduced in the group with lower fertility (p = 0.016) and was slightly correlated with sperm concentration (correlation coefficient r = 0.263). Furthermore, morphologically abnormal sperm count negatively correlated with P2/P1 mRNA ratio, indicating that spermatozoa carrying head defects display a diminished protamine ratio (r = -0.348). Conversely, the P2/P1 ratio was positively correlated with mare fertility or NRR28% (r = 0.274). Interestingly, P3/P1 mRNA ratio remained unaltered in the investigated groups indicating that this variant plays a minor role in equine sperm chromatin compaction. Aberrant protamine transcripts content in equine spermatozoa was not associated with DNA defragmentation rate as measured by flow cytometric acridine orange test. On the basis of these results, we suggest that, similar to human, equine protamine expression constitutes a checkpoint of spermatogenesis and as a corollary the level of protamine mRNA may reflect the quality of spermatogenesis and spermatozoa's fertilizing capacity. © 2014 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

Working Memory Facilitates Insight Instead of Hindering It: Comment on Decaro, Van Stockum, and Wieth (2016)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chuderski, Adam; Jastrzebski, Jan

2017-01-01

The "nothing-special" account of insight predicts positive correlations of insight problem solving and working memory capacity (WMC), whereas the "special-process" account expects no, or even negative, correlations. In the latter vein, DeCaro, Van Stockum Jr., and Wieth (2016) have recently reported weak negative WMC…

Spectroscopic evidence for negative electronic compressibility in a quasi-three-dimensional spin–orbit correlated metal

DOE PAGES

He, Junfeng; Hogan, T.; Mion, Thomas R.; ...

2015-04-27

Negative compressibility is a sign of thermodynamic instability of open1,2,3 or non-equilibrium4,5 systems. In quantum materials consisting of multiple mutually coupled subsystems, the compressibility of one subsystem can be negative if it is countered by positive compressibility of the others. Manifestations of this effect have so far been limited to low-dimensional dilute electron systems6,7,8,9,10,11. Here, we present evidence from angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) for negative electronic compressibility (NEC) in the quasi-three-dimensional (3D) spin–orbit correlated metal (Sr1-xLax)3Ir2O7. Increased electron filling accompanies an anomalous decrease of the chemical potential, as indicated by the overall movement of the deep valence bands. Such anomaly,more » suggestive of NEC, is shown to be primarily driven by the lowering in energy of the conduction band as the correlated bandgap reduces. Our finding points to a distinct pathway towards an uncharted territory of NEC featuring bulk correlated metals with unique potential for applications in low-power nanoelectronics and novel metamaterials.« less

Modeling and Performance Estimation for Airborne Minefield Detection System

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

Difference Vegetation Index ( NDVI ) NDVI is defined as: NDVI = (NIR – RED)/ (NIR + RED...to minimize the effect of variable irradiance levels. NDVI is always bounded between -1 and 1. A higher positive value of NDVI indicates the...lakes, and rivers) which has low reflectance in both NIR as well as visible bands, results in very low positive or slightly negative NDVI values

The complex impact of risk and protective factors on suicide mortality: a study of the Ukrainian general population.

PubMed

Yur'yev, Andriy; Yur'yeva, Lyudmyla; Värnik, Peeter; Lumiste, Kaur; Värnik, Airi

2015-01-01

This study assesses the complex impact of risk and protective factors on suicide mortality in the Ukrainian general population. Data on suicide rates and socioeconomic and medical factors were obtained from the Ukrainian State Statistical Office, WHO, and the European Social Survey. Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. Religion and education were negatively associated with suicide. The relationship between drug addiction/alcoholism and suicide was positive. The association between urbanization and suicide mortality was negative. The relationship between gross regional product (GRP) and female suicide was slightly negative. Religiosity was the protective factor most strongly linked with suicide mortality followed by urbanization. The harmful role of drug addiction and alcoholism was confirmed. The role of education and GRP is controversial. No striking gender differences were found.

Agreement between allergen-specific IgE assays and ensuing immunotherapy recommendations from four commercial laboratories in the USA.

PubMed

Plant, Jon D; Neradelik, Moni B; Polissar, Nayak L; Fadok, Valerie A; Scott, Brian A

2014-02-01

Canine allergen-specific IgE assays in the USA are not subjected to an independent laboratory reliability monitoring programme. The aim of this study was to evaluate the agreement of diagnostic results and treatment recommendations of four serum IgE assays commercially available in the USA. Replicate serum samples from 10 atopic dogs were submitted to each of four laboratories for allergen-specific IgE assays (ACTT(®) , VARL Liquid Gold, ALLERCEPT(®) and Greer(®) Aller-g-complete(®) ). The interlaboratory agreement of standard, regional panels and ensuing treatment recommendations were analysed with the kappa statistic (κ) to account for agreement that might occur merely by chance. Six comparisons of pairs of laboratories and overall agreement among laboratories were analysed for ungrouped allergens (as tested) and also with allergens grouped according to reported cross-reactivity and taxonomy. The overall chance-corrected agreement of the positive/negative test results for ungrouped and grouped allergens was slight (κ = 0.14 and 0.13, respectively). Subset analysis of the laboratory pair with the highest level of diagnostic agreement (κ = 0.36) found slight agreement (κ = 0.13) for ungrouped plants and fungi, but substantial agreement (κ = 0.71) for ungrouped mites. The overall agreement of the treatment recommendations was slight (κ = 0.11). Altogether, 85.1% of ungrouped allergen treatment recommendations were unique to one laboratory or another. Our study indicated that the choice of IgE assay may have a major influence on the positive/negative results and ensuing treatment recommendations. © 2014 The Authors. Veterinary Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the ESVD and the ACVD.

Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR): Validation of the German version of a self-report measure for screening negative symptoms in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Engel, Maike; Lincoln, Tania Marie

2016-02-01

Validated self-report instruments could provide a time efficient screening method for negative symptoms in people with schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a German version of the Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR) which is based on the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS). In- and outpatients (N=50) with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were assessed with standardized interviews and questionnaires on negative and positive symptoms and general psychopathology in schizophrenia, depression, and global functioning. The German version of the MAP-SR showed high internal consistency. Convergent validity was supported by significant correlations between the MAP-SR with the experience sub-scale of the CAINS and the negative symptom sub-scale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. The MAP-SR also exhibited discriminant validity indicated by its non-significant correlations with positive symptoms and general psychopathology, which is in line with the findings for the original version of the MAP-SR. However, the MAP-SR correlated moderately with depression. The German MAP-SR appears to be a valid and suitable diagnostic tool for the identification of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Activities of Benflumetol against 158 Senegalese Isolates of Plasmodium falciparum in Comparison with Those of Standard Antimalarial Drugs

PubMed Central

Pradines, Bruno; Tall, Adama; Fusai, Thierry; Spiegel, Andre; Hienne, Remi; Rogier, Christophe; Trape, Jean Francois; Le Bras, Jacques; Parzy, Daniel

1999-01-01

The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50s) of benflumetol (range, 12.5 to 240 nM; mean, 55.1 nM) for 158 Senegalese isolates were evaluated. Ten isolates (6%) showed decreased susceptibility to benflumetol. Benflumetol was slightly more potent against chloroquine-resistant isolates (P < 0.025). No correlation or weak correlations in the responses to benflumetol and pyrimethamine, chloroquine, amodiaquine, artemether, quinine, and pyronaridine were observed, and these correlations are insufficient to suggest cross-resistance. Benflumetol may be an important alternative drug for the treatment of chloroquine-resistant malaria. PMID:9925550

Ecotoxicology of phenylphosphonothioates.

PubMed Central

Francis, B M; Hansen, L G; Fukuto, T R; Lu, P Y; Metcalf, R L

1980-01-01

The phenylphosphonothioate insecticides EPN and leptophos, and several analogs, were evaluated with respect to their delayed neurotoxic effects in hens and their environmental behavior in a terrestrial-aquatic model ecosystem. Acute toxicity to insects was highly correlated with sigma sigma of the substituted phenyl group (regression coefficient r = -0.91) while acute toxicity to mammals was slightly less well correlated (regression coefficient r = -0.71), and neurotoxicity was poorly correlated with sigma sigma (regression coefficient r = -0.35). Both EPN and leptophos were markedly more persistent and bioaccumulative in the model ecosystem than parathion. Desbromoleptophos, a contaminant and metabolite of leptophos, was seen to be a highly stable and persistent terminal residue of leptophos. PMID:6159210

Evolutionary theory of ageing and the problem of correlated Gompertz parameters.

PubMed

Burger, Oskar; Missov, Trifon I

2016-11-07

The Gompertz mortality model is often used to evaluate evolutionary theories of ageing, such as the Medawar-Williams' hypothesis that high extrinsic mortality leads to faster ageing. However, fits of the Gompertz mortality model to data often find the opposite result that mortality is negatively correlated with the rate of ageing. This negative correlation has been independently discovered in several taxa and is known in actuarial studies of ageing as the Strehler-Mildvan correlation. We examine the role of mortality selection in determining late-life variation in susceptibility to death, which has been suggested to be the cause of this negative correlation. We demonstrate that fixed-frailty models that account for heterogeneity in frailty do not remove the correlation and that the correlation is an inherent statistical property of the Gompertz distribution. Linking actuarial and biological rates of ageing will continue to be a pressing challenge, but the Strehler-Mildvan correlation itself should not be used to diagnose any biological, physiological, or evolutionary process. These findings resolve some key tensions between theory and data that affect evolutionary and biological studies of ageing and mortality. Tests of evolutionary theories of ageing should include direct measures of physiological performance or condition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability of concentrations of organophosphate pesticide metabolites in serial urine specimens from pregnancy in the Generation R Study.

PubMed

Spaan, Suzanne; Pronk, Anjoeka; Koch, Holger M; Jusko, Todd A; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Shaw, Pamela A; Tiemeier, Henning M; Hofman, Albert; Pierik, Frank H; Longnecker, Matthew P

2015-05-01

The widespread use of organophosphate (OP) pesticides has resulted in ubiquitous exposure in humans, primarily through their diet. Exposure to OP pesticides may have adverse health effects, including neurobehavioral deficits in children. The optimal design of new studies requires data on the reliability of urinary measures of exposure. In the present study, urinary concentrations of six dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites, the main urinary metabolites of OP pesticides, were determined in 120 pregnant women participating in the Generation R Study in Rotterdam. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) across serial urine specimens taken at <18, 18-25, and >25 weeks of pregnancy were determined to assess reliability. Geometric mean total DAP metabolite concentrations were 229 (GSD 2.2), 240 (GSD 2.1), and 224 (GSD 2.2) nmol/g creatinine across the three periods of gestation. Metabolite concentrations from the serial urine specimens in general correlated moderately. The ICCs for the six DAP metabolites ranged from 0.14 to 0.38 (0.30 for total DAPs), indicating weak to moderate reliability. Although the DAP metabolite levels observed in this study are slightly higher and slightly more correlated than in previous studies, the low to moderate reliability indicates a high degree of within-person variability, which presents challenges for designing well-powered epidemiological studies.

Can Alberta infant motor scale and milani comparetti motor development screening test be rapid alternatives to bayley scales of infant development-II at high-risk infants

PubMed Central

Yıldırım, Zeynep Hoşbay; Aydınlı, Nur; Ekici, Barış; Tatlı, Burak; Çalişkan, Mine

2012-01-01

Purpose: The main object of the present study is to assess neuromotor development of high-risk infants by using three tests, and to determine inter-test concordance and the feasibility of these tests. Materials and Methods: One-hundred and nine patients aged between 0 and 6 months and identified as “high-risk infant” according to the Kliegman's criteria were enrolled to the study. Three different tests were used to assess neuromotor development of the patients: Bayley scales of infant development-II (BSID-II), Alberta infant motor scale (AIMS), and Milani Comparetti Motor Development Screening Test (MCMDST). Results: Correlation analysis was performed between pure scores of BSID-II motor scale and total scores of AIMS. These two tests were highly correlated (r:0.92). Moderate concordance was found between BSID-II and AIMS (k:0.35). Slight concordance was found between BSID-II and MCMDST; and the concordance was slight again for AIMS and MCMDST (k:0.11 and k:0.16, respectively) too. Conclusion: AIMS has a high correlation and consistency with BSID-II and can be used with routine neurological examination as it is based on observations, has few items, and requires less time to complete. PMID:22919192

Can Alberta infant motor scale and milani comparetti motor development screening test be rapid alternatives to bayley scales of infant development-II at high-risk infants.

PubMed

Yıldırım, Zeynep Hoşbay; Aydınlı, Nur; Ekici, Barış; Tatlı, Burak; Calişkan, Mine

2012-07-01

The main object of the present study is to assess neuromotor development of high-risk infants by using three tests, and to determine inter-test concordance and the feasibility of these tests. One-hundred and nine patients aged between 0 and 6 months and identified as "high-risk infant" according to the Kliegman's criteria were enrolled to the study. Three different tests were used to assess neuromotor development of the patients: Bayley scales of infant development-II (BSID-II), Alberta infant motor scale (AIMS), and Milani Comparetti Motor Development Screening Test (MCMDST). Correlation analysis was performed between pure scores of BSID-II motor scale and total scores of AIMS. These two tests were highly correlated (r:0.92). Moderate concordance was found between BSID-II and AIMS (k:0.35). Slight concordance was found between BSID-II and MCMDST; and the concordance was slight again for AIMS and MCMDST (k:0.11 and k:0.16, respectively) too. AIMS has a high correlation and consistency with BSID-II and can be used with routine neurological examination as it is based on observations, has few items, and requires less time to complete.

Differentiating pediatric epileptic brain tissue from normal brain tissue by using time-dependent diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in vivo: comprehensive data analysis method in the time domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Sanghoon; Fernald, Bradley; Bhatia, Sanjiv; Ragheb, John; Sandberg, David; Johnson, Mahlon; Lin, Wei-Chiang

2009-05-01

This research investigated the feasibility of using time-dependent diffuse reflectance spectroscopy to differentiate pediatric epileptic brain tissue from normal brain tissue. The optical spectroscopic technique monitored the dynamic optical properties of the cerebral cortex that are associated with its physiological, morphological, and compositional characteristics. Due to the transient irregular epileptic discharge activity within the epileptic brain tissue it was hypothesized that the lesion would express abnormal dynamic optical behavior that would alter normal dynamic behavior. Thirteen pediatric epilepsy patients and seven pediatric brain tumor patients (normal controls) were recruited for this clinical study. Dynamic optical properties were obtained from the cortical surface intraoperatively using a timedependent diffuse reflectance spectroscopy system. This system consisted of a fiber-optic probe, a tungsten-halogen light source, and a spectrophotometer. It acquired diffuse reflectance spectra with a spectral range of 204 nm to 932 nm at a rate of 33 spectra per second for approximately 12 seconds. Biopsy samples were taken from electrophysiologically abnormal cortex and evaluated by a neuropathologist, which served as a gold standard for lesion classification. For data analysis, spectral intensity changes of diffuse reflectance in the time domain at two different wavelengths from each investigated site were compared. Negative correlation segment, defined by the periods where the intensity changes at the two wavelengths were opposite in their slope polarity, were extracted. The total duration of negative correlation, referred to as the "negative correlation time index", was calculated by integrating the negative correlation segments. The negative correlation time indices from all investigated sites were sub-grouped according to the corresponding histological classifications. The difference between the mean indices of two subgroups was evaluated by standard t-test. These comparison and calculation procedures were carried out for all possible wavelength combinations between 400 nm and 800 nm with 2 nm increments. The positive group consisted of seven pathologically abnormal test sites, and the negative group consisted of 13 normal test sites from non-epileptic tumor patients. A standard t-test showed significant difference between negative correlation time indices from the two groups at the wavelength combinations of 700-760 nm versus 550-580 nm. An empirical discrimination algorithm based on the negative correlation time indices in this range produced 100% sensitivity and 85% specificity. Based on these results time-dependent diffuse reflectance spectroscopy with optimized data analysis methods differentiates epileptic brain tissue from normal brain tissue adequately, therefore can be utilized for surgical guidance, and may enhance the surgical outcome of pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Brain structure correlates of emotion-based rash impulsivity

PubMed Central

Muhlert, N.; Lawrence, A.D.

2015-01-01

Negative urgency (the tendency to engage in rash, ill-considered action in response to intense negative emotions), is a personality trait that has been linked to problematic involvement in several risky and impulsive behaviours, and to various forms of disinhibitory psychopathology, but its neurobiological correlates are poorly understood. Here, we explored whether inter-individual variation in levels of trait negative urgency was associated with inter-individual variation in regional grey matter volumes. Using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in a sample (n = 152) of healthy participants, we found that smaller volumes of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and right temporal pole, regions previously linked to emotion appraisal, emotion regulation and emotion-based decision-making, were associated with higher levels of trait negative urgency. When controlling for other impulsivity linked personality traits (sensation seeking, lack of planning/perseverance) and negative emotionality per se (neuroticism), these associations remained, and an additional relationship was found between higher levels of trait negative urgency and smaller volumes of the left ventral striatum. This latter finding mirrors recent VBM findings in an animal model of impulsivity. Our findings offer novel insight into the brain structure correlates of one key source of inter-individual differences in impulsivity. PMID:25957991

Brain Structural Differences between Normal and Obese Adults and their Links with Lack of Perseverance, Negative Urgency, and Sensation Seeking.

PubMed

Wang, Haifeng; Wen, Baohong; Cheng, Jingliang; Li, Hongpeng

2017-01-16

In order to examine the difference in brain structure between obese and normal weight individuals, and to explore the relationship between the neuroanatomical changes and impulsivity traits, this study used a voxel-based morphometry method to examine gray matter (GM) volume alterations related to impulsive personality traits in obese individuals relative to normal weight. Eighty adults that completed the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale were analyzed. Possible GM volume alterations were first analyzed at the whole brain level, and then the relationship between regional GM volume differences and UPPS-P scores were examined in selected regions of interest. Reduced GM volumes were found in the frontal and limbic regions in the obese group compared to normal weight individuals. In the normal weight group, lack of perseverance was negatively correlated with GM volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, and negative urgency was negatively correlated with GM volume in the insula. In the obese group, sensation seeking was negatively correlated with GM volume in the left amygdala and right pallidum. These findings might improve our understanding of the relationship between lack of perseverance, negative urgency, and sensation seeking and body weight fluctuations.

Brain Structural Differences between Normal and Obese Adults and their Links with Lack of Perseverance, Negative Urgency, and Sensation Seeking

PubMed Central

Wang, Haifeng; Wen, Baohong; Cheng, Jingliang; Li, Hongpeng

2017-01-01

In order to examine the difference in brain structure between obese and normal weight individuals, and to explore the relationship between the neuroanatomical changes and impulsivity traits, this study used a voxel-based morphometry method to examine gray matter (GM) volume alterations related to impulsive personality traits in obese individuals relative to normal weight. Eighty adults that completed the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale were analyzed. Possible GM volume alterations were first analyzed at the whole brain level, and then the relationship between regional GM volume differences and UPPS-P scores were examined in selected regions of interest. Reduced GM volumes were found in the frontal and limbic regions in the obese group compared to normal weight individuals. In the normal weight group, lack of perseverance was negatively correlated with GM volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, and negative urgency was negatively correlated with GM volume in the insula. In the obese group, sensation seeking was negatively correlated with GM volume in the left amygdala and right pallidum. These findings might improve our understanding of the relationship between lack of perseverance, negative urgency, and sensation seeking and body weight fluctuations. PMID:28091559

Effect of the sagittal ankle angle at initial contact on energy dissipation in the lower extremity joints during a single-leg landing.

PubMed

Lee, Jinkyu; Song, Yongnam; Shin, Choongsoo S

2018-05-01

During landing, the ankle angle at initial contact (IC) exhibits relatively wide individual variation compared to the knee and hip angles. However, little is known about the effect of different IC ankle angles on energy dissipation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between individual ankle angles at IC and energy dissipation in the lower extremity joints. Twenty-seven adults performed single-leg landings from a 0.3-m height. Kinetics and kinematics of the lower extremity joints were measured. The relationship between ankle angles at IC and negative work, range of motion, the time to peak ground reaction force, and peak loading rate were analyzed. The ankle angle at IC was positively correlated with ankle negative work (r = 0.80, R 2  = 0.64, p < 0.001) and the contribution of the ankle to total (ankle, knee and hip joint) negative work (r = 0.84, R 2  = 0.70, p < 0.001), but the ankle angle was negatively correlated with hip negative work (r = -0.46, R 2  = 0.21, p = 0.01) and the contribution of the hip to total negative work (r = -0.61, R 2  = 0.37, p < 0.001). The knee negative work and the contribution of the knee to total negative work were not correlated with the ankle angle at IC. The ankle angle at IC was positively correlated with total negative work (r = 0.50, R 2  = 0.25, p < 0.01) and negatively correlated with the peak loading rate (r = -0.76, R 2  = 0.57, p < 0.001). These results indicated that landing mechanics changed as the ankle angle at IC increased, such that the ankle energy dissipation increased and redistributed the energy dissipation in the ankle and hip joints. Further, these results suggest that increased ankle energy dissipation with a higher IC plantar flexion angle may be a potential landing technique for reducing the risk of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament and hip musculature. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The stopping rate of negative cosmic-ray muons near sea level

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spannagel, G.; Fireman, E. L.

1971-01-01

A production rate of 0.065 + or - 0.003 Ar-37 atom/kg min of K-39 at 2-mwe depth below sea level was measured by sweeping argon from potassium solutions. This rate is unaffected by surrounding the solution by paraffin and is attributed to negative muon captures and the electromagnetic interaction of fast muons, and not to nucleonic cosmic ray component. The Ar-37 yield from K-39 by the stopping of negative muons in a muon beam of a synchrocyclotron was measured to be 8.5 + or - 1.7%. The stopping rate of negative cosmic ray muons at 2-mwe depth below sea level from these measurements and an estimated 17% electromagnetic production is 0.63 + or - 0.13 muon(-)/kg min. Previous measurements on the muon stopping rate vary by a factor of 5. Our value is slightly higher but is consistent with two previous high values. The sensitivity of the Ar-37 radiochemical method for the detection of muons is considerably higher than that of the previous radiochemical methods and could be used to measure the negative muon capture rates at greater depths.

Genetic correlations of mid-infrared-predicted milk fatty acid groups with milk production traits.

PubMed

Fleming, A; Schenkel, F S; Malchiodi, F; Ali, R A; Mallard, B; Sargolzaei, M; Jamrozik, J; Johnston, J; Miglior, F

2018-05-01

The objective of this research was to estimate the genetic correlations between milk mid-infrared-predicted fatty acid groups and production traits in first-parity Canadian Holsteins. Contents of short-chain, medium-chain, long-chain, saturated, and unsaturated fatty acid groupings in milk samples can be predicted using mid-infrared spectral data for cows enrolled in milk recording programs. Predicted fatty acid group contents were obtained for 49,127 test-day milk samples from 10,029 first-parity Holstein cows in 810 herds. Milk yield, fat and protein yield, fat and protein percentage, fat-to-protein ratio, and somatic cell score were also available for these test days. Genetic parameters were estimated for the fatty acid groups and production traits using multiple-trait random regression test day models by Bayesian methods via Gibbs sampling. Three separate 8- or 9-trait analyses were performed, including the 5 fatty acid groups with different combinations of the production traits. Posterior standard deviations ranged from <0.001 to 0.01. Average daily genetic correlations were negative and similar to each other for the fatty acid groups with milk yield (-0.62 to -0.59) and with protein yield (-0.32 to -0.25). Weak and positive average daily genetic correlations were found between somatic cell score and the fatty acid groups (from 0.25 to 0.36). Stronger genetic correlations with fat yield, fat and protein percentage, and fat-to-protein ratio were found with medium-chain and saturated fatty acid groups compared with those with long-chain and unsaturated fatty acid groups. Genetic correlations were very strong between the fatty acid groups and fat percentage, ranging between 0.88 for unsaturated and 0.99 for saturated fatty acids. Daily genetic correlations from 5 to 305 d in milk with milk, protein yield and percentage, and somatic cell score traits showed similar patterns for all fatty acid groups. The daily genetic correlations with fat yield at the beginning of lactation were decreasing for long-chain and unsaturated fatty acid groups and increasing for short-chain fatty acids. Genetic correlations between fat percentage and fatty acids were increasing at the beginning of lactation for short- and medium-chain and saturated fatty acids, but slightly decreasing for long-chain and unsaturated fatty acid groups. These results can be used in defining fatty acid traits and breeding objectives. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relationship between the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised and the MMPI-2: a pilot study.

PubMed

Hansen, Anita L; Stokkeland, Lisa; Johnsen, Bjørn Helge; Pallesen, Ståle; Waage, Leif

2013-04-01

The goal of the study was to investigate the relationship between Hare's four-facet model of psychopathy and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) in a forensic, culturally homogenous sample. 22 male prisoners from Bergen Prison participated. There was only a statistically significant negative zero-order correlation between the total PCL-R score and the score on the Depression scale of the MMPI-2. However, the results revealed that the four facets had different underlying correlates with negative affectivity. Overall, Facets 1 and 2 showed a tendency toward a negative relationship with the clinical scales on the MMPI-2, while Facets 3 and 4 had a positive relationship. Interestingly, partial correlations showed that Facet 4 of PCL-R was the only facet that correlated statistically significantly with the scores on the Psychopathic Deviate scale of the MMPI-2.

Relationship among self-esteem, psychological reactance, and other personality variables.

PubMed

Joubert, C E

1990-06-01

69 women and 42 men responded to the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory, the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Hong Psychological Reactance Scale, and the Famous Sayings test. Also, subjects rated their happiness using a Likert scale. Men scored significantly higher than did women on the UCLA Loneliness, Hostility, and Psychological Reactance measures, and lower on the Conventional Mores and Social Acquiescence measures. Loneliness scores positively correlated with Psychological Reactance scores and negatively with Self-esteem and Conventional Mores scores and with happiness self-ratings for both sexes. Men who scored higher on Psychological Reactance tended to score lower on Conventional Mores. Happiness ratings correlated negatively with Psychological Reactance for all subjects and positively with Conventional Mores for men subjects only. Women's self-esteem scores correlated positively with self-ratings of happiness and negatively with Psychological Reactance, Hostility, and Fear of Failure. Finally, women's Psychological Reactance scores correlated positively with those on Bass's Fear of Failure scale.

[Object-oriented remote sensing image classification in epidemiological studies of visceral leishmaniasis in urban areas].

PubMed

Almeida, Andréa Sobral de; Werneck, Guilherme Loureiro; Resendes, Ana Paula da Costa

2014-08-01

This study explored the use of object-oriented classification of remote sensing imagery in epidemiological studies of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in urban areas. To obtain temperature and environmental information, an object-oriented classification approach was applied to Landsat 5 TM scenes from the city of Teresina, Piauí State, Brazil. For 1993-1996, VL incidence rates correlated positively with census tracts covered by dense vegetation, grass/pasture, and bare soil and negatively with areas covered by water and densely populated areas. In 2001-2006, positive correlations were found with dense vegetation, grass/pasture, bare soil, and densely populated areas and negative correlations with occupied urban areas with some vegetation. Land surface temperature correlated negatively with VL incidence in both periods. Object-oriented classification can be useful to characterize landscape features associated with VL in urban areas and to help identify risk areas in order to prioritize interventions.

Negative correlation between body mass index category and physical activity perceptions in children.

PubMed

Van Zant, R Scott; Toney, Julie

2012-10-01

Children's physical activity (PA) choices are influenced by their perceived ability (adequacy) and inclination toward (predilection) PA. The study's purpose was to determine the association of body mass index (BMI) category with PA perceptions in sixth-grade children. A total of 267 children (119 boys, 148 girls; age 11+ y; ht 1.53 SD 0.08 m; wt 49.0 SD 13.5 kg; BMI 20.7 SD 4.8) provided informed consent and completed the study. All were measured for body weight and height and completed the Children's Self-perceptions of Adequacy in and Predilection for Physical Activity (CSAPPA) scale. Spearman rank-order correlation analysis was conducted between total CSAPPA score (and three factor scores of adequacy, predilection, and enjoyment) and BMI category relative to gender, body weight classification and for all children. A significant negative correlation was identified between BMI category (p<0.01) and CSAPPA total, adequacy, and predilection score for all children. Girls (but not boys) showed significant negative correlation between BMI category and all CSAPPA scores. A significant negative correlation in BMI category and PA perceptions exists in children, with the relationship being stronger in girls. Children with increased BMI may have adverse perceptions of PA and risks for sedentary behavior.

A study on work stress, stress coping strategies and health promoting lifestyle among district hospital nurses in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lee, Wei-Lun; Tsai, Shieunt-Han; Tsai, Chao-Wen; Lee, Chia-Ying

2011-01-01

To determine work stress, and stress-coping strategies, and to analyze their the relationships in order to improve health-promoting lifestyle of nurses in Taiwan. Three hundred eighty-five nurses who had work experience for more than 6 mo, were selected from four district hospitals in Kaohsiung and Ping Tung. We used a stratified cluster random sampling method for the selection. The nurses answered a self-report questionnaire, which was categorized into four sections: personal background data, work stress, stress-coping strategies, and health-promoting lifestyle. The findings indicate work stress and the health promoting lifestyle of nurses are at a higher level, with stress-coping strategies being at a medium level. Work stress and stress-coping strategies were significantly and positively correlated. Professional relationships, managerial role, personal responsibility, and recognition of work stress and the responsibilities of a health-promoting lifestyle were negatively correlated. Managerial role, personal responsibility, and organizational atmosphere of work stress as well as realization, an item of health-promoting lifestyle, were negatively correlated. Recognition of work stress and stress management, items of health-promoting lifestyle, were negatively correlated. Health responsibility, and self-actualization, items of health-promoting lifestyle, as well as stress-coping strategies were negatively correlated. Nutrition, an item of health-promoting lifestyle, and the support stress-coping strategy was negatively correlated. Nurses have greater work pressure and better work stress-coping strategies, but worse health responsibility and realization of a health-promoting lifestyle. We suggest hospitals build good relationships and appropriately increase employment of nurses through a good work atmosphere to achieve nurses' realization of a health-promoting lifestyle.

Within-Subject Correlation Analysis to Detect Functional Areas Associated With Response Inhibition.

PubMed

Yamasaki, Tomoko; Ogawa, Akitoshi; Osada, Takahiro; Jimura, Koji; Konishi, Seiki

2018-01-01

Functional areas in fMRI studies are often detected by brain-behavior correlation, calculating across-subject correlation between the behavioral index and the brain activity related to a function of interest. Within-subject correlation analysis is also employed in a single subject level, which utilizes cognitive fluctuations in a shorter time period by correlating the behavioral index with the brain activity across trials. In the present study, the within-subject analysis was applied to the stop-signal task, a standard task to probe response inhibition, where efficiency of response inhibition can be evaluated by the stop-signal reaction time (SSRT). Since the SSRT is estimated, by definition, not in a trial basis but from pooled trials, the correlation across runs was calculated between the SSRT and the brain activity related to response inhibition. The within-subject correlation revealed negative correlations in the anterior cingulate cortex and the cerebellum. Moreover, the dissociation pattern was observed in the within-subject analysis when earlier vs. later parts of the runs were analyzed: negative correlation was dominant in earlier runs, whereas positive correlation was dominant in later runs. Regions of interest analyses revealed that the negative correlation in the anterior cingulate cortex, but not in the cerebellum, was dominant in earlier runs, suggesting multiple mechanisms associated with inhibitory processes that fluctuate on a run-by-run basis. These results indicate that the within-subject analysis compliments the across-subject analysis by highlighting different aspects of cognitive/affective processes related to response inhibition.

Parental satisfaction of U.S. physicians: associated factors and comparison with the general U.S. working population.

PubMed

Shanafelt, Tait D; Hasan, Omar; Hayes, Sharonne; Sinsky, Christine A; Satele, Daniel; Sloan, Jeff; West, Colin P; Dyrbye, Lotte N

2016-08-27

Physicians work considerably longer hours and are less satisfied with work-life balance than U.S. workers in other fields. There is, however, minimal data on physicians' parental satisfaction. To evaluate differences in parental satisfaction among physicians and workers in other fields, we surveyed U.S. physicians as well as a probability-based sample of the general U.S. working population between August 2014-October 2014. Parental satisfaction and the perceived impact of career on relationships with children were evaluated. Among 6880 responding physicians (cooperation rate 19.2 %), 5582 (81.1 %) had children. Overall, physicians were satisfied in their relationships with their children, with 4782 (85.9 %) indicating that they were either very satisfied [n = 2738; (49.2 %)] or satisfied [n = 2044 (36.7 %)]. In contrast, less than half believed their career had made either a major [n = 1212; (21.8 %)] or minor positive [n = 1260; (22.7 %)] impact on their relationship with their children, with a slightly larger proportion indicating a major (n = 2071 [37.2 %]) or minor (n = 501 [9 %]) negative impact. Women physicians were less likely to believe their career had made a positive impact as were younger physicians. Hours worked/week inversely correlated with the belief that career had made a positive impact on relationships with children. Both men (OR: 2.75; p < 0.0001) and women (OR: 4.33; p < 0.0001) physicians were significantly more likely to report that their career had a negative impact on relationships with their children than the sex-matched U.S. working population. U.S. physicians report generally high satisfaction in their relationships with their children. Despite their high satisfaction, physicians have a more negative perception of the impact of their career on relationships with their children than U.S. workers in general.

Evaluation of the new restandardized Abbott Architect 25-OH Vitamin D assay in vitamin D-insufficient and vitamin D-supplemented individuals.

PubMed

Annema, Wijtske; Nowak, Albina; von Eckardstein, Arnold; Saleh, Lanja

2017-09-19

Recently, Abbott Diagnostics has restandardized the Architect 25(OH)D assay against the NIST SRM 2972. We have evaluated the analytical and clinical performance of the restandardized Architect 25(OH)D assay and compared its performance with a NIST-traceable liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method and the Roche total 25(OH)D assay in vitamin D-insufficient individuals before and after vitamin D 3 supplementation. Frozen serum samples were obtained from 88 healthy subjects with self-perceived fatigue and vitamin D-insufficiency <50 nmol L -1 who were randomized to receive a single 100 000 IU dose of vitamin D 3 (n = 48) or placebo (n = 40). Total 25(OH)D concentrations were measured before and 4 weeks after supplementation by the restandardized Architect 25(OH)D assay, LC-MS/MS, and Roche assay. The Architect 25(OH)D assay showed an intra- and inter-assay imprecision of <5%. Comparison of the Architect assay with the LC-MS/MS method showed a good correlation in both vitamin D-insufficient and vitamin D-supplemented subjects, however, with a negative mean bias of 17.4% and 8.9%, respectively. As compared to the Roche assay, the Abbott assay underestimated 25(OH)D results in insufficient subjects (<50 nmol L -1 ) with a mean negative bias of 17.1%, this negative bias turned into a positive bias in supplemented subjects. Overall there was a moderate agreement in classification of vitamin D-insufficient and -supplemented individuals into different vitamin D states between the Architect 25(OH)D method and LC-MS/MS. The routine use of the restandardized Architect 25(OH)D results in a slight underestimation of circulating total 25(OH)D levels at lower concentrations and thus potential misclassification of vitamin D status. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.