Correlation Between Body Movements and Salivary Secretion During Sedation.

PubMed

Sasaki, Yoko; Kato, Seiichi; Miura, Masaaki; Fukayama, Haruhisa

2016-01-01

During dental sedation, control of the cough reflex is crucial for a safe and smooth procedure. Accumulated saliva is one of the predisposing factors for coughing. Body movements during dental sedation appear to enhance salivation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the difference in salivary secretion between the with-movements state and the without-movements state during sedation. Salivary weight for 1 min was measured 3 times in 27 patients with intellectual disability during dental treatment under deep sedation with midazolam and propofol. The observed variables were body movements, bispectral index (BIS), and predicted propofol effect-site concentration. A total of 81 measurements were classified into the with-movements state (n = 39; ie, measurements during which body movements were observed) or the without-movements state (n = 42; ie, measurements during which no body movements were observed). The median salivary weight was significantly smaller in the without-movements state compared with the with-movements state (0.03 vs 0.11 g, P < .0001). The BIS was significantly lower in the without-movements state. There was no significant difference in the predicted propofol effect-site concentration between the 2 states. Significant correlation was observed between salivary weight and BIS in the with-movements state (r = 0.44, P = .004). The findings indicate that salivary secretion decreased according to deep sedation. Furthermore, immobility also reduced salivary secretion. We concluded that one reason that immobility is beneficial is because of the resulting decreased salivary secretion during dental treatment under deep sedation.

The Impact of State Medical Malpractice Reform on Individual-Level Health Care Expenditures.

PubMed

Yu, Hao; Greenberg, Michael; Haviland, Amelia

2017-12-01

Past studies of the impact of state-level medical malpractice reforms on health spending produced mixed findings. Particularly salient is the evidence gap concerning the effect of different types of malpractice reform. This study aims to fill the gap. It extends the literature by examining the general population, not a subgroup or a specific health condition, and controlling for individual-level sociodemographic and health status. We merged the Database of State Tort Law Reforms with the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey between 1996 and 2012. We took a difference-in-differences approach to specify a two-part model for analyzing individual-level health spending. We applied the recycled prediction method and the bootstrapping technique to examining the difference in health spending growth between states with and without a reform. All expenditures were converted to 2010 U.S. dollars. Only two of the 10 major state-level malpractice reforms had significant impacts on the growth of individual-level health expenditures. The average annual expenditures in states with caps on attorney contingency fees increased less than that in states without the reform (p < .05). Compared with states with traditional contributory negligence rule, the average annual expenditures increased more in both states with a pure comparative fault reform (p < .05) and states with a comparative fault reform that barred recovery if the plaintiff's fault was equal to or greater than the defendant's (p < .05). A few state-level malpractice reforms had significantly affected the growth of individual-level health spending, and the direction and magnitude of the effects differed by type of reform. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Comparison of the effect of lavender and bitter orange on anxiety in postmenopausal women: A triple-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Farshbaf-Khalili, Azizeh; Kamalifard, Mahin; Namadian, Mahsa

2018-05-01

This trial compared the effects of lavender and bitter orange on anxiety in postmenopausal women. This trial was conducted in 2015. Eligible postmenopausal women were allocated into one of two intervention groups or a control group (n = 52 per group) in a 1:1:1 ratio using a randomized block design. Intervention groups received 500 mg capsules containing only bitter orange or lavender flower powder, and the control group received 500 mg capsules containing starch. The Spielberger's State -Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used before and eight weeks after starting the intervention. Data analyses were based on intention to treat. A one-way ANOVA showed no significant difference in mean state anxiety (P = 0.254) and trait anxiety (p = 0.972) score among the three groups before the intervention. The general linear model, adjusted for baseline state and trait anxiety scores and confounding factors, showed significant differences among the groups in the mean state anxiety (P = 0.010) and trait anxiety (p = 0.041) score after eight weeks of treatment. Bitter orange significantly reduced the mean state-anxiety scores compared with the control group [Adjusted Mean Difference (aMD): -1.99 (95% Confidence Interval, -3.64 to -0.34)]. Lavender significantly reduced the mean state-anxiety scores compared with the control group as well [aMD: -2.45 (95% CI -4.13 to -0.77)] and Bitter orange significantly reduced the mean trait-anxiety scores compared with the control group [aMD: -1.76 (95% CI -3.45 to -0.06)]. Lavender significantly reduced the mean trait-anxiety scores compared with the control group as well [aMD: -2.05 (95% CI -3.76 to -0.33)]. There was no significant difference between bitter orange and lavender groups after intervention in the mean trait-anxiety (p = 0.731) or state-anxiety (p = 0.578) scores. The positive effect of bitter orange and lavender on anxiety in postmenopausal women suggests that they can be used to decrease anxiety in such women. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Different Enlistment Ages on First-Term Attrition Rate

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

enlistment age, other variables that may affect attrition are also evaluated; gender , marital status, education level, race, annual state ...Unemployment rates by states were included in the regressions. The study concluded that enlistment ages do significantly affect the attrition of...education level; different enlistment age dummies between 18 and 42; female or male; and AFQT Cat. Unemployment rates by states were included in the

Lignin characteristics in soil profiles of different plant communities in a subtropical mixed forest in Central China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, F.; Wang, X.

2016-12-01

Lignin is widely considered as a major source of stable soil carbon, its content and degradation states are important indicators of soil carbon quality and stability. Few studies have explored the effects of plant communities on lignin characteristics in soils, and studies on lignin characteristics across soil depths resulted in contradictory findings. In this study, we investigated the lignin contents, their degradation states in the soil aggregates across three soil depths for four major plant communities in a subtropical mixed forest in central China. We found that lignin content in the litter of two deciduous species (Carpinus fargesii CF and Fagus Lucida FL) are higher than that in the two evergreen species ( Cyclobalanopsis multinervis CM and Schima parviflora SP). These differences maintained in the soil with a diminished scale. Lignin content showed a decreased trend in soil profiles of all plant communities, but no significant differences of degradation states were observed. The distribution of aggregation fractions was significantly different among plant communities, the SP community have higher percent of >2000 μm fraction (50.46%) and lower percent of <0.25 μm fraction (12.87%) than the CF community (40.05%, 21.90% respectively). The lignin content increased with decreasing aggregations size, however, no significant differences of lignin degradation states was observed among the four size aggregations. These results collectively reveal the influence of plant communities on lignin characteristics in soil, probably through litter input. Similar degradation states of lignin across soil profile and different size aggregates emphasized the importance of lignin movements association with soil water. This knowledge of lignin characteristics across soil profile can improve our understanding of soil carbon stability at different depths and how it may respond to changes in soil conditions.

Is sexual concordance related to awareness of physiological states?

PubMed

Suschinsky, Kelly D; Lalumière, Martin L

2012-02-01

Sexual concordance refers to the degree to which two aspects of human sexual arousal (genital response and self-reported sexual arousal) correspond with each other. Researchers have consistently reported a sex difference in sexual concordance: The relationship between genital responses and reported feelings of sexual arousal in men is positive and large, whereas the relationship in women is positive but much smaller than that seen in men. The study of interoception--people's awareness of their physiological states--reveals a similar sex difference: Men are more aware of a variety of (non-genital) responses (e.g., heart rate) than women in the laboratory. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether the sex difference in sexual concordance was related to a broader sex difference in interoception. Twenty men and 20 women were presented with twelve 90 s sexual and non-sexual film clips while their genital responses, heart rate, and respiration rate were measured. Participants also estimated their physiological responses. As expected, men were significantly more sexually concordant than women. Men were also significantly more aware of their heart rate, but there was no significant sex difference in respiration rate awareness. Sexual concordance was not significantly correlated with either heart rate or respiration rate awareness. The results suggest that the sex difference in sexual concordance may be a unique phenomenon, separate from general awareness of physiological states.

National Culture-Management Practices: United States and Saudi Arabia Contrasted.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hashmi, Mahmud S.

Successful conduct of business in Saudi Arabia requires attitudes and skills significantly different from those needed in the United States. Distinct societal differences can turn winning practices in one culture into failures in another. Despite Saudi Arabia's recent emergence as a wealthy marketplace, traditional values and a unique lifestyle…

Effect of Frozen Human Epidermis Storage Duration and Cryoprotectant on Barrier Function using Two Model Compounds

PubMed Central

Barbero, Ana M.; Frasch, H. Frederick

2015-01-01

Skin is commonly stored frozen and then thawed prior to use for in-vitro permeation experiments. Does frozen storage of skin alter its barrier property? Numerous studies have found contradictory answers to this question. In this study, the steady state flux and lag time of diethyl phthalate (DEP) were measured for fresh human skin and skin frozen at −85 °C for 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months, with 10% glycerol as cryoprotective agent. No significant differences in steady state flux were found between fresh and previously frozen samples (P = 0.6). For lag time, a significant (P = 0.002) difference was found among all groups but comparisons with fresh skin were not significant. Does glycerol have a cryoprotective effect? The steady state flux and lag time of DEP and caffeine were measured through human skin stored at −85 °C for up to 12 months with and without 10 % glycerol. No significant differences in steady state flux or lag time were found between samples stored with or without glycerol for either DEP or caffeine (P ≥ 0.17). These findings support the use of frozen skin to measure the passive permeation of chemicals in studies unconcerned with viability and metabolism. PMID:26606593

5-HTTLPR Polymorphism Impacts Task-Evoked and Resting-State Activities of the Amygdala in Han Chinese

PubMed Central

Li, Sufang; Zou, Qihong; Li, Jun; Li, Jin; Wang, Deyi; Yan, Chaogan; Dong, Qi; Zang, Yu-Feng

2012-01-01

Background Prior research has shown that the amygdala of carriers of the short allele (s) of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene (5-HTTLPR) have a larger response to negative emotional stimuli and higher spontaneous activity during the resting state than non-carriers. However, recent studies have suggested that the effects of 5-HTTLPR may be specific to different ethnic groups. Few studies have been conducted to address this issue. Methodology/Principal Findings Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was conducted on thirty-eight healthy Han Chinese subjects (l/l group, n = 19; s/s group, n = 19) during the resting state and during an emotional processing task. Compared with the s/s group, the l/l group showed significantly increased regional homogeneity or local synchronization in the right amygdala during the resting state (|t|>2.028, p<0.05, corrected), but no significant difference was found in the bilateral amygdala in response to negative stimuli in the emotional processing task. Conclusions/Significance 5-HTTLPR can alter the spontaneous activity of the amygdala in Han Chinese. However, the effect of 5-HTTLPR on the amygdala both in task state and resting state in Asian population was no similar with Caucasians. They suggest that the effect of 5-HTTLPR on the amygdala may be modulated by ethnic differences. PMID:22574175

Comparisons and contrasts in the practice of nuclear cardiology in the United States and Japan.

PubMed

DePuey, E Gordon

2016-12-01

There are interesting differences between the practice of Nuclear Cardiology in Japan and that in the United States and associated unique challenges. Differences in patient body habitus and the perceived importance of limiting patient radiation dose have resulted in different radiopharmaceutical and imaging protocol preferences. Governmental approval and reimbursement policies for various radiopharmaceuticals have promulgated adoption of different clinical applications. Both countries have experienced a significant decline in the number of nuclear cardiology studies performed, in part due to decreased governmental funding and reimbursement and to the emergence of competing modalities. Whereas precertification and test substitution have impacted negatively on the sustainability and growth of nuclear cardiology in the United States, in Japan those deterrents have not yet been encountered. Instead, communication barriers between nuclear medicine physicians and referring cardiologists are cited as a more significant barrier.

Intestinal Helminths in Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) from Arizona, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, K.A.; Franson, J.C.; Kinsella, J.M.; Hollmen, T.; Hansen, S.P.; Hollmen, A.

2004-01-01

We examined 115 hunter-killed mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) from 4 states (Arizona, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee, U.S.A.) in 1998 and 1999 to investigate geographical variation in the prevalence and intensity of intestinal helminth infections. Four intestinal helminth species were identified: Killigrewia delafondi, Ornithostrongylus crami, Ascaridia columbae, and Capillaria obsignata. The number of worms (all helminth species combined) per infected bird ranged from 1 to 166 (mean ± SE = 12.7 ± 7.45, median = 2.0). Filarids. Aproctella stoddardi, were found in 2 birds but were probably adhering to the outside of the intestine. Overall, 18% of the doves were infected with 1 or more species of helminths. The percentage of doves infected with at least 1 helminth species varied from 4% in Arizona to 27% in South Carolina. Mixed infections occurred in only 3 individuals (14% of infected birds). We found no significant differences in prevalence of infection among any of the 4 helminths by host age or sex, and prevalences were too low to test for differences among states. The intensity of O. crami was higher in males than in females but did not differ significantly among states. Intensities of the other 3 helminths did not differ by sex or state, and we found no differences in helminth intensity by age. Intestinal length was significantly greater in infected than in uninfected birds.

Comparing shame in clinical and nonclinical populations: Preliminary findings.

PubMed

Dyer, Kevin F W; Dorahy, Martin J; Corry, Mary; Black, Rebecca; Matheson, Laura; Coles, Holly; Curran, David; Seager, Lenaire; Middleton, Warwick

2017-03-01

To conduct a preliminary study comparing different trauma and clinical populations on types of shame coping style and levels of state shame and guilt. A mixed independent groups/correlational design was employed. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling of 3 clinical populations-complex trauma (n = 65), dissociative identity disorder (DID; n = 20), and general mental health (n = 41)-and a control group of healthy volunteers (n = 125). All participants were given (a) the Compass of Shame Scale, which measures the four common shame coping behaviors/styles of "withdrawal," "attack self," "attack other," and "avoidance," and (b) the State Shame and Guilt Scale, which assesses state shame, guilt, and pride. The DID group exhibited significantly higher levels of "attack self," "withdrawal," and "avoidance" relative to the other groups. The complex trauma and general mental health groups did not differ on any shame variable. All three clinical groups had significantly greater levels of the "withdrawal" coping style and significantly impaired shame/guilt/pride relative to the healthy volunteers. "Attack self" emerged as a significant predictor of increased state shame in the complex trauma, general mental health, and healthy volunteer groups, whereas "withdrawal" was the sole predictor of state shame in the DID group. DID emerged as having a different profile of shame processes compared to the other clinical groups, whereas the complex trauma and general mental health groups had comparable shame levels and variable relationships. These differential profiles of shame coping and state shame are discussed with reference to assessment and treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Assessing variability and trends in Arctic sea ice distribution using satellite data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belchansky, G.I.; Mordvintsev, Ilia N.; Douglas, David C.

1996-01-01

A survey of organochlorine residues in woodcock wings was undertaken to determine whether these wings are suitable for showing regional differences in residues and to obtain a baseline in 1970-71 for later comparisons. Woodcock wings were obtained from the annual hunter's wing survey. Samples came from eight States (Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) and one tri-State area (North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia). Wings from the tri-State area contained significantly higher (P<0.01) concentrations of DDT (including DDT, DDD, and DDE) than those from other States. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) also were significantly higher (P<0.05) in samples from these three States. Wings from Louisiana and the tri-State area had significantly higher (P<0.01) concentrations of dieldrin than wings from the other States, and those from Louisiana had significantly higher (P < 0.01) concentrations of mirex than those from other States. (Residues are on lipid base) The compounds detected and the ranges of residue means for all sampling areas were as follows: Total DDT (5.89--65.15 ppm); DDT (0.34 m--14.93 ppm); DDE (4.66--47.47 ppm); DDD (0.11--3.44 ppm); mirex (0.76--16.93 ppm); dieldrin (0.09--3.06 ppm); and PCB's (4.27--8.63 ppm). Woodcock wings appear to be suitable for determining regional differences in organochlorine residues in this species.

Good medicine for conservation biology: The intersection of epidemiology and conservation theory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lafferty, Kevin D.; Gerber, Leah R.

2002-01-01

A survey of organochlorine residues in woodcock wings was undertaken to determine whether these wings are suitable for showing regional differences in residues and to obtain a baseline in 1970-71 for later comparisons. Woodcock wings were obtained from the annual hunter's wing survey. Samples came from eight States (Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) and one tri-State area (North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia). Wings from the tri-State area contained significantly higher (P<0.01) concentrations of DDT (including DDT, DDD, and DDE) than those from other States. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's) also were significantly higher (P<0.05) in samples from these three States. Wings from Louisiana and the tri-State area had significantly higher (P<0.01) concentrations of dieldrin than wings from the other States, and those from Louisiana had significantly higher (P < 0.01) concentrations of mirex than those from other States. (Residues are on lipid base) The compounds detected and the ranges of residue means for all sampling areas were as follows: Total DDT (5.89--65.15 ppm); DDT (0.34 m--14.93 ppm); DDE (4.66--47.47 ppm); DDD (0.11--3.44 ppm); mirex (0.76--16.93 ppm); dieldrin (0.09--3.06 ppm); and PCB's (4.27--8.63 ppm). Woodcock wings appear to be suitable for determining regional differences in organochlorine residues in this species.

Sex Differences in the Relationship of Anger and Depression: An Empirical Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Jody L.; Gray, Elizabeth A.; Fuqua, Dale R.

1999-01-01

A comparison of mean scores on the Beck Depression Inventory and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory scales revealed that women scored significantly higher than men on depression, whereas there were no significant differences on any of the six anger scales. These findings support further research on functional affective differences between men…

Homeless Liaisons' Perceptions of McKinney-Vento Act Implementation: Examining Geographical Trends and Differences.

PubMed

Mullins, Mary H; Wilkins, Brittany T; Mahan, Amber; Bouldin, Jessica Brooke

2016-01-01

The number of children experiencing homelessness continues to rise at alarming rates. Schools are on the front lines of service delivery and face numerous barriers in an attempt to meet the educational and psychosocial needs of these children. This study explored the perceptions of homeless liaisons in three states about the implementation of the McKinney Vento Act within the school districts. While no differences were found across the states, significant differences were found between rural and urban geographic densities in the perceived implementation of the federal legislation. The significant differences relate to collaboration within the community and resonate with the lack of resources available to the families experiencing homelessness in rural areas.

Evaluation of the Performance of Texas Pavements Made with Different Coarse Aggregates

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-10-01

This report summarizes 23 years of work undertaken in Texas to understand the reasons for significant performance differences found in pavements placed around the state. To a significant degree, pavement performance can be predicted based on the conc...

Emergency department waiting times: Do the raw data tell the whole story?

PubMed

Green, Janette; Dawber, James; Masso, Malcolm; Eagar, Kathy

2014-02-01

To determine whether there are real differences in emergency department (ED) performance between Australian states and territories. Cross-sectional analysis of 2009-10 attendances at an ED contributing to the Australian non-admitted patient ED care database. The main outcome measure was difference in waiting time across triage categories. There were more than 5.8 million ED attendances. Raw ED waiting times varied by a range of factors including jurisdiction, triage category, geographic location and hospital peer group. All variables were significant in a model designed to test the effect of jurisdiction on ED waiting times, including triage category, hospital peer group, patient socioeconomic status and patient remoteness. When the interaction between triage category and jurisdiction entered the model, it was found to have a significant effect on ED waiting times (P<0.001) and triage was also significant (P<0.001). Jurisdiction was no longer statistically significant (P=0.248 using all triage categories and 0.063 using only Australian Triage Scale 2 and 3). Although the Council of Australian Governments has adopted raw measures for its key ED performance indicators, raw waiting time statistics are misleading. There are no consistent differences in ED waiting times between states and territories after other factors are accounted for. WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE TOPIC? The length of time patients wait to be treated after presenting at an ED is routinely used to measure ED performance. In national health agreements with the federal government, each state and territory in Australia is expected to meet waiting time performance targets for the five ED triage categories. The raw data indicate differences in performance between states and territories. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD? Measuring ED performance using raw data gives misleading results. There are no consistent differences in ED waiting times between the states and territories after other factors are taken into account. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTITIONERS? Judgements regarding differences in performance across states and territories for triage waiting times need to take into account the mix of patients and the mix of hospitals.

Volitional components of consciousness vary across wakefulness, dreaming and lucid dreaming

PubMed Central

Dresler, Martin; Eibl, Leandra; Fischer, Christian F. J.; Wehrle, Renate; Spoormaker, Victor I.; Steiger, Axel; Czisch, Michael; Pawlowski, Marcel

2014-01-01

Consciousness is a multifaceted concept; its different aspects vary across species, vigilance states, or health conditions. While basal aspects of consciousness like perceptions and emotions are present in many states and species, higher-order aspects like reflective or volitional capabilities seem to be most pronounced in awake humans. Here we assess the experience of volition across different states of consciousness: 10 frequent lucid dreamers rated different aspects of volition according to the Volitional Components Questionnaire for phases of normal dreaming, lucid dreaming, and wakefulness. Overall, experienced volition was comparable for lucid dreaming and wakefulness, and rated significantly higher for both states compared to non-lucid dreaming. However, three subscales showed specific differences across states of consciousness: planning ability was most pronounced during wakefulness, intention enactment most pronounced during lucid dreaming, and self-determination most pronounced during both wakefulness and lucid dreaming. Our data confirm the multifaceted nature of consciousness: different higher-order aspects of consciousness are differentially expressed across different conscious states. PMID:24427149

Volitional components of consciousness vary across wakefulness, dreaming and lucid dreaming.

PubMed

Dresler, Martin; Eibl, Leandra; Fischer, Christian F J; Wehrle, Renate; Spoormaker, Victor I; Steiger, Axel; Czisch, Michael; Pawlowski, Marcel

2014-01-01

Consciousness is a multifaceted concept; its different aspects vary across species, vigilance states, or health conditions. While basal aspects of consciousness like perceptions and emotions are present in many states and species, higher-order aspects like reflective or volitional capabilities seem to be most pronounced in awake humans. Here we assess the experience of volition across different states of consciousness: 10 frequent lucid dreamers rated different aspects of volition according to the Volitional Components Questionnaire for phases of normal dreaming, lucid dreaming, and wakefulness. Overall, experienced volition was comparable for lucid dreaming and wakefulness, and rated significantly higher for both states compared to non-lucid dreaming. However, three subscales showed specific differences across states of consciousness: planning ability was most pronounced during wakefulness, intention enactment most pronounced during lucid dreaming, and self-determination most pronounced during both wakefulness and lucid dreaming. Our data confirm the multifaceted nature of consciousness: different higher-order aspects of consciousness are differentially expressed across different conscious states.

The relationship between performance and flow state in tennis competition.

PubMed

Koehn, S; Morris, T

2012-08-01

The study aimed to examine 1) the validity of the nine-factor flow model in tennis competition; 2) differences in flow state between athletes who won or lost their competition match; 3) the link between flow and subjective performance; and 4) flow dimensions as predictors of performance outcome The sample consisted of 188 junior tennis players (115 male, 73 female) between 12 and 18 years of age. Participants' performance was recorded during junior ranking-list tournaments. Following the completion of a tennis competition match, participants completed the Flow State Scale-2 and a subjective performance outcome measure. Acceptable flow model fit indices of CFI, TLI, SRMR, and RMSEA were only found for winning athletes. The group of winning athletes scored significantly higher on all nine flow dimensions, except time transformation, than losing athletes, showing statistically significant differences for challenge-skills balance, clear goals, sense of control, and autotelic experience. Significant correlation coefficients were found between flow state and subjective performance assessments. The binary logistic regression revealed concentration on the task and sense of control to be significant predictors of performance outcome. The predictor variables explained 13% of the variance in games won. The study showed that athletes who win or lose perceived flow state differently. Studies using retrospective assessments need to be aware that subjective experience could be biased by performance outcomes. Pinpointing psychological variables and their impact on ecologically valid measures, such as performance results, would support the development of effective intervention studies to increase performance in sport competition.

Synthesis and photophysical properties of a single bond linked tetracene dimer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Tingting; Shen, Li; Liu, Heyuan; Sun, Xuan; Li, Xiyou

2016-07-01

A tetracene dimer linked directly by a single bond has been successfully prepared by using electron withdrawing groups to improve the stability. The molecular structure of this dimer is characterized by 1H NMR, MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The minimized molecular structure and X-ray crystallography reveal that the tetracene subunits of this dimer adopt an orthogonal configuration. Its absorption spectrum differs significantly from that of its monomeric counterpart, suggesting the presence of strong interactions between the two tetracene subunits. The excited state of this dimer is delocalized on both two tetracene subunits, which is significantly different from that of orthogonal anthracene dimers, but similar with that observed for orthogonal pentacene dimer. Most of the excited states of this dimer decay by radioactive channels, which is different from the localized twisted charge transfer state (LTCT) channel of anthracene dimers and the singlet fission (SF) channel of pentacene dimers. The results of this research suggest that similar orthogonal configurations caused different propertied for acene dimers with different conjugation length.

Young People’s More Permissive Views About Marijuana: Local Impact of State Laws or National Trend?

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Laurie M.; Spetz, Joanne

2016-01-01

Objectives. To determine whether state medical marijuana laws “send the wrong message,” that is, have a local influence on the views of young people about the risks of using marijuana. Methods. We performed multilevel, serial, cross-sectional analyses on 10 annual waves of the US National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2004–2013) nationally and for states with marijuana laws using individual- and state-level controls. Results. Living in medical marijuana states was associated with more permissive views regarding marijuana across 5 different measures. However, these associations became non–statistically significant after we adjusted for state-level differences. By contrast, there was a consistent and significant national time trend toward more permissive attitudes, which was less pronounced among children of middle school age than it was among their older counterparts. Conclusions. Passing medical marijuana laws does not seem to directly affect the views of young people in medical marijuana states. However, there is a national trend toward young people taking more permissive views about marijuana independent of any effects within states. PMID:27196657

Political Economy of US States and Rates of Fatal Occupational Injury

PubMed Central

Schulman, Michael D.; Bailer, A. John; Stainback, Kevin; Wheeler, Matthew; Richardson, David B.; Marshall, Stephen W.

2009-01-01

Objectives. We investigated the extent to which the political economy of US states, including the relative power of organized labor, predicts rates of fatal occupational injury. Methods. We described states’ political economies with 6 contextual variables measuring social and political conditions: “right-to-work” laws, union membership density, labor grievance rates, state government debt, unemployment rates, and social wage payments. We obtained data on fatal occupational injuries from the National Traumatic Occupational Fatality surveillance system and population data from the US national census. We used Poisson regression methods to analyze relationships for the years 1980 and 1995. Results. States differed notably with respect to political–economic characteristics and occupational fatality rates, although these characteristics were more homogeneous within rather than between regions. Industry and workforce composition contributed significantly to differences in state injury rates, but political–economic characteristics of states were also significantly associated with injury rates, after adjustment accounting for those factors. Conclusions. Higher rates of fatal occupational injury were associated with a state policy climate favoring business over labor, with distinct regional clustering of such state policies in the South and Northeast. PMID:19542025

Welfare reform and elderly immigrants' health insurance coverage: the roles of federal and state medicaid eligibility rules.

PubMed

Nam, Yunju

2011-11-01

Immigrants' access to federally-funded Medicaid became limited after welfare reform imposed restrictive noncitizen eligibility rules. This study used a representative sample from the Current Population Survey (N = 105,873) and state-level data to examine the effects of these policy changes on elderly immigrants. Triple difference-in-differences analyses show that federal restriction of eligibility had a significantly negative association with elderly immigrants' Medicaid coverage, and generous state eligibility had significantly positive relationships with Medicaid and any health insurance coverage. Findings indicate the important role of eligibility on elderly immigrants' health insurance coverage. Results call for social workers' actions to expand elderly immigrants' Medicaid eligibility.

Seroprevalence of spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae infection in domestic ruminants in Khartoum State, Sudan.

PubMed

Eisawi, Nagwa M; Hassan, Dina A; Hussien, Mohammed O; Musa, Azza B; El Hussein, Abdel Rahim M

2017-05-01

Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiosis is caused by obligatory intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that belong to the genus Rickettsia . Ticks belonging to the family Ixodidae can act as vectors, reservoirs or amplifiers of SFG rickettsiae. This study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of SFG rickettsioses in cattle, sheep and goats from Khartoum State, Sudan. Blood samples were collected from a total of 600 animals (sheep, goats and cattle) from 32 different farms distributed in three locations in Khartoum State during the period January to December 2012. Sera were tested for antibodies against SFG rickettsiae using IFAT. The prevalence of seropositivity was 59.3% in sheep, 60.1% in goats and 64.4% in cattle. Season was significantly ( P <  0.05) associated with seroprevalence of SFG rickettsiae in cattle during winter. The SFG rickettsiae antibodies prevalence was significantly higher in female compared with male in sheep, but there were no significant differences between male and female in either cattle or goats. The prevalence was significantly higher in adult animals compared with young in both sheep and goats. With regard to management system, there was a significant difference in the prevalence in cattle raised in closed system compared with those raised in semi-intensive system. In contrast, there was significant difference in the seroprevalence of SFG in sheep where the prevalence was higher in the sheep raised in semi-intensive system compared with those raised in close system. There was no significant difference in the seroprevalence in goats with regard to management systems. The unexpected high prevalence of SFG rickettsia antibodies in domestic ruminants sera suggest that the veterinary and public health impact of these agents in Sudan need further evaluation especially in humans.

Evaluation of the Performance of Texas Pavements Made with Different Coarse Aggregates: Project Summary Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-09-01

This report summarizes 23 years of work undertaken in Texas to understand the reasons for significant performance differences found in pavements placed around the state. To a significant degree, pavement performance can be predicted based on the conc...

Qualitative Difference in the Experience of State-Trait Anxiety in Emotionally Disturbed and Normal Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finch, A. J., Jr.; And Others

1976-01-01

Responses of emotionally disturbed and normal children to the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children were factor analyzed separately. Two A-State and two A-Trait factors were found, with A-State factors accounting for significantly more variance. Four A-State and two A-Trait factors were found for the normal group, with no significant…

Hot N2 in Titan's upper atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavvas, P.; Yelle, R. V.; Heays, A.; Campbell, L.; Brunger, M. J.; Galand, M.; Vuitton, V.

2015-10-01

We present a detailed model for the vibrational population of all non pre-dissociating excited electronic states of N2, as well as for the ground and ionic states,in Titan's atmosphere. Our model includes the detailed energy deposition calculations presented in the past [1] as well as the more recent developments in the high resolution N2 photo-absorption cross sections that allow us to calculate photo-excitation rates for different vibrational levels of singlet nitrogen states, and provide information for their pre-dissociation yields.In addition, we consider the effect of collisions and chemical reactions in the population of the different states. Our results demonstrate that a significant population of vibrationally excited ground state N2 survives in Titan's upper atmosphere. This hot N2population can improve the agreement between models and observations for the emission of the c'4 state that is significantly affected by resonant scattering. Moreover we discuss the potential implications of the vibrationally excited population on the ionospheric densities.

Legalization of Sunday alcohol sales and alcohol consumption in the United States.

PubMed

Yörük, Barış K

2014-01-01

To investigate the relationship between legalization of Sunday alcohol sales and alcohol consumption in the United States. State-level per capita consumption of beer, wine and spirits was analyzed using difference-in-differences econometric methods. United States. Five treatment states that repealed their laws restricting Sunday alcohol sales during 1990-2007 and 12 control states that retained their Sunday alcohol laws during the same period. Outcome measures are state-level per capita consumption of overall alcohol, beer, wine and spirits. Among the states that legalized Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Mexico experienced significant increases in overall alcohol consumption (P < 0.05). However, the effect of the legalization of Sunday alcohol sales in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on per capita alcohol consumption was insignificant (P = 0.964 and P = 0.367). Three out of five states in the United States that repealed their laws restricting Sunday sale of alcoholic beverages during 1990-2007 experienced significant increases in per capita alcohol consumption. This finding implies that increased alcohol availability leads to an increase in alcohol consumption. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Avian reflex and electroencephalogram responses in different states of consciousness.

PubMed

Sandercock, Dale A; Auckburally, Adam; Flaherty, Derek; Sandilands, Victoria; McKeegan, Dorothy E F

2014-06-22

Defining states of clinical consciousness in animals is important in veterinary anaesthesia and in studies of euthanasia and welfare assessment at slaughter. The aim of this study was to validate readily observable reflex responses in relation to different conscious states, as confirmed by EEG analysis, in two species of birds under laboratory conditions (35-week-old layer hens (n=12) and 11-week-old turkeys (n=10)). We evaluated clinical reflexes and characterised electroencephalograph (EEG) activity (as a measure of brain function) using spectral analyses in four different clinical states of consciousness: conscious (fully awake), semi-conscious (sedated), unconscious-optimal (general anaesthesia), unconscious-sub optimal (deep hypnotic state), as well as assessment immediately following euthanasia. Jaw or neck muscle tone was the most reliable reflex measure distinguishing between conscious and unconscious states. Pupillary reflex was consistently observed until respiratory arrest. Nictitating membrane reflex persisted for a short time (<1 min) after respiratory arrest and brain death (isoelectric EEG). The results confirm that the nictitating membrane reflex is a conservative measure of death in poultry. Using spectral analyses of the EEG waveforms it was possible to readily distinguish between the different states of clinical consciousness. In all cases, when birds progressed from a conscious to unconscious state; total spectral power (PTOT) significantly increased, whereas median (F50) and spectral edge (F95) frequencies significantly decreased. This study demonstrates that EEG analysis can differentiate between clinical states (and loss of brain function at death) in birds and provides a unique integration of reflex responses and EEG activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biomechanical Comparison of an Open vs Arthroscopic Approach for Lateral Ankle Instability.

PubMed

Drakos, Mark C; Behrens, Steve B; Paller, Dave; Murphy, Conor; DiGiovanni, Christopher W

2014-08-01

The current clinical standard for the surgical treatment of ankle instability remains the open modified Broström procedure. Modern advents in arthroscopic technology have allowed physicians to perform certain foot and ankle procedures arthroscopically as opposed to traditional open approaches. Twenty matched lower extremity cadaver specimens were obtained. Steinman pins were inserted into the tibia and talus with 6 sensors affixed to each pin. Specimens were placed in a Telos ankle stress apparatus in an anteroposterior and then lateral position, while a 1.7 N-m load was applied. For each of these tests, movement of the sensors was measured in 3 planes using the Optotrak Computer Navigation System. Changes in position were calculated and compared with the unloaded state. The anteriortalofibular ligament and the calcaneofibular ligament were thereafter sectioned from the fibula. The aforementioned measurements in the loaded and unloaded states were repeated on the specimens. The sectioned ligaments were then repaired using 2 corkscrew anchors. Ten specimens were repaired using a standard open Broström-type repair, while the matched pairs were repaired using an arthroscopic technique. Measurements were repeated and compared using a paired t test. There was a statistically significant difference between the sectioned state and the other 3 states (P < .05). There were no statistically significant differences between the intact state and either the open or arthroscopic state (P > .05). There were no significant differences between the open and arthroscopic repairs with respect to translation and total combined motion during the talar tilt test (P > .05). Statistically significant differences were demonstrated between the 2 methods in 3 specific axes of movement during talar tilt (P = .04). Biomechanically effective ankle stabilization may be amenable to a minimally invasive approach. A minimally invasive, arthroscopic approach can be considered for treating patients with lateral ankle instability who have failed conservative treatment. © The Author(s) 2014.

Women's acute anxiety variations before and after epidural anesthesia for childbirth.

PubMed

Fernández-Campos, Francisco J; Escrivá, Dolores; Palanca, José M; Ridocci, Francisca; Barrios, Carlos; Gallego, Juan

2017-06-01

This study assessed changes in anxiety during different phases of childbirth in a sample of women demanding epidural anesthesia. Prospective, longitudinal case series. A total of 133 women who demanded epidural anesthesia for childbirth answered the questionnaires. Anxiety state was measured using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. The STAI-S (anxiety state) was administered in three phases during childbirth: Phase 1 was before applying epidural anesthesia, Phase 2 was 45 min after the application of epidural anesthesia and Phase 3 was at less than 24 h after delivery. Data were collected in two general hospitals: a third-level public hospital and a well-recognized private hospital. STAI scores. Anxiety state decreases significantly after applying the epidural anesthesia (Phase 2) compared to before anesthesia (Phase 1), and it remains low levels 24 h after childbirth (Phase 3). There were statistically significant differences in STAI scores between the different phases administrated (Phases 1 and 2: p < 0.001; effect size, d = 1.40; Phases 1 and 3: p < 0.001; effect size, d = 1.39). In Phase 3, women with cesarean section birth had significant differences in STAI scores relative to those with spontaneous birth (p = 0.037; d = 0.44). The type of health-care setting (public or private), the educational level and the numbers of previous births does not affect the level of anxiety state in women in any of the three phases. Women's anxiety decreases significantly after applying epidural anesthesia, and it remains low 24 h after delivery. Anxiety against childbirth was not influenced by the health system used by women, by the condition of primiparous or multiparous, or by the educational level. Women who received an epidural anesthesia with a cesarean section reported higher rates of anxiety state after birth.

Effect of NICU Department Orientation Program on Mother’s Anxiety: a Randomized Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Valizadeh, Leila; Hosseini, Mohammad Bager; Heydarpoor Damanabad, Zhilla; Rahkar Farshi, Mahni; Asgari Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Ranjbar Kochaksaraie, Fatemeh

2016-01-01

Introduction: Neonatal intensive care unit induces the high level of anxiety for mothers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of NICU orientation program on the anxiety of mothers who had preterm newborns hospitalized in NICU. Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial (three parallel groups). Participants included 99 mothers with preterm newborns hospitalized in NICU of Al- Zahra hospital, affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2015. Mothers were randomly assigned to one of three groups (film, booklet, and control). Mothers completed the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory before entering to the NICU, and then mothers in the experiment groups became familiar with the NICU environment through watching a film or reading booklet. After the first NICU visit, all mothers completed the STAI and Cattell's Anxiety Questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 13 software. Results: There was no significant difference between three groups regarding state- trait anxiety before the intervention. After the first NICU visit, a significant reduction in maternal state anxiety was seen in the both experiment groups. There was no statistical significant difference regarding trait anxiety. Data obtained from Cattell's anxiety questionnaire after intervention, showed significant difference in state anxiety between groups. Conclusion: Employing film and booklet orientation strategy after preterm delivery can reduce the mother’s anxiety and beneficent for the mother, baby, family and health care system. PMID:27752486

Randomized trial of harp therapy during in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer.

PubMed

Murphy, Erin M; Nichols, Jennifer; Somkuti, Steve G; Sobel, Michael; Braverman, Andrea; Barmat, Larry I

2014-04-01

This study evaluated whether harp therapy reduces levels of stress and improves clinical outcomes in patients undergoing embryo transfer. This prospective randomized trial enrolled 181 women undergoing embryo transfer, who were randomized to harp therapy during embryo transfer or standard treatment. Patients underwent standardized psychological testing and physiologic assessment of stress. The study was conducted in a reproductive medicine practice. No statistically significant differences were found in the heart and respiratory rates, nor was there a significant difference in event-based anxiety at baseline. Harp therapy had a significantly larger decrease in state anxiety from pre- to post-embryo transfer. Clinical pregnancy was 53% versus 48% for the harp therapy and standard treatment groups, respectively. Harp therapy decreases state, or event-based, anxiety, significantly lowering state scores posttransfer and having a positive effect on acute levels of stress. There was an increased pregnancy rate, but larger sample sizes are needed to evaluate whether harp therapy has an effect on clinical outcomes.

Awareness, Use, and Perceived Impact of Selected Stakeholders toward the Implementation of Skills Standards in the State of Illinois

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bragg, Debra D.; Marvel, Matthew R.

2008-01-01

This study examined differences in the awareness, use, and perceived impact of educators, employers, and workforce training providers toward skills standards implementation in the State of Illinois. Group differences were revealed on the use of skills standards, with educators displaying significantly higher levels of use than employers or…

Legalization of Sunday alcohol sales and alcohol consumption in the United States

PubMed Central

Yörük, Barış K.

2013-01-01

Aims To investigate the relationship between legalization of Sunday alcohol sales and alcohol consumption in the United States. Design State-level per capita consumption of beer, wine, and spirits was analyzed using difference-in-differences econometric methods. Setting United States. Participants 5 treatment states that repealed their laws restricting Sunday alcohol sales during 1990–2007 and 12 control states that retained their Sunday alcohol laws during the same period. Measurements Outcome measures are state-level per capita consumption of overall alcohol, beer, wine, and spirits. Findings Among the states that legalized Sunday sales of alcoholic beverages, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Mexico experienced significant increases in overall alcohol consumption (P<0.05). However, the effect of the legalization of Sunday alcohol sales in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on per capita alcohol consumption was insignificant (P=0.964 and P=0.367). Conclusions Three out of five states in the USA that repealed their laws restricting Sunday sale of alcoholic beverages during 1990–2007, experienced significant increases in per capita alcohol consumption. This finding implies that increased alcohol availability leads to an increase in alcohol consumption. PMID:24103041

Use of spray-dried porcine blood by-products in diets for young chickens.

PubMed

Jamroz, D; Wiliczkiewicz, A; Orda, J; Kuryszko, J; Stefaniak, T

2012-04-01

Spray-dried porcine blood plasma (SDBP) or blood cells (SDBC) at amounts of 20 or 40 g/kg were included to the feed mixtures that were given to young chickens within 1-28 (Exp. 1) or 1-30 (Exp. 2) days post-hatch. In comparison with the group fed mixtures containing plant components, chickens fed mixtures supplemented with 40 g/kg of SDBP significantly (p < 0.01) increased the body weight estimated on 14 day of life (Exp. 1). At the age of 28 or 30 days post-hatch, the body weight was improved significantly (p < 0.01 or 0.05) in both experiments. Significant differences (one-factorial anova) in feed conversion among particular feeding groups were stated in Exp. 1 only; however, calculations using two-factorial anova show insignificant differences depending on the used animal meal. In selected blood parameters (IgG, Ht, Hb), insignificant differences between feeding groups were stated. The use of SDBP in feed mixture significantly increased the Na retention in both experiments, and K accretion in Exp. 1 only. Application of SDBC and 40 g/kg of SDBP significantly or insignificantly improved Fe retention. Insignificant diversification of apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients was stated; the crude fat was significantly better digested in treatments fed mixtures with animal meals but kind of animal meal was without any significant effect. Significant differences in digestibility of amino acids were recorded for Pro, Cys, Val, His, Lys and Arg. In chickens fed mixture with SDBC, higher coefficients of apparent digestibility of Cys, Val and His (Exp. 1) and Cys and His (Exp. 2) than in other feeding groups were obtained. The kind of used blood by-products has not affected the histological structure of intestine wall. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Macro influencers of electronic health records adoption.

PubMed

Raghavan, Vijay V; Chinta, Ravi; Zhirkin, Nikita

2015-01-01

While adoption rates for electronic health records (EHRs) have improved, the reasons for significant geographical differences in EHR adoption within the USA have remained unclear. To understand the reasons for these variations across states, we have compiled from secondary sources a profile of different states within the USA, based on macroeconomic and macro health-environment factors. Regression analyses were performed using these indicator factors on EHR adoption. The results showed that internet usage and literacy are significantly associated with certain measures of EHR adoption. Income level was not significantly associated with EHR adoption. Per capita patient days (a proxy for healthcare need intensity within a state) is negatively correlated with EHR adoption rate. Health insurance coverage is positively correlated with EHR adoption rate. Older physicians (>60 years) tend to adopt EHR systems less than their younger counterparts. These findings have policy implications on formulating regionally focused incentive programs.

Alcohol price elasticities in control and license states in the United States, 1982-99.

PubMed

Trolldal, Björn; Ponicki, William

2005-08-01

The demand for alcohol has been demonstrated repeatedly to be sensitive to price changes. However, estimated price elasticities vary by study region and over time. One explanation for these variations might be that different countries or parts of countries have had different alcohol control systems. The hypothesis addressed in this study was that a regulated market leads to higher transaction costs associated with purchasing alcohol, which in turn increases the full price of the beverages (the nominal cash price plus transaction costs). As a result, the cash price of alcohol represents a smaller part of the full price in a highly regulated market. Assuming that customers respond primarily to changes in full price, the demand for alcohol should be less sensitive to changes in cash price where regulation is stricter. This study examined whether variations in price elasticities were a function of the different regulatory systems in control and license states in the United States during the period 1982-99. Time-series cross-sectional analyses (in 50 states over 18 years) were conducted. Elasticities were estimated using a multiplicative model based upon first-differences of time-series within states. Disposable income and other socio-demographic variables were used as control variables. All data were obtained from archival sources. The demand for spirits and beer were significantly more sensitive to price changes in license states than in control states. The estimated price elasticity for wine sales was also somewhat larger in license states, but not significantly so. The lower price elasticities for spirits and beer in the control states support the hypothesis that customers respond primarily to changes in the full price of alcohol.

Tribological studies of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass with different states

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

Jiang, Feng; Qu, Jun; Fan, Guojiang

The tribological characteristics of a bulk-metallic glass (BMG) Zr52.5Cu17.9Ni14.6Al10.0Ti5.0 (Vit 105) with different states have been studied. Friction and wear tests were conducted using a ball-on-flat reciprocating sliding apparatus against AISI E52100 bearing steel under dry condition. The observed wear resistance in an ascending order is deformed, crept, relaxed, and as-cast. Results suggested that the wear process of BMG alloys involved abrasion, adhesion, and oxidation. The differences in hardness, free volume, and embrittlement at different states significantly affected the friction and wear behaviors of the BMG alloys.

Generational Differences in Resistance to Peer Pressure among Mexican-Origin Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Umana-Taylor, Adriana J.; Bamaca-Gomez, Mayra Y.

2003-01-01

Examined whether Mexican origin adolescents who varied by generational status would differ in their resistance to peer pressure. After controlling for gender, resistance to peer pressure varied significantly by generational status. Adolescents with no familial births in the United States were significantly more resistant to peer pressure than…

Cultural Differences between Arabs and Americans: Individualism-Collectivism Revisited.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buda, Richard; Elsayed-Elkhouly, Sayed M.

1998-01-01

Cultural differences between Arabs and Americans were investigated using the individualism-collectivism survey of J. Wagner (1995). Arab subjects (n=331) were significantly more collectivist than U.S. subjects (n=102), and within the Arab group, Egyptian subjects (n=224) were significantly more individualistic than Gulf States subjects.…

Attitudes toward Suicide in Japanese and American Medical Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Domino, George; Takahashi, Yoshitomo

1991-01-01

Administered Suicide Opinion Questionnaire to 100 medical students from Japan and 100 medical students from the United States (80 percent males, 20 percent females). Found significant differences on Right to Die, Normality, and Aggression scales between Japanese and U.S. students, and significant gender differences on Religion and Impulsivity…

A resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging study of concussion in collegiate athletes.

PubMed

Czerniak, Suzanne M; Sikoglu, Elif M; Liso Navarro, Ana A; McCafferty, Joseph; Eisenstock, Jordan; Stevenson, J Herbert; King, Jean A; Moore, Constance M

2015-06-01

Sports-related concussions are currently diagnosed through multi-domain assessment by a medical professional and may utilize neurocognitive testing as an aid. However, these tests have only been able to detect differences in the days to week post-concussion. Here, we investigate a measure of brain function, namely resting state functional connectivity, which may detect residual brain differences in the weeks to months after concussion. Twenty-one student athletes (9 concussed within 6 months of enrollment; 12 non-concussed; between ages 18 and 22 years) were recruited for this study. All participants completed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task and the Color-Word Interference Test. Neuroimaging data, specifically resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging data, were acquired to examine resting state functional connectivity. Two sample t-tests were used to compare the neurocognitive scores and resting state functional connectivity patterns among concussed and non-concussed participants. Correlations between neurocognitive scores and resting state functional connectivity measures were also determined across all subjects. There were no significant differences in neurocognitive performance between concussed and non-concussed groups. Concussed subjects had significantly increased connections between areas of the brain that underlie executive function. Across all subjects, better neurocognitive performance corresponded to stronger brain connectivity. Even at rest, brains of concussed athletes may have to 'work harder' than their healthy peers to achieve similar neurocognitive results. Resting state brain connectivity may be able to detect prolonged brain differences in concussed athletes in a more quantitative manner than neurocognitive test scores.

Residential Radon Exposure and Lung Cancer: Evidence of an Inverse Association in Washington State.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuberger, John S.; And Others

1992-01-01

Presents results of a descriptive study of lung cancer death rates compared to county levels of radon in Washington State. Age-specific death rates were computed for white female smokers according to radon exposure. A significant lung cancer excess was found in lowest radon counties. No significant difference was found between the proportion of…

Eggshell thickness in mourning dove populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kreitzer, J.F.

1971-01-01

Eggs (n = 452) of the mourning dove (Zenaidura macroura) were collected from 9 states in 1969 and 11 states in 1970, and shell thickness was compared with that of eggs (n = 97) collected from 24 states during the years 1861 to 1935. Mean shell thickness did not differ significantly in the test groups.

Relations of competitive state anxiety and efficacy of young volleyball players.

PubMed

Milavić, Boris; Jurko, Damir; Grgantov, Zoran

2013-05-01

With the aim of validating the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory on a population of young Croatian volleyball players, 286 examinees, 106 male and 180 female volleyball players (average age of 16.09+/-1.83), filled out the CSAI-2, constructed by Martens, Vealey, Burton, Bump and Smith (1990)1. Given the fact that all scales of the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory have good homogeneity, reliability and sensitivity, it can be concluded that they represent high-quality measuring instruments for measuring psychological characteristics of young volleyball players. Young male and female volleyball players generally have a moderate level of self-confidence, and their cognitive anxiety is more prominent that somatic anxiety. In order to determine the age and gender differences in somatic and cognitive anxiety and self-confidence, parametric analysis of differences was performed and coefficients of the independent samples t-test were calculated. By analysis of differences according to age, it has been established that female junior players, in relation to female youth players, express a significantly lower level of somatic and cognitive anxiety and a significantly higher level of self-confidence. As opposed to female players, male youth and junior players do not differ in any of the analysed variables. By analysis of differences according to gender, it has been established that male youth players have a significantly higher level of self-confidence in comparison to female youth players. No significant differences were found in the level of competitive anxiety and self-confidence by analysis of variance between different player roles. No significant differences were found by discriminant analysis in somatic and cognitive anxiety, and self-confidence of female volleyball players of different situational efficacy. The group of least efficient male volleyball players is characterized by a very low level of self-confidence, while the most efficient group of volleyball players is characterized by a somewhat lower level of cognitive and somatic anxiety.

Influence of crystal habit on trimethoprim suspension formulation.

PubMed

Tiwary, A K; Panpalia, G M

1999-02-01

The role of crystal habit in influencing the physical stability and pharmacokinetics of trimethoprim suspensions was examined. Different habits for trimethoprim (TMP) were obtained by recrystallizing the commercial sample (PD) utilizing solvent-change precipitation method. Four distinct habits (microscopic observation) belonging to the same polymorphic state (DSC studies) were selected for studies. Preformulation and formulation studies were carried out on suspension dosage forms containing these crystals. The freshly prepared suspensions were also evaluated for their pharmacokinetic behaviour on healthy human volunteers using a cross over study. Variation of crystallization conditions produces different habits of TMP. Among the different crystal habits exhibiting same polymorphic state, the most anisometric crystal showed best physical stability in terms of sedimentation volume and redispersibility. However, habit did not significantly affect the extent of TMP excreted in urine. Modification of surface morphology without significantly altering the polymorphic state can be utilized for improving physical stability of TMP suspensions. However, the pharmacokinetic profile remains unaltered.

Relationship and significance between anti-β2-glycoproteinI antibodies and platelet activation state in patients with ulcerative colitis

PubMed Central

Gao, Yan-Hang; Gao, Pu-Jun; Wang, Chun-Guang; Wang, Xiao-Cong; Piao, Yun-Feng

2008-01-01

AIM: To study the relationship between anti-β2-glycoprotein I (aβ2GPI) antibodies and platelet activation state in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and its significance. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 56 UC patients (34 males and 22 females, aged 43.5 years, range 21-66 years), including 36 at active stage and 20 at remission stage, and 25 sex-and age-matched controls. The level of aβ2GPI was measured by ELISA. The platelet activation markers, platelet activation complex-I (PAC-I) and P-selectin (CD62P) were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The A value for IgG aβ2GPI in the active UC group was 0.61 ± 0.13, significantly higher than that in the remittent UC and control groups (0.50 ± 0.13 and 0.22 ± 0.14, P < 0.01). There was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). The A value for IgM aβ2GPI in the active and remittent UC groups was 0.43 ± 0.13 and 0.38 ± 0.12, significantly higher than that in the control group (0.20 ± 0.12, P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The PAC-I positive rate for the active and remittent UC groups was 30.6% ± 7.6% and 19.6% ± 7.8% respectively, significantly higher than that for the control group (6.3% ± 1.7%, P < 0.01). There was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). The CD62P positive rate for the active and remittent UC groups was 45.0% ± 8.8% and 31.9% ± 7.8% respectively, significantly higher than that for the control group (9.2% ± 2.7%, P < 0.01). There was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). In the active UC group, the more severe the state of illness was, the higher the A value for IgG aβ2GPI was, and the positive rate for PAC-I and CD62P was positively correlated with the state of illness (Faβ2GPI = 3.679, P < 0.05; FPAC-I (%) = 5.346, P < 0.01; and FCD62P (%) = 5. 418, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, in the same state of illness, the A value for IgG aβ2GPI was positively correlated to the positive rates for PAC-I and CD62P. CONCLUSION: aβ2GPI level, platelet activation state and their relationship of them are closely correlated with the pathogenesis and development of UC. PMID:18205270

Relationship and significance between anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies and platelet activation state in patients with ulcerative colitis.

PubMed

Gao, Yan-Hang; Gao, Pu-Jun; Wang, Chun-Guang; Wang, Xiao-Cong; Piao, Yun-Feng

2008-02-07

To study the relationship between anti-beta2-glycoprotein I (abeta2GPI) antibodies and platelet activation state in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and its significance. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 56 UC patients (34 males and 22 females, aged 43.5 years, range 21-66 years), including 36 at active stage and 20 at remission stage, and 25 sex-and age-matched controls. The level of abeta2GPI was measured by ELISA. The platelet activation markers, platelet activation complex-I (PAC-I) and P-selectin (CD62P) were detected by flow cytometry. The A value for IgG abeta2GPI in the active UC group was 0.61 +/- 0.13, significantly higher than that in the remittent UC and control groups (0.50 +/- 0.13 and 0.22 +/- 0.14, P < 0.01). There was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). The A value for IgM abeta2GPI in the active and remittent UC groups was 0.43 +/- 0.13 and 0.38 +/- 0.12, significantly higher than that in the control group (0.20 +/- 0.12, P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). The PAC-I positive rate for the active and remittent UC groups was 30.6% +/- 7.6% and 19.6% +/- 7.8% respectively, significantly higher than that for the control group (6.3% +/- 1.7%, P < 0.01). There was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). The CD62P positive rate for the active and remittent UC groups was 45.0% +/- 8.8% and 31.9% +/- 7.8% respectively, significantly higher than that for the control group (9.2% +/- 2.7%, P < 0.01). There was a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). In the active UC group, the more severe the state of illness was, the higher the A value for IgG abeta2GPI was, and the positive rate for PAC-I and CD62P was positively correlated with the state of illness (Fabeta2GPI = 3.679, P < 0.05; FPAC-I (%) = 5.346, P < 0.01; and FCD62P (%) = 5. 418, P < 0.01). Meanwhile, in the same state of illness, the A value for IgG abeta2GPI was positively correlated to the positive rates for PAC-I and CD62P. abeta2GPI level, platelet activation state and their relationship of them are closely correlated with the pathogenesis and development of UC.

Dynamic connectivity states estimated from resting fMRI Identify differences among Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and healthy control subjects.

PubMed

Rashid, Barnaly; Damaraju, Eswar; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Calhoun, Vince D

2014-01-01

Schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BP) share significant overlap in clinical symptoms, brain characteristics, and risk genes, and both are associated with dysconnectivity among large-scale brain networks. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) data facilitates studying macroscopic connectivity among distant brain regions. Standard approaches to identifying such connectivity include seed-based correlation and data-driven clustering methods such as independent component analysis (ICA) but typically focus on average connectivity. In this study, we utilize ICA on rsfMRI data to obtain intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) in cohorts of healthy controls (HCs) and age matched SZ and BP patients. Subsequently, we investigated difference in functional network connectivity, defined as pairwise correlations among the timecourses of ICNs, between HCs and patients. We quantified differences in both static (average) and dynamic (windowed) connectivity during the entire scan duration. Disease-specific differences were identified in connectivity within different dynamic states. Notably, results suggest that patients make fewer transitions to some states (states 1, 2, and 4) compared to HCs, with most such differences confined to a single state. SZ patients showed more differences from healthy subjects than did bipolars, including both hyper and hypo connectivity in one common connectivity state (dynamic state 3). Also group differences between SZ and bipolar patients were identified in patterns (states) of connectivity involving the frontal (dynamic state 1) and frontal-parietal regions (dynamic state 3). Our results provide new information about these illnesses and strongly suggest that state-based analyses are critical to avoid averaging together important factors that can help distinguish these clinical groups.

Selectivity of physiotherapist programs in the United States does not differ by institutional funding source or research activity level.

PubMed

Riley, Sean P; Covington, Kyle; Landry, Michel D; McCallum, Christine; Engelhard, Chalee; Cook, Chad E

2016-01-01

This study aimed to compare selectivity characteristics among institution characteristics to determine differences by institutional funding source (public vs. private) or research activity level (research vs. non-research). This study included information provided by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. Data were extracted from all students who graduated in 2011 from accredited physical therapy programs in the United States. The public and private designations of the institutions were extracted directly from the classifications from the 'CAPTE annual accreditation report,' and high and low research activity was determined based on Carnegie classifications. The institutions were classified into four groups: public/research intensive, public/non-research intensive, private/research intensive, and private/non-research intensive. Descriptive and comparison analyses with post hoc testing were performed to determine whether there were statistically significant differences among the four groups. Although there were statistically significant baseline grade point average differences among the four categorized groups, there were no significant differences in licensure pass rates or for any of the selectivity variables of interest. Selectivity characteristics did not differ by institutional funding source (public vs. private) or research activity level (research vs. non-research). This suggests that the concerns about reduced selectivity among physiotherapy programs, specifically the types that are experiencing the largest proliferation, appear less warranted.

Classifying Different Emotional States by Means of EEG-Based Functional Connectivity Patterns

PubMed Central

Lee, You-Yun; Hsieh, Shulan

2014-01-01

This study aimed to classify different emotional states by means of EEG-based functional connectivity patterns. Forty young participants viewed film clips that evoked the following emotional states: neutral, positive, or negative. Three connectivity indices, including correlation, coherence, and phase synchronization, were used to estimate brain functional connectivity in EEG signals. Following each film clip, participants were asked to report on their subjective affect. The results indicated that the EEG-based functional connectivity change was significantly different among emotional states. Furthermore, the connectivity pattern was detected by pattern classification analysis using Quadratic Discriminant Analysis. The results indicated that the classification rate was better than chance. We conclude that estimating EEG-based functional connectivity provides a useful tool for studying the relationship between brain activity and emotional states. PMID:24743695

Scheimpflug image-based changes in anterior segment parameters during accommodation induced by short-term reading.

PubMed

Lipecz, Agnes; Tsorbatzoglou, Alexis; Hassan, Ziad; Berta, Andras; Modis, Laszlo; Nemeth, Gabor

2017-05-11

To analyze the effect of the accommodation on the anterior segment data (corneal and anterior chamber parameters) induced by short-time reading in a healthy, nonpresbyopic adult patient group. Images of both eyes of nonpresbyopic volunteers were captured with a Scheimpflug device (Pentacam HR) in a nonaccommodative state. Fifteen minutes of reading followed and through fixation of the built-in target of Pentacam HR further accommodation was achieved and new images were captured by the device. Anterior segment parameters were observed and the differences were analyzed. Fifty-two healthy eyes of 26 subjects (range 20.04-28.58 years) were analyzed. No significant differences were observed in the keratometric values before and after the accommodative task (p = 0.35). A statistically significant difference was measured in the 5.0-mm-diameter and the 7.0-mm-diameter corneal volume (p = 0.01 and p = 0.03) between accommodation states. Corneal aberrometric data did not change significantly during short-term accommodation. Significant differences were observed between nonaccommodative and accommodative states of the eyes for all measured anterior chamber parameters. Among the parameters of the cornea, only corneal volume changed during the short-term accommodation process, showing some fine changes with accommodation of the cornea in young, emmetropic patients. The position of the pupil and the anterior chamber parameters were observed to change with accommodation as captured by a Scheimpflug device.

Pionic transitions from X(3872) to {chi}{sub cJ}

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

Dubynskiy, S.; Voloshin, M.B.; William, I.

2008-01-01

We consider transitions from the resonance X(3872) to the {chi}{sub cJ} states of charmonium with emission of one or two pions as a means of studying the structure of the X resonance. We find that the relative rates for these transitions to the final states with different J significantly depend on whether the initial state is a pure charmonium state or a four-quark/molecular state.

N2 state population in Titan's atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavvas, P.; Yelle, R. V.; Heays, A. N.; Campbell, L.; Brunger, M. J.; Galand, M.; Vuitton, V.

2015-11-01

We present a detailed model for the vibrational population of all non pre-dissociating excited electronic states of N2, as well as for the ground and ionic states, in Titan's atmosphere. Our model includes the detailed energy deposition calculations presented in the past (Lavvas, P. et al. [2011]. Icarus 213(1), 233-251) as well as the more recent developments in the high resolution N2 photo-absorption cross sections that allow us to calculate photo-excitation rates for different vibrational levels of singlet nitrogen states, and provide information for their pre-dissociation yields. In addition, we consider the effect of collisions and chemical reactions in the population of the different states. Our results demonstrate that above 600 km altitude, collisional processes are efficient only for a small sub-set of the excited states limited to the A and W(ν = 0) triplet states, and to a smaller degree to the a‧ singlet state. In addition, we find that a significant population of vibrationally excited ground state N2 survives in Titan's upper atmosphere. Our calculations demonstrate that this hot N2 population can improve the agreement between models and observations for the emission of the c4‧ state that is significantly affected by resonant scattering. Moreover we discuss the potential implications of the vibrationally excited population on the ionospheric densities.

Cortical Activation in Response to Pure Taste Stimuli During the Physiological States of Hunger and Satiety

PubMed Central

Haase, Lori; Cerf-Ducastel, Barbara; Murphy, Claire

2009-01-01

This event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (er-fMRI) study investigated BOLD signal change in response to a series of pure gustatory stimuli that varied in stimulus quality when subjects were hungry and sated with a nutritional preload. Group analyses showed significant differences in activation in the hunger minus satiety condition in response to sucrose, caffeine, saccharin, and citric acid within the thalamus, hippocampus, and parahippocampus. When examining the hunger and satiety conditions, activation varied as a function of stimulus, with the majority of the stimuli exhibiting significantly greater activation in the hunger state within the insula, thalamus, and substantia nigra, in contrast to decreased activation in the satiated state within the parahippocampus, hippocampus, amygdala, and anterior cingulate. Region of interest (ROI) analysis revealed two significant interactions, ROI by physiology and ROI by physiology by stimulus. In the satiety condition, the primary (inferior and superior insulae) and secondary (OFC 11 and OFC 47) taste regions exhibited significantly greater brain activation in response to all stimuli than regions involved in processing eating behavior (hypothalamus), affect (amygdala), and memory (hippocampus, parahippocampus and entorhinal cortex). These same regions demonstrated significantly greater activation within the hunger condition than the satiety condition, with the exception of the superior insula. Furthermore, the patterns of activation differed as a function taste stimulus, with greater activation in response to sucrose than to the other stimuli. These differential patterns of activation suggest that the physiological states of hunger and satiety produce divergent activation in multiple brain areas in response to different pure gustatory stimuli. PMID:19007893

Cortical activation in response to pure taste stimuli during the physiological states of hunger and satiety.

PubMed

Haase, Lori; Cerf-Ducastel, Barbara; Murphy, Claire

2009-02-01

This event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (er-fMRI) study investigated BOLD signal change in response to a series of pure gustatory stimuli that varied in stimulus quality when subjects were hungry and sated with a nutritional pre-load. Group analyses showed significant differences in activation in the hunger minus satiety condition in response to sucrose, caffeine, saccharin, and citric acid within the thalamus, hippocampus, and parahippocampus. When examining the hunger and satiety conditions, activation varied as a function of stimulus, with the majority of the stimuli exhibiting significantly greater activation in the hunger state within the insula, thalamus, and substantia nigra, in contrast to decreased activation in the satiated state within the parahippocampus, hippocampus, amygdala, and anterior cingulate. Region of interest (ROI) analysis revealed two significant interactions, ROI by physiology and ROI by physiology by stimulus. In the satiety condition, the primary (inferior and superior insulae) and secondary (OFC 11 and OFC 47) taste regions exhibited significantly greater brain activation in response to all stimuli than regions involved in processing eating behavior (hypothalamus), affect (amygdala), and memory (hippocampus, parahippocampus and entorhinal cortex). These same regions demonstrated significantly greater activation within the hunger condition than the satiety condition, with the exception of the superior insula. Furthermore, the patterns of activation differed as a function taste stimulus, with greater activation in response to sucrose than to the other stimuli. These differential patterns of activation suggest that the physiological states of hunger and satiety produce divergent activation in multiple brain areas in response to different pure gustatory stimuli.

Resting-state fMRI study of patients with fragile X syndrome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isanova, E.; Petrovskiy, E.; Savelov, A.; Yudkin, D.; Tulupov, A.

2017-08-01

The study aimed to assess the neural activity of different brain regions in patients with fragile X syndrome (FXS) and the healthy volunteers by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on a 1.5 T MRI Achieva scanner (Philips). Results: The fMRI study showed a DMN of brain function in patients with FXS, as well as in the healthy volunteers. Furthermore, it was found that a default mode network of the brain in patients with FXS and healthy volunteers does not have statistically significant differences (p>0.05), which may indicate that the basal activity of neurons in patients with FXS is not reduced. In addition, we have found a significant (p<0.001) increase in the FC within the right inferior parietal and right angular gyrus in the resting state in patients with FXS. Conclusion: New data of functional status of the brain in patients with FXS were received. The significant increase in the resting state functional connectivity within the right inferior parietal and right angular gyrus (p<0.001) in patients with FXS was found.

The impact of meal consumption on emotion among individuals with eating disorders.

PubMed

Anderson, Lisa M; Crow, Scott J; Peterson, Carol B

2014-01-01

This pilot study sought to determine how meal consumption impacts affective states for treatment-seeking individuals with eating disorders (ED). Participants with heterogeneous ED diagnoses completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and Profile of Mood States measures before and immediately after meal consumption. Meal consumption was associated with significant decreases in negative affect and total mood disturbance for individuals with binge eating disorder (BED). Decreases in negative affect across meal time for individuals with BED were significantly different from increases in negative affect for participants with anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). Findings indicate that individuals with BED have significantly different affective responses to eating non-binge meals than individuals with AN or BN. Data suggest changes in negative affect following meal consumption may be specific to certain ED diagnoses. Results provide preliminary evidence consistent with the idea that emotion states may function as maintenance mechanisms for psychopathology among ED diagnoses. Limitations and future directions pertaining to food-mood relationships for individuals with ED are discussed.

[The development of legal guardianship and involuntary treatment in a Bavarian catchment area in comparison to trends at the federal state and the federal level between 1999 and 2009].

PubMed

Valdes-Stauber, Juan; Putzhammer, Albert; Kilian, Reinhold

2011-05-01

In this study trends in legal guardianship and involuntary treatment in a Bavarian catchment area in comparison to trends at federal state and federal level between 1999 and 2009 will be examined. Data from the federal department of justice, from the federal health monitoring system and data from a district court were used to compute rates, quotas and quotients. Regression analyses were conducted to analyse associations between time series. In comparison to the federal state and the federal level the target region shows a significantly higher rate of new guardianships but a lower rate of judicial ordered mobility restrictions and at least in comparison to the federal state level a significantly lower rate of involuntary admissions according to guardianship law. The obtained differences indicate significant differences in the legal guardianship and involuntary admission practise which cannot be explained by epidemiological developments. Therefore it is necessary to investigate potential socio-cultural and socioeconomic sources for these varieties. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Simulated Critical Differences for Speech Reception Thresholds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedersen, Ellen Raben; Juhl, Peter Møller

2017-01-01

Purpose: Critical differences state by how much 2 test results have to differ in order to be significantly different. Critical differences for discrimination scores have been available for several decades, but they do not exist for speech reception thresholds (SRTs). This study presents and discusses how critical differences for SRTs can be…

The Effects of Test Difficulty Manipulation in Computerized Adaptive Testing and Self-Adapted Testing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponsoda, Vicente; Olea, Julio; Rodriguez, Maria Soledad; Revuelta, Javier

1999-01-01

Compared easy and difficult versions of self-adapted tests (SAT) and computerized adapted tests. No significant differences were found among the tests for estimated ability or posttest state anxiety in studies with 187 Spanish high school students, although other significant differences were found. Discusses implications for interpreting test…

Both The 'Private Option' And Traditional Medicaid Expansions Improved Access To Care For Low-Income Adults.

PubMed

Sommers, Benjamin D; Blendon, Robert J; Orav, E John

2016-01-01

Under the Affordable Care Act, thirty states and the District of Columbia have expanded eligibility for Medicaid, with several states using Medicaid funds to purchase private insurance (the "private option"). Despite vigorous debate over the use of private insurance versus traditional Medicaid to provide coverage to low-income adults, there is little evidence on the relative merits of the two approaches. We compared the first-year impacts of traditional Medicaid expansion in Kentucky, the private option in Arkansas, and nonexpansion in Texas by conducting a telephone survey of two distinct waves of low-income adults (5,665 altogether) in those three states in November-December 2013 and twelve months later. Using a difference-in-differences analysis, we found that the uninsurance rate declined by 14 percentage points in the two expansion states, compared to the nonexpansion state. In the expansion states, again compared to the nonexpansion state, skipping medications because of cost and trouble paying medical bills declined significantly, and the share of individuals with chronic conditions who obtained regular care increased. Other than coverage type and trouble paying medical bills (which decreased more in Kentucky than in Arkansas), there were no significant differences between Kentucky's traditional Medicaid expansion and Arkansas's private option, which suggests that both approaches improved access among low-income adults. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

When Do States Respond to Low Fertility? Contexts of State Concern in Wealthier Countries, 1976-2011.

PubMed

Marshall, Emily A

2015-06-01

Since the 1970s, expressions of state concern over low fertility have greatly increased among wealthier countries. This study asks to what extent this increase is explained by demographic factors, national-level economic and political factors, and processes of international diffusion and changing international norms. Analyses integrate the world polity literature on global policy diffusion with a social problems approach to examine international diffusion of state concern among more powerful members of the world polity, a process that can produce changes in international policy consensus. Comparisons of the characteristics of states that do and do not express concern over low fertility find that among wealthier "first-world" countries, state concern has become more responsive to fertility rates: fertility rates are not significantly associated with concern early in the study period, but are strongly associated with concern later in the study period. There is no evidence that integration into the world polity is associated with concern in these countries, and some evidence that less integrated countries are more likely to express concern, suggesting that processes shaping the diffusion of state concern may differ from those identified as shaping policy diffusion in the existing literature. Among "second-world" former Eastern bloc countries, different patterns of associations reflect different political histories: concern is associated only with demographic factors, with no significant change in this association over time.

When Do States Respond to Low Fertility? Contexts of State Concern in Wealthier Countries, 1976–2011

PubMed Central

Marshall, Emily A.

2015-01-01

Since the 1970s, expressions of state concern over low fertility have greatly increased among wealthier countries. This study asks to what extent this increase is explained by demographic factors, national-level economic and political factors, and processes of international diffusion and changing international norms. Analyses integrate the world polity literature on global policy diffusion with a social problems approach to examine international diffusion of state concern among more powerful members of the world polity, a process that can produce changes in international policy consensus. Comparisons of the characteristics of states that do and do not express concern over low fertility find that among wealthier “first-world” countries, state concern has become more responsive to fertility rates: fertility rates are not significantly associated with concern early in the study period, but are strongly associated with concern later in the study period. There is no evidence that integration into the world polity is associated with concern in these countries, and some evidence that less integrated countries are more likely to express concern, suggesting that processes shaping the diffusion of state concern may differ from those identified as shaping policy diffusion in the existing literature. Among “second-world” former Eastern bloc countries, different patterns of associations reflect different political histories: concern is associated only with demographic factors, with no significant change in this association over time. PMID:26213421

Anxiety Sensitivity, Experiential Avoidance, and Mindfulness Among Younger and Older Adults: Age Differences in Risk Factors for Anxiety Symptoms.

PubMed

Mahoney, Colin T; Segal, Daniel L; Coolidge, Frederick L

2015-10-01

In this cross-sectional study, we examined age-related differences in anxiety sensitivity (AS), experiential avoidance (EA), and mindfulness among younger adult students (N=426; M age=20.1 years) and community-dwelling older adults (N=85; M age=71.8 years). Participants anonymously completed the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Geriatric Anxiety Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Independent t tests indicated that younger adults reported significantly higher levels of AS and EA, whereas older adults reported significantly higher levels of trait mindfulness. Correlational analyses demonstrated that AS and EA were significantly associated with each other and with anxiety-related symptoms. However, trait mindfulness was significantly inversely related to AS, EA, and to trait and state anxiety. To date, these three factors have yet to be examined simultaneously within the context of age differences, and the present study illuminates these differences as well as their relationships. AS, EA, and low mindfulness appear to be significant correlates for anxiety-related symptoms in younger and older adults. © The Author(s) 2015.

Determinants of nutritional status of pre-school children in India.

PubMed

Bharati, Susmita; Pal, Manoranjan; Bharati, Premananda

2008-11-01

The aim of this paper is to assess the spatial distribution of nutritional status of children of less than three years through Z-scores of weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height using data collected by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-2, 1998-99), India. The nutritional status of pre-school children was regressed on different socio-demographic factors after eliminating the effect of age. The data show that there are gender differences and spatial variations in the nutritional status of children in India. Gender difference is not very pronounced and almost disappears when the effects of age and socio-demographic variables are removed. The spatial difference, especially the rural-urban difference, was found to be very large and decreased substantially when the effects of age and socioeconomic variables were removed. However, the differences were not close to zero. All the variables were found to affect significantly the nutritional status of children. However, the literacy of mothers did not affect height-for-age significantly. The weight-for-age and height-for-age scores showed a dismal picture of the health condition of children in almost all states in India. The worst affected states are Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh. Assam and Rajasthans are also lagging behind. Weight-for-height scores do not give a clear picture of state-wise variation. Goa, Kerala and Punjab are the three most developed states in India and also have the lowest percentages of underweight children according to the Z-scores. Along with these three states come the north-eastern states where women are well educated. Thus overall development, enhancement of level of education and low gender inequality are the key factors for improvement in the health status of Indian children.

Using Multigroup-Multiphase Latent State-Trait Models to Study Treatment-Induced Changes in Intra-Individual State Variability: An Application to Smokers' Affect.

PubMed

Geiser, Christian; Griffin, Daniel; Shiffman, Saul

2016-01-01

Sometimes, researchers are interested in whether an intervention, experimental manipulation, or other treatment causes changes in intra-individual state variability. The authors show how multigroup-multiphase latent state-trait (MG-MP-LST) models can be used to examine treatment effects with regard to both mean differences and differences in state variability. The approach is illustrated based on a randomized controlled trial in which N = 338 smokers were randomly assigned to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) vs. placebo prior to quitting smoking. We found that post quitting, smokers in both the NRT and placebo group had significantly reduced intra-individual affect state variability with respect to the affect items calm and content relative to the pre-quitting phase. This reduction in state variability did not differ between the NRT and placebo groups, indicating that quitting smoking may lead to a stabilization of individuals' affect states regardless of whether or not individuals receive NRT.

Using Multigroup-Multiphase Latent State-Trait Models to Study Treatment-Induced Changes in Intra-Individual State Variability: An Application to Smokers' Affect

PubMed Central

Geiser, Christian; Griffin, Daniel; Shiffman, Saul

2016-01-01

Sometimes, researchers are interested in whether an intervention, experimental manipulation, or other treatment causes changes in intra-individual state variability. The authors show how multigroup-multiphase latent state-trait (MG-MP-LST) models can be used to examine treatment effects with regard to both mean differences and differences in state variability. The approach is illustrated based on a randomized controlled trial in which N = 338 smokers were randomly assigned to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) vs. placebo prior to quitting smoking. We found that post quitting, smokers in both the NRT and placebo group had significantly reduced intra-individual affect state variability with respect to the affect items calm and content relative to the pre-quitting phase. This reduction in state variability did not differ between the NRT and placebo groups, indicating that quitting smoking may lead to a stabilization of individuals' affect states regardless of whether or not individuals receive NRT. PMID:27499744

Effects of state organizational structure and forensic examiner training on pretrial competence assessments.

PubMed

Edens, J F; Poythress, N G; Nicholson, R A; Otto, R K

1999-05-01

States differ widely in their delivery of pretrial forensic evaluation services, in terms of organizational structure and training requirements of forensic examiners. It was hypothesized that defendants adjudicated incompetent to proceed in states using community-based, private-practitioner systems would show less impairment on a competence assessment measure, the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Criminal Adjudication (MacCAT-CA), than defendants adjudicated incompetent in states using traditional, inpatient systems. It also was hypothesized that mean MacCAT-CA scores for incompetent defendants from states requiring forensic training/certification would be lower than for defendants from states lacking such requirements. Results indicated significant differences across the four types of service delivery systems examined. However, planned comparisons revealed no differences between a state using a traditional, inpatient model and a state employing a community-based, private-practitioner model. Analyses examining the effects of mandatory forensic training failed to support the hypothesis that training requirements result in the adoption of higher thresholds for determining incompetence.

Ordering states with various coherence measures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Long-Mei; Chen, Bin; Fei, Shao-Ming; Wang, Zhi-Xi

2018-04-01

Quantum coherence is one of the most significant theories in quantum physics. Ordering states with various coherence measures is an intriguing task in quantification theory of coherence. In this paper, we study this problem by use of four important coherence measures—the l_1 norm of coherence, the relative entropy of coherence, the geometric measure of coherence and the modified trace distance measure of coherence. We show that each pair of these measures give a different ordering of qudit states when d≥3. However, for single-qubit states, the l_1 norm of coherence and the geometric coherence provide the same ordering. We also show that the relative entropy of coherence and the geometric coherence give a different ordering for single-qubit states. Then we partially answer the open question proposed in Liu et al. (Quantum Inf Process 15:4189, 2016) whether all the coherence measures give a different ordering of states.

Effects of music listening on depressed women in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lai, Y M

1999-01-01

This study investigated the physiological and psychological effects of music listening on depressed women in Taiwan. Through the use of a pretest-posttest, control group, experimental design, the heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and immediate mood states before and after a music/sound intervention were measured in 30 women. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and with t tests. A qualitative questionnaire was administered to participants to elicit information related to the subjective experience of music/sound listening. Significant posttest differences were found in experimental group participants' heart rates, respiratory rates, blood pressure, and tranquil mood states. Significant posttest differences also were found in control group participants' heart rates and tranquil mood states. The results support the use of music listening as a body-mind healing modality for depressed women.

LABCEDE Fluorescence Investigations

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

the B state is preferentially formed in lower energy spin states, either by direct electron impact or by radiative cascade. However, comparison with dir... impact excitation cross sections for these states at 4.5 kV are small and much of the excitation comes from lower energy secondary electrons created by... impact and energy pooling are significantly different. Experimentally, the C-state vibrational distribution is accurately determined from the spectrum

Differential brain network activity across mood states in bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Brady, Roscoe O; Tandon, Neeraj; Masters, Grace A; Margolis, Allison; Cohen, Bruce M; Keshavan, Matcheri; Öngür, Dost

2017-01-01

This study aimed to identify how the activity of large-scale brain networks differs between mood states in bipolar disorder. The authors measured spontaneous brain activity in subjects with bipolar disorder in mania and euthymia and compared these states to a healthy comparison population. 23 subjects with bipolar disorder type I in a manic episode, 24 euthymic bipolar I subjects, and 23 matched healthy comparison (HC) subjects underwent resting state fMRI scans. Using an existing parcellation of the whole brain, we measured functional connectivity between brain regions and identified significant differences between groups. In unbiased whole-brain analyses, functional connectivity between parietal, occipital, and frontal nodes within the dorsal attention network (DAN) were significantly greater in mania than euthymia or HC subjects. In the default mode network (DMN), connectivity between dorsal frontal nodes and the rest of the DMN differentiated both mood state and diagnosis. The bipolar groups were separate cohorts rather than subjects imaged longitudinally across mood states. Bipolar mood states are associated with highly significant alterations in connectivity in two large-scale brain networks. These same networks also differentiate bipolar mania and euthymia from a HC population. State related changes in DAN and DMN connectivity suggest a circuit based pathology underlying cognitive dysfunction as well as activity/reactivity in bipolar mania. Altered activities in neural networks may be biomarkers of bipolar disorder diagnosis and mood state that are accessible to neuromodulation and are promising novel targets for scientific investigation and possible clinical intervention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Are red-tailed hawks and great horned owls diurnal-nocturnal dietary counterparts?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marti, C.D.; Kochert, Michael N.

1995-01-01

Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) and Great Homed Owls (Bubo virginianus)are common in North America where they occupy a wide range of habitats, often sympatrically. The two species are similar in size and have been portrayed as ecological counterparts, eating the same prey by day and night. We tested the trophic similarity of the two species by comparing published dietary data from across the United States. Both species ate primarily mammals and birds, and mean proportions of those two prey types did not differ significantly between diets of the two raptors. Red-tailed Hawks ate significantly more reptiles, and Great Homed Owls significantly more invertebrates. Dietary diversity was not significantly different at the level of prey taxonomic class, and diet overlap between the two species averaged 91%. At the prey species level, dietary overlap averaged only 50%, and at that level Red-tailed Hawk dietary diversity was significantly greater than that of Great Horned Owls. Mean prey mass of Red-tailed Hawks was significantly greater than that of Great Homed Owls. Populations of the two species in the western United States differed trophically more than did eastern populations. We conclude that, although the two species are generalist predators, they take largely different prey species in the same localities resulting in distinctive trophic characteristics.

Using max entropy ratio of recurrence plot to measure electrocorticogram changes in epilepsy patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Jiaqing; Wang, Yinghua; Ouyang, Gaoxiang; Yu, Tao; Li, Xiaoli

2016-02-01

A maximum entropy ratio (MER) method is firstly adapted to investigate the high-dimensional Electrocorticogram (ECoG) data from epilepsy patients. MER is a symbolic analysis approach for the detection of recurrence domains of complex dynamical systems from time series. Data were chosen from eight patients undergoing pre-surgical evaluation for drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. MERs for interictal and ictal data were calculated and compared. A statistical test was performed to evaluate the ability of MER to separate the interictal state from the ictal state. MER showed significant changes from the interictal state into the ictal state, where MER was low at the ictal state and is significantly different with that at the interictal state. These suggest that MER is able to separate the ictal state from the interictal state based on ECoG data. It has the potential of detecting the transition between normal brain activity and the ictal state.

Behavioral Profiles of Children with Williams Syndrome from Spain and the United States: Cross-Cultural Similarities and Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pérez-García, Débora; Brun-Gasca, Carme; Pérez-Jurado, Luis A.; Mervis, Carolyn B.

2017-01-01

To identify similarities and differences in the behavioral profile of children with Williams syndrome from Spain (n = 53) and the United States (n = 145), we asked parents of 6- to 14-year-olds with Williams syndrome to complete the Child Behavior Checklist 6-18. The distribution of raw scores was significantly higher for the Spanish sample than…

The Effect of a State Department of Education Teacher Mentor Initiative on Science Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pruitt, Stephen L.; Wallace, Carolyn S.

2012-06-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of a southern state's department of education program to improve science achievement through embedded professional development of science teachers in the lowest performing schools. The Science Mentor Program provided content and inquiry-based coaching by teacher leaders to science teachers in their own classrooms. The study analyzed the mean scale scores for the science portion of the state's high school graduation test for the years 2004 through 2007 to determine whether schools receiving the intervention scored significantly higher than comparison schools receiving no intervention. The results showed that all schools achieved significant improvement of scale scores between 2004 and 2007, but there were no significant performance differences between intervention and comparison schools, nor were there any significant differences between various subgroups in intervention and comparison schools. However, one subgroup, economically disadvantaged (ED) students, from high-level intervention schools closed the achievement gap with ED students from no-intervention schools across the period of the study. The study provides important information to guide future research on and design of large-scale professional development programs to foster inquiry-based science.

Smelling chemosensory signals of males in anxious versus nonanxious condition increases state anxiety of female subjects.

PubMed

Albrecht, Jessica; Demmel, Maria; Schöpf, Veronika; Kleemann, Anna Maria; Kopietz, Rainer; May, Johanna; Schreder, Tatjana; Zernecke, Rebekka; Brückmann, Hartmut; Wiesmann, Martin

2011-01-01

The hypothesis of this experiment was that humans in an anxious state compared with a nonanxious state are able to increase anxiety levels in other humans via their body odors. Specifically, we hypothesized that male chemosensory anxiety signals compared with neutral chemosignals increase state anxiety of female subjects. Thirteen male subjects participated in 2 different sweat donation sessions: chemosignals were collected during participation in a high rope course (anxiety condition) and in an ergometer workout (neutral condition). State and trait anxiety were evaluated in 20 female odor recipients using Spielberger's state-trait anxiety inventory in a double-blind design. Comparison of state anxiety of odor donors between control and anxiety condition differed significantly indicating that our model of anxiety induction successfully led to the expected change in emotion. Comparison of state anxiety of odor recipients showed a trend toward higher state anxiety in the anxiety condition compared with the neutral condition after 5 min of odor exposure. After 20 min of odor exposure, state anxiety of female subjects was significantly higher during the perception of sweat collected during the anxiety condition in comparison with the perception of sweat collected during the neutral condition. This experiment gives evidence that male anxiety chemosignals compared with neutral chemosignals are capable of inducing an increased state anxiety in female subjects.

Bayesian network analysis revealed the connectivity difference of the default mode network from the resting-state to task-state

PubMed Central

Wu, Xia; Yu, Xinyu; Yao, Li; Li, Rui

2014-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have converged to reveal the default mode network (DMN), a constellation of regions that display co-activation during resting-state but co-deactivation during attention-demanding tasks in the brain. Here, we employed a Bayesian network (BN) analysis method to construct a directed effective connectivity model of the DMN and compared the organizational architecture and interregional directed connections under both resting-state and task-state. The analysis results indicated that the DMN was consistently organized into two closely interacting subsystems in both resting-state and task-state. The directed connections between DMN regions, however, changed significantly from the resting-state to task-state condition. The results suggest that the DMN intrinsically maintains a relatively stable structure whether at rest or performing tasks but has different information processing mechanisms under varied states. PMID:25309414

Comparative study of expenditure on highways in Louisiana : technical assistance report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-03-01

The objective of the investigation is to accumulate factual information on highway expenditure in Louisiana and other states and make a comparison among them to identify whether funding in Louisiana is significantly different from that in other state...

Disparities in Cervical Cancer Characteristics and Survival Between White Hispanics and White Non-Hispanic Women.

PubMed

Khan, Hafiz M R; Gabbidon, Kemesha; Saxena, Anshul; Abdool-Ghany, Faheema; Dodge, John M; Lenzmeier, Taylor

2016-10-01

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women resulting in nearly 500,000 cases annually. Screening leads to better treatment and survival time. However, human papillomavirus (HPV) exposure, screening, and treatment vary among races and ethnicities in the United States. The purpose of this study is to examine disparities in characteristics of cervical cancer and survival of cases between White Hispanic (WH) and White non-Hispanic (WNH) women in the United States. We used a stratified random sampling method to select cervical cancer patient records from nine states; a simple random sampling method to extract the demographic and disease characteristics data within states from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. We used statistical probability distribution methods for discrete and continuous data. The chi-square test and independent samples t-test were used to evaluate statistically significant differences. Furthermore, the Cox Proportional Regression and the Kaplan-Meier survival estimators were used to compare WH and WNH population survival times in the United States. The samples of WNH and WH women included 4,000 cervical cancer cases from 1973-2009. There were statistically significant differences between ethnicities: marital status (p < 0.001); primary site of cancer (p < 0.001); lymph node involvement (p < 0.001); grading and differentiation (p < 0.0001); and tumor behavior (p < 0.001). The mean age of diagnosis for both groups showed no statistical differences. However, the mean survival time for WNH was 221.7 (standard deviation [SD] = 118.1) months and for WH was 190.3 (SD = 120.3), which differed significantly (p < 0.001). Clear disparities exist in risk factors, cervical cancer characteristics, and survival time between WH and WNH women.

Is functional integration of resting state brain networks an unspecific biomarker for working memory performance?

PubMed

Alavash, Mohsen; Doebler, Philipp; Holling, Heinz; Thiel, Christiane M; Gießing, Carsten

2015-03-01

Is there one optimal topology of functional brain networks at rest from which our cognitive performance would profit? Previous studies suggest that functional integration of resting state brain networks is an important biomarker for cognitive performance. However, it is still unknown whether higher network integration is an unspecific predictor for good cognitive performance or, alternatively, whether specific network organization during rest predicts only specific cognitive abilities. Here, we investigated the relationship between network integration at rest and cognitive performance using two tasks that measured different aspects of working memory; one task assessed visual-spatial and the other numerical working memory. Network clustering, modularity and efficiency were computed to capture network integration on different levels of network organization, and to statistically compare their correlations with the performance in each working memory test. The results revealed that each working memory aspect profits from a different resting state topology, and the tests showed significantly different correlations with each of the measures of network integration. While higher global network integration and modularity predicted significantly better performance in visual-spatial working memory, both measures showed no significant correlation with numerical working memory performance. In contrast, numerical working memory was superior in subjects with highly clustered brain networks, predominantly in the intraparietal sulcus, a core brain region of the working memory network. Our findings suggest that a specific balance between local and global functional integration of resting state brain networks facilitates special aspects of cognitive performance. In the context of working memory, while visual-spatial performance is facilitated by globally integrated functional resting state brain networks, numerical working memory profits from increased capacities for local processing, especially in brain regions involved in working memory performance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The association of USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores with residency match specialty and location.

PubMed

Gauer, Jacqueline L; Jackson, J Brooks

2017-01-01

For future physicians, residency programs offer necessary extended training in specific medical specialties. Medical schools benefit from an understanding of factors that lead their students to match into certain residency specialties. One such factor, often used during the residency application process, is scores on the USA Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE). To determine the relationship between USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores and students' residency specialty match, and the association between both USMLE scores and state of legal residency (Minnesota) at the time of admission with students staying in-state or leaving the state for residency program. USMLE scores and residency match data were analyzed from five graduating classes of students at the University of Minnesota Medical School (N = 1054). A MANOVA found significant differences (p < 0.001) between residency specialties and both USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores, as well as the combination of the two. Students who matched in Dermatology had the highest mean USMLE scores overall, while students who matched in Family Medicine had the lowest mean scores. Students who went out of state for residency had significantly higher Step 1 scores (p = 0.027) than students who stayed in-state for residency, while there was no significant difference between the groups for Step 2 scores. A significant positive association was found between a student who applied as a legal resident of Minnesota and whether the student stayed in Minnesota for their residency program. Residency specialty match was significantly associated with USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 CK scores, as was staying in-state or leaving the state for residency. Students who were legal residents of the state at the time of application were more likely to stay in-state for residency, regardless of USMLE score. CK: Clinical knowledge; COMLEX: Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination; GME: Graduate medical education; NRMP: National Resident Matching Program; UME: Undergraduate medical education; USMLE: United States Medical Licensing Examination.

The association of USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores with residency match specialty and location

PubMed Central

Gauer, Jacqueline L.; Jackson, J. Brooks

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: For future physicians, residency programs offer necessary extended training in specific medical specialties. Medical schools benefit from an understanding of factors that lead their students to match into certain residency specialties. One such factor, often used during the residency application process, is scores on the USA Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE). Objectives: To determine the relationship between USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) scores and students’ residency specialty match, and the association between both USMLE scores and state of legal residency (Minnesota) at the time of admission with students staying in-state or leaving the state for residency program. Design: USMLE scores and residency match data were analyzed from five graduating classes of students at the University of Minnesota Medical School (N = 1054). Results: A MANOVA found significant differences (p < 0.001) between residency specialties and both USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores, as well as the combination of the two. Students who matched in Dermatology had the highest mean USMLE scores overall, while students who matched in Family Medicine had the lowest mean scores. Students who went out of state for residency had significantly higher Step 1 scores (p = 0.027) than students who stayed in-state for residency, while there was no significant difference between the groups for Step 2 scores. A significant positive association was found between a student who applied as a legal resident of Minnesota and whether the student stayed in Minnesota for their residency program. Conclusions: Residency specialty match was significantly associated with USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 CK scores, as was staying in-state or leaving the state for residency. Students who were legal residents of the state at the time of application were more likely to stay in-state for residency, regardless of USMLE score. Abbreviations: CK: Clinical knowledge; COMLEX: Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination; GME: Graduate medical education; NRMP: National Resident Matching Program; UME: Undergraduate medical education; USMLE: United States Medical Licensing Examination PMID:28762297

Advanced Analytic Cognition: Thinking Dispositions

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

on this instrument showed no significant differences between the experimental and control groups . Further, posttest means were not significantly...different from pretest means in either group ( Pretest : Experimental M = 296, Control M = 297; Posttest : Experimental M = 298, Control M = 302). It...for critical thinking in nursing also addressed thinking dispositions.  The planning group on critical thinking at Frostburg State University

Major Issues in Community College Finance: Summary of Testimony Presented to the Assembly Education Committee. Director's Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callan, Pat

The systems of finance and governance of California's state universities and colleges and its community colleges have differed significantly. While the four-year institutions have been funded from the state budget, prior to 1978, the community colleges depended largely on local property taxes for revenue supplemented by state apportionments to…

SEX DIFFERENCES ON THE WISC-III AMONG CHILDREN IN SUDAN AND THE UNITED STATES.

PubMed

Bakhiet, Salaheldin F; Albursan, Ismael S; Al Qudah, Mohammad F; Abduljabbar, Adel S; Aljomaa, Suliman S; Toto, Howida Sirelkhatim Abdalrahim; Lynn, Richard

2017-11-01

The sex differences on the WISC-III are reported for the thirteen subtests, the Verbal and Performance IQs, the four Index IQs and the Full Scale IQs in Sudan and the United States. The sex differences are closely similar in the two samples with a correlation of 0.878 (p<0.001) for the thirteen subtests. Males obtained significantly higher Full Scale IQs in the two samples of 0.23d and 0.11d, respectively.

SEX DIFFERENCES ON THE WECHSLER INTELLIGENCE SCALE FOR CHILDREN-III IN BAHRAIN AND THE UNITED STATES.

PubMed

Bakhiet, Salaheldin Farah Attallah; Lynn, Richard

2015-12-01

Sex differences on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC-III) are reported for children in Bahrain and the United States. The results for the two samples were consistent in showing no significant differences in Verbal, Performance, and Full Scale IQs, higher average scores by boys on the Block design and Mazes subtests of spatial ability, and higher average scores by girls on Coding. There was also greater variability in boys than in girls.

Are medical marijuana users different from recreational users? The view from primary care.

PubMed

Roy-Byrne, Peter; Maynard, Charles; Bumgardner, Kristin; Krupski, Antoinette; Dunn, Chris; West, Imara I; Donovan, Dennis; Atkins, David C; Ries, Richard

2015-10-01

Marijuana is currently approved for medical use in 23 states. Both clinicians and the lay public have questioned whether users of marijuana for medical purposes are different from users of marijuana for recreational purposes. This study examined similarities and differences in important clinical characteristics between users of medical marijuana and users of recreational marijuana. The sample consisted of 868 adult primary care patients in Washington State, who reported use of medical marijuana (n = 131), recreational marijuana (n = 525), or drugs other than marijuana (n = 212). Retention was over 87% at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month assessments. The majority of medical, psychiatric, substance use, and service utilization characteristic comparisons were not significant. However, medical marijuana users had significantly more medical problems, a significantly larger proportion reported >15 days medical problems in the past month, and significantly smaller proportions reported no pain and no mobility limitations (p < .001). Medical marijuana users also had significantly lower drug problem severity, lower alcohol problem severity, and significantly larger proportions reported using marijuana alone and concomitant opioid use only (p < .001). There was no significant difference between medical and recreational users in the percentage using marijuana with at least two additional substances (48% vs. 58%, respectively, p = .05). Although our results suggest that there are few distinct differences between medical and recreational users of marijuana, the differences observed, while mostly very small in effect size (<.2), are consistent with at least some medical users employing marijuana to relieve symptoms and distress associated with medical illness. © American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry.

Crash Fatality Rates After Recreational Marijuana Legalization in Washington and Colorado.

PubMed

Aydelotte, Jayson D; Brown, Lawrence H; Luftman, Kevin M; Mardock, Alexandra L; Teixeira, Pedro G R; Coopwood, Ben; Brown, Carlos V R

2017-08-01

To evaluate motor vehicle crash fatality rates in the first 2 states with recreational marijuana legalization and compare them with motor vehicle crash fatality rates in similar states without recreational marijuana legalization. We used the US Fatality Analysis Reporting System to determine the annual numbers of motor vehicle crash fatalities between 2009 and 2015 in Washington, Colorado, and 8 control states. We compared year-over-year changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates (per billion vehicle miles traveled) before and after recreational marijuana legalization with a difference-in-differences approach that controlled for underlying time trends and state-specific population, economic, and traffic characteristics. Pre-recreational marijuana legalization annual changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates for Washington and Colorado were similar to those for the control states. Post-recreational marijuana legalization changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates for Washington and Colorado also did not significantly differ from those for the control states (adjusted difference-in-differences coefficient = +0.2 fatalities/billion vehicle miles traveled; 95% confidence interval = -0.4, +0.9). Three years after recreational marijuana legalization, changes in motor vehicle crash fatality rates for Washington and Colorado were not statistically different from those in similar states without recreational marijuana legalization. Future studies over a longer time remain warranted.

The impact of focused, long-term, and collaborative professional development in math and science participants' self-efficacy, classroom practice, and student achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nottingham, Mary E.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a 2-year professional development model in math and science on the self-efficacy of the teacher and its effects on teacher practice and student outcomes. Further, this study sought to incorporate the instructional use of Inquiry-Based Learning methods of Problem-Based Learning, Japanese Lesson Study, and Action Research. Additionally, this study examined the impacts of these interventions on teacher efficacy and student outcomes. Thirty-eight collaborating participants were purposefully selected by the Math and Science Teacher Academy (MASTA) project grant co-directors because of their content-focused classrooms of mathematics and science. This quasi-experimental study included mathematics and science in-service teachers working on their masters in education. The 2-year, bi-monthly professional development model included collaborating Inquiry-Based Learning communities with in-depth focus on Japanese Lesson Study, Problem-Based Learning instruction, and Action Research. A chi-square analysis was conducted by grade on the difference in passing rate from the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills mathematics and science tests between the MASTA participants and the state passing average. In mathematics there were significant v differences only at grades 3 and 7 where the state passing average was significantly higher than the MASTA students' passing rate. Only at grade 5 was the MASTA students' passing rate higher than the state, but the difference was not significantly different. The science passing rate received from three grade 5 MASTA participants was compared to the state average and a chi-squared was conducted. Although the passing rate for the grade 5 science test was 6% higher for MASTA student that the state, the difference was not statistically significant. However, after analyzing the qualitative participant responses from data gathered during the 2-year MASTA grant the data clearly reflected that teachers participating in the MASTA grant felt the professional development helped to improve their own teacher-efficacy and knowledge in their content areas.

[Evolution of dissociative learning].

PubMed

Azarashvili, A A

2010-01-01

This review considers data obtained during the entire research period of state-dependent learning. Understanding of this phenomenon has significantly evolved during the past decades, as a result of the increasing amount of facts revealed while studying state-dependent learning. Consequently, a situation has arisen where different papers may describe same phenomena using different terms. This does not promote understanding of the described phenomena. Therefore a need for a paper emerged, that would analyze the evolution of state-dependent learning and would offer terminology corresponding to all the data collected on the subject.

The influence of resistance exercise training on the levels of anxiety in ischemic stroke.

PubMed

Aidar, Felipe José; de Oliveira, Ricardo Jacó; Silva, António José; de Matos, Dihogo Gama; Mazini Filho, Mauro Lúcio; Hickner, Robert C; Machado Reis, Victor

2012-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to analyze the effect of a strength training program on indicators of trait and state anxiety in patients with ischemic stroke. The subjects were divided into two groups: experimental group (EG) consisting of 11 subjects aged 51.7 ± 8.0 years and a control group (CG) with 13 subjects aged 52.5 ± 7.7 years. EG underwent 12 weeks of strength training, with a frequency of three times a week. For data collection, a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used. Significant differences were found between pre- and posttest in EG for trait anxiety (43.2 ± 12.5 pretest 39.9 ± 7.3 posttest) and state anxiety (46.9 ± 7.6 pretest 44.9 ± 7.7 posttest) with no differences in CG for trait anxiety (42.9 ± 12.2 pretest 42.6 ± 12.1 posttest) and state anxiety (47.4 ± 8.1 pretest 47.5 ± 8.0 posttest). In the evaluation between the groups, significant differences were found for all indicators of trait anxiety (39.9 ± 7.3 EG; 42.6 ± 12.1 CG) and state anxiety (44.9 ± 7.7 EG; 47.5 ± 8.0 CG). This pilot study indicates that strength training may provide an improvement in trait and state anxiety more than one year after stroke.

Effects of Educational Music Therapy on State Hope for Recovery in Acute Care Mental Health Inpatients: A Cluster-Randomized Effectiveness Study.

PubMed

Silverman, Michael J

2016-01-01

Background: There has been an increasing emphasis on recovery as the expectation for people with mental health disorders. Purpose: The purpose of this effectiveness study is to determine if group-based educational music therapy can immediately impact state hope for recovery in acute care mental health patients. Research questions included: will acute care mental health inpatients who participate in a single music therapy session have higher agency and pathway aspects of state hope for recovery than patients in a control condition? Will there be differences in state hope for recovery as a result of hope-oriented songwriting or lyric analysis interventions? Method: Participants ( N = 169) were cluster randomized to one of three single-session conditions: lyric analysis, songwriting, or wait-list control. Results: There was no significant between-group difference. However, both music therapy conditions tended to have slightly higher mean pathway, agency, and total state hope scores than the control condition even within the temporal parameters of a single music therapy session. There was no between-group difference in the songwriting and lyric analysis interventions. Conclusion: Although not significant, results support that educational music therapy may impact state hope for recovery within the temporal parameters of a single session. The specific type of educational music therapy intervention did not affect results. Implications for practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided.

Effects of Educational Music Therapy on State Hope for Recovery in Acute Care Mental Health Inpatients: A Cluster-Randomized Effectiveness Study

PubMed Central

Silverman, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Background: There has been an increasing emphasis on recovery as the expectation for people with mental health disorders. Purpose: The purpose of this effectiveness study is to determine if group-based educational music therapy can immediately impact state hope for recovery in acute care mental health patients. Research questions included: will acute care mental health inpatients who participate in a single music therapy session have higher agency and pathway aspects of state hope for recovery than patients in a control condition? Will there be differences in state hope for recovery as a result of hope-oriented songwriting or lyric analysis interventions? Method: Participants (N = 169) were cluster randomized to one of three single-session conditions: lyric analysis, songwriting, or wait-list control. Results: There was no significant between-group difference. However, both music therapy conditions tended to have slightly higher mean pathway, agency, and total state hope scores than the control condition even within the temporal parameters of a single music therapy session. There was no between-group difference in the songwriting and lyric analysis interventions. Conclusion: Although not significant, results support that educational music therapy may impact state hope for recovery within the temporal parameters of a single session. The specific type of educational music therapy intervention did not affect results. Implications for practice, limitations, and suggestions for future research are provided. PMID:27774084

The Influence of Resistance Exercise Training on the Levels of Anxiety in Ischemic Stroke

PubMed Central

Aidar, Felipe José; de Oliveira, Ricardo Jacó; Silva, António José; de Matos, Dihogo Gama; Mazini Filho, Mauro Lúcio; Hickner, Robert C.; Machado Reis, Victor

2012-01-01

The aim of this pilot study was to analyze the effect of a strength training program on indicators of trait and state anxiety in patients with ischemic stroke. The subjects were divided into two groups: experimental group (EG) consisting of 11 subjects aged 51.7 ± 8.0 years and a control group (CG) with 13 subjects aged 52.5 ± 7.7 years. EG underwent 12 weeks of strength training, with a frequency of three times a week. For data collection, a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used. Significant differences were found between pre- and posttest in EG for trait anxiety (43.2 ± 12.5 pretest 39.9 ± 7.3 posttest) and state anxiety (46.9 ± 7.6 pretest 44.9 ± 7.7 posttest) with no differences in CG for trait anxiety (42.9 ± 12.2 pretest 42.6 ± 12.1 posttest) and state anxiety (47.4 ± 8.1 pretest 47.5 ± 8.0 posttest). In the evaluation between the groups, significant differences were found for all indicators of trait anxiety (39.9 ± 7.3 EG; 42.6 ± 12.1 CG) and state anxiety (44.9 ± 7.7 EG; 47.5 ± 8.0 CG). This pilot study indicates that strength training may provide an improvement in trait and state anxiety more than one year after stroke. PMID:23213625

The impact of maternity length-of-stay mandates on the labor market and insurance coverage.

PubMed

Sabik, Lindsay M; Laugesen, Miriam J

2012-01-01

To understand the effects of insurance regulation on the labor market and insurance coverage, this study uses a difference-in-difference-in-differences analysis to compare five states that passed minimum maternity length-of-stay laws with states that waited until after a federal law was passed. On average, we do not find statistically significant effects on labor market outcomes such as hours of work and wages. However, we find that employees of small firms in states with maternity length-of-stay mandates experienced a 6.2-percentage-point decline in the likelihood of having employer-sponsored insurance. Implementation of federal health reform that requires minimum benefit standards should consider the implications for firms of differing sizes.

State Insurance Mandates and Multiple Birth Rates After In Vitro Fertilization.

PubMed

Provost, Meredith P; Thomas, Samantha M; Yeh, Jason S; Hurd, William W; Eaton, Jennifer L

2016-12-01

To examine the association between state-mandated insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the incidence of multiple birth while controlling for differences in baseline patient characteristics. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcomes Reporting System from 2007 to 2011 to examine the association between state-mandated insurance coverage for IVF and the incidence of multiple birth while controlling for differences in baseline patient characteristics. Analyses were stratified according to patient age and day of embryo transfer (3 or 5). Of the 173,968 cycles included in the analysis, 45,011 (25.9%) were performed in mandated states and 128,957 (74.1%) in nonmandated states. The multiple birth rate was significantly lower in mandated states (29.0% compared with 32.8%, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.87, 99.95% confidence interval [CI] 0.80-0.94). After stratification, this association remained statistically significant only in women younger than 35 years old who underwent transfer on day 5 (33.1% compared with 38.6%, adjusted OR 0.81, 99.95% CI 0.71-0.92). Among women younger than 35 years with day 5 transfer, the elective single embryo transfer rate was significantly higher in mandated states (21.8% compared with 13.1%, adjusted OR 2.36, 99.95% CI 2.09-2.67). State-mandated insurance coverage for IVF is associated with decreased odds of multiple birth. This relationship is driven by increased use of elective single embryo transfer among young women undergoing day 5 transfer.

A Comparative Study of Standardized Infinity Reference and Average Reference for EEG of Three Typical Brain States

PubMed Central

Zheng, Gaoxing; Qi, Xiaoying; Li, Yuzhu; Zhang, Wei; Yu, Yuguo

2018-01-01

The choice of different reference electrodes plays an important role in deciphering the functional meaning of electroencephalography (EEG) signals. In recent years, the infinity zero reference using the reference electrode standard technique (REST) has been increasingly applied, while the average reference (AR) was generally advocated as the best available reference option in previous classical EEG studies. Here, we designed EEG experiments and performed a direct comparison between the influences of REST and AR on EEG-revealed brain activity features for three typical brain behavior states (eyes-closed, eyes-open and music-listening). The analysis results revealed the following observations: (1) there is no significant difference in the alpha-wave-blocking effect during the eyes-open state compared with the eyes-closed state for both REST and AR references; (2) there was clear frontal EEG asymmetry during the resting state, and the degree of lateralization under REST was higher than that under AR; (3) the global brain functional connectivity density (FCD) and local FCD have higher values for REST than for AR under different behavior states; and (4) the value of the small-world network characteristic in the eyes-closed state is significantly (in full, alpha, beta and gamma frequency bands) higher than that in the eyes-open state, and the small-world effect under the REST reference is higher than that under AR. In addition, the music-listening state has a higher small-world network effect than the eyes-closed state. The above results suggest that typical EEG features might be more clearly presented by applying the REST reference than by applying AR when using a 64-channel recording. PMID:29593490

Health State Utilities for Patients with Brain Metastases.

PubMed

Lester-Coll, Nataniel H; Dosoretz, Arie P; Hayman, James A; Yu, James B

2016-07-04

 Estimating the cost-effectiveness of whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), including Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS), requires the quantitative measurement of patients' health states after treatment. We sought to quantify individuals' preferences for the relevant health states after WBRT or GKRS for brain metastases on a 0 to 1 scale, where 1 is perfect health and 0 is death.  We prospectively measured utilities in patients with brain metastases evaluated at Yale for consideration of WBRT and/or GKRS, as well as oncology nurses who had cared for patients with brain metastases before and after WBRT or GKRS, using the Standard Gamble (SG) technique. Demographic information was also collected. Nonparametric tests were used to compare potential differences in utility values and for subgroups based on demographic characteristics.  There were 24 patients and 31 nurses who completed the study between December 2013 and May 2015. Median utilities ranged from 0.85 for the status-post (S/P) GKRS state to 0.25 (for neurologic dying). The median utility of being S/P WBRT was 0.70 compared to 0.85 S/P GKRS (p < 0.001). The cognitive decline from WBRT was associated with a notably low utility score of 0.30. There were no statistically significant differences between patients' and nurses' median utility scores.  These SG utilities provide unique insights into brain metastases-related health states from the patient and provider perspective. As perceived by individuals with direct knowledge of the health states in question, WBRT has a significantly lower utility compared to GKRS. Cognitive decline following WBRT is associated with significant perceived reduction in quality of life. Differences in the relative importance of overall survival and quality of life with treatment existed between patients with different stages of disease. These utilities can be used to calculate quality-adjusted life expectancy in cost-effectiveness evaluations of SRS and WBRT.

Evaluating the performance of vehicular platoon control under different network topologies of initial states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yongfu; Li, Kezhi; Zheng, Taixiong; Hu, Xiangdong; Feng, Huizong; Li, Yinguo

2016-05-01

This study proposes a feedback-based platoon control protocol for connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) under different network topologies of initial states. In particularly, algebraic graph theory is used to describe the network topology. Then, the leader-follower approach is used to model the interactions between CAVs. In addition, feedback-based protocol is designed to control the platoon considering the longitudinal and lateral gaps simultaneously as well as different network topologies. The stability and consensus of the vehicular platoon is analyzed using the Lyapunov technique. Effects of different network topologies of initial states on convergence time and robustness of platoon control are investigated. Results from numerical experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed protocol with respect to the position and velocity consensus in terms of the convergence time and robustness. Also, the findings of this study illustrate the convergence time of the control protocol is associated with the initial states, while the robustness is not affected by the initial states significantly.

Wind deployment in the United States: states, resources, policy, and discourse.

PubMed

Wilson, Elizabeth J; Stephens, Jennie C

2009-12-15

A transformation in the way the United States produces and uses energy is needed to achieve greenhouse gas reduction targets for climate change mitigation. Wind power is an important low-carbon technology and the most rapidly growing renewable energy technology in the U.S. Despite recent advances in wind deployment, significant state-by-state variation in wind power distribution cannot be explained solely by wind resource patterns nor by state policy. Other factors embedded within the state-level socio-political context also contribute to wind deployment patterns. We explore this socio-political context in four U.S. states by integrating multiple research methods. Through comparative state-level analysis of the energy system, energy policy, and public discourse as represented in the media, we examine variation in the context for wind deployment in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, and Texas. Our results demonstrate that these states have different patterns of wind deployment, are engaged in different debates about wind power, and appear to frame the risks and benefits of wind power in different ways. This comparative assessment highlights the complex variation of the state-level socio-political context and contributes depth to our understanding of energy technology deployment processes, decision-making, and outcomes.

Who gets afraid in the MRI-scanner? Neurogenetics of state-anxiety changes during an fMRI experiment.

PubMed

Mutschler, Isabella; Wieckhorst, Birgit; Meyer, Andrea H; Schweizer, Tina; Klarhöfer, Markus; Wilhelm, Frank H; Seifritz, Erich; Ball, Tonio

2014-11-07

Experiments using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) play a fundamental role in affective neuroscience. When placed in an MR scanner, some volunteers feel safe and relaxed in this situation, while others experience uneasiness and fear. Little is known about the basis and consequences of such inter-individually different responses to the general experimental fMRI setting. In this study emotional stimuli were presented during fMRI and subjects' state-anxiety was assessed at the onset and end of the experiment while they were within the scanner. We show that Val/Val but neither Met/Met nor Val/Met carriers of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) Val(158)Met polymorphism-a prime candidate for anxiety vulnerability-became significantly more anxious during the fMRI experiment (N=97 females: 24 Val/Val, 51 Val/Met, and 22 Met/Met). Met carriers demonstrated brain responses with increased stability over time in the right parietal cortex and significantly better cognitive performances likely mediated by lower levels of anxiety. Val/Val, Val/Met and Met/Met did not significantly differ in state-anxiety at the beginning of the experiment. The exposure of a control group (N=56 females) to the same experiment outside the scanner did not cause a significant increase in state-anxiety, suggesting that the increase we observe in the fMRI experiment may be specific to the fMRI setting. Our findings reveal that genetics may play an important role in shaping inter-individual different emotional, cognitive and neuronal responses during fMRI experiments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Analysis of the nutritional state of school children in different districts of the province of Granada (Spain)].

PubMed

González-Jiménez, E; García López, P A; Schmidt Río-Valle, J

2012-01-01

In Spain the prevalence of obesity shows a north-south distribution. In the province of Granada its distribution is unknown. (1) To study the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a sample population of school children and adolescents from different districts in the province of Granada. (2) To verify whether there are significant differences, depending on the district where the students reside. (3) To find a possible correlation between the nutritional state of the students and that of their parents. The population sample was composed of 977 school children and adolescents from 9 to 17 years of age, attending 13 public elementary schools and high schools in the city and province of Granada (Spain). In this analytical and multicentric study, the nutritional state of the subjects was evaluated by means of anthropometric measurements. Furthermore, data were collected by means of questionnaire to discover whether the respondents had a family history of overweight or obesity. We found a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among the studied population. In girls, the greater prevalence of both overweight and obesity ranged from 12 to 14 years of age. In boys, there was an increase in the prevalence of overweight at twelve years of age. Regarding obesity, their rates were significantly lower than those described among girls. There were statistically significant differences for weight (F = 4,154; p = 0,003) but not for height (F = 1,928; p =0,105). But for the variable BMI was statistically significant difference (F = 5.037; P < 0.001) between the studied geographical areas. The results showed that the nutritional state of students with a family history of obesity was significantly worse (p < 0.01). A high prevalence of obesity was found in the sample, especially among the girls. There exists a geographical distribution pattern, possibly derived from the socioeconomic characteristics of each area in the province. The existence of a family history of obesity is an important factor that can determine whether the child will also become obese in the future.

Valuing EQ-5D-5L health states 'in context' using a discrete choice experiment.

PubMed

Cole, Amanda; Shah, Koonal; Mulhern, Brendan; Feng, Yan; Devlin, Nancy

2018-05-01

In health state valuation studies, health states are typically presented as a series of sentences, each describing a health dimension and severity 'level'. Differences in the severity levels can be subtle, and confusion about which is 'worse' can lead to logically inconsistent valuation data. A solution could be to mimic the way patients self-report health, where the ordinal structure of levels is clear. We develop and test the feasibility of presenting EQ-5D-5L health states in the 'context' of the entire EQ-5D-5L descriptive system. An online two-arm discrete choice experiment was conducted in the UK (n = 993). Respondents were randomly allocated to a control (standard presentation) or 'context' arm. Each respondent completed 16 paired comparison tasks and feedback questions about the tasks. Differences across arms were assessed using regression analyses. Presenting health states 'in context' can significantly reduce the selection of logically dominated health states, particularly for labels 'severe' and 'extreme' (χ 2  = 46.02, p < 0.001). Preferences differ significantly between arms (likelihood ratio statistic = 42.00, p < 0.05). Comparing conditional logit modeling results, coefficients are ordered as expected for both arms, but the magnitude of decrements between levels is larger for the context arm. Health state presentation is a key consideration in the design of valuation studies. Presenting health states 'in context' affects valuation data and reduces logical inconsistencies. Our results could have implications for other valuation tasks such as time trade-off, and for the valuation of other preference-based measures.

Motivations for recreating on farmlands, private forests, and state or national parks.

PubMed

Sotomayor, Sandra; Barbieri, Carla; Wilhelm Stanis, Sonja; Aguilar, Francisco X; Smith, Jordan W

2014-07-01

This study explores the importance of different motivations to visit three types of recreational settings--farms, private forests, and state or national parks. Data were collected via a mail-back questionnaire administered to a stratified random sample of households in Missouri (USA). Descriptive and inferential statistics reveal both similarities and discontinuities in motivations for visiting farms, private forests, and state or national parks for recreation. Being with family, viewing natural scenery, and enjoying the smells and sounds of nature were all highly important motivations for visiting the three types of settings. However, all 15 motivations examined were perceived to be significantly more important for visits to state or national parks than to farms or private forests. Findings suggest that individuals are more strongly motivated to recreate at state and national parks relative to farmlands or forests. Post hoc paired t tests comparing motivations between both agricultural settings (farms and private forests) revealed significant differences in eight different recreational motivations. Individuals tended to place more importance on the ability to use equipment and test their skills when considering recreating on private forests. Conversely, social motivations (e.g., doing something with the family) were more important when individuals were considering recreating on farmland. Collectively, the findings suggest individuals expect distinctly different outcomes from their visits to farmlands, private forests, or state or national parks. Consequently, all three types of recreational settings have competitive advantages that their managers could capitalize on when making decisions about how to attract new visitors or produce the most desirable experiences for current recreationists.

Motivations for Recreating on Farmlands, Private Forests, and State or National Parks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sotomayor, Sandra; Barbieri, Carla; Wilhelm Stanis, Sonja; Aguilar, Francisco X.; Smith, Jordan W.

2014-07-01

This study explores the importance of different motivations to visit three types of recreational settings—farms, private forests, and state or national parks. Data were collected via a mail-back questionnaire administered to a stratified random sample of households in Missouri (USA). Descriptive and inferential statistics reveal both similarities and discontinuities in motivations for visiting farms, private forests, and state or national parks for recreation. Being with family, viewing natural scenery, and enjoying the smells and sounds of nature were all highly important motivations for visiting the three types of settings. However, all 15 motivations examined were perceived to be significantly more important for visits to state or national parks than to farms or private forests. Findings suggest that individuals are more strongly motivated to recreate at state and national parks relative to farmlands or forests. Post hoc paired t tests comparing motivations between both agricultural settings (farms and private forests) revealed significant differences in eight different recreational motivations. Individuals tended to place more importance on the ability to use equipment and test their skills when considering recreating on private forests. Conversely, social motivations (e.g., doing something with the family) were more important when individuals were considering recreating on farmland. Collectively, the findings suggest individuals expect distinctly different outcomes from their visits to farmlands, private forests, or state or national parks. Consequently, all three types of recreational settings have competitive advantages that their managers could capitalize on when making decisions about how to attract new visitors or produce the most desirable experiences for current recreationists.

Studying cross-cultural differences in the development of infant temperament: People's Republic of China, the United States of America, and Spain.

PubMed

Gartstein, Maria A; Gonzalez, Carmen; Carranza, Jose A; Ahadi, Stephan A; Ye, Renmin; Rothbart, Mary K; Yang, Suh Wen

2006-01-01

Investigated early development of temperament across three cultures: People's Republic of China (PRC), United States of America (US), and Spain, utilizing a longitudinal design (assessments at 3, 6, and 9 months of age). Selection of these countries presented an opportunity to conduct Eastern-Western/Individualistic-Collectivistic comparisons. The greatest number of significant differences (i.e., involving more temperament dimensions) was anticipated for the US (Western/Individualistic) and PRC (Eastern/Collectivistic) comparisons. The US sample included 66, the PRC group 69, and the Spanish sample, 60 mothers, all of whom completed the Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) 3 times, when their infants were 3, 6, and 9 months of age. Results related to mean group differences were generally consistent with our hypotheses, demonstrating a greater number of significant differences for US versus PRC, with fewer differences observed for US and Spain. Analyses addressing developmental changes in temperament indicated patterns consistent with a priori expectations and cross-cultural differences.

Spillover effects of state mandated benefit laws: the case of outpatient breast cancer surgery.

PubMed

Bian, John; Lipscomb, Joseph; Mello, Michelle M

This paper examines the "spillover effects" of state laws that mandate inpatient coverage for breast cancer surgery. It looks at outpatient utilization of two types of breast cancer surgery among Medicare fee-for-service patients, who are exempt from state regulation. Using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results cancer registries and Medicare claims, we performed difference-in-differences analyses of patients in nine states from 1993 to 2002. The analyses show that state laws had a significant impact on only the likelihood of outpatient mastectomy, which was reduced by five percentage points. Such a spillover effect may diminish the expected impact of federal coverage laws for inpatient breast cancer surgery, which have been proposed to achieve similar ends.

Disparity in Dental Coverage Among Older Adult Populations: A Comparative Analysis Across Selected European Countries and the United States

PubMed Central

Manski, Richard; Moeller, John; Chen, Haiyan; Widström, Eeva; Lee, Jinkook; Listl, Stefan

2014-01-01

Background Insurance against the cost risks associated with prevention and treatment of oral diseases can reduce inequalities in dental care use and oral health. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent of variation in dental insurance coverage for older adult populations within and between the United States and various European countries. Method The analyses relied on 2006/2007 data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and 2004-2006 data from of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) in the United States for respondents aged 51 years and older. A series of logistic regression models was estimated to identify disparities in dental coverage. Results The highest extent of significant insurance differences between various population subgroups was found for the United States. In comparison with countries belonging to the Eastern and Southern welfare state regimes, a lower number of significant coverage differences occurred for Scandinavian countries. Countries categorized as having comprehensive public insurance coverage showed a tendency towards less insurance variation within their populations than countries categorized as not having comprehensive public coverage, exceptions being Poland and Switzerland. Conclusions The findings of the present study suggest that significant variations in dental coverage exist within all elderly populations examined and the extent of inequalities also differs between countries. By and large, the observed variations corroborate the perception that population dental coverage is more equally distributed under public subsidy. This could be relevant information for decision makers who seek to improve policies towards more equitable dental coverage. PMID:25363376

Stress, deformation and diffusion interactions in solids - A simulation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, F. D.; Svoboda, J.

2015-05-01

Equations of diffusion treated in the frame of Manning's concept, are completed by equations for generation/annihilation of vacancies at non-ideal sources and sinks, by conservation laws, by equations for generation of an eigenstrain state and by a strain-stress analysis. The stress-deformation-diffusion interactions are demonstrated on the evolution of a diffusion couple consisting of two thin layers of different chemical composition forming a free-standing plate without external loading. The equations are solved for different material parameters represented by the values of diffusion coefficients of individual components and by the intensity of sources and sinks for vacancies. The results of simulations indicate that for low intensity of sources and sinks for vacancies a significant eigenstress state can develop and the interdiffusion process is slowed down. For high intensity of sources and sinks for vacancies a significant eigenstrain state can develop and the eigenstress state quickly relaxes. If the difference in the diffusion coefficients of individual components is high, then the intensity of sources and sinks for vacancies influences the interdiffusion process considerably. For such systems their description only by diffusion coefficients is insufficient and must be completed by a microstructure characterization.

Effects of visual working memory on brain information processing of irrelevant auditory stimuli.

PubMed

Qu, Jiagui; Rizak, Joshua D; Zhao, Lun; Li, Minghong; Ma, Yuanye

2014-01-01

Selective attention has traditionally been viewed as a sensory processing modulator that promotes cognitive processing efficiency by favoring relevant stimuli while inhibiting irrelevant stimuli. However, the cross-modal processing of irrelevant information during working memory (WM) has been rarely investigated. In this study, the modulation of irrelevant auditory information by the brain during a visual WM task was investigated. The N100 auditory evoked potential (N100-AEP) following an auditory click was used to evaluate the selective attention to auditory stimulus during WM processing and at rest. N100-AEP amplitudes were found to be significantly affected in the left-prefrontal, mid-prefrontal, right-prefrontal, left-frontal, and mid-frontal regions while performing a high WM load task. In contrast, no significant differences were found between N100-AEP amplitudes in WM states and rest states under a low WM load task in all recorded brain regions. Furthermore, no differences were found between the time latencies of N100-AEP troughs in WM states and rest states while performing either the high or low WM load task. These findings suggested that the prefrontal cortex (PFC) may integrate information from different sensory channels to protect perceptual integrity during cognitive processing.

Unpredictable convection in a small box: Molecular-dynamics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rapaport, D. C.

1992-08-01

The Rayleigh-Bénard problem has been studied using discrete-particle simulation of a two-dimensional fluid in a square box. The presence of temporal periodicity in the convective roll structure was observed, but, more significantly, different simulation runs under identical conditions but with initial states that differed in ways that are seemingly irrelevant at the macroscopic level exhibited very different forms of pattern evolution. The final state always consisted of a horizontally adjacent pair of rolls, but not all initial states evolved to produce well-established periodic behavior, despite the fact that very long runs were undertaken. Results for both hard- and soft-disk fluids are described; the simulations included systems with over 105 particles.

African-American college student attitudes toward physics and their effect on achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drake, Carl Timothy

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting the attitudes that African-American college students have towards introductory college physics. The population targeted for this study consisted of African-American males and females enrolled in introductory college physics classes at an urban public historical black college or university (HBCU) located in the southeastern United States. Nine of the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Attitude Scales, modified for physics, were used to analyze the attitudes of the 135 participants enrolled in an introductory college physics class. The nine scales used to measure the students' attitudes were Attitude Toward Success in Physics Scale (AS), The Physics as a Male Domain Scale (MD), The Mother Scale (M), The Father Scale (F), The Teacher Scale (T), The Confidence in Learning Physics Scale (C), The Physics Anxiety Scale (A), The Effectance Motivation Scale in Physics (E), and The Physics Usefulness Scale (U). Hypothesis I states that there is a significant difference in the domain scores of African-American college students in the Fennema-Sherman Math Attitudes Scales adapted for physics. It was found using a repeated measures ANOVA that there was a significant difference between the attitudes of African-Americans on the nine attitude scales of the Fennema-Sherman Math Attitude Scales, F(8,992) = 43.09, p < .001. Hypothesis II states that there is a statistically significant difference in domain scores between African-American males and African-American females in the Fennema-Sherman Attitude Scales. It was found using a MANOVA that there was not a significant difference between the domain scores of African-American males and African-American females, F(8, 116) = .38, p > .05. Hypothesis III states that there is a statistically significant relationship between attitude towards physics and achievement for African-American students. The students with good attitudes toward physics would have a higher level of achievement. The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that there was a significant relationship between a good attitude toward physics and achievement in the class. The result of the analysis implied that 18.9% of the grade could be explained by the domain scales.

Effects of sea state on offshore wind resourcing in Florida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collier, Cristina

Offshore resource assessment relies on estimating wind speeds at turbine hub height using observations typically made at substantially lower height. The methods used to adjust from observed wind speeds to hub height can impact resource estimation. The importance of directional sea state is examined, both as seasonal averages and as a function of the diurnal cycle. A General Electric 3.6 MW offshore turbine is used as a model for a power production. Including sea state increases or decreases seasonally averaged power production by roughly 1%, which is found to be an economically significant change. These changes occur because the sea state modifies the wind shear (vector wind difference between the buoy height and the moving surface) and therefore the extrapolation from the observation to hub height is affected. These seemingly small differences in capacity can alter profits by millions of dollars depending upon the size of the farm and fluctuations in price per kWh throughout the year. A 2% change in capacity factor can lead to a 10 million dollar difference from total kWh produced from a wind farm of 100 3.6MW turbines. These economic impacts can be a deciding factor in determining whether a resource is viable for development. Modification of power output due to sea states are shown for seasonal and diurnal time scales. Three regions are examined herein: West Florida, East Florida, and Nantucket Sound. The average capacity after sea state is included suggests areas around Florida could provide substantial amounts of wind power throughout three-fourths of the calendar year. At certain times of day winter average produced capacity factors in West Florida can be up to 45% more than in summer when sea state is included. Nantucket Sound capacity factors are calculated for comparison to a region near a planned United States offshore wind farm. This study provides evidence to suggest including sea state in offshore wind resource assessment causes economically significant differences for offshore wind power siting.

Comparative study on occurrence characteristics of matrix water in static and gas double-dynamic solid-state fermentations using low-field NMR and MRI.

PubMed

He, Qin; Chen, Hong-zhang

2015-12-01

The water in a solid substrate is generally divided into three forms: hygroscopic, capillary, and free. However, there are few methods available for detecting the contents of different states of water in substrates. In this paper, low-field NMR and MRI were used to analyze the water occurrence characteristics of steam-exploded corn straw in solid-state fermentation (SSF). A significant linear relationship was found between the total NMR peak areas and the total water contents with a correlation coefficient of 0.993. It was further proved to be successful in comparing the contents and distributions of different states of water in static SSF and gas double-dynamic SSF (GDD-SSF). The results showed that among the three states of water, capillary water was the main form of water present and lost in substrates during fermentation. Total water and capillary water contents did not significantly differ as a result of different sample treatments, but hygroscopic water and free water contents in static SSF were respectively 0.38 and 2.98 times that in GDD-SSF with a packing height of 3 cm after fermentation. A relatively uniform water distribution and deep-depth region for microbial growth were found in GDD-SSF, suggesting that GDD-SSF was more suitable for industrialization. This technology has great potential for achieving efficient on-line water supply through water loss detection in SSF.

Scientific collaboration between 'old' and 'new' member states: Did joining the European Union make a difference?

PubMed

Makkonen, Teemu; Mitze, Timo

This paper provides new insights on the effects of the enlargement of the European Union (EU) and European integration by investigating the issue of scientific collaboration within the new EU member states vis - à - vis the old EU member states. The question addressed is whether the EU membership following the two enlargement waves 2004 and 2007 has significantly increased the co-publication intensity of the new member states with other member countries. The empirical results based on data collected from the Web of Science database and Difference-in-Difference estimations point towards a conclusion that joining the EU indeed has had an additional positive impact on the co-publication intensity between the new and old member states and, in particular, within the new member states themselves. These results give tentative support for the successfulness of the EU's science policies in achieving a common 'internal market' in research. We also find evidence for early anticipation effects of the consecutive EU accession.

Performance-Based Contracting Within a State Substance Abuse Treatment System: A Preliminary Exploration of Differences in Client Access and Client Outcomes

PubMed Central

Brucker, Debra L.; Stewart, Maureen

2013-01-01

To explore whether the implementation of performance-based contracting (PBC) within the State of Maine’s substance abuse treatment system resulted in improved performance, one descriptive and two empirical analyses were conducted. The first analysis examined utilization and payment structure. The second study was designed to examine whether timeliness of access to outpatient (OP) and intensive outpatient (IOP) substance abuse assessments and treatment, measures that only became available after the implementation of PBC, differed between PBC and non-PBC agencies in the year following implementation of PBC. Using treatment admission records from the state treatment data system (N=9,128), logistic regression models run using generalized equation estimation techniques found no significant difference between PBC agencies and other agencies on timeliness of access to assessments or treatment, for both OP and IOP services. The third analysis, conducted using discharge data from the years prior to and after the implementation of performance-based contracting (N=6,740) for those agencies that became a part of the performance-based contracting system, was designed to assess differences in level of participation, retention, and completion of treatment. Regression models suggest that performance on OP client engagement and retention measures was significantly poorer the year after the implementation of PBC, but that temporal rather than a PBC effects were more significant. No differences were found between years for IOP level of participation or completion of treatment measures. PMID:21249461

Gender, family, and the nutritional status of children in three culturally contrasting states of India.

PubMed

Griffiths, Paula; Matthews, Zoë; Hinde, Andrew

2002-09-01

This paper has three main aims: to measure the clustering of children with low weight for age z-scores within families, to establish whether significant differences exist by gender in weight for age z-scores, and to demonstrate whether the presence of a mother-in-law in the household has any significant impact on the nutritional status of young children. Regression modelling is used to examine the weight for age z-scores of children under the age of four years in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh using the 1992-93 Indian National Family Health Survey data. Random effects models measure the clustering of children with low weight for age z-scores in families, controlling for a number of other family factors. Our findings do not reveal significant gender differences in weight for age z-scores. Although little variation was found between family structures in the nutritional status of children, there were significant differences between families after controlling for family type. This suggests that there are differences between families that cannot be explained by a cross-sectional demographic survey. The evidence from this work suggests that nutrition programs need to adopt community nutrition interventions that aim resources at young children from families where children with low weight for age z-scores are found to cluster. However, there is a need for further inter-disciplinary research to collect data from families on behavioural factors and resource allocation in order that we might better understand why some families are more prone to having children with low weight for age z-scores. The diversity in the significant covariates between the three states in the models has shown the need for Indian nutrition programs to adopt state-specific approaches to tackling malnutrition.

Association of State Access Standards With Accessibility to Specialists for Medicaid Managed Care Enrollees.

PubMed

Ndumele, Chima D; Cohen, Michael S; Cleary, Paul D

2017-10-01

Medicaid recipients have consistently reported less timely access to specialists than patients with other types of coverage. By 2018, state Medicaid agencies will be required by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to enact time and distance standards for managed care organizations to ensure an adequate supply of specialist physicians for enrollees; however, there have been no published studies of whether these policies have significant effects on access to specialty care. To compare ratings of access to specialists for adult Medicaid and commercial enrollees before and after the implementation of specialty access standards. We used Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey data to conduct a quasiexperimental difference-in-differences (DID) analysis of 20 163 nonelderly adult Medicaid managed care (MMC) enrollees and 54 465 commercially insured enrollees in 5 states adopting access standards, and 37 290 MMC enrollees in 5 matched states that previously adopted access standards. Reported access to specialty care in the previous 6 months. Seven thousand six hundred ninety-eight (69%) Medicaid enrollees and 28 423 (75%) commercial enrollees reported that it was always or usually easy to get an appointment with a specialist before the policy implementation (or at baseline) compared with 11 889 (67%) of Medicaid enrollees in states that had previously implemented access standards. Overall, there was no significant improvement in timely access to specialty services for MMC enrollees in the period following implementation of standard(s) (adjusted difference-in-differences, -1.2 percentage points; 95% CI, -2.7 to 0.1), nor was there any impact of access standards on insurance-based disparities in access (0.6 percentage points; 95% CI, -4.3 to 5.4). There was heterogeneity across states, with 1 state that implemented both time and distance standards demonstrating significant improvements in access and reductions in disparities. Specialty access standards did not lead to widespread improvements in access to specialist physicians. Meaningful improvements in access to specialty care for Medicaid recipients may require additional interventions.

Correlation of regional cardiovascular disease mortality in India with lifestyle and nutritional factors.

PubMed

Gupta, Rajeev; Misra, Anoop; Pais, Prem; Rastogi, Priyanka; Gupta, V P

2006-04-14

There is a wide disparity in prevalence and cardiovascular disease mortality in different Indian states. To determine significance of various nutritional factors and other lifestyle variables in explaining this difference in cardiovascular disease mortality we performed an analysis. Mortality data were obtained from the Registrar General of India. In 1998 the annual death rate for India was 840/100,000 population. Cardiovascular diseases contribute to 27% of these deaths and its crude mortality rate was 227/100,000. Major differences in cardiovascular disease mortality rates in different Indian states were reported varying from 75-100 in sub-Himalayan states of Nagaland, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim to a high of 360-430 in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Goa. Lifestyle data were obtained from national surveys conducted by the government of India. The second National Family Health Survey (26 states, 92,447 households, 301,984 adults) conducted in 1998-1999 reported on various demographic and lifestyle variables and India Nutrition Profile Study reported dietary intake of 177,841 adults (18 states, 75,229 men, 102,612 women). Cardiovascular disease mortality rates were correlated with smoking, literacy levels, prevalence of stunted growth at 3-years (as marker of fetal undernutrition), adult mean body mass index, prevalence of overweight and obesity, dietary consumption of calories, cereals and pulses, green leafy vegetables, roots, tubers and other vegetables, milk and milk products, fats and oils, and sugar and jaggery. As a major confounder in different states is poverty, all the partial correlation coefficients were adjusted for illiteracy, fertility rate and infant mortality rate. There was a significant positive correlation of cardiovascular disease mortality with prevalence of obesity (R=0.37) and dietary consumption of fats (R=0.67), milk and its products (R=0.27) and sugars (R=0.51) and negative correlation with green leafy vegetable intake (R=-0.42) (p<0.05). There are large disparities in cardiovascular disease mortality in different Indian states. This can be epidemiologically explained by difference in dietary consumption of fats, milk, sugar and green-leafy vegetables and prevalence of obesity.

Intercollegiate Athletics in Canada and the United States: Differences in Access, Quality, and Funding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geiger, Natalie M.

2013-01-01

Despite the fact that both the Canadian and American intercollegiate athletic leagues are highly competitive, there are significant differences between the two intercollegiate athletic systems, which may produce different experiences for student-athletes enrolled in each system. The differences between the two systems are related to the…

Characterization of Two Distinct Amorphous Forms of Valsartan by Solid-State NMR.

PubMed

Skotnicki, Marcin; Apperley, David C; Aguilar, Juan A; Milanowski, Bartłomiej; Pyda, Marek; Hodgkinson, Paul

2016-01-04

Valsartan (VAL) is an antihypertensive drug marketed in an amorphous form. Amorphous materials can have different physicochemical properties depending on preparation method, thermal history, etc., but the nature of such materials is difficult to study by diffraction techniques. This study characterizes two different amorphous forms of valsartan (AR and AM) using solid-state NMR (SSNMR) as a primary investigation tool, supported by solution-state NMR, FT-IR, TMDSC, and dissolution tests. The two forms are found to be clearly distinct, with a significantly higher level of structural arrangement in the AR form, as observed in (13)C, (15)N, and (1)H SSNMR. (13)C and (15)N NMR indicates that the fully amorphous material (AM) contains an approximately equal ratio of cis-trans conformers about the amide bond, whereas the AR form exists mainly as one conformer, with minor conformational "defects". (1)H ultrafast MAS NMR shows significant differences in the hydrogen bonding involving the tetrazole and acid hydrogens between the two materials, while (15)N NMR shows that both forms exist as a 1,2,3,4-tetrazole tautomer. NMR relaxation times show subtle differences in local and bulk molecular mobility, which can be connected with the glass transition, the stability of the glassy material, and its response to aging. Counterintuitively the fully amorphous material is found to have a significantly lower dissolution rate than the apparently more ordered AR material.

Spatial clustering by disease severity among reported Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in the United States, 2001-2005.

PubMed

Adjemian, Jennifer Zipser; Krebs, John; Mandel, Eric; McQuiston, Jennifer

2009-01-01

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) occurs throughout much of the United States, ranging in clinical severity from moderate to fatal infection. Yet, little is known about possible differences among severity levels across geographic locations. To identify significant spatial clusters of severe and non-severe disease, RMSF cases reported to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were geocoded by county and classified by severity level. The statistical software program SaTScan was used to detect significant spatial clusters. Of 4,533 RMSF cases reported, 1,089 hospitalizations (168 with complications) and 23 deaths occurred. Significant clusters of 6 deaths (P = 0.05, RR = 11.4) and 19 hospitalizations with complications (P = 0.02, RR = 3.45) were detected in southwestern Tennessee. Two geographic areas were identified in north-central North Carolina with unusually low rates of severity (P = 0.001, RR = 0.62 and P = 0.001, RR = 0.45, respectively). Of all hospitalizations, 20% were clustered in central Oklahoma (P = 0.02, RR = 1.43). Significant geographic differences in severity were observed, suggesting that biologic and/or anthropogenic factors may be impacting RMSF epidemiology in the United States.

Elite Junior Australian Football Players Experience Significantly Different Loads Across Levels of Competition and Training Modes.

PubMed

Lathlean, Timothy J H; Gastin, Paul B; Newstead, Stuart; Finch, Caroline F

2018-07-01

Lathlean, TJH, Gastin, PB, Newstead, S, and Finch, CF. Elite junior Australian football players experience significantly different loads across levels of competition and training modes. J Strength Cond Res 32(7): 2031-2038, 2018-Well-developed physical qualities such as high jumping ability, running endurance, acceleration, and speed can help aspiring junior elite Australian football (AF) players transition to the Australian Football League competition. To do so, players need to experience sufficient load to enhance their physical resilience without increasing their risk of negative outcomes in terms of impaired wellness or injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in load for different levels of competition and training modes across one competitive season. Elite junior AF players (n = 562, aged 17.7 ± 0.3, range: 16-18 years) were recruited from 9 teams across the under-18 state league competition in Victoria. All players recorded their training and match intensities according to the session rating of perceived exertion method. Training sessions were categorized according to skills, strength, conditioning, and other activities, whereas matches were identified according to level of competition. The loads in U18 state league matches (656.7 ± 210.9 au) were significantly higher (p = 0.027) than those in school matches (643.3 ± 260.9 au) and those in U18 representative matches (617.2 ± 175.4). Players, who undertook more than one match per week, experienced significantly less load in subsequent matches (p < 0.001). Furthermore, U18 state league training sessions carried the most load when compared with other training modes. This article highlights that different combinations of training and match involvement affect overall player load, which may predispose players to negative outcomes such as impaired wellness or increased injury risk.

Assisted reproductive technology use, embryo transfer practices, and birth outcomes after infertility insurance mandates: New Jersey and Connecticut.

PubMed

Crawford, Sara; Boulet, Sheree L; Jamieson, Denise J; Stone, Carol; Mullen, Jewel; Kissin, Dmitry M

2016-02-01

To explore whether recently enacted infertility mandates including coverage for assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment in New Jersey (2001) and Connecticut (2005) increased ART use, improved embryo transfer practices, and decreased multiple birth rates. Retrospective cohort study using data from the National ART Surveillance System. We explored trends in ART use, embryo transfer practices and birth outcomes, and compared changes in practices and outcomes during a 2-year period before and after passing the mandate between mandate and non-mandate states. Not applicable. Cycles of ART performed in the United States between 1996 and 2013. Infertility insurance mandates including coverage for ART treatment passed in New Jersey (2001) and Connecticut (2005). Number of ART cycles performed, number of embryos transferred, multiple live birth rates. Both New Jersey and Connecticut experienced an increase in ART use greater than the non-mandate states. The mean number of embryos transferred decreased significantly in New Jersey and Connecticut; however, the magnitudes were not significantly different from non-mandate states. There was no significant change in ART birth outcomes in either mandate state except for an increase in live births in Connecticut; the magnitude was not different from non-mandate states. The infertility insurance mandates passed in New Jersey and Connecticut were associated with increased ART treatment use but not a decrease in the number of embryos transferred or the rate of multiples; however, applicability of the mandates was limited. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Forensic analysis of tire rubbers based on their sulfur chemical states.

PubMed

Funatsuki, Atsushi; Shiota, Kenji; Takaoka, Masaki; Tamenori, Yusuke

2015-05-01

The chemical states of sulfur in 11 tires were analyzed using X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) in order to discriminate between various tire rubbers. All tires had peaks around 2471.5 and 2480.5eV, and the shapes and heights of these peaks differed among tires, suggesting that the sulfur chemical state could be used for discrimination between tire rubbers. Based on t-tests on the results of XANES, 43 of 55 combinations were different at a significance level of 5%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Steady-state pharmacokinetics of (R)- and (S)-methadone in methadone maintenance patients

PubMed Central

Foster, David J R; Somogyi, Andrew A; Dyer, Kyle R; White, Jason M; Bochner, Felix

2000-01-01

Aims To investigate the steady-state pharmacokinetics of (R)- and (S)-methadone in a methadone maintenance population. Methods Eighteen patients recruited from a public methadone maintenance program underwent an interdosing interval pharmacokinetic study. Plasma and urine samples were collected and analysed for methadone and its major metabolite (EDDP) using stereoselective h.p.l.c. Methadone plasma protein binding was examined using ultrafiltration, and plasma α1-acid glycoprotein concentrations were quantified by radial immunoassay. Results (R)-methadone had a significantly (P < 0.05) greater unbound fraction (mean 173%) and total renal clearance (182%) compared with (S)-methadone, while maximum measured plasma concentrations (83%) and apparent partial clearance of methadone to EDDP (76%) were significantly (P < 0.001) lower. When protein binding was considered (R)-methadone plasma clearance of the unbound fraction (59%) and apparent partial intrinsic clearance to EDDP (44%) were significantly (P < 0.01) lower than for (S)-methadone, while AUCτSS, (167%) was significantly (P < 0.001) greater. There were no significant (P > 0.2) differences between the methadone enantiomers for AUCτSS, steady-state plasma clearance, trough plasma concentrations and unbound renal clearance. Patients excreted significantly (P < 0.0001) more (R)-methadone and (S)-EDDP than the corresponding enantiomers. Considerable interindividual variability was observed for the pharmacokinetic parameters, with coefficients of variation of up to 70%. Conclusions Steady-state pharmacokinetics of unbound methadone are stereoselective, and there is large interindividual variability consistent with CYP3A4 mediated metabolism to the major metabolite EDDP; the variability did not obscure a significant dose-plasma concentration relationship. Stereoselective differences in the pharmacokinetics of methadone may have important implications for pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling but is unlikely to be important for therapeutic drug monitoring of methadone, in the setting of opioid dependence. PMID:11069437

The Effects of Workload Transitions in a Multitasking Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-13

completed the NASA Task Load Index to assess subjective workload, and the shortened Dundee Stress State Questionnaire to measure subjective task-related...and the analysis of both the NASA Task Load Index and of the shortened Dundee State Questionnaire did not reveal any significant differences related...Electroencepholography (EEG), NASA Task Load Index ( NASA TLX), Dundee Stress State Questionnaire (DSSQ), Hysteresis 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF

Border Security: A Journey Without a Destination

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

states and the federal government are, to a significant extent, defined by the United States Constitution and relevant case law .”77 Historically...government can invoke the “supremacy clause” of the Constitution , which can preempt state law . The federal government cited the supremacy clause in their...local governments have all defined what constitutes a secure border differently, which makes the measurement of success or failure virtually

Refugee Resettlement Patterns and State-Level Health Care Insurance Access in the United States.

PubMed

Agrawal, Pooja; Venkatesh, Arjun Krishna

2016-04-01

We sought to evaluate the relationship between state-level implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and resettlement patterns among refugees. We linked federal refugee resettlement data to ACA expansion data and found that refugee resettlement rates are not significantly different according to state-level insurance expansion or cost. Forty percent of refugees have resettled to states without Medicaid expansion. The wide state-level variability in implementation of the ACA should be considered by federal agencies seeking to optimize access to health insurance coverage among refugees who have resettled to the United States.

Level of structural quality and process quality in rural preschool classrooms

PubMed Central

Hartman, Suzanne C.; Warash, Barbara G.; Curtis, Reagan; Hirst, Jessica Day

2017-01-01

Preschool classrooms with varying levels of structural quality requirements across the state of West Virginia were investigated for differences in measured structural and process quality. Quality was measured using group size, child-to-teacher/staff ratio, teacher education, and the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R; Harms, T., Clifford, R. M., & Cryer, D. (2005). The early childhood environment rating scale-revised. New York, NY: Teachers College Press). Thirty-six classrooms with less structural quality requirements and 136 with more structural quality requirements were measured. There were significant differences between classroom type, with classrooms with more structural quality requirements having significantly higher teacher education levels and higher environmental rating scores on the ECERS-R subscales of Space and Furnishings, Activities, and Program Structure. Results support previous research that stricter structural state regulations are correlated with higher measured structural and process quality in preschool classrooms. Implications for preschool state quality standards are discussed. PMID:29056814

Induced mood and selective attention.

PubMed

Brand, N; Verspui, L; Oving, A

1997-04-01

Subjects (N = 60) were randomly assigned to an elated, depressed, or neutral mood-induction condition to assess the effect of mood state on cognitive functioning. In the elated condition film fragments expressing happiness and euphoria were shown. In the depressed condition some frightening and distressing film fragments were presented. The neutral group watched no film. Mood states were measured using the Profile of Mood States, and a Stroop task assessed selective attention. Both were presented by computer. The induction groups differed significantly in the expected direction on the mood subscales Anger, Tension, Depression, Vigour, and Fatigue, and also in the mean scale response times, i.e., slower responses for the depressed condition and faster for the elated one. Differences between conditions were found in the errors on the Stroop: in the depressed condition were the fewest errors and significantly longer error reaction times. Speed of error was associated with self-reported fatigue.

The effects of progressive muscle relaxation and autogenic relaxation on young soccer players' mood states.

PubMed

Hashim, Hairul Anuar; Hanafi Ahmad Yusof, Hazwani

2011-06-01

This study was designed to compare the effects of two different relaxation techniques, namely progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and autogenic relaxation (AGR) on moods of young soccer players. sixteen adolescent athletes (mean age: 14.1 ± 1.3) received either PMR or AGR training. Using Profile of Mood States- Adolescents, their mood states were measured one week before relaxation training, before the first relaxation session, and after the twelfth relaxation session. Mixed ANOVA revealed no significant interaction effects and no significant main effects in any of the subscales. However, significant main effects for testing sessions were found for confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscales. Post hoc tests revealed post-intervention reductions in the confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscale scores. These two relaxation techniques induce equivalent mood responses and may be used to regulate young soccer players' mood states.

The Effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Autogenic Relaxation on Young Soccer Players’ Mood States

PubMed Central

Hashim, Hairul Anuar; Hanafi@Ahmad Yusof, Hazwani

2011-01-01

Purpose This study was designed to compare the effects of two different relaxation techniques, namely progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and autogenic relaxation (AGR) on moods of young soccer players. Methods Sixteen adolescent athletes (mean age: 14.1 ± 1.3) received either PMR or AGR training. Using Profile of Mood States- Adolescents, their mood states were measured one week before relaxation training, before the first relaxation session, and after the twelfth relaxation session. Results Mixed ANOVA revealed no significant interaction effects and no significant main effects in any of the subscales. However, significant main effects for testing sessions were found for confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscales. Post hoc tests revealed post-intervention reductions in the confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscale scores. Conclusion These two relaxation techniques induce equivalent mood responses and may be used to regulate young soccer players’ mood states. PMID:22375225

Texas Legislature Adopts School Funding Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cortez, Albert

1991-01-01

This paper analyzes Texas Senate Bill 351 that reforms public school funding. The bill provides for additional state funding and significant increases in local property taxes. The bill creates county education taxing units to neutralize the enormous property wealth differences found among the state's 1,056 school districts. It also provides a…

Value of the Morgan-Monroe-Yellowwood State Forest Complex

Treesearch

William L. Hoover

2013-01-01

As publicly owned forest land, the Morgan-Monroe and Yellowwood State Forests (Indiana), referred to herein as the Morgan-Monroe Yellowwood Complex (MMYC), have many stakeholders with differing management expectations. The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment (HEE) within the MMYC will significantly increase the science-based information available for forest management...

IDRA Newsletter. Volume 43, No. 8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Christie L., Ed.

2016-01-01

Each edition of the IDRA Newsletter strives to provide many different perspectives on the issues in education topics discussed and to define its significance in the state and national dialogue. This issue focuses on Accountability and Civic Engagement and includes: (1) Will States Use ESSA [Elementary and Secondary Education Act] to Undermine…

State and Trait Anxiety in Student Naval Aviators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bucky, Steven F.; And Others

Measures of state and trait anxiety were given to aviation officer candidates (AOC's) with the usual instructions as well as with instructions to answer as if each had just made his first landing on an aircraft carrier. Significant differences were sought when comparing the experimental group to college students. (Author)

Chemical speciation of U, Fe, and Pu in melt glass from nuclear weapons testing

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

Pacold, J. I.; Lukens, W. W.; Booth, C. H.

Nuclear weapons testing generates large volumes of glassy materials that influence the transport of dispersed actinides in the environment and may carry information on the composition of the detonated device. We determine the oxidation state of U and Fe (which is known to buffer the oxidation state of actinide elements and to affect the redox state of groundwater) in samples of melt glass collected from three U.S. nuclear weapons tests. For selected samples, we also determine the coordination geometry of U and Fe, and we report the oxidation state of Pu from one melt glass sample. We find significant variationsmore » among the melt glass samples and, in particular, find a clear deviation in one sample from the expected buffering effect of Fe(II)/Fe(III) on the oxidation state of uranium. In the first direct measurement of Pu oxidation state in a nuclear test melt glass, we obtain a result consistent with existing literature that proposes Pu is primarily present as Pu(IV) in post-detonation material. In addition, our measurements imply that highly mobile U(VI) may be produced in significant quantities when melt glass is quenched rapidly following a nuclear detonation, though these products may remain immobile in the vitrified matrices. The observed differences in chemical state among the three samples show that redox conditions can vary dramatically across different nuclear test conditions. The local soil composition, associated device materials, and the rate of quenching are all likely to affect the final redox state of the glass. The resulting variations in glass chemistry are significant for understanding and interpreting debris chemistry and the later environmental mobility of dispersed material.« less

Chemical speciation of U, Fe, and Pu in melt glass from nuclear weapons testing

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

Pacold, J. I.; Lukens, W. W.; Booth, C. H.

We report that nuclear weapons testing generates large volumes of glassy materials that influence the transport of dispersed actinides in the environment and may carry information on the composition of the detonated device. We determine the oxidation state of U and Fe (which is known to buffer the oxidation state of actinide elements and to affect the redox state of groundwater) in samples of melt glass collected from three U.S. nuclear weapons tests. For selected samples, we also determine the coordination geometry of U and Fe, and we report the oxidation state of Pu from one melt glass sample. Wemore » find significant variations among the melt glass samples and, in particular, find a clear deviation in one sample from the expected buffering effect of Fe(II)/Fe(III) on the oxidation state of uranium. In the first direct measurement of Pu oxidation state in a nuclear test melt glass, we obtain a result consistent with existing literature that proposes Pu is primarily present as Pu(IV) in post-detonation material. In addition, our measurements imply that highly mobile U(VI) may be produced in significant quantities when melt glass is quenched rapidly following a nuclear detonation, though these products may remain immobile in the vitrified matrices. The observed differences in chemical state among the three samples show that redox conditions can vary dramatically across different nuclear test conditions. The local soil composition, associated device materials, and the rate of quenching are all likely to affect the final redox state of the glass. Lastly, the resulting variations in glass chemistry are significant for understanding and interpreting debris chemistry and the later environmental mobility of dispersed material.« less

Chemical speciation of U, Fe, and Pu in melt glass from nuclear weapons testing

DOE PAGES

Pacold, J. I.; Lukens, W. W.; Booth, C. H.; ...

2016-05-18

We report that nuclear weapons testing generates large volumes of glassy materials that influence the transport of dispersed actinides in the environment and may carry information on the composition of the detonated device. We determine the oxidation state of U and Fe (which is known to buffer the oxidation state of actinide elements and to affect the redox state of groundwater) in samples of melt glass collected from three U.S. nuclear weapons tests. For selected samples, we also determine the coordination geometry of U and Fe, and we report the oxidation state of Pu from one melt glass sample. Wemore » find significant variations among the melt glass samples and, in particular, find a clear deviation in one sample from the expected buffering effect of Fe(II)/Fe(III) on the oxidation state of uranium. In the first direct measurement of Pu oxidation state in a nuclear test melt glass, we obtain a result consistent with existing literature that proposes Pu is primarily present as Pu(IV) in post-detonation material. In addition, our measurements imply that highly mobile U(VI) may be produced in significant quantities when melt glass is quenched rapidly following a nuclear detonation, though these products may remain immobile in the vitrified matrices. The observed differences in chemical state among the three samples show that redox conditions can vary dramatically across different nuclear test conditions. The local soil composition, associated device materials, and the rate of quenching are all likely to affect the final redox state of the glass. Lastly, the resulting variations in glass chemistry are significant for understanding and interpreting debris chemistry and the later environmental mobility of dispersed material.« less

Chemical speciation of U, Fe, and Pu in melt glass from nuclear weapons testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pacold, J. I.; Lukens, W. W.; Booth, C. H.; Shuh, D. K.; Knight, K. B.; Eppich, G. R.; Holliday, K. S.

2016-05-01

Nuclear weapons testing generates large volumes of glassy materials that influence the transport of dispersed actinides in the environment and may carry information on the composition of the detonated device. We determine the oxidation state of U and Fe (which is known to buffer the oxidation state of actinide elements and to affect the redox state of groundwater) in samples of melt glass collected from three U.S. nuclear weapons tests. For selected samples, we also determine the coordination geometry of U and Fe, and we report the oxidation state of Pu from one melt glass sample. We find significant variations among the melt glass samples and, in particular, find a clear deviation in one sample from the expected buffering effect of Fe(II)/Fe(III) on the oxidation state of uranium. In the first direct measurement of Pu oxidation state in a nuclear test melt glass, we obtain a result consistent with existing literature that proposes Pu is primarily present as Pu(IV) in post-detonation material. In addition, our measurements imply that highly mobile U(VI) may be produced in significant quantities when melt glass is quenched rapidly following a nuclear detonation, though these products may remain immobile in the vitrified matrices. The observed differences in chemical state among the three samples show that redox conditions can vary dramatically across different nuclear test conditions. The local soil composition, associated device materials, and the rate of quenching are all likely to affect the final redox state of the glass. The resulting variations in glass chemistry are significant for understanding and interpreting debris chemistry and the later environmental mobility of dispersed material.

Decreased electrophysiological activity represents the conscious state of emptiness in meditation

PubMed Central

Hinterberger, Thilo; Schmidt, Stephanie; Kamei, Tsutomu; Walach, Harald

2014-01-01

Many neuroscientific theories explain consciousness with higher order information processing corresponding to an activation of specific brain areas and processes. In contrast, most forms of meditation ask for a down-regulation of certain mental processing activities while remaining fully conscious. To identify the physiological properties of conscious states with decreased mental and cognitive processing, the electrical brain activity (64 channels of EEG) of 50 participants of various meditation proficiencies was measured during distinct and idiosyncratic meditative tasks. The tasks comprised a wakeful “thoughtless emptiness (TE),” a “focused attention,” and an “open monitoring” task asking for mindful presence in the moment and in the environment without attachment to distracting thoughts. Our analysis mainly focused on 30 highly experienced meditators with at least 5 years and 1000 h of meditation experience. Spectral EEG power comparisons of the TE state with the resting state or other forms of meditation showed decreased activities in specific frequency bands. In contrast to a focused attention task the TE task showed significant central and parietal gamma decreases (p < 0.05). Compared to open monitoring TE expressed decreased alpha and beta amplitudes, mainly in parietal areas (p < 0.01). TE presented significantly less delta (p < 0.001) and theta (p < 0.05) waves than a wakeful closed eyes resting condition. A group of participants with none or little meditation practice did not present those differences significantly. Our findings indicate that a conscious state of TE reached by experienced meditators is characterized by reduced high-frequency brain processing with simultaneous reduction of the low frequencies. This suggests that such a state of meditative conscious awareness might be different from higher cognitive and mentally focused states but also from states of sleep and drowsiness. PMID:24596562

Triplet energy differences and the low lying structure of 62Ga

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, T. W.; Bentley, M. A.; Clark, R. M.; Davies, P. J.; Bader, V. M.; Baugher, T.; Bazin, D.; Beausang, C. W.; Berryman, J. S.; Bruce, A. M.; Campbell, C. M.; Crawford, H. L.; Cromaz, M.; Fallon, P.; Gade, A.; Henderson, J.; Iwasaki, H.; Jenkins, D. G.; Lee, I. Y.; Lemasson, A.; Lenzi, S. M.; Macchiavelli, A. O.; Napoli, D. R.; Nichols, A. J.; Paschalis, S.; Petri, M.; Recchia, F.; Rissanen, J.; Simpson, E. C.; Stroberg, S. R.; Wadsworth, R.; Weisshaar, D.; Wiens, A.; Walz, C.

2015-08-01

Background: Triplet energy differences (TED) can be studied to yield information on isospin-non-conserving interactions in nuclei. Purpose: The systematic behavior of triplet energy differences (TED) of T =1 , Jπ=2+ states is examined. The A =62 isobar is identified as having a TED value that deviates significantly from an otherwise very consistent trend. This deviation can be attributed to the tentative assignments of the pertinent states in 62Ga and 62Ge . Methods: An in-beam γ -ray spectroscopy experiment was performed to identify excited states in 62Ga using Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking In-Beam Nuclear Array with the S800 spectrometer at NSCL using a two-nucleon knockout approach. Cross-section calculations for the knockout process and shell-model calculations have been performed to interpret the population and decay properties observed. Results: Using the systematics as a guide, a candidate for the transition from the T =1 , 2+ state is identified. However, previous work has identified similar states with different Jπ assignments. Cross-section calculations indicate that the relevant T =1 , 2+ state should be one of the states directly populated in this reaction. Conclusions: As spins and parities were not measurable, it is concluded that an unambiguous identification of the first T =1 , 2+ state is required to reconcile our understanding of TED systematics.

Ultrafast excited-state deactivation of 9-methylhypoxanthine in aqueous solution: A QM/MM MD study.

PubMed

Guo, Xugeng; Yuan, Huijuan; An, Beibei; Zhu, Qiuling; Zhang, Jinglai

2016-04-21

Photoinduced ultrafast non-adiabatic decay of 9-methylhypoxanthine (9MHPX) in aqueous solution was investigated by ab initio surface-hopping dynamics calculations using a combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach. The absorption spectra of 9MHPX in aqueous solution were also explored by the hybrid cluster-continuum model at the level of time-dependent density functional theory along with the polarizable continuum model (PCM). The static electronic-structure calculations indicate that the absorption spectra of 9MHPX simulated by TD-B3LYP/PCM and TD-X3LYP/PCM can reproduce very well the experimental findings, with the accuracy of about 0.20 eV. According to dynamics simulations, irradiation of 9MHPX populates the bright excited singlet S1 state, which may undergo an ultrafast non-radiative deactivation to the S0 state. The lifetime of the S1 state of 9MHPX in aqueous solution is predicted to be 115.6 fs, slightly longer than that in the gas phase (88.8 fs), suggesting that the solventwater has no significant influence on the excited-state lifetime of 9MHPX. Such a behavior in 9MHPX is distinctly different from its parent hypoxanthine keto-N9H tautomer in which the excited-state lifetime of the latter in watersolution was remarkably enhanced as compared to the gas phase. The significant difference of the photodynamical behaviors between 9MHPX and keto-N9H can be ascribed to their different hydrogen bond environment in aqueous solution.

Associations Between Parenting Styles and Perceived Child Effortful Control Within Chinese Families in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan

PubMed Central

Huang, Ching-Yu; Cheah, Charissa S. L.; Lamb, Michael E.; Zhou, Nan

2017-01-01

The current study examined the associations between parentally perceived child effortful control (EC) and the parenting styles of 122 Chinese mothers (36 first-generation Chinese immigrants in the United Kingdom, 40 first-generation Chinese immigrants in the United States, and 46 Taiwanese mothers) of 5- to 7-year-old (M age = 5.82 years, SD = .805; 68 boys and 54 girls) children. The findings showed significant cultural group differences in mothers’ reported authoritarian parenting style. Significant associations also emerged between mothers’ reports of their children’s EC and some parenting dimensions, although there were no cultural group differences in perceived child EC. Different patterns of associations between perceived child EC and parenting styles in these three groups also demonstrated heterogeneity within the Chinese population, and highlighted the need to consider differences between original and receiving societies when seeking to understand parenting and child development in different immigrant groups. PMID:29276309

Associations Between Parenting Styles and Perceived Child Effortful Control Within Chinese Families in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan.

PubMed

Huang, Ching-Yu; Cheah, Charissa S L; Lamb, Michael E; Zhou, Nan

2017-07-01

The current study examined the associations between parentally perceived child effortful control (EC) and the parenting styles of 122 Chinese mothers (36 first-generation Chinese immigrants in the United Kingdom, 40 first-generation Chinese immigrants in the United States, and 46 Taiwanese mothers) of 5- to 7-year-old ( M age = 5.82 years, SD = .805; 68 boys and 54 girls) children. The findings showed significant cultural group differences in mothers' reported authoritarian parenting style. Significant associations also emerged between mothers' reports of their children's EC and some parenting dimensions, although there were no cultural group differences in perceived child EC. Different patterns of associations between perceived child EC and parenting styles in these three groups also demonstrated heterogeneity within the Chinese population, and highlighted the need to consider differences between original and receiving societies when seeking to understand parenting and child development in different immigrant groups.

Minimum nurse staffing legislation and the financial performance of California hospitals.

PubMed

Reiter, Kristin L; Harless, David W; Pink, George H; Mark, Barbara A

2012-06-01

To estimate the effect of minimum nurse staffing ratios on California acute care hospitals' financial performance. Secondary data from Medicare cost reports, the American Hospital Association's (AHA) Annual Survey, and the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) are combined from 2000 to 2006 for 203 hospitals in California and 407 hospitals in 12 comparison states. The study employs a difference-in-difference analytical approach. Hospitals are grouped into quartiles based on pre-regulation nurse staffing levels in adult medical-surgical and pediatric units (quartile 1=lowest staffing). Differences in operating margin, operating expenses per day, and inpatient operating expenses per discharge for California hospitals within a staffing quartile during the period of regulation are compared to differences at hospitals in comparison states during the same period. Hospital data from Medicare cost reports are merged with nurse staffing measures obtained from AHA and from OSPHD. Relative to hospitals in comparison states, operating margins declined significantly for California hospitals in quartiles 2 and 3. Operating expenses increased significantly in quartiles 1, 2, and 3. Implementation of minimum nurse staffing legislation in California put substantial financial pressure on some hospitals. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Improved flaw detection and characterization with difference thermography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winfree, William P.; Zalameda, Joseph N.; Howell, Patricia A.

2011-05-01

Flaw detection and characterization with thermographic techniques in graphite polymer composites is often limited by localized variations in the thermographic response. Variations in properties such as acceptable porosity, variations in fiber volume content and surface polymer thickness result in variations in the thermal response that in general cause significant variations in the initial thermal response. These variations result in a noise floor that increases the difficulty of detecting and characterizing deeper flaws. The paper investigates comparing thermographic responses taken before and after a change in state in a composite to improve the detection of subsurface flaws. A method is presented for registration of the responses before finding the difference. A significant improvement in the detectability is achieved by comparing the differences in response. Examples of changes in state due to application of a load and impact are presented.

Improved Flaw Detection and Characterization with Difference Thermography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winfree, William P.; Zalameda, Joseph N.; Howell, Patricia A.

2011-01-01

Flaw detection and characterization with thermographic techniques in graphite polymer composites is often limited by localized variations in the thermographic response. Variations in properties such as acceptable porosity, variations in fiber volume content and surface polymer thickness result in variations in the thermal response that in general cause significant variations in the initial thermal response. These variations result in a noise floor that increases the difficulty of detecting and characterizing deeper flaws. The paper investigates comparing thermographic responses taken before and after a change in state in a composite to improve the detection of subsurface flaws. A method is presented for registration of the responses before finding the difference. A significant improvement in the detectability is achieved by comparing the differences in response. Examples of changes in state due to application of a load and impact are presented.

Effect of mood states on QT interval and QT dispersion in eating disorder patients.

PubMed

Takimoto, Yoshiyuki; Yoshiuchi, Kazuhiro; Akabayashi, Akira

2008-04-01

Prolonged QT interval and QT dispersion have been reported in patients with eating disorders. Although the factors that cause prolongation remain unclear, mood states such as anxiety have been reported to influence QT interval and dispersion, probably via the autonomic nervous system. Therefore the aim of the present paper was to investigate mood effect on prolonged QT interval and QT dispersion. The subjects were 47 female anorexia nervosa (AN) and 48 female bulimia nervosa (BN) patients. In all of the patients, serum electrolyte levels were normal. QT interval and QT dispersion were measured from 12-lead electrocardiographic recordings. Mood states in each patient were measured using a Profile of Mood States (POMS) evaluation, and the patients were divided into high- and low-score groups for each POMS subscale. The differences in QT variables were compared between the two groups for each subscale. In the BN group, QT interval and QT dispersion in the high depression score group were significantly longer than those in the low depression score group, and QT dispersion was significantly greater in the high anxiety score group than in the low anxiety score group. In addition, QT interval and QT dispersion were significantly correlated with depression scores. In the AN group there were no significant differences in QT interval or QT dispersion between the high- and low-score groups for any POMS subscale. BN patients with worse states of depression or anxiety had longer QT intervals and larger QT dispersion. In BN patients, mood disturbance might increase the risk of arrhythmias.

Variability of activity patterns across mood disorders and time of day.

PubMed

Krane-Gartiser, Karoline; Vaaler, Arne E; Fasmer, Ole Bernt; Sørensen, Kjetil; Morken, Gunnar; Scott, Jan

2017-12-19

Few actigraphy studies in mood disorders have simultaneously included unipolar (UP) and bipolar (BD) depression or BD mixed states as a separate subgroup from mania. This study compared objectively measured activity in UP, BD depression, mania and mixed states and examined if patterns differed according to time of day and/or diagnostic group. Eighty -eight acutely admitted inpatients with mood disorders (52 UP; 18 mania; 12 BD depression; 6 mixed states) underwent 24 hours of actigraphy monitoring. Non-parametric analyses were used to compare median activity level over 24 h (counts per minute), two time series (64-min periods of continuous motor activity) in the morning and evening, and variability in activity across and within groups. There was no between-group difference in 24-h median level of activity, but significant differences emerged between BD depression compared to mania in the active morning period, and between UP and mania and mixed states in the active evening period. Within-group analyses revealed that UP cases showed several significant changes between morning and evening activity, with fewer changes in the BD groups. Mean activity over 24 hours has limited utility in differentiating UP and BD. In contrast, analysis of non-linear variability measures of activity at different times of day could help objectively distinguish between mood disorder subgroups. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01415323 , first registration July 6, 2011.

Frequencies of polymorphisms of the Rh, Kell, Kidd, Duffy and Diego systems of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Costa, Daiane Cobianchi; Schinaider, Alessandra Arruda; Santos, Thais Mattos; Schörner, Everaldo José; Simon, Daniel; Maluf, Sharbel Weidner; de Moraes, Ana Carolina Rabello; Silva, Maria Claudia Silva

2016-01-01

Red blood cell genes are highly polymorphic with the distribution of alleles varying between different populations and ethnic groups. The objective of this study was to investigate gene polymorphisms of blood groups in the state of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. Three hundred and seventy-three unrelated blood donors and 31 transfusion-dependent patients were evaluated to investigate polymorphisms of the Rh, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, and Diego blood group systems in a population from the state of Santa Catarina. The subjects, from seven regions that comprise the blood-banking network of the state, were assessed between August 2011 and March 2014. The genotypes of the Rh, Kell, Duffy, Kidd, and Diego systems were determined using the restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction and allele-specific polymerase chain reaction techniques. The genotype frequencies in this study were significantly different when populations from different regions of Santa Catarina were compared. Furthermore, there were also significant differences in the genetic frequencies compared to other Brazilian states. The genotype frequencies of the Kell and Kidd blood groups are similar to European populations from Naples, Italy and Zurich, Switzerland. This article reports for the first time the frequency of polymorphisms of blood group systems in blood donors from Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. Copyright © 2016 Associação Brasileira de Hematologia, Hemoterapia e Terapia Celular. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Salivary amylase and stress during stressful environment: three Mars analog mission crews study.

PubMed

Rai, Balwant; Kaur, Jasdeep; Foing, Bernard H

2012-06-14

After the establishment of the space age physicians, human factors engineers, neurologist and psychologists and their special attention to work on people's capability to meet up the physical, psychological, neuroscience and interpersonal strains of working in space, it has been regarded as an issue that seeks urgent consideration. Not study was conducted on effect of simulated Mars analog environment on stress and salivary amylase. So, this study aimed to confirm whether salivary amylase is act as stress biomarker in crew members who took part in Mars analog mission in an isolated and stressful environment. The 18 crew members were selected who took part in Mars Analog Research Station, Utah. Salivary amylase was measured using a biosensor of salivary amylase monitor and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score at pre-extravehicular activity, post-extravehicular activity and on before mission. The state and trait anxiety scores at pre-extravehicular activity for each commander were elevated as compared to after extravehicular activity. There were significant differences in the state and trait anxiety scores between before extravehicular activity and after extravehicular activity of Commander and other members, also there were significant differences in values of before-extravehicular activity between commanders and other members. There were significant differences in values of salivary amylase at before extravehicular activity and after extravehicular activity between commander group and other members. There was significant correlation between salivary amylase and state and trait anxiety scores in all groups. Measuring salivary amylase level could be useful for stress assessment of crew members and population working in a stressful and isolated environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Manganese Deficiency Leads to Genotype-Specific Changes in Fluorescence Induction Kinetics and State Transitions1[C][OA

PubMed Central

Husted, Søren; Laursen, Kristian H.; Hebbern, Christopher A.; Schmidt, Sidsel B.; Pedas, Pai; Haldrup, Anna; Jensen, Poul E.

2009-01-01

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) genotypes display a marked difference in their ability to tolerate growth at low manganese (Mn) concentrations, a phenomenon designated as differential Mn efficiency. Induction of Mn deficiency in two genotypes differing in Mn efficiency led to a decline in the quantum yield efficiency for both, although faster in the Mn-inefficient genotype. Leaf tissue and thylakoid Mn concentrations were reduced under Mn deficiency, but no difference between genotypes was observed and no visual Mn deficiency symptoms were developed. Analysis of the fluorescence induction kinetics revealed that in addition to the usual O-J-I-P steps, clear K and D steps were developed in the Mn-inefficient genotype under Mn deficiency. These marked changes indicated damages to photosystem II (PSII). This was further substantiated by state transition measurements, indicating that the ability of plants to redistribute excitation energy was reduced. The percentage change in state transitions for control plants with normal Mn supply of both genotypes was 9% to 11%. However, in Mn-deficient leaves of the Mn-inefficient genotypes, state transitions were reduced to less than 1%, whereas no change was observed for the Mn-efficient genotypes. Immunoblotting and the chlorophyll a/b ratio confirmed that Mn deficiency in general resulted in a significant reduction in abundance of PSII reaction centers relative to the peripheral antenna. In addition, PSII appeared to be significantly more affected by Mn limitation than PSI. However, the striking genotypic differences observed in Mn-deficient plants, when analyzing state transitions and fluorescence induction kinetics, could not be correlated with specific changes in photosystem proteins. Thus, there is no simple linkage between protein expression and the differential reduction in state transition and fluorescence induction kinetics observed for the genotypes under Mn deficiency. PMID:19369593

Predictors of vulnerability to reduced body image satisfaction and psychological wellbeing in response to exposure to idealized female media images in adolescent girls.

PubMed

Durkin, Sarah J; Paxton, Susan J

2002-11-01

Predictors of change in body satisfaction, depressed mood, anxiety and anger, were examined following exposure to idealized female advertising images in Grades 7 and 10 girls. Stable body dissatisfaction, physical appearance comparison tendency, internalization of thin ideal, self-esteem, depression, identity confusion and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. One week later, participants viewed magazine images, before and after which they completed assessments of state body satisfaction, state depression, state anxiety and state anger. Participants were randomly allocated to view either images of idealized females (experimental condition) or fashion accessories (control condition). For both grades, there was a significant decrease in state body satisfaction and a significant increase in state depression attributable to viewing the female images. In Grade 7 girls in the experimental condition, decrease in state body satisfaction was predicted by stable body dissatisfaction and BMI, while significant predictors of decreases in the measures of negative affect included internalization of the thin-ideal and appearance comparison. In Grade 10 girls, reduction in state body satisfaction and increase in state depression was predicted by internalization of the thin-ideal, appearance comparison and stable body dissatisfaction. These findings indicate the importance of individual differences in short-term reaction to viewing idealized media images. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Inc.

On creating macroscopically identical granular systems with different numbers of particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Meer, Devaraj; Rivas, Nicolas

2015-11-01

One of the fundamental differences between granular and molecular hydrodynamics is the enormous difference in the total number of constituents. The small number of particles implies that the role of fluctuations in granular dynamics is of paramount importance. To obtain more insight in these fluctuations, we investigate to what extent it is possible to create identical granular hydrodynamic states with different number of particles. A definition is given of macroscopically equivalent systems, and the dependency of the conservation equations on the particle size is studied. We show that, in certain cases, and by appropriately scaling the microscopic variables, we are able to compare systems with significantly different number of particles that present the same macroscopic phenomenology. We apply these scalings in simulations of a vertically vibrated system, namely the density inverted granular Leidenfrost state and its transition to a buoyancy-driven convective state.

Cardiac function adaptations in hibernating grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis).

PubMed

Nelson, O Lynne; Robbins, Charles T

2010-03-01

Research on the cardiovascular physiology of hibernating mammals may provide insight into evolutionary adaptations; however, anesthesia used to handle wild animals may affect the cardiovascular parameters of interest. To overcome these potential biases, we investigated the functional cardiac phenotype of the hibernating grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) during the active, transitional and hibernating phases over a 4 year period in conscious rather than anesthetized bears. The bears were captive born and serially studied from the age of 5 months to 4 years. Heart rate was significantly different from active (82.6 +/- 7.7 beats/min) to hibernating states (17.8 +/- 2.8 beats/min). There was no difference from the active to the hibernating state in diastolic and stroke volume parameters or in left atrial area. Left ventricular volume:mass was significantly increased during hibernation indicating decreased ventricular mass. Ejection fraction of the left ventricle was not different between active and hibernating states. In contrast, total left atrial emptying fraction was significantly reduced during hibernation (17.8 +/- 2.8%) as compared to the active state (40.8 +/- 1.9%). Reduced atrial chamber function was also supported by reduced atrial contraction blood flow velocities and atrial contraction ejection fraction during hibernation; 7.1 +/- 2.8% as compared to 20.7 +/- 3% during the active state. Changes in the diastolic cardiac filling cycle, especially atrial chamber contribution to ventricular filling, appear to be the most prominent macroscopic functional change during hibernation. Thus, we propose that these changes in atrial chamber function constitute a major adaptation during hibernation which allows the myocardium to conserve energy, avoid chamber dilation and remain healthy during a period of extremely low heart rates. These findings will aid in rational approaches to identifying underlying molecular mechanisms.

Motor vehicle driver death and high state maximum speed limits: 1991-1993.

PubMed

Yamane, Grover K; Bradshaw, Benjamin S

2008-09-01

To measure the association between motor vehicle crash (MVC) driver death and high state maximum speed limits. This study used a case-control design and assessed driver deaths from three major types of MVCs: non-collision; collision with motor vehicles in transit; and collision with stationary objects. The study period was 1991-1993. For each type of crash, case subject populations of fatally injured drivers were obtained from the U.S. Department of Transportation Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Four control subject populations, each associated with a different cause of death, were obtained from a U.S. national death certificate database (the causes of death were unintentional poisoning, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, drowning, and diabetes mellitus). Subjects were considered exposed if the state in which they crashed (for cases) or died (for controls) had a maximum speed limit greater than 55 mph. Each of the three case subject populations was compared against each of the four control subject populations. Odds ratios (ORs) were adjusted for age and gender. For non-collision driver death, ORs ranged from 3.06 to 6.56, depending on the year and control group; all the ORs were significant. For collision with motor vehicles in transit driver death, ORs ranged from 1.12 to 2.22; all the ORs were significant. For collision with stationary objects driver death, ORs ranged from 0.87 to 1.83. There was a moderately strong and significant association between non-collision driver death and high state maximum speed limits. For collision with motor vehicles in transit driver death, the association was somewhat milder but still consistent. For collision with stationary objects driver death, the presence of an association was unclear. During 1991-1993, the effects of high state maximum speed limits may have been different for different types of MVCs.

A longitudinal ecological study of seasonal influenza deaths in relation to climate conditions in the United States from 1999 through 2011.

PubMed

Geier, David A; Kern, Janet K; Geier, Mark R

2018-01-01

Introduction: Influenza is an acute respiratory disease with significant annual global morbidity/mortality. Influenza transmission occurs in distinct seasonal patterns suggesting an importance of climate conditions on disease pathogenesis. This hypothesis-testing study evaluated microenvironment conditions within different demographic/geographical groups on seasonal influenza deaths in the United States. Materials and methods: The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wonder online computer interface was utilized to integrate and analyze potential correlations in data generated from 1999 through 2011 for climate conditions of mean daily sunlight (KJ/m 2 ), mean daily maximum air temperature ( o C), mean daily minimum air temperature ( o C), and mean daily precipitation (mm) from the North America Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) database and on influenza mortality (ICD-10 codes:J09, J10, or J11) from the Underlying Cause of Death database. Results and discussion: Significant inverse correlations between the climate conditions of temperature, sunlight, and precipitation and seasonal influenza death rate were observed. Similar effects were observed among males and females, but when the data were separated by race and urbanization status significant differences were observed. Conclusion: This study highlights key factors that can help shape public health policy to deal with seasonal influenza in the United States and beyond.

On the sea-state bias of the Geosat altimeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Richard D.; Koblinsky, Chester J.

1991-01-01

The sea-state bias in a satellite altimeter's range measurement is caused by the influence of ocean waves on the radar return pulse; it results in an estimate of sea level that is too low according to some function of the wave height. This bias is here estimated for Geosat by correlating collinear differences of altimetric sea-surface heights with collinear differences of significant wave heights (H1/3). Corrections for satellite orbit error are estimated simultaneously with the sea-state bias. Based on twenty 17-day repeat cycles of the Geosat Exact Repeat Mission, the solution for the sea-state bias is 2.6 + or - 0.2 percent of H1/3. The least-squares residuals, however, show a correlation with wind speed U, so the traditional model of the bias has been supplemented with a second term: H1/3 + alpha-2H1/3U. This second term produces a small, but statistically significant, reduction in variance of the residuals. Both systematic and random errors in H1/3 and U tend to bias the estimates of alpha-1 and alpha-2, which complicates comparisons of the results with ground-based measurements of the sea-state bias.

On the sea-state bias of the Geosat altimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, Richard D.; Koblinsky, Chester J.

1991-06-01

The sea-state bias in a satellite altimeter's range measurement is caused by the influence of ocean waves on the radar return pulse; it results in an estimate of sea level that is too low according to some function of the wave height. This bias is here estimated for Geosat by correlating collinear differences of altimetric sea-surface heights with collinear differences of significant wave heights (H1/3). Corrections for satellite orbit error are estimated simultaneously with the sea-state bias. Based on twenty 17-day repeat cycles of the Geosat Exact Repeat Mission, the solution for the sea-state bias is 2.6 + or - 0.2 percent of H1/3. The least-squares residuals, however, show a correlation with wind speed U, so the traditional model of the bias has been supplemented with a second term: H1/3 + alpha-2H1/3U. This second term produces a small, but statistically significant, reduction in variance of the residuals. Both systematic and random errors in H1/3 and U tend to bias the estimates of alpha-1 and alpha-2, which complicates comparisons of the results with ground-based measurements of the sea-state bias.

Interrogative suggestibility: its relationship with assertiveness, social-evaluative anxiety, state anxiety and method of coping.

PubMed

Gudjonsson, G H

1988-05-01

This paper attempts to investigate empirically in 30 subjects some of the theoretical components related to individual differences that are thought by Gudjonsson & Clark (1986) to mediate interrogative suggestibility as measured by the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS; Gudjonsson, 1984a). The variables studied were: assertiveness, social-evaluative anxiety, state anxiety and the coping methods subjects are able to generate and implement during interrogation. Low assertiveness and high evaluative anxiety were found to correlate moderately with suggestibility, but no significant correlations emerged for 'social avoidance and distress'. State anxiety correlated significantly with suggestibility, particularly after negative feedback had been administered. Coping methods (active-cognitive/behavioural vs. avoidance) significantly predicted suggestibility scores. The findings give strong support to the theoretical model of Gudjonsson & Clark.

Culture-dependent strategies in coordination games.

PubMed

Jackson, Matthew O; Xing, Yiqing

2014-07-22

We examine different populations' play in coordination games in online experiments with over 1,000 study participants. Study participants played a two-player coordination game that had multiple equilibria: two equilibria with highly asymmetric payoffs and another equilibrium with symmetric payoffs but a slightly lower total payoff. Study participants were predominantly from India and the United States. Study participants residing in India played the strategies leading to asymmetric payoffs significantly more frequently than study participants residing in the United States who showed a greater play of the strategy leading to the symmetric payoffs. In addition, when prompted to play asymmetrically, the population from India responded even more significantly than those from the United States. Overall, study participants' predictions of how others would play were more accurate when the other player was from their own populations, and they coordinated significantly more frequently and earned significantly higher payoffs when matched with other study participants from their own population than when matched across populations.

Fatigue shifts and scatters heart rate variability in elite endurance athletes.

PubMed

Schmitt, Laurent; Regnard, Jacques; Desmarets, Maxime; Mauny, Fréderic; Mourot, Laurent; Fouillot, Jean-Pierre; Coulmy, Nicolas; Millet, Grégoire

2013-01-01

This longitudinal study aimed at comparing heart rate variability (HRV) in elite athletes identified either in 'fatigue' or in 'no-fatigue' state in 'real life' conditions. 57 elite Nordic-skiers were surveyed over 4 years. R-R intervals were recorded supine (SU) and standing (ST). A fatigue state was quoted with a validated questionnaire. A multilevel linear regression model was used to analyze relationships between heart rate (HR) and HRV descriptors [total spectral power (TP), power in low (LF) and high frequency (HF) ranges expressed in ms(2) and normalized units (nu)] and the status without and with fatigue. The variables not distributed normally were transformed by taking their common logarithm (log10). 172 trials were identified as in a 'fatigue' and 891 as in 'no-fatigue' state. All supine HR and HRV parameters (Beta±SE) were significantly different (P<0.0001) between 'fatigue' and 'no-fatigue': HRSU (+6.27±0.61 bpm), logTPSU (-0.36±0.04), logLFSU (-0.27±0.04), logHFSU (-0.46±0.05), logLF/HFSU (+0.19±0.03), HFSU(nu) (-9.55±1.33). Differences were also significant (P<0.0001) in standing: HRST (+8.83±0.89), logTPST (-0.28±0.03), logLFST (-0.29±0.03), logHFST (-0.32±0.04). Also, intra-individual variance of HRV parameters was larger (P<0.05) in the 'fatigue' state (logTPSU: 0.26 vs. 0.07, logLFSU: 0.28 vs. 0.11, logHFSU: 0.32 vs. 0.08, logTPST: 0.13 vs. 0.07, logLFST: 0.16 vs. 0.07, logHFST: 0.25 vs. 0.14). HRV was significantly lower in 'fatigue' vs. 'no-fatigue' but accompanied with larger intra-individual variance of HRV parameters in 'fatigue'. The broader intra-individual variance of HRV parameters might encompass different changes from no-fatigue state, possibly reflecting different fatigue-induced alterations of HRV pattern.

Biomechanical consequences of a posterior root tear of the lateral meniscus: stabilizing effect of the meniscofemoral ligament.

PubMed

Forkel, Philipp; Herbort, Mirco; Schulze, Martin; Rosenbaum, Dieter; Kirstein, Lars; Raschke, Michael; Petersen, Wolf

2013-05-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different types of lateral meniscus root tears in terms of tibiofemoral contact stress. Ten porcine knees each underwent five different testing conditions with the menisci intact, a simulated lateral posterior root tear with and without cutting the meniscofemoral ligament and with an artificial tear of the posterior root of the medial meniscus. Biomechanical testing was performed at 30° of flexion with an axial load of 100 N. A pressure sensor (st Sensor Type S2042, Novel, Munich) was used to measure the tibiofemoral contact area and the tibiofemoral contact pressure. Data were analyzed to assess the differences in contact area and tibiofemoral peak contact pressure among the five meniscal conditions. There was no significant difference in mean contact pressure between the state with the menisci intact and an isolated posterior root tear of the lateral meniscus. In case of a root tear and a tear of the meniscofemoral ligament, the contact area decreased in comparison with the intact state of the menisci. After additional cutting of the meniscofemoral ligament, the tibiofemoral contact pressure was significantly higher in comparison with the intact state and the avulsion injury. In the medial compartment, joint compression forces were significantly increased in comparison with the intact state after cutting the posterior root of the medial meniscus (P < 0.05). The consequence of a medial meniscus root tear is well known and was verified by this analysis. The results of the present study show that the biomechanical consequences of a lateral meniscus root tear depend on the state of the meniscofemoral ligament. An increase in tibiofemoral contact pressure is only to be expected in combined injuries of the meniscus root and the meniscofemoral ligaments. Posterior lateral meniscus root tear might have a better prognosis in terms of the development of osteoarthritis when the meniscofemoral ligament is intact.

Is the DLQI appropriate for medical decision-making in psoriasis patients?

PubMed

Poór, Adrienn Katalin; Brodszky, Valentin; Péntek, Márta; Gulácsi, László; Ruzsa, Gábor; Hidvégi, Bernadett; Holló, Péter; Kárpáti, Sarolta; Sárdy, Miklós; Rencz, Fanni

2018-01-01

Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) is the most commonly applied measure of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in psoriasis patients. It is among defining criteria of moderate-to-severe psoriasis and present in treatment guidelines. Our objective was to estimate preference-based HRQoL values (i.e., utilities) for hypothetical health states described by the 10 items of the DLQI in psoriasis patients. Moreover, we compare results to findings of a similar study previously conducted among the general public. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 238 psoriasis patients. Seven hypothetical DLQI-defined health states with total scores of 6, 11, and 16 (3-3 and 1 states, respectively) were evaluated by time trade-off method. The difference in DLQI scores between hypothetical health states was set at 5 points, as it exceeds the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Utility scores were found to be homogenous across the seven hypothetical health states (range of means for the 6-point states 0.85-0.91, range of means for the 11-point states 0.83-0.85, and mean of 0.84 for the 16-point state). Overall, mean utilities assessed by psoriasis patients were higher for all seven states compared with the general public (mean difference 0.16-0.28; p < 0.001). In 11 out of the 15 comparisons between health states with DLQI scores differing larger than the MCID, there was no statistically significant difference in utility. Thus, in clinical settings, patients with DLQI scores differing more than the MCID may have identical HRQoL. Improving the definition of moderate-to-severe disease and reconsideration of the DLQI in clinical assessment of psoriasis patients are suggested.

Quantum squeezed state analysis of spontaneous ultra weak light photon emission of practitioners of meditation and control subjects.

PubMed

Van Wijk, Eduard P A; Van Wijk, Roeland; Bajpai, Rajendra P

2008-05-01

Research on human ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) has suggested a typical human emission anatomic percentage distribution pattern. It was demonstrated that emission intensities are lower in long-term practitioners of meditation as compared to control subjects. The percent contribution of emission from different anatomic locations was not significantly different for meditation practitioners and control subjects. Recently, a procedure was developed to analyze the fluctuations in the signals by measuring probabilities of detecting different numbers of photons in a bin and correct these for background noise. The procedure was tested utilizing the signal from three different body locations of a single subject, demonstrating that probabilities have non-classical features and are well described by the signal in a coherent state from the three body sites. The values indicate that the quantum state of photon emitted by the subject could be a coherent state in the subject being investigated. The objective in the present study was to systematically quantify, in subjects with long-term meditation experience and subjects without this experience, the photon count distribution of 12 different locations. Data show a variation in quantum state parameters within each individual subject as well as variation in quantum state parameters between the groups.

Standardized Testing Practices: Effect on Graduation and NCLEX® Pass Rates.

PubMed

Randolph, Pamela K

The use standardized testing in pre-licensure nursing programs has been accompanied by conflicting reports of effective practices. The purpose of this project was to describe standardized testing practices in one states' nursing programs and discover if the use of a cut score or oversight of remediation had any effect on (a) first time NCLEX® pass rates, (b) on-time graduation (OTG) or (c) the combination of (a) and (b). Administrators of 38 nursing programs in one Southwest state were sent surveys; surveys were returned by 34 programs (89%). Survey responses were compared to each program's NCLEX pass rate and on-time graduation rate; t-tests were conducted for significant differences associated with a required minimum score (cut score) and oversight of remediation. There were no significant differences in NCLEX pass or on-time graduation rates related to establishment of a cut score. There was a significant difference when the NCLEX pass rate and on-time graduation rate were combined (Outcome Index "OI") with significantly higher program outcomes (P=.02.) for programs without cut-scores. There were no differences associated with faculty oversight of remediation. The results of this study do not support establishment of a cut-score when implementing a standardized testing. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Influence of the difference between corneal and refractive astigmatism on LASIK outcomes using solid-state technology.

PubMed

Piñero, David P; Ribera, David; Pérez-Cambrodí, Rafael J; Ruiz-Fortes, Pedro; Blanes-Mompó, Francisco J; Alzamora-Rodríguez, Antonio; Artola, Alberto

2014-12-01

To evaluate the influence of the difference between preoperative corneal and refractive astigmatism [ocular residual astigmatism (ORA)] on outcomes obtained after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery for correction of myopic astigmatism using the solid-state laser technology. One hundred one consecutive eyes with myopia or myopic astigmatism of 55 patients undergoing LASIK surgery using the Pulzar Z1 solid-state laser (CustomVis Laser Pty Ltd, currently CV Laser) were included. Visual and refractive changes at 6 months postoperatively and changes in ORA and anterior corneal astigmatism and posterior corneal astigmatism (PCA) were analyzed. Postoperatively, uncorrected distance visual acuity improved significantly (P < 0.01). Likewise, refractive cylinder magnitude and spherical equivalent were reduced significantly (P < 0.01). In contrast, no significant changes were observed in ORA magnitude (P = 0.81) and anterior corneal astigmatism (P = 0.12). The mean overall efficacy and safety indices were 0.96 and 1.01, respectively. These indices were not correlated with preoperative ORA (r = -0.15, P = 0.15). Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between ORA (r = 0.81, P < 0.01) and PCA postoperatively, but not preoperatively (r = 0.12, P = 0.25). Likewise, a significant correlation of ORA with manifest refraction was only found postoperatively (r = -0.38, P < 0.01). The magnitude of ORA does not seem to be a predictive factor of efficacy and safety of myopic LASIK using a solid-state laser platform. The higher relevance of PCA after surgery in some cases may explain the presence of unexpected astigmatic residual refractive errors.

Effects of Eszopiclone and Zolpidem on Sleep and Waking States in the Adult Guinea Pig

PubMed Central

Xi, Mingchu; Chase, Michael H.

2008-01-01

Study Objective: The present study was designed to compare and contrast the effects of eszopiclone and zolpidem on the states of sleep and wakefulness in chronically instrumented, unanesthetized adult guinea pigs. Design: Adult guinea pigs were implanted with electrodes to record sleep and waking states and to perform a frequency analysis of the EEG. Eszopiclone (1 and 3 mg/kg) and zolpidem (1 and 3 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally. Measurements and Results: The administration of eszopiclone (1 and 3 mg/kg) resulted in a significant dose-dependent increase in NREM sleep. Zolpidem produced a significant increase in NREM sleep, but only at a dose of 3 mg/kg. The following changes in NREM and REM sleep, as well as in the power spectra, were all significant when the effects of 1 and 3 mg/kg of eszopiclone were compared with responses induced with 1 and 3 mg/kg of zolpidem, respectively: The increase in NREM sleep produced by eszopiclone was greater than that following the administration of zolpidem. The mean latency to NREM sleep following the administration of eszopiclone was significantly shorter than zolpidem. Eszopiclone significantly increased the latency to REM sleep. The mean duration of episodes of NREM sleep was increased by eszopiclone, but not by zolpidem. The EEG power increased in the delta band and decreased in the theta band during NREM sleep following the administration of eszopiclone. No significant changes occurred in any of the frequency bands analyzed following zolpidem administration. Conclusions: The differences in the effects of eszopiclone and zolpidem on sleep and waking states and the power spectra of the EEG likely reflect the fact that eszopiclone and zolpidem bind to different subunits of the GABAA receptor complex. Citation: Xi M; Chase MH. Effects of eszopiclone and zolpidem on sleep and waking states in the adult guinea pig. SLEEP 2008;31(7):1043-1051. PMID:18652100

Concussion evaluation methods among Washington State high school football coaches and athletic trainers.

PubMed

Murphy, Ashley; Kaufman, Marla S; Molton, Ivan; Coppel, David B; Benson, John; Herring, Stanley A

2012-06-01

To evaluate awareness of concussion assessment methods and to determine whether there are differences among Washington State high school football coaches and athletic trainers in urban versus rural school districts. A Catalyst WebQ survey link was randomly sent by e-mail to varsity head football coaches, athletic trainers, and athletic directors in Washington State school districts. Survey participants were high school varsity head football coaches and athletic trainers from a total of 106 Washington State high schools. A 12-item questionnaire on Catalyst WebQ was distributed via e-mail. The survey inquired about use of the methods of concussion assessment, both on the field and for follow-up; participants' concussion education training; and familiarity with Washington State's Zackery Lystedt Law. The survey examined differences in concussion management practices between rural and urban school districts and also between coaches and athletic trainers in Washington State, specifically regarding the use of the Standardized Concussion Assessment Tool 2 (SCAT2) and neurocognitive testing (NCT). Twenty-seven of 48 respondents (56%) used the SCAT2 for on-the-field assessment; urban respondents were significantly more likely to use SCAT2 (P < .05). The difference between coaches and athletic trainers with respect to SCAT2 use was not significant (P = .08). NCT was used by 18 of 58 respondents (31%). This was more commonly used by those in urban districts (P < .01) and by athletic trainers (P < .01). Eleven of these 18 individuals (61%) reported that a neuropsychologist interpreted the results; the rest used other providers not specifically trained in neuropsychology. There was no statistically significant correlation between years of experience and use of the SCAT2, but those with more than 10 years of experience were less likely to use NCT (P < .01). All respondents reported being familiar with Washington State's Zackery Lystedt Law, but only 44.1% reported that the law changed their concussion management. There were statistically significant differences between SCAT2 and NCT use for respondents from urban and rural districts, and also between coaches and athletic trainers, as well as NCT use among respondents with varying years of experience. Further understanding and identification of barriers that limit identification and management of concussions in high school athletes are crucial to prevent serious permanent injury. Additional education is necessary to ensure that athletic trainers and coaches are aware of current recommendations within the medical literature for the evaluation and management of concussions. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of music intervention on physiological stress response and anxiety level of mechanically ventilated patients in China: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Han, Lin; Li, Ji P; Sit, Janet W H; Chung, Loretta; Jiao, Zuo Y; Ma, Wei G

2010-04-01

To examine the effects of music intervention on the physiological stress response and the anxiety level among mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care unit. Despite the fact that previous studies have found music interventions to be effective in stress and anxiety reduction, effects of music on the Chinese population are inconclusive and warranted systematic study to evaluate its effect fully for a different Asian culture. A randomised placebo-controlled trial. A total of 137 patients receiving mechanical ventilation were randomly assigned to either music listening group, headphone group or control group. Outcome measures included the Chinese version of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale and physiological parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, saturation of oxygen and blood pressure). Comparison of mean differences (pretest score-posttest score) showed significant differences in heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure as well as the Chinese version of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale, but not in SaO(2) among the three groups (ranging from p < 0.001 to p = 0.007), of which greater mean differences were found in music listening group. A significant reduction in physiological stress response (heart rate and respiratory rate) over time was found in music listening group (p < 0.001 for both variables) and a significant increase in heart rate and respiratory rate over time in control group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.032), with no significant change over time in headphone group. Within group pretest-posttest comparison of the Chinese version of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Scale demonstrated a significant reduction in anxiety for the music listening group (p < 0.001) and headphone group (p < 0.001) but not the control group. Our findings confirm that short-term therapeutic effects of music listening results in substantial reduction in physiological stress responses arising from anxiety in mechanically ventilated patients. Music as a non-pharmacological nursing intervention can be used as complementary adjunct in the care of patients with low-energy states who tire easily, such as those requiring mechanical ventilator support.

Machine learning classifier using abnormal brain network topological metrics in major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Guo, Hao; Cao, Xiaohua; Liu, Zhifen; Li, Haifang; Chen, Junjie; Zhang, Kerang

2012-12-05

Resting state functional brain networks have been widely studied in brain disease research. However, it is currently unclear whether abnormal resting state functional brain network metrics can be used with machine learning for the classification of brain diseases. Resting state functional brain networks were constructed for 28 healthy controls and 38 major depressive disorder patients by thresholding partial correlation matrices of 90 regions. Three nodal metrics were calculated using graph theory-based approaches. Nonparametric permutation tests were then used for group comparisons of topological metrics, which were used as classified features in six different algorithms. We used statistical significance as the threshold for selecting features and measured the accuracies of six classifiers with different number of features. A sensitivity analysis method was used to evaluate the importance of different features. The result indicated that some of the regions exhibited significantly abnormal nodal centralities, including the limbic system, basal ganglia, medial temporal, and prefrontal regions. Support vector machine with radial basis kernel function algorithm and neural network algorithm exhibited the highest average accuracy (79.27 and 78.22%, respectively) with 28 features (P<0.05). Correlation analysis between feature importance and the statistical significance of metrics was investigated, and the results revealed a strong positive correlation between them. Overall, the current study demonstrated that major depressive disorder is associated with abnormal functional brain network topological metrics and statistically significant nodal metrics can be successfully used for feature selection in classification algorithms.

The average camper who doesn't exist

Treesearch

Elwood L., Jr. Shafer; Elwood L. Shafer

1969-01-01

A study was made in 1964 in northeastern New York State to determine if personal-int erview data differ significantly among five campgrounds and three summer months. Campgrounds, months, or their interaction significantly affected the results of all 17 questions used in 1,140 interviews.

Educational Attainment in the United States: 2003. Population Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoops, Nicole

2004-01-01

The population in the United States is becoming more educated, but significant differences in educational attainment remain with regard to age, sex, race, and origin. Nevertheless, the educational attainment of young adults (25 to 29 years), which provides a glimpse of our country's future, indicates dramatic improvement by groups who have…

Educational Attainment in the United States: Population Characteristics. Current Population Reports.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newburger, Eric C.; Curry, Andrea

Although the United States' overall trend reflects a more educated population, significant differences in educational attainment remain with regard to age, sex, race, and origin. Nevertheless, the educational attainment of young adults (ages 25 to 29) indicates a dramatic improvement by groups who have historically been less educated. This report…

Considering Jumping Ship? A Pirate Looks at Retirement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilpatrick, Bob G.

2011-01-01

If you're like me, a "senior" faculty member at a public state university facing significant budget cuts, recently you've probably thought about leaving your current position for another faculty position in a different state. A possible reason for considering jumping ship is envisioning a clearer picture of your retirement as it nears on…

Governors Take Varied Routes in Boosting Aid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ujifusa, Andrew

2013-01-01

As states consider increases to K-12 spending amid better economic conditions, governors on opposite sides of the partisan divide are proposing significantly different plans and arguments for the best ways to use new education aid. Two prime examples: Minnesota and Ohio, a pair of Midwestern states with chief executives intent on pumping more…

Marketing Crises in Tourism: Communication Strategies in the United States and Spain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez-Herrero, Alfonso; Pratt, Cornelius B.

1998-01-01

Compares crisis-response strategies of marketing-communication professionals in tourism organizations (TOs) in the United States and Spain. Reports the extent to which they use proven crisis-management strategies. Indicates significant differences between the countries' TOs in both their extant plans for responding to marketing crises and in their…

Rootstock performance in the 2009 NC-140 peach trial across 11 states

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

From 14 to 18 Prunus rootstocks budded with ‘Redhaven’ peach were planted at 16 locations in North America in 2009. Seven-year performance from 12 remaining locations in 11 states showed that significant differences among rootstocks and sites were found for survival, root suckers, growth, bloom dat...

Edge states in gated bilayer-monolayer graphene ribbons and bilayer domain walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirzakhani, M.; Zarenia, M.; Peeters, F. M.

2018-05-01

Using the effective continuum model, the electron energy spectrum of gated bilayer graphene with a step-like region of decoupled graphene layers at the edge of the sample is studied. Different types of coupled-decoupled interfaces are considered, i.e., zigzag (ZZ) and armchair junctions, which result in significant different propagating states. Two non-valley-polarized conducting edge states are observed for ZZ type, which are mainly located around the ZZ-ended graphene layers. Additionally, we investigated both BA-BA and BA-AB domain walls in the gated bilayer graphene within the continuum approximation. Unlike the BA-BA domain wall, which exhibits gapped insulating behaviour, the domain walls surrounded by different stackings of bilayer regions feature valley-polarized edge states. Our findings are consistent with other theoretical calculations, such as from the tight-binding model and first-principles calculations, and agree with experimental observations.

Mapping integration of midwives across the United States: Impact on access, equity, and outcomes

PubMed Central

Stoll, Kathrin; MacDorman, Marian; Declercq, Eugene; Cramer, Renee; Cheyney, Melissa; Fisher, Timothy; Butt, Emma; Yang, Y. Tony; Powell Kennedy, Holly

2018-01-01

Poor coordination of care across providers and birth settings has been associated with adverse maternal-newborn outcomes. Research suggests that integration of midwives into regional health systems is a key determinant of optimal maternal-newborn outcomes, yet, to date, the characteristics of an integrated system have not been described, nor linked to health disparities. Methods Our multidisciplinary team examined published regulatory data to inform a 50-state database describing the environment for midwifery practice and interprofessional collaboration. Items (110) detailed differences across jurisdictions in scope of practice, autonomy, governance, and prescriptive authority; as well as restrictions that can affect patient safety, quality, and access to maternity providers across birth settings. A nationwide survey of state regulatory experts (n = 92) verified the ‘on the ground’ relevance, importance, and realities of local interpretation of these state laws. Using a modified Delphi process, we selected 50/110 key items to include in a weighted, composite Midwifery Integration Scoring (MISS) system. Higher scores indicate greater integration of midwives across all settings. We ranked states by MISS scores; and, using reliable indicators in the CDC-Vital Statistics Database, we calculated correlation coefficients between MISS scores and maternal-newborn outcomes by state, as well as state density of midwives and place of birth. We conducted hierarchical linear regression analysis to control for confounding effects of race. Results MISS scores ranged from lowest at 17 (North Carolina) to highest at 61 (Washington), out of 100 points. Higher MISS scores were associated with significantly higher rates of spontaneous vaginal delivery, vaginal birth after cesarean, and breastfeeding, and significantly lower rates of cesarean, preterm birth, low birth weight infants, and neonatal death. MISS scores also correlated with density of midwives and access to care across birth settings. Significant differences in newborn outcomes accounted for by MISS scores persisted after controlling for proportion of African American births in each state. Conclusion The MISS scoring system assesses the level of integration of midwives and evaluates regional access to high quality maternity care. In the United States, higher MISS Scores were associated with significantly higher rates of physiologic birth, less obstetric interventions, and fewer adverse neonatal outcomes. PMID:29466389

An Investigation of Perceptional Differences between Eastern and Western Adolescents in Online Social Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Robert

2013-01-01

The current study focused on an important issue pertaining to online social communication by investigating perceptional differences between eastern and western adolescents. A total of 309 participants were recruited from three countries: China, Singapore, and the United States. Significant differences were found between eastern and western…

State and Training Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Brain Networks Reflect Neuronal Mechanisms of Its Antidepressant Effect.

PubMed

Yang, Chuan-Chih; Barrós-Loscertales, Alfonso; Pinazo, Daniel; Ventura-Campos, Noelia; Borchardt, Viola; Bustamante, Juan-Carlos; Rodríguez-Pujadas, Aina; Fuentes-Claramonte, Paola; Balaguer, Raúl; Ávila, César; Walter, Martin

2016-01-01

The topic of investigating how mindfulness meditation training can have antidepressant effects via plastic changes in both resting state and meditation state brain activity is important in the rapidly emerging field of neuroplasticity. In the present study, we used a longitudinal design investigating resting state fMRI both before and after 40 days of meditation training in 13 novices. After training, we compared differences in network connectivity between rest and meditation using common resting state functional connectivity methods. Interregional methods were paired with local measures such as Regional Homogeneity. As expected, significant differences in functional connectivity both between states (rest versus meditation) and between time points (before versus after training) were observed. During meditation, the internal consistency in the precuneus and the temporoparietal junction increased, while the internal consistency of frontal brain regions decreased. A follow-up analysis of regional connectivity of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex further revealed reduced connectivity with anterior insula during meditation. After meditation training, reduced resting state functional connectivity between the pregenual anterior cingulate and dorsal medical prefrontal cortex was observed. Most importantly, significantly reduced depression/anxiety scores were observed after training. Hence, these findings suggest that mindfulness meditation might be of therapeutic use by inducing plasticity related network changes altering the neuronal basis of affective disorders such as depression.

State and Training Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Brain Networks Reflect Neuronal Mechanisms of Its Antidepressant Effect

PubMed Central

Yang, Chuan-Chih; Barrós-Loscertales, Alfonso; Pinazo, Daniel; Ventura-Campos, Noelia; Borchardt, Viola; Bustamante, Juan-Carlos; Rodríguez-Pujadas, Aina; Fuentes-Claramonte, Paola; Balaguer, Raúl; Ávila, César; Walter, Martin

2016-01-01

The topic of investigating how mindfulness meditation training can have antidepressant effects via plastic changes in both resting state and meditation state brain activity is important in the rapidly emerging field of neuroplasticity. In the present study, we used a longitudinal design investigating resting state fMRI both before and after 40 days of meditation training in 13 novices. After training, we compared differences in network connectivity between rest and meditation using common resting state functional connectivity methods. Interregional methods were paired with local measures such as Regional Homogeneity. As expected, significant differences in functional connectivity both between states (rest versus meditation) and between time points (before versus after training) were observed. During meditation, the internal consistency in the precuneus and the temporoparietal junction increased, while the internal consistency of frontal brain regions decreased. A follow-up analysis of regional connectivity of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex further revealed reduced connectivity with anterior insula during meditation. After meditation training, reduced resting state functional connectivity between the pregenual anterior cingulate and dorsal medical prefrontal cortex was observed. Most importantly, significantly reduced depression/anxiety scores were observed after training. Hence, these findings suggest that mindfulness meditation might be of therapeutic use by inducing plasticity related network changes altering the neuronal basis of affective disorders such as depression. PMID:26998365

Computer EEG-monitoring of laserotherapy effects in patients with asteno-depressive syndrome.

PubMed

Omelchenko, V P; Baranchook, I S; Dmitriev, M N

1999-01-01

Nowadays the low-intensive laserotherapy is shown to be an effective and non-hazardous method of asteno-depressive syndrome treatment. The differences of EEG-reactions to laser influences have been revealed in patients of different age groups. And the close negative correlation between the therapy effect, on the one hand, and the patient's age and the disease duration, on the other hand, has been shown. No significant changes of the patient's state or integrative EEG-indices have been evoked by a placebo application. The results showed the advantages of the low-intensive laserotherapy in asteno-depressive syndrome treatment and confirmed the significance of computer EEG-monitoring for prediction, control and correction of the state of the patient.

Refugee Resettlement Patterns and State-Level Health Care Insurance Access in the United States

PubMed Central

Venkatesh, Arjun Krishna

2016-01-01

We sought to evaluate the relationship between state-level implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and resettlement patterns among refugees. We linked federal refugee resettlement data to ACA expansion data and found that refugee resettlement rates are not significantly different according to state-level insurance expansion or cost. Forty percent of refugees have resettled to states without Medicaid expansion. The wide state-level variability in implementation of the ACA should be considered by federal agencies seeking to optimize access to health insurance coverage among refugees who have resettled to the United States. PMID:26890186

Majorana modes in solid state systems and its dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qi; Wu, Biao

2018-04-01

We review the properties of Majorana fermions in particle physics and point out that Majorana modes in solid state systems are significantly different. The key reason is the concept of anti-particle in solid state systems is different from its counterpart in particle physics. We define Majorana modes as the eigenstates of Majorana operators and find that they can exist both at edges and in the bulk. According to our definition, only one single Majorana mode can exist in a system no matter at edges or in the bulk. Kitaev's spinless p-wave superconductor is used to illustrate our results and the dynamical behavior of the Majorana modes.

Determinants of time trade-off valuations for EQ-5D-5L health states: data from the Canadian EQ-5D-5L valuation study.

PubMed

Sayah, Fatima Al; Bansback, Nick; Bryan, Stirling; Ohinmaa, Arto; Poissant, Lise; Pullenayegum, Eleanor; Xie, Feng; Johnson, Jeffrey A

2016-07-01

Previous studies suggest that population subgroups have different perceptions of health, as well as different preferences for hypothetical health states. To identify determinants of health states preferences elicited using time trade-off (TTO) for the 5-level EQ-5D questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) in Canada. Data were from the Canadian EQ-5D-5L Valuation Study, which took place in Edmonton, Hamilton, Montreal, and Vancouver. Each respondent valued 10 of 86 hypothetical health states during an in-person interview using a computer-based TTO exercise. The TTO scores were the dependent variable and explanatory variables including age, sex, marital status, education, employment, annual household income, ethnicity, country of birth, dwelling, study site, health literacy, number of chronic conditions, previous experience with illness, and self-rated health. Average [standard deviation (SD)] age of respondents (N = 1209) was 48 (17) years, and 45 % were male. In multivariable linear regression models with random effects, adjusted for severity of health states and inconsistencies in valuations, older age [unstandardized regression coefficient (β) = -0.077], male sex (β = 0.042), being married (β = 0.069), and urban dwelling (β = -0.055) were significantly associated with health states scores. Additionally, participants from Edmonton (β = -0.124) and Vancouver (β = -0.156), but not those from Hamilton, had significantly lower TTO scores than those from Montreal. Socio-demographic characteristics were the main determinants of preferences for EQ-5D-5L health states in this study. Interestingly, preferences were significantly lower in western Canadian cities compared to eastern ones, bringing into question whether a single preference algorithm is suitable for use in all parts of Canada.

Changes during hibernation in different phospholipid and free and esterified cholesterol serum levels in black bears

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chauhan, V.; Sheikh, A.; Chauhan, A.; Tsiouris, J.; Malik, M.; Vaughan, M.

2002-01-01

During hibernation, fat is known to be the preferred source of energy. A detailed analysis of different phospholipids, as well as free and esterified cholesterol, was conducted to investigate lipid abnormalities during hibernation. The levels of total phospholipids and total cholesterol in the serum of black bears were found to increase significantly in hibernation as compared with the active state. Both free and esterified cholesterol were increased in the hibernating state in comparison with the active state (P < 0.05). The percentage increase during hibernation was more in free cholesterol (57%) than in esterified cholesterol (27%). Analysis of subclasses of serum phospholipids showed that choline containing phospholipids, i.e., sphingomyelin (SPG) (14%) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) (76%), are the major phospholipids in the serum of bear. The minor phospholipids included 8% of phosphatidylserine (PS) + phosphatidylinositol (PI), while phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was only 2% of the total phospholipids. A comparison of phospholipid subclasses showed that PC, PS + PI and SPG were significantly increased, while PE was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the hibernating state as compared with the active state in black bears. These results suggest that the catabolism of phospholipids and cholesterol is decreased during hibernation in black bears, leading to their increased levels in the hibernating state as compared with the active state. In summary, our results indicate that serum cholesterol and phospholipid fractions (except PE) are increased during hibernation in bears. It is proposed that the increase of these lipids may be due to the altered metabolism of lipoproteins that are responsible for the clearance of the lipids. ?? 2002 E??ditions scientifiques et me??dicales Elsevier SAS and Socie??te?? franc??aise de biochimie et biologie mole??culaire. All rights reserved.

Health utility scores of colorectal cancer based on societal preference in Japan.

PubMed

Shiroiwa, Takeru; Fukuda, Takashi; Tsutani, Kiichiro

2009-10-01

We measured health utility scores of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients from a societal perspective in Japan. Twenty-five states of health were described: four metastatic states without severe adverse events (AEs), 16 metastatic states with Grade 3/4 AEs, four adjuvant states, and one terminal state. A total of 1,500 respondents stratified by age and gender were recruited randomly from the largest Web-panel in Japan. Respondents were allocated randomly to three of the 25 health states and answered questionnaires by standard gamble (SG) and time trade-off (TTO) methods. Although utility scores of metastatic CRC receiving XELOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) chemotherapy were 0.48(SG and TTO) (with stoma) and 0.57(SG) or 0.59(TTO) (without stoma), utility scores of those receiving FOLFOX4 (5-fluorouracil/folinic acid and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy were 0.42(SG) or 0.43(TTO) (with stoma) and 0.52(SG) or 0.53(TTO) (without stoma). These differences between XELOX and FOLFOX4 were statistically significant (P = 0.0198 in SG and P = 0.0059 in TTO). Stage 3/4 AEs decreased utility scores to 0.35-0.4 and 0.4-0.45 in the presence and absence of stoma, respectively. XELOX was generally considered a significantly preferable chemotherapy regimen compared to FOLFOX4 for CRC in Japan. Almost all Grade 3/4 AEs and stoma significantly decreased utility scores. These differences are dependent on the accuracy of the health state description and to confirm these results. In future research, it would be preferable that preference-based HRQoL measures are used directly in patients if utility scores are practically measurable by such method.

X-ray variability of Cygnus X-1 in its soft state

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cui, W.; Zhang, S. N.; Jahoda, K.; Focke, W.; Swank, J.; Heindl, W. A.; Rothschild, R. E.

1997-01-01

Observations from the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) of Cyg X-1 in the soft state and during the soft to hard transition are examined. The results of this analysis confirm previous conclusions that for this source there is a settling period (following the transition from the hard to soft state during which the low energy spectrum varies significantly, while the high energy portion changes little) during which the source reaches nominal soft state brightness. This behavior can be characterized by a soft low energy spectrum and significant low frequency 1/f noise and white noise on the power density spectrum, which becomes softer upon reaching the true soft state. The low frequency 1/f noise is not observed when Cyg X-1 is in the hard state, and therefore appears to be positively correlated with the disk mass accretion rate. The difference in the observed spectral and timing properties between the hard and soft states is qualitatively consistent with a fluctuating corona model.

When structure affects function--the need for partial volume effect correction in functional and resting state magnetic resonance imaging studies.

PubMed

Dukart, Juergen; Bertolino, Alessandro

2014-01-01

Both functional and also more recently resting state magnetic resonance imaging have become established tools to investigate functional brain networks. Most studies use these tools to compare different populations without controlling for potential differences in underlying brain structure which might affect the functional measurements of interest. Here, we adapt a simulation approach combined with evaluation of real resting state magnetic resonance imaging data to investigate the potential impact of partial volume effects on established functional and resting state magnetic resonance imaging analyses. We demonstrate that differences in the underlying structure lead to a significant increase in detected functional differences in both types of analyses. Largest increases in functional differences are observed for highest signal-to-noise ratios and when signal with the lowest amount of partial volume effects is compared to any other partial volume effect constellation. In real data, structural information explains about 25% of within-subject variance observed in degree centrality--an established resting state connectivity measurement. Controlling this measurement for structural information can substantially alter correlational maps obtained in group analyses. Our results question current approaches of evaluating these measurements in diseased population with known structural changes without controlling for potential differences in these measurements.

Self-selection and earnings assimilation: immigrants from the former Soviet Union in Israel and the United States.

PubMed

Cohen, Yinon; Haberfeld, Yitchak

2007-08-01

Drawing on U.S. decennial census data and on Israeli census and longitudinal data, we compare the educational levels and earnings assimilation of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union (FSU) in the United States and Israel during 1968-2000. Because the doors to both countries were practically open to FSU immigrants between 1968 and 1989, when FSU immigrants were entitled to refugee visas in the United States, the comparison can be viewed as a natural experiment in immigrants' destination choices. The results suggest that FSU immigrants to the United States are of significantly higher educational level and experience significantly faster rates of earnings assimilation in their new destination than their counterparts who immigrated to Israel. We present evidence that patterns of self-selection in immigration to Israel and the United States--on both measured and unmeasured productivity-related traits--is the main reason for these results. When the immigration regulations in the United States changed in 1989, and FSU Jewish immigrants to the United States had to rely on family reunification for obtaining immigrant visas, the adverse effects of the policy change on the type of FSU immigrants coming to the United States were minor and short-lived As early as 1992, the gaps in the educational levels between FSU immigrants coming to Israel and to the United States returned to their pre-1989 levels, and the differences in earnings assimilation of post-1989 immigrants in the United States and Israel are similar to the differences detected in the 1980s.

Behavioral Profiles of Children With Williams Syndrome From Spain and the United States: Cross-Cultural Similarities and Differences.

PubMed

Pérez-García, Débora; Brun-Gasca, Carme; Pérez-Jurado, Luis A; Mervis, Carolyn B

2017-03-01

To identify similarities and differences in the behavioral profile of children with Williams syndrome from Spain (n = 53) and the United States (n = 145), we asked parents of 6- to 14-year-olds with Williams syndrome to complete the Child Behavior Checklist 6-18. The distribution of raw scores was significantly higher for the Spanish sample than the American sample for all of the higher-order factors and half of both the empirically based and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-oriented scales. In contrast, analyses based on country-specific T-scores indicated that the distribution for the Spanish sample was significantly higher than for the American sample only on the Social Problems scale. No gender differences were found. Genetic and cultural influences on children's behavior and cultural influences on parental ratings of behavior are discussed.

The influence of socializing agents in the female sport-participation process.

PubMed

Higginson, D C

1985-01-01

This study investigated the influence of socializing agents on the female athletes who participated in the Empire State Games in Syracuse, New York (N = 587). When comparisons were made across life-cycle states (under-13, junior high, and senior high), it was discovered that statistically significant differences existed (p less than 0.0001). It was apparent that the socializing agent influences changed from being mostly parental at the under-13 life-cycle stage to mostly coach/teacher oriented during junior and senior high school years. No significant differences occurred across the three life-cycle stages when the following items were examined: (a) the number of sports in which the female athletes participated, (b) the number of sports learned by the female athletes, and (c) the amount of sport interest developed. It was concluded that socializing agent influences do exist, but change during different periods in the life cycle.

Problems of Maltreated Runaway Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurtz, P. David; And Others

1991-01-01

Shelter staff from 8 states completed Client Information Records on 2,019 runaways. Found significant differences in problems reported by physically abused and sexually abused runaways when compared to nonabused runaway peers. Runaways who were both physically and sexually maltreated were significantly more vulnerable and much worse off than those…

Current and Future Leaders' Perceptions of Agricultural Biotechnology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wingenbach, Gary J.; Miller, Rene P.

2009-01-01

Were elected state FFA officers' attitudes toward agricultural biotechnology significantly different from elected Texas legislators' attitudes about the same topic? The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed in agricultural biotechnology perceptions or information source preferences when compared by leadership status:…

The Utility of the MMPI-2 with Pedophiles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Jim; And Others

1992-01-01

Examined Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) profiles of incarcerated pedophiles in state prisons (n=60), federal prisons (n=24), and military confinement facilities (n=25), each offering different educational and social composition. Multivariate statistics revealed that three groups' profiles were significantly different,…

"Those edibles hit hard": Exploration of Twitter data on cannabis edibles in the U.S.

PubMed

Lamy, Francois R; Daniulaityte, Raminta; Sheth, Amit; Nahhas, Ramzi W; Martins, Silvia S; Boyer, Edward W; Carlson, Robert G

2016-07-01

Several states in the U.S. have legalized cannabis for recreational or medical uses. In this context, cannabis edibles have drawn considerable attention after adverse effects were reported. This paper investigates Twitter users' perceptions concerning edibles and evaluates the association edibles-related tweeting activity and local cannabis legislation. Tweets were collected between May 1 and July 31, 2015, using Twitter API and filtered through the eDrugTrends/Twitris platform. A random sample of geolocated tweets was manually coded to evaluate Twitter users' perceptions regarding edibles. Raw state proportions of Twitter users mentioning edibles were ajusted relative to the total number of Twitter users per state. Differences in adjusted proportions of Twitter users mentioning edibles between states with different cannabis legislation status were assesed via a permutation test. We collected 100,182 tweets mentioning cannabis edibles with 26.9% (n=26,975) containing state-level geolocation. Adjusted percentages of geolocated Twitter users posting about edibles were significantly greater in states that allow recreational and/or medical use of cannabis. The differences were statistically significant. Overall, cannabis edibles were generally positively perceived among Twitter users despite some negative tweets expressing the unreliability of edible consumption linked to variability in effect intensity and duration. Our findings suggest that Twitter data analysis is an important tool for epidemiological monitoring of emerging drug use practices and trends. Results tend to indicate greater tweeting activity about cannabis edibles in states where medical THC and/or recreational use are legal. Although the majority of tweets conveyed positive attitudes about cannabis edibles, analysis of experiences expressed in negative tweets confirms the potential adverse effects of edibles and calls for educating edibles-naïve users, improving edibles labeling, and testing their THC content. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

“Those edibles hit hard”: Exploration of Twitter data on cannabis edibles in the U.S

PubMed Central

Lamy, Francois R.; Daniulaityte, Raminta; Sheth, Amit; Nahhas, Ramzi W.; Martins, Silvia S.; Boyer, Edward W.; Carlson, Robert G.

2016-01-01

Aims Several states in the U.S. have legalized cannabis for recreational or medical uses. In this context, cannabis edibles have drawn considerable attention after adverse effects were reported. This paper investigates Twitter users’ perceptions concerning edibles and evaluates the association edibles-related tweeting activity and local cannabis legislation. Methods Tweets were collected between May 1 and July 31, 2015, using Twitter API and filtered through the eDrugTrends/Twitris platform. A random sample of geolocated tweets was manually coded to evaluate Twitter users’ perceptions regarding edibles. Raw state proportions of Twitter users mentioning edibles were ajusted relative to the total number of Twitter users per state. Differences in adjusted proportions of Twitter users mentioning edibles between states with different cannabis legislation status were assesed via a permutation test. Results We collected 100,182 tweets mentioning cannabis edibles with 26.9% (n=26,975) containing state-level geolocation. Adjusted percentages of geolocated Twitter users posting about edibles were significantly greater in states that allow recreational and/or medical use of cannabis. The differences were statistically significant. Overall, cannabis edibles were generally positively perceived among Twitter users despite some negative tweets expressing the unreliability of edible consumption linked to variability in effect intensity and duration. Conclusion Our findings suggest that Twitter data analysis is an important tool for epidemiological monitoring of emerging drug use practices and trends. Results tend to indicate greater tweeting activity about cannabis edibles in states where medical THC and/or recreational use are legal. Although the majority of tweets conveyed positive attitudes about cannabis edibles, analysis of experiences expressed in negative tweets confirms the potential adverse effects of edibles and calls for educating edibles-naïve users, improving edibles labeling, and testing their THC content. PMID:27185160

Ultrafast excited-state deactivation of 9-methylhypoxanthine in aqueous solution: A QM/MM MD study

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

Guo, Xugeng, E-mail: xgguo@henu.edu.cn, E-mail: zhangjinglai@henu.edu.cn; Yuan, Huijuan; An, Beibei

Photoinduced ultrafast non-adiabatic decay of 9-methylhypoxanthine (9MHPX) in aqueous solution was investigated by ab initio surface-hopping dynamics calculations using a combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach. The absorption spectra of 9MHPX in aqueous solution were also explored by the hybrid cluster-continuum model at the level of time-dependent density functional theory along with the polarizable continuum model (PCM). The static electronic-structure calculations indicate that the absorption spectra of 9MHPX simulated by TD-B3LYP/PCM and TD-X3LYP/PCM can reproduce very well the experimental findings, with the accuracy of about 0.20 eV. According to dynamics simulations, irradiation of 9MHPX populates the bright excited singlet S{sub 1}more » state, which may undergo an ultrafast non-radiative deactivation to the S{sub 0} state. The lifetime of the S{sub 1} state of 9MHPX in aqueous solution is predicted to be 115.6 fs, slightly longer than that in the gas phase (88.8 fs), suggesting that the solvent water has no significant influence on the excited-state lifetime of 9MHPX. Such a behavior in 9MHPX is distinctly different from its parent hypoxanthine keto-N9H tautomer in which the excited-state lifetime of the latter in water solution was remarkably enhanced as compared to the gas phase. The significant difference of the photodynamical behaviors between 9MHPX and keto-N9H can be ascribed to their different hydrogen bond environment in aqueous solution.« less

Decoding emotion of the other differs among schizophrenia patients and schizoaffective patients: A pilot study.

PubMed

Tadmor, Hagar; Levin, Maya; Dadon, Tzameret; Meiman, Meital E; Ajameeh, Alaa; Mazzawi, Hosam; Rigbi, Amihai; Kremer, Ilana; Golani, Idit; Shamir, Alon

2016-09-01

The deficit in ability to attribute mental states such as thoughts, beliefs, and intentions of another person is a key component in the functional impairment of social cognition in schizophrenia. In the current study, we compared the ability of persons with first episode schizophrenia (FE-SZ) and individuals with schizophrenia displaying symptomatic remission (SZ-CR) to decode the mental state of others with healthy individuals and schizoaffective patients. In addition, we analyzed the effect of dopamine-related genes polymorphism on the ability to decode the mental state of another, and searched for different genetic signatures. Our results show that overall, individuals with schizophrenia performed worse in the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" (eyes) test, a simple well-defined task to infer the mental state of others than healthy individuals. Within the schizophrenia group, schizoaffective scored significantly higher than FE-SZ, SZ-CR, and healthy individuals. No difference was observed in performance between FE-SZ and SZ-CR subjects. Interestingly, FE-SZ and SZ-CR, but not schizoaffective individuals, performed worse in decoding negative and neutral emotional valance than the healthy control group. At the genetic level, we observed a significant effect of the DAT genotype, but not D4R genotype, on the eyes test performance. Our data suggest that understanding the mental state of another person is a trait marker of the illness, and might serve as an intermediate phenotype in the diagnostic process of schizophrenia disorders, and raise the possibility that DA-related DAT gene might have a role in decoding the mental state of another person.

What happens when catchments get excited? Exploring the link between hydrologic states and responses across spatial scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wrede, S.; Lyon, S. W.; Martinez-Carreras, N.; Pfister, L.; Uhlenbrook, S.

2010-12-01

Investigating relationships between dynamic hydrologic states and associated hydrologic responses of catchments is essential for a better understanding and conceptualization of hydrologic functioning and classification across spatial scales. Nevertheless, the question of “What happens when catchments get excited?” still remains unanswered for most catchments to date. This is especially true with regard to underlying landscape controls and how their relative importance can shift given the state of the various storages in a catchment. To help answering this question, we combined hydrometric and tracer approaches with landscape analysis in 24 nested catchments in Luxembourg, Europe with contrasting bedrock geology ranging from 0.5 to 1091 km2. In our study we discerned two major hydrological states (dry and wet) for each basin according to slope changes in double mass curves of cumulated discharge and precipitation. For each of these states the long-term (i.e. interannual) response of catchment behavior was characterized using conventional runoff signatures, such as master recession curves and average lag time between rainfall and runoff response. We found significantly different hydrologic responses for different hydrologic states of the catchments. These are typified by faster flow recessions, but longer average lag times during wet states and slower flow recessions, but shorter lag times during dry states. Dominating landscape controls on hydrological responses differed during these distinct hydrologic states and were identified as variables related to geology (percentage of impervious bedrock area) and soils (average soil depth), indicating different controls on hydrologic processes under different hydrologic states. Clustering of biweekly conductivity and silica stream water concentration data of the catchments further illustrated the dominant control of the geology on stream chemistry and revealed similar patterns during different hydrologic states. Our findings demonstrate that hydrologic response and their associated controls are closely linked to the dynamic hydrologic states of the catchments and hence should not be neglected in catchment modeling and classification approaches.

The effect of emotion on keystroke: an experimental study using facial feedback hypothesis.

PubMed

Tsui, Wei-Hsuan; Lee, Poming; Hsiao, Tzu-Chien

2013-01-01

The automatic emotion recognition technology is an important part of building intelligent systems to prevent the computers acting inappropriately. A novel approach for recognizing emotional state by their keystroke typing patterns on a standard keyboard was developed in recent years. However, there was very limited investigation about the phenomenon itself in the previous literatures. Hence, in our study, we conduct a controlled experiment to collect subjects' keystroke data in the different emotional states induced by facial feedback. We examine the difference of the keystroke data between positive and negative emotional states. The results prove the significance in the differences in the typing patterns under positive and negative emotions for all subjects. Our study provides an evidence for the reasonability about developing the technique of emotion recognition by keystroke.

Is an Ideal Sense of Humor Gendered? A Cross-National Study.

PubMed

Tosun, Sümeyra; Faghihi, Nafiseh; Vaid, Jyotsna

2018-01-01

To explore lay conceptions of characteristics of an ideal sense of humor as embodied in a known individual, our study examined elicited written narratives by male and female participants from three different countries of origin: United States, Iran, and Turkey. As reported in an earlier previous study with United States-based participants (Crawford and Gressley, 1991), our study also found that the embodiment of an ideal sense of humor was predominantly a male figure. This effect was more pronounced for male than for female participants but did not differ by country. Relative mention of specific humor characteristics differed by participant gender and by country of origin. Whereas all groups mentioned creativity most often as a component of an ideal sense of humor, this attribute was mentioned significantly more often by Americans than by the other two groups; hostility/sarcasm was also mentioned significantly more often by Americans than Turkish participants who mentioned it more often than Iranian participants. Caring was mentioned significantly more often by Americans and Iranians than by Turkish participants. These findings show a shared pattern of humor characteristics by gender but group differences in the relative prominence given to specific humor characteristics. Further work is needed to corroborate the group differences observed and to pinpoint their source.

Drugs and People: Repertory Grid Structure and the Construal of Two Different Kinds of Target.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leenaars, Antoon A.

1981-01-01

Investigated comparisons of perceptions of drugs with perceptions of people, using the repertory grid technique. A significant result was finding a shift from seeing people as less positive and drugs as more positive when subjects shifted from a normal state of consciousness to a simulated altered state of consciousness. (Author)

Bringing Educational Fundraising Back to Great Britain: A Comparison with the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Proper, Eve

2009-01-01

As a solution to dwindling government revenue, higher education in Great Britain has recently begun to increase fundraising. While it looks to the United States' higher education sector as a model, there are significant legal, historical and cultural differences between the two nations that could limit the British higher education sector's…

Preservice Teachers' Attitudes toward Inclusive Education Policy in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ajuwon, Paul M.; Laman, Effie; Earle, John Christopher

2014-01-01

The attitudes of 224 preservice teachers from eight universities in the United States were measured to determine if participants' sentiments, attitudes, and concerns about inclusion can be positively affected through a single course, i.e., using pre and post data gathered with one instrument. There were significant differences between a number of…

Master's in Economics Programs: Comparing Canada and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walstad, William; Milkman, Martin I.; McCoy, James P.

2008-01-01

The authors compare various characteristics of terminal master's of economics programs in Canada and the United States. As far as they know, this is the first article to present results from a survey of Canadian master's programs in economics. Using a Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test, they found significant differences between the Canadian and U.S.…

Caffeine reduces resting-state BOLD functional connectivity in the motor cortex.

PubMed

Rack-Gomer, Anna Leigh; Liau, Joy; Liu, Thomas T

2009-05-15

In resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), correlations between spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations in the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal are used to assess functional connectivity between different brain regions. Changes in resting-state BOLD connectivity measures are typically interpreted as changes in coherent neural activity across spatially distinct brain regions. However, this interpretation can be complicated by the complex dependence of the BOLD signal on both neural and vascular factors. For example, prior studies have shown that vasoactive agents that alter baseline cerebral blood flow, such as caffeine and carbon dioxide, can significantly alter the amplitude and dynamics of the task-related BOLD response. In this study, we examined the effect of caffeine (200 mg dose) on resting-state BOLD connectivity in the motor cortex across a sample of healthy young subjects (N=9). We found that caffeine significantly (p<0.05) reduced measures of resting-state BOLD connectivity in the motor cortex. Baseline cerebral blood flow and spectral energy in the low-frequency BOLD fluctuations were also significantly decreased by caffeine. These results suggest that caffeine usage should be carefully considered in the design and interpretation of resting-state BOLD fMRI studies.

Identification of measurement differences between English and Spanish language versions of the Mini-Mental State Examination. Detecting differential item functioning using MIMIC modeling.

PubMed

Jones, Richard N

2006-11-01

Knowledge of the extent to which measurement of adult cognitive functioning differs between Spanish and English language administrations of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is critical for inclusive, representative, and valid research of older adults in the United States. We sought to demonstrate the use of an item response theory (IRT) based structural equation model, that is, the MIMIC model (multiple indicators, multiple causes), to evaluate MMSE responses for evidence of differential item functioning (DIF) attributable to language of administration. We studied participants in a dementia case registry study (n = 1546), 42% of whom were examined with the Spanish language MMSE. Twelve of 21 items were identified as having significant uniform DIF. The 4 most discrepant included orientation to season, orientation to state, repeat phrase, and follow command. DIF accounted for two-thirds of the observed difference in underlying level of cognitive functioning between Spanish- and English-language administration groups. Failing to account for measurement differences may lead to spurious inferences regarding language group differences in level of underlying level of cognitive functioning. The MIMIC model can be used to detect and adjust for such measurement differences in substantive research.

Examining Elementary Teachers' Sense of Efficacy in Three Settings in the Southeast

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, C. Steven; Pendergraft, Beth; Wilson, Judi

2014-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate if teachers at urban, rural and suburban elementary schools differ significantly in their sense of self-efficacy. The schools utilized for this research are located in the southeastern United States. Along with being in different geographic areas the schools are also different in their socioeconomic make-up…

Camper characteristics differ at public and commercial campgrounds in New England

Treesearch

Wilbur F. LaPage

1967-01-01

Early findings from a 5-year panel survey of New England campers' changing leisure habits are reported. A significant number of campers interviewed at four commercial campgrounds differed in their camping behavior from campers at four state park and national forest campgrounds. The most apparent differences are the higher degree of mobility and the larger dollar...

Smells Like Teen Spirit: Evaluating a Midwestern Teen Court

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, Michael; Twill, Sarah; Kim, Chigon

2011-01-01

Teen courts have grown rapidly in the United States despite little evidence of their effectiveness. A survival analysis of 635 teen court and 186 regular diversion participants showed no significant differences in recidivism, although program completers were half as likely to reoffend as noncompleters. Older offenders survived significantly better…

Trends in the occurrence of MTBE in drinking water in the Northeast United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, M.J.

2007-01-01

Public water systems in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Rhode Island sampled treated drinking water from 1993-2006 and analyzed the samples for MTBE. The US Geological Survey examined trends in the occurrence of MTBE in drinking water derived from ground water in these States for two near-decadal time steps; 1993-1999 and 2000-2006. MTBE was detected in 14% of drinking water samples collected in all States from 1993-1999 and in 19% of drinking water samples collected from the same systems from 2000-2006 and this difference was statistically significant. Trends in the occurrence of MTBE in each State by individual year indicated significant positive trends in Maryland and New Hampshire. Significant, increasing trends in MTBE concentrations were observed in Maryland and Rhode Island by individual year. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 2007 Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water: Prevention, Assessment and Remediation Conference (Houston, TX 11/5-6/2007).

Child fosterage in the United States: signs of an African heritage.

PubMed

Miller, A T

1998-01-01

"The presence of significant numbers of family and household structures among African Americans...[differs] from traditional Euro-American models.... The recently developed U.S. Census public use samples and measures oriented to the practices of informal child fosterage are used to examine and compare these different bases of family life. Data from the turn of the century provide some historical distance from previous explanations of difference centered on slavery, or explanations that focus on contemporary social issues such as urban problems or the welfare state. Comparisons with studies of the contemporary U.S., Africa, the Caribbean, and historical materials give broader scope to fosterage analysis and to the consideration of cultural family differences." excerpt

Electronic structure of CuTeO 4 and its relationship to cuprates

DOE PAGES

Botana, Antia S.; Norman, Michael R.

2017-03-13

Based on first-principles calculations, the electronic structure of CuTeO 4 is discussed in the context of superconducting cuprates. Despite some significant crystallographic differences, we find that CuTeO 4 is similar to these cuprates, exhibiting a quasi-two-dimensional electronic structure that involves hybridized Cu- d and O-p states in the vicinity of the Fermi level, along with an antiferromagnetic insulating ground state. Lastly, hole- doping this material by substituting Te 6+ with Sb 5+ would be of significant interest.

State-by-state variations in cardiac rehabilitation participation are associated with educational attainment, income, and program availability.

PubMed

Gaalema, Diann E; Higgins, Stephen T; Shepard, Donald S; Suaya, Jose A; Savage, Patrick D; Ades, Philip A

2014-01-01

Wide geographic variations in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participation in the United States have been demonstrated but are not well understood. Socioeconomic factors such as educational attainment are robust predictors of many health-related behaviors, including smoking, obesity, physical activity, substance abuse, and cardiovascular disease. We investigated potential associations between state-level differences in educational attainment, other socioeconomic factors, CR program availability, and variations in CR participation. A retrospective database analysis was conducted using data from the US Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the 1997 Medicare database. The outcome of interest was CR participation rates by state, and predictors included state-level high school (HS) graduation rates (in 2001 and 1970), median household income, smoking rates, density of CR program (programs per square mile and per state population), sex and race ratios, and median age. The relationship between HS graduation rates and CR participation by state was significant for both 2001 and 1970 (r = 0.64 and 0.44, respectively, P < .01). Adding the density of CR programs (per population) and income contributed significantly with a cumulative r value of 0.74 and 0.71 for the models using 2001 and 1970, respectively (Ps < .01). The amount of variance accounted for by each of the 3 variables differed between the 2000 and 1970 graduation rates, but both models were unaltered by including additional variables. State-level HS graduation rates, CR programs expressed as programs per population, and median income were strongly associated with geographic variations in CR participation rates.

Effect of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer Disease on Auditory Steady-State Responses

PubMed Central

Shahmiri, Elaheh; Jafari, Zahra; Noroozian, Maryam; Zendehbad, Azadeh; Haddadzadeh Niri, Hassan; Yoonessi, Ali

2017-01-01

Introduction: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a disorder of the elderly people, is difficult to diagnose and often progresses to Alzheimer Disease (AD). Temporal region is one of the initial areas, which gets impaired in the early stage of AD. Therefore, auditory cortical evoked potential could be a valuable neuromarker for detecting MCI and AD. Methods: In this study, the thresholds of Auditory Steady-State Response (ASSR) to 40 Hz and 80 Hz were compared between Alzheimer Disease (AD), MCI, and control groups. A total of 42 patients (12 with AD, 15 with MCI, and 15 elderly normal controls) were tested for ASSR. Hearing thresholds at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz in both ears with modulation rates of 40 and 80 Hz were obtained. Results: Significant differences in normal subjects were observed in estimated ASSR thresholds with 2 modulation rates in 3 frequencies in both ears. However, the difference was significant only in 500 Hz in the MCI group, and no significant differences were observed in the AD group. In addition, significant differences were observed between the normal subjects and AD patients with regard to the estimated ASSR thresholds with 2 modulation rates and 3 frequencies in both ears. A significant difference was observed between the normal and MCI groups at 2000 Hz, too. An increase in estimated 40 Hz ASSR thresholds in patients with AD and MCI suggests neural changes in auditory cortex compared to that in normal ageing. Conclusion: Auditory threshold estimation with low and high modulation rates by ASSR test could be a potentially helpful test for detecting cognitive impairment. PMID:29158880

Stationary properties of maximum-entropy random walks.

PubMed

Dixit, Purushottam D

2015-10-01

Maximum-entropy (ME) inference of state probabilities using state-dependent constraints is popular in the study of complex systems. In stochastic systems, how state space topology and path-dependent constraints affect ME-inferred state probabilities remains unknown. To that end, we derive the transition probabilities and the stationary distribution of a maximum path entropy Markov process subject to state- and path-dependent constraints. A main finding is that the stationary distribution over states differs significantly from the Boltzmann distribution and reflects a competition between path multiplicity and imposed constraints. We illustrate our results with particle diffusion on a two-dimensional landscape. Connections with the path integral approach to diffusion are discussed.

Minimum Nurse Staffing Legislation and the Financial Performance of California Hospitals

PubMed Central

Reiter, Kristin L; Harless, David W; Pink, George H; Mark, Barbara A

2012-01-01

Objective To estimate the effect of minimum nurse staffing ratios on California acute care hospitals’ financial performance. Data Sources/Study Setting Secondary data from Medicare cost reports, the American Hospital Association's (AHA) Annual Survey, and the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) are combined from 2000 to 2006 for 203 hospitals in California and 407 hospitals in 12 comparison states. Study Design The study employs a difference-in-difference analytical approach. Hospitals are grouped into quartiles based on pre-regulation nurse staffing levels in adult medical-surgical and pediatric units (quartile 1 = lowest staffing). Differences in operating margin, operating expenses per day, and inpatient operating expenses per discharge for California hospitals within a staffing quartile during the period of regulation are compared to differences at hospitals in comparison states during the same period. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Hospital data from Medicare cost reports are merged with nurse staffing measures obtained from AHA and from OSPHD. Principal Findings Relative to hospitals in comparison states, operating margins declined significantly for California hospitals in quartiles 2 and 3. Operating expenses increased significantly in quartiles 1, 2, and 3. Conclusions Implementation of minimum nurse staffing legislation in California put substantial financial pressure on some hospitals. PMID:22150627

The impact of differences between patient and general population EQ-5D-3L values on the mean tariff scores of different patient groups.

PubMed

Little, Matthew H R; Reitmeir, Peter; Peters, Annette; Leidl, Reiner

2014-06-01

Health states can be valued by those who currently experience a health state (experienced health states [EHS]) or by the general public, who value a set of given health states (GHS) described to them. There has been debate over which method is more appropriate when making resource allocation decisions. This article informs this debate by assessing whether differences between these methods have an effect on the mean EQ-5D-3L tariff scores of different patient groups. The European tariff based on GHS valuations was compared with a German EHS tariff. Comparison was made in the context of EQ-5D-3L health states describing a number of diagnosed chronic diseases (stroke, diabetes, myocardial infarction, and cancer) taken from the Cooperative Health Research in the Augsburg Region population surveys. Comparison was made of both the difference in weighting of the dimensions of the EQ-5D-3L and differences in mean tariff scores for patient groups. Weighting of the dimensions of the EQ-5D-3L were found to be systematically different. The EHS tariff gave significantly lower mean scores for most, but not all, patient groups despite tariff scores being lower for 213 of 243 EQ-5D-3L health states using the GHS tariff. Differences were found to vary between groups, with the largest change in difference being 5.45 in the multiple stoke group. The two tariffs have systematic differences that in certain patient groups could drive the results of an economic evaluation. Therefore, the choice as to which is used may be critical when making resource allocation decisions. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multiple states in the late Eocene ocean circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baatsen, M. L. J.; von der Heydt, A. S.; Kliphuis, M.; Viebahn, J.; Dijkstra, H. A.

2018-04-01

The Eocene-Oligocene Transition (EOT) marks a major step within the Cenozoic climate in going from a greenhouse into an icehouse state, with the formation of a continental-scale Antarctic ice sheet. The roles of steadily decreasing CO2 concentrations versus changes in ocean circulation at the EOT are still debated and the threshold for Antarctic glaciation is obscured by uncertainties in global geometry. Here, a detailed study of the late Eocene ocean circulation is carried out using an ocean general circulation model under two slightly different geography reconstructions of the middle-to-late Eocene (38 Ma). Using the same atmospheric forcing, both geographies give a profoundly different equilibrium ocean circulation state. The underlying reason for this sensitivity is the presence of multiple equilibria characterised by either North or South Pacific deep water formation. A possible shift from a southern towards a northern overturning circulation would result in significant changes in the global heat distribution and consequently make the Southern Hemisphere climate more susceptible for significant cooling and ice sheet formation on Antarctica.

Evidence for spawning aggregations of the endangered Atlantic goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Bueno, L S; Bertoncini, A A; Koenig, C C; Coleman, F C; Freitas, M O; Leite, J R; De Souza, T F; Hostim-Silva, M

2016-07-01

In this study, seasonal numerical abundance of the critically endangered Atlantic goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara was estimated by conducting scuba dive surveys and calculating sightings-per-unit-effort (SPUE) at three sites in southern Brazil. Seasonal differences in size and reproductive condition of captured or confiscated specimens were compared. The SPUE differed significantly with season, increasing in late spring and peaking during the austral summer months. A significant effect was observed in the number of fish relative to the lunar cycle. All females sampled during the summer were spawning capable, while all those sampled during other seasons were either regressing or regenerating. What these data strongly infer is that the E. itajara spawning aggregation sites have been located in the southern state of Paraná and the northern state of Santa Catarina and summer is the most likely spawning season. Size frequency distributions, abundance and reproductive state were estimated and correlated with environmental variables. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Critical thinking, self-esteem, and state anxiety of nursing students.

PubMed

Suliman, Wafika A; Halabi, Jehad

2007-02-01

This study aimed at exploring the existing predominant critical thinking disposition(s) of baccalaureate nursing students and the relationship among their critical thinking (CT), self-esteem (SE), and state anxiety (SA). Cross-sectional correlational design was utilized to achieve the said aim. A voluntary convenient sample consisted of first year (n=105) and fourth year (n=60) nursing students. The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory were used for data collection after their translation to Arabic language and test for validity and reliability. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. Results showed that both groups overall CT was marginal indicating no serious deficiency, their SE was average, and their SA was relatively high; they reported analyticity, open-mindedness, systematicity, inquisitiveness, and truth seeking as predominant critical thinking dispositions with no significant difference between them. However, the two groups were weak with significant difference on CT self-confidence (t=-2.053, df=136.904, p=.042) with beginning students reporting poorer level of CT self-confidence. Significant correlation results showed that critical thinking is positively correlated with SE, negatively correlated with SA, and SE is negatively correlated with SA; however, all correlations were actually quite low.

Adaptation of the Chinese edition of the CSBS-DP: a cross-cultural comparison of prelinguistic development between Taiwanese and American toddlers.

PubMed

Lin, Chu-Sui; Chiu, Chun-Hao

2014-05-01

This study was conducted with 171 toddlers aged 1-2 in Taiwan using the Chinese version of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scale-Developmental Profile (CSBS-DP). A significant difference in the scores for the symbolic subscale was observed between the test subjects in Taiwan and the norm established in the original CSBS-DP in the United States. Furthermore, this difference varied across the three assessment tools of the CSBS-DP: the Infant-Toddler Checklist, the Caregiver Questionnaire, and the Behavior Sample. In the checklist and caregiver questionnaires, the scores in the language comprehension cluster and the object use cluster were significantly lower for Taiwanese toddlers than for their counterparts in the United States. In the behavior samples, however, the toddlers in Taiwan scored significantly higher than their peers in the United States in the object use cluster and lower than their American counterparts in the language comprehension cluster. This discrepancy suggests that cultural factors have a potential impact on performance, and thus such factors need to be considered in future endeavors to improve upon the Chinese version of the CSBS-DP. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of State Laws That Extend Eligibility for Parents’ Health Insurance Coverage to Young Adults

PubMed Central

Kleinman, Lawrence C.; Starfield, Barbara; Ross, Joseph S.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The 2010 Affordable Care Act mandates that health insurance companies make those up to age 26 eligible for their parents’ policies. Thirty-four states previously enacted similar laws. The authors sought to examine the impact on access to care of state laws extending eligibility of parents’ insurance to young adults. METHODS: By using a difference-in-differences analysis, we examined the 2002–2004 and 2008–2009 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System to compare 3 states enacting laws in 2005 or 2006 with 17 states that have not enacted laws on 4 outcomes: self-reported health insurance coverage, identification of a personal physician/clinician, physical exam from a physician within the past 2 years, and forgoing care in the past year due to cost. RESULTS: For each outcome there was differential improvement among states enacting laws compared with states without laws. Health insurance differentially increased 0.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], −3.8% to 4.2%), from 67.6% to 68.1% pre-post in states enacting laws and from 68.5% to 68.7% in states without. Personal physician/clinician identification differentially increased 0.9% (95% CI −3.1% to 5.0%), from 62.4% to 65.5% in states enacting laws and from 58.0% to 60.2% in states without. Recent physical exams differentially increased significantly 4.6% (95% CI, 0%–9.2%), from 77.3% to 81.2% in states enacting laws and from 76.2% to 75.5% in states without. Forgone care due to cost differentially decreased significantly 3.9% (95% CI, −0.3% to −7.5%), from 20.4% to 18.2% in states enacting laws and from 17.8% to 19.4% in states without. CONCLUSIONS: States that expanded eligibility to parents’ insurance in 2005 or 2006 experienced improvements in access to care among young adults. PMID:22331339

Excitation wavelength dependence of excited state intramolecular proton transfer reaction of 4'-N,N-diethylamino-3-hydroxyflavone in room temperature ionic liquids studied by optical Kerr gate fluorescence measurement.

PubMed

Suda, Kayo; Terazima, Masahide; Sato, Hirofumi; Kimura, Yoshifumi

2013-10-17

Excited state intramolecular proton transfer reactions (ESIPT) of 4'-N,N-diethylamino-3-hydroxyflavone (DEAHF) in ionic liquids have been studied by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements at different excitation wavelengths. Steady-state measurements show the relative yield of the tautomeric form to the normal form of DEAHF decreases as excitation wavelength is increased from 380 to 450 nm. The decrease in yield is significant in ionic liquids that have cations with long alkyl chains. The extent of the decrease is correlated with the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chains. Time-resolved fluorescence measurements using optical Kerr gate spectroscopy show that ESIPT rate has a strong excitation wavelength dependence. There is a large difference between the spectra at a 200 ps delay from different excitation wavelengths in each ionic liquid. The difference is pronounced in ionic liquids having a long alkyl chain. The equilibrium constant in the electronic excited state obtained at a 200 ps delay and the average reaction rate are also correlated with the alkyl chain length. Considering the results of the steady-state fluorescence and time-resolved measurements, the excitation wavelength dependence of ESIPT is explained by state selective excitation due to the difference of the solvation, and the number of alkyl chain carbon atoms is found to be a good indicator of the effect of inhomogeneity for this reaction.

Parental expectations, experiences and reactions, sense of coherence and grade of anxiety related to routine ultrasound examination with normal findings during pregnancy.

PubMed

Ekelin, M; Crang Svalenius, E; Larsson, A-K; Nyberg, P; Marsál, K; Dykes, A-K

2009-10-01

To investigate parents' expectations, experiences and reactions, sense of coherence and anxiety before and after a second-trimester routine ultrasound examination, with normal findings. Before and after ultrasound questionnaires including the scales parents' expectations, experiences and reactions to routine ultrasound examination (PEER-U state of mind index), sense of coherence (SOC) and state and trait anxiety inventory (STAI), were sent to a 1-year cohort of women and their partners. Replies received were 2183. Both parents had significantly less worried state of mind (PEER-U) after the examination than before. Women had a lower grade of state anxiety after than before, but for men there was no significant change. Before the ultrasound, women had a higher degree of worried state of mind, as well as a higher grade of state and trait anxiety and a lower sense of coherence, than men. The women showed a greater reduction in worried state of mind than the men after the ultrasound examination. There were no significant differences in sense of coherence before and after ultrasound. Women and men are affected in their psychological well-being in relation to a routine ultrasound examination, but their sense of coherence remains stable.

Differences in Acute Ischemic Stroke Quality of Care and Outcomes by Primary Stroke Center Certification Organization.

PubMed

Man, Shumei; Cox, Margueritte; Patel, Puja; Smith, Eric E; Reeves, Mathew J; Saver, Jeffrey L; Bhatt, Deepak L; Xian, Ying; Schwamm, Lee H; Fonarow, Gregg C

2017-02-01

Primary stroke center (PSC) certification was established to identify hospitals providing evidence-based care for stroke patients. The numbers of PSCs certified by Joint Commission (JC), Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, Det Norske Veritas, and State-based agencies have significantly increased in the past decade. This study aimed to evaluate whether PSCs certified by different organizations have similar quality of care and in-hospital outcomes. The study population consisted of acute ischemic stroke patients who were admitted to PSCs participating in Get With The Guidelines-Stroke between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2012. Measures of care quality and outcomes were compared among the 4 different PSC certifications. A total of 477 297 acute ischemic stroke admissions were identified from 977 certified PSCs (73.8% JC, 3.7% Det Norske Veritas, 1.2% Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program, and 21.3% State-based). Composite care quality was generally similar among the 4 groups of hospitals, although State-based PSCs underperformed JC PSCs in a few key measures, including intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator use. The rates of tissue-type plasminogen activator use were higher in JC and Det Norske Veritas (9.0% and 9.8%) and lower in State and Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program certified hospitals (7.1% and 5.9%) (P<0.0001). Door-to-needle times were significantly longer in Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program hospitals. State PSCs had higher in-hospital risk-adjusted mortality (odds ratio 1.23, 95% confidence intervals 1.07-1.41) compared with JC PSCs. Among Get With The Guidelines-Stroke hospitals with PSC certification, acute ischemic stroke quality of care and outcomes may differ according to which organization provided certification. These findings may have important implications for further improving systems of care. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Effect of quantum noise on deterministic remote state preparation of an arbitrary two-particle state via various quantum entangled channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Zhiguo; Wu, Shengyao; Wang, Mingming; Sun, Le; Wang, Xiaojun

2017-12-01

As one of important research branches of quantum communication, deterministic remote state preparation (DRSP) plays a significant role in quantum network. Quantum noises are prevalent in quantum communication, and it can seriously affect the safety and reliability of quantum communication system. In this paper, we study the effect of quantum noise on deterministic remote state preparation of an arbitrary two-particle state via different quantum channels including the χ state, Brown state and GHZ state. Firstly, the output states and fidelities of three DRSP algorithms via different quantum entangled channels in four noisy environments, including amplitude-damping, phase-damping, bit-flip and depolarizing noise, are presented, respectively. And then, the effects of noises on three kinds of preparation algorithms in the same noisy environment are discussed. In final, the theoretical analysis proves that the effect of noise in the process of quantum state preparation is only related to the noise type and the size of noise factor and independent of the different entangled quantum channels. Furthermore, another important conclusion is given that the effect of noise is also independent of how to distribute intermediate particles for implementing DRSP through quantum measurement during the concrete preparation process. These conclusions will be very helpful for improving the efficiency and safety of quantum communication in a noisy environment.

Fecal microbiota transplantation and its potential therapeutic uses in gastrointestinal disorders.

PubMed

Heath, Ryan D; Cockerell, Courtney; Mankoo, Ravinder; Ibdah, Jamal A; Tahan, Veysel

2018-01-01

Typical human gut flora has been well characterized in previous studies and has been noted to have significant differences when compared with the typical microbiome of various disease states involving the gastrointestinal tract. Such diseases include Clostridium difficile colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, functional bowel syndromes, and various states of liver disease. A growing number of studies have investigated the use of a fecal microbiota transplant as a potential therapy for these disease states.

Fecal microbiota transplantation and its potential therapeutic uses in gastrointestinal disorders

PubMed Central

Heath, Ryan D.; Cockerell, Courtney; Mankoo, Ravinder; Ibdah, Jamal A.; Tahan, Veysel

2018-01-01

Typical human gut flora has been well characterized in previous studies and has been noted to have significant differences when compared with the typical microbiome of various disease states involving the gastrointestinal tract. Such diseases include Clostridium difficile colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, functional bowel syndromes, and various states of liver disease. A growing number of studies have investigated the use of a fecal microbiota transplant as a potential therapy for these disease states. PMID:29607440

Cross-cultural differences in psychosocial adaptation to isolated and confined environments.

PubMed

Palinkas, Lawrence A; Johnson, Jeffrey C; Boster, James S; Rakusa-Suszczewski, Stanislaw; Klopov, Valeri P; Fu, Xue Quan; Sachdeva, Usha

2004-11-01

Differences in patterns of psychosocial adaptation under conditions of prolonged isolation and confinement in Antarctica were examined to determine the extent to which they were influenced by national culture in general and the individualist-collectivist orientation of national cultures in particular. The Profile of Mood States and measures of structural and functional social support were administered over an 8-mo period (March through October) to 13 winter-over crews from 5 nations operating research stations in the Antarctic: United States (3 crews, n = 77), Poland (3 crews, n = 40), Russia (3 crews, n = 34), China (3 crews, n = 40), and India (1 crew, n = 26). Americans at South Pole Station reported significant increases in fatigue and anxiety and a significant decrease in vigor over the winter. During the same period, Russians at Vostok Station reported significant decreases in depression, anxiety, and confusion, and Indians at Maitri Station reported a significant decrease in anger. A significant decrease in social interaction with fellow crewmembers occurred at South Pole Station, Vostok Station, and Poland's Arctowski Station. Several differences were also observed between the five stations in correlations between mood scores and measures of structural and functional social support. An individualistic cultural orientation was significantly associated with low social support and low negative mood. Cultural background is associated with mood and social support as well as changes in these measures during the austral winter. Cultural differences in patterns of psychosocial adaptation must be considered in the formation and training of multinational crews for long duration missions in space.

Advantages of Unfair Quantum Ground-State Sampling.

PubMed

Zhang, Brian Hu; Wagenbreth, Gene; Martin-Mayor, Victor; Hen, Itay

2017-04-21

The debate around the potential superiority of quantum annealers over their classical counterparts has been ongoing since the inception of the field. Recent technological breakthroughs, which have led to the manufacture of experimental prototypes of quantum annealing optimizers with sizes approaching the practical regime, have reignited this discussion. However, the demonstration of quantum annealing speedups remains to this day an elusive albeit coveted goal. We examine the power of quantum annealers to provide a different type of quantum enhancement of practical relevance, namely, their ability to serve as useful samplers from the ground-state manifolds of combinatorial optimization problems. We study, both numerically by simulating stoquastic and non-stoquastic quantum annealing processes, and experimentally, using a prototypical quantum annealing processor, the ability of quantum annealers to sample the ground-states of spin glasses differently than thermal samplers. We demonstrate that (i) quantum annealers sample the ground-state manifolds of spin glasses very differently than thermal optimizers (ii) the nature of the quantum fluctuations driving the annealing process has a decisive effect on the final distribution, and (iii) the experimental quantum annealer samples ground-state manifolds significantly differently than thermal and ideal quantum annealers. We illustrate how quantum annealers may serve as powerful tools when complementing standard sampling algorithms.

Suicide and political regime in New South Wales and Australia during the 20th century

PubMed Central

Page, A; Morrell, S; Taylor, R

2002-01-01

Study objective: Australia has had a two party parliamentary political system for most of the period since its Federation in 1901, dominated either by a social democratic (Labor) or a conservative ideological perspective. This paper investigates whether such political differences at Federal and State levels have influenced suicide rates in the state of New South Wales (NSW) for the period 1901–1998. Design: Federal government type, NSW State government type, and combinations of both Federal and NSW State government type were examined. Poisson regression models were stratified by sex and controlled for the effects of age, annual change in gross domestic product, sedative availability, drought, and both world wars. Results: When both Federal and NSW State governments were conservative the relative risk of suicide for NSW men was 1.17 (p<0.001) and for women 1.40 (p<0.001) compared with both governments being Labor (1.00). A statistically significant linear trend (p<0.001) in suicide risk was evident across the continuum of Federal/State government combinations, from both Labor (lowest), to mixed (intermediate), to both conservative (highest). Conclusion: Significantly higher suicide risk was associated with conservative government tenures compared with social democratic incumbents. Results are discussed in terms of the differences underpinning conservative and social democratic government programme ideology, and their relevance to Durkheim's theories of suicide, social regulation, and integration. PMID:12239203

Selected Oral Health Indicators in the United States, 2005-2008

MedlinePlus

... errors of the percentages were estimated using Taylor series linearization, to take into account the complex sampling design. The statistical significance of differences between estimates were ...

Medicaid Disenrollment and Disparities in Access to Care: Evidence from Tennessee.

PubMed

Tarazi, Wafa W; Green, Tiffany L; Sabik, Lindsay M

2017-06-01

To assess the effects of Tennessee's 2005 Medicaid disenrollment on access to health care among low-income nonelderly adults. We use data from the 2003-2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We examined the effects of Medicaid disenrollment on access to care among adults living in Tennessee compared with neighboring states, using difference-in-difference models. Evidence suggests that Medicaid disenrollment resulted in significant decreases in health insurance and increases in cost-related barriers to care for low-income adults living in Tennessee. Statistically significant changes were not observed for having a personal doctor. Medicaid disenrollment is associated with reduced access to care. This finding is relevant for states considering expansions or contractions of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

U.S.-born compared to non-U.S.-born abused women: analysis of baseline data.

PubMed

Montalvo-Liendo, Nora; Koci, Anne; McFarlane, Judith; Gilroy, Heidi; Maddoux, John

2013-01-01

It is evident from recent studies that a woman's citizenship status does not exempt her from exposure to partner violence. The purpose of this article was to examine if social support, self-efficacy, and marginalization of abused women differ based on U.S. born compared to non-U.S. born with and without documentation. The findings suggest that women who were born in the United States had significantly higher self-efficacy scores compared to non-U.S.-born women without documents. There were no significant differences in social support among abused women who are U.S. born compared to non-U.S. born with and without documentation. In addition, women who were not born in the United States and did not have documents had higher marginalization.

Structural Characteristic of the Initial Unfolded State on Refolding Determines Catalytic Efficiency of the Folded Protein in Presence of Osmolytes

PubMed Central

Warepam, Marina; Sharma, Gurumayum Suraj; Dar, Tanveer Ali; Khan, Md. Khurshid Alam; Singh, Laishram Rajendrakumar

2014-01-01

Osmolytes are low molecular weight organic molecules accumulated by organisms to assist proper protein folding, and to provide protection to the structural integrity of proteins under denaturing stress conditions. It is known that osmolyte-induced protein folding is brought by unfavorable interaction of osmolytes with the denatured/unfolded states. The interaction of osmolyte with the native state does not significantly contribute to the osmolyte-induced protein folding. We have therefore investigated if different denatured states of a protein (generated by different denaturing agents) interact differently with the osmolytes to induce protein folding. We observed that osmolyte-assisted refolding of protein obtained from heat-induced denatured state produces native molecules with higher enzyme activity than those initiated from GdmCl- or urea-induced denatured state indicating that the structural property of the initial denatured state during refolding by osmolytes determines the catalytic efficiency of the folded protein molecule. These conclusions have been reached from the systematic measurements of enzymatic kinetic parameters (K m and k cat), thermodynamic stability (T m and ΔH m) and secondary and tertiary structures of the folded native proteins obtained from refolding of various denatured states (due to heat-, urea- and GdmCl-induced denaturation) of RNase-A in the presence of various osmolytes. PMID:25313668

Resting-state networks in healthy adult subjects: a comparison between a 32-element and an 8-element phased array head coil at 3.0 Tesla.

PubMed

Paolini, Marco; Keeser, Daniel; Ingrisch, Michael; Werner, Natalie; Kindermann, Nicole; Reiser, Maximilian; Blautzik, Janusch

2015-05-01

Little research exists on the influence of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) head coil's channel count on measured resting-state functional connectivity. To compare a 32-element (32ch) and an 8-element (8ch) phased array head coil with respect to their potential to detect functional connectivity within resting-state networks. Twenty-six healthy adults (mean age, 21.7 years; SD, 2.1 years) underwent resting-state functional MRI at 3.0 Tesla with both coils using equal standard imaging parameters and a counterbalanced design. Independent component analysis (ICA) at different model orders and a dual regression approach were performed. Voxel-wise non-parametric statistical between-group contrasts were determined using permutation-based non-parametric inference. Phantom measurements demonstrated a generally higher image signal-to-noise ratio using the 32ch head coil. However, the results showed no significant differences between corresponding resting-state networks derived from both coils (p < 0.05, FWE-corrected). Using the identical standard acquisition parameters, the 32ch head coil does not offer any significant advantages in detecting ICA-based functional connectivity within RSNs. © The Foundation Acta Radiologica 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Cold and carbon dioxide used as multi-hurdle preservation do not induce appearance of viable but non-culturable Listeria monocytogenes.

PubMed

Li, J; Kolling, G L; Matthews, K R; Chikindas, M L

2003-01-01

To study whether the exposure to cold (4 degrees C) and carbon dioxide which results in the elongation of Listeria cells, induces a viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state. When cold and CO2 stressed L. monocytogenes were observed under a fluorescence microscope, using the LIVE/DEAD BacLight bacteria viability kit (Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR, USA), the healthy, mildly injured, and the putative VBNC cells accounted for 31.0% of the stressed cell population. By using the selective plate count, 31.4% of the same stressed cell population was found to be healthy and mildly injured (putative VBNC cells not included). If there were VBNC state cells present, we should have observed a significant difference between the above two numbers. In fact, there was no significant difference between the results obtained from those two methods. There were no VBNC state cells observed in the stressed cell population. We conclude that cold and CO2 do not induce L. monocytogenes to enter a VBNC state. Cold and modified atmospheres are widely used in fresh muscle food and fruit preservation. Whether they would induce L. monocytogenes into a VBNC state is of a great concern for microbial food safety.

Effectiveness of state-level vaccination mandates: evidence from the varicella vaccine.

PubMed

Abrevaya, Jason; Mulligan, Karen

2011-09-01

This paper utilizes longitudinal data on varicella (chickenpox) immunizations in order to estimate the causal effects of state-level school-entry and daycare-entry immunization mandates within the United States. We find significant causal effects of mandates upon vaccination rates among preschool children aged 19-35 months; these effects appear in the year of mandate adoption, peak two years after adoption, and show a minimal difference from the aggregate trend about six years after adoption. For a mandate enacted in 2000, the model and estimates imply that roughly 20% of the short-run increase in state-level immunization rates was caused by the mandate introduction. We find no evidence of differential effects for different socioeconomic groups. Combined with previous cost-benefit analyses of the varicella vaccine, the estimates suggest that state-level mandates have been effective from an economic standpoint. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photovoltaic response and values of state dipole moments in single-layered pyrazoloquinoline/polymer composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gondek, E.; Kityk, I. V.; Danel, A.; Sanetra, J.

2008-06-01

We report the photovoltaic response of composite films formed by polymer transport matrices poly(3-octylthiophene) (P3OT) and poly(3-decylthiophene) (PDT) with incorporated 1 H-pyrazolo[3,4- b]quinoline (PAQ) chromophore (see the first figure). The photovoltage (PV) data were obtained for different substituted PAQ possessing different state dipole moments. The photovoltaic cells were formed between ITO and aluminum electrodes. We found that the PV signal of polymer/PAQ substantially depends on the state dipole moments of the pyrazoloquinoline chromophore. This fact indicates on a possibility of significant enhancement of PV efficiency by appropriate variations of the state dipole moments of chromophore. This results in photoinduced electron transfer from polymer serving as donors to PAQ being the electron acceptor. Despite an efficiency of the PV devices is below 1%, however, it may be substantially enhanced in future varying the chromophore state dipole moments appropriately.

Photovoltaic response and values of state dipole moments in single-layered pyrazoloquinoline/polymer composites.

PubMed

Gondek, E; Kityk, I V; Danel, A; Sanetra, J

2008-06-01

We report the photovoltaic response of composite films formed by polymer transport matrices poly(3-octylthiophene) (P3OT) and poly(3-decylthiophene) (PDT) with incorporated 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoline (PAQ) chromophore (see the first figure). The photovoltage (PV) data were obtained for different substituted PAQ possessing different state dipole moments. The photovoltaic cells were formed between ITO and aluminum electrodes. We found that the PV signal of polymer/PAQ substantially depends on the state dipole moments of the pyrazoloquinoline chromophore. This fact indicates on a possibility of significant enhancement of PV efficiency by appropriate variations of the state dipole moments of chromophore. This results in photoinduced electron transfer from polymer serving as donors to PAQ being the electron acceptor. Despite an efficiency of the PV devices is below 1%, however, it may be substantially enhanced in future varying the chromophore state dipole moments appropriately.

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) nymphs collected in managed red pine forests in Wisconsin.

PubMed

Lee, Xia; Coyle, David R; Johnson, Diep K Hoang; Murphy, Matthew W; McGeehin, Michael A; Murphy, Robert J; Raffa, Kenneth F; Paskewitz, Susan M

2014-05-01

Changes in the structure of managed red pine forests in Wisconsin caused by interacting root- and stem-colonizing insects are associated with increased abundance of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, in comparison with nonimpacted stands. However, the frequency and variability of the occurrence of tick-borne pathogens in this coniferous forest type across Wisconsin is unknown. Red pine forests were surveyed from 2009 to 2013 to determine the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in questing I. scapularis nymphs. Polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed geographical differences in the nymphal infection prevalence (NIP) of these pathogens in red pine forests. In the Kettle Moraine State Forest (KMSF) in southeastern Wisconsin, NIP of B. burgdorferi across all years was 35% (range of 14.5-53.0%). At the Black River State Forest (BRSF) in western Wisconsin, NIP of B. burgdorferi across all years was 26% (range of 10.9-35.5%). Differences in NIP of B. burgdorferi between KMSF and BRSF were statistically significant for 2010 and 2011 and for all years combined (P < 0.05). NIP ofA. phagocytophilum (human agent) averaged 9% (range of 4.6-15.8%) at KMSF and 3% (range of 0-6.4%) at BRSF, and was significantly different between the sites for all years combined (P < 0.05). Differences in coinfection of B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum were not statistically significant between KMSF and BRSF, with an average of 3.4% (range of 1.7-10.5%) and 2.5% (range of 0-5.5%), respectively. In 2013, the density of infected nymphs in KMSF and BRSF was 14 and 30 per 1000m2, respectively, among the highest ever recorded for the state. Differences in the density of nymphs and NIP among sites were neither correlated with environmental factors nor time since tick colonization. These results document significant unexplained variation in tick-borne pathogens between coniferous forests in Wisconsin that warrants further study.

Household income disparities in fruit and vegetable consumption by state and territory: results of the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

PubMed

Grimm, Kirsten A; Foltz, Jennifer L; Blanck, Heidi M; Scanlon, Kelley S

2012-12-01

Few studies take into account the influence of family size on household resources when assessing income disparities in fruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption. Poverty income ratio (PIR) is a measure that utilizes both reported income and household size. We sought to examine state-specific disparities in meeting Healthy People 2010 objectives for F/V consumption by percent PIR. This analysis included 353,005 adults in 54 states and territories reporting data to the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in the United States. Percent PIR was calculated using the midpoint of self-reported income range and family size. The prevalences consuming at least two fruits and at least three vegetables per day were examined by percent PIR (<130% [greatest poverty], 130% to <200%, 200% to <400%, and ≥ 400% [least poverty]). The percent of adults consuming vegetables at least three times daily was significantly lower (21.3%) among those living at greatest poverty (<130% PIR) compared with 30.7% among those with least poverty (≥ 400% PIR). Daily consumption of vegetables at least three times was significantly lower among those with greatest poverty in a majority of states and territories surveyed (43 of 54). The overall percent of adults consuming fruits at least 2 times daily was also lower among those living at greatest vs least poverty, but the difference was smaller (32.0% vs 34.2%), with 14 states reporting a difference that was significantly lower among those with greatest poverty. Our study revealed that in 2009 a significantly lower proportion of US adults living at greatest poverty consumed fruits at least two times daily or vegetables at least three times daily compared with those with the least poverty, with greater disparity in vegetable intake. Policy and environmental strategies for increased affordability, access, availability, and point-of-decision information are approaches that may help disparate households purchase and consume F/V. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Influence of fatigue crack wake length and state of stress on crack closure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Telesman, J.; Fisher, D. M.

1986-01-01

The location of crack closure with respect to crack wake and specimen thickness under different loading conditions was determined. The rate of increase of K sub CL in the crack wake was found to be significantly higher for plasticity induced closure in comparison to roughness induced closure. Roughness induced closure was uniform throughout the thickness of the specimen while plasticity induced closure levels were 50 percent higher in the near surface region than in the midthickness. The influence of state of stress on low-high load interaction effects was also examined. Load interaction effects differed depending upon the state of stress and were explained in terms of delta K sub eff.

Influence of fatigue crack wake length and state of stress on crack closure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Telesman, Jack; Fisher, Douglas M.

1988-01-01

The location of crack closure with respect to crack wake and specimen thickness under different loading conditions was determined. The rate of increase of K sub CL in the crack wake was found to be significantly higher for plasticity induced closure in comparison to roughness induced closure. Roughness induced closure was uniform throughout the thickness of the specimen while plasticity induced closure levels were 50 percent higher in the near surface region than in the midthickness. The influence of state of stress on low-high load interaction effects was also examined. Load interaction effects differed depending upon the state of stress and were explained in terms of delta K sub eff.

c-Myc and AMPK Control Cellular Energy Levels by Cooperatively Regulating Mitochondrial Structure and Function

PubMed Central

Edmunds, Lia R.; Sharma, Lokendra; Wang, Huabo; Kang, Audry; d’Souza, Sonia; Lu, Jie; McLaughlin, Michael; Dolezal, James M.; Gao, Xiaoli; Weintraub, Susan T.; Ding, Ying; Zeng, Xuemei; Yates, Nathan; Prochownik, Edward V.

2015-01-01

The c-Myc (Myc) oncoprotein and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulate glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (Oxphos) although often for different purposes. Because Myc over-expression depletes ATP with the resultant activation of AMPK, we explored the potential co-dependency of and cross-talk between these proteins by comparing the consequences of acute Myc induction in ampk+/+ (WT) and ampk-/- (KO) murine embryo fibroblasts (MEFs). KO MEFs showed a higher basal rate of glycolysis than WT MEFs and an appropriate increase in response to activation of a Myc-estrogen receptor (MycER) fusion protein. However, KO MEFs had a diminished ability to increase Oxphos, mitochondrial mass and reactive oxygen species in response to MycER activation. Other differences between WT and KO MEFs, either in the basal state or following MycER induction, included abnormalities in electron transport chain function, levels of TCA cycle-related oxidoreductases and cytoplasmic and mitochondrial redox states. Transcriptional profiling of pathways pertinent to glycolysis, Oxphos and mitochondrial structure and function also uncovered significant differences between WT and KO MEFs and their response to MycER activation. Finally, an unbiased mass-spectrometry (MS)-based survey capable of quantifying ~40% of all mitochondrial proteins, showed about 15% of them to be AMPK- and/or Myc-dependent in their steady state. Significant differences in the activities of the rate-limiting enzymes pyruvate kinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase, which dictate pyruvate and acetyl coenzyme A abundance, were also differentially responsive to Myc and AMPK and could account for some of the differences in basal metabolite levels that were also detected by MS. Thus, Myc and AMPK are highly co-dependent and appear to engage in significant cross-talk across numerous pathways which support metabolic and ATP-generating functions. PMID:26230505

Correlation of sleep disturbances, anxiety and depression in Croatian war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Jevtović, Sasa; Gregurek, Rudolf; Kalenić, Barbara; Brajković, Lovorka; Bras, Marijana; Loncar, Mladen; Germain, Anne

2011-01-01

The aim of the study was to examine the relationships between global sleep quality and its specific components and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptom severity questionnaire. We also researched whether sleep quality and sleep disturbances differed among groups of PTSD based on symptom severity categories. This study was conducted on the sample of 120 Croatian war veterans with PTSD. The following self-report instruments were used: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Addendum for PTSD, the Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related PTSD, the Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory. There were statistically significant differences between the three PTSD severity groups on general nervousness (PSQI-A variable), where patients with extremely severe PTSD have more symptoms of general nervousness than groups with severe or moderate PTSD. Differences were found between PTSD severity groups in episodes of terror and acting-out dreams, where patients with extremely severe PTSD have more symptoms of episodes of terror and acting-out dreams than groups with severe or moderate PTSD. Sleep quality was significantly correlated with state anxiety, trait anxiety, and depression, indicating that with decrease of anxiety and depression, sleep quality improves. Sleep latency was positively correlated with both state and trait anxiety. There wasn't any significant correlation between sleep latency and depression. Study suggests that sleep disturbances are equally severe across groups of veterans based on PTSD severity and that the severity of sleep disturbances is significantly related to severity of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Evaluation of ultrasound in assessing body composition of high school wrestlers.

PubMed

Utter, Alan C; Hager, Marion E

2008-05-01

To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound (ULTRA) in assessing fat-free mass (FFM) in comparison with hydrostatic weighing (HW) and skinfolds (SK) in high school wrestlers in a hydrated state. Body composition was determined by ULTRA, HW, and three-site SK in 70 high school wrestlers (mean +/- SD: age, 15.5 +/- 1.5; height, 1.60 +/- 0.08 m; body mass, 65.8 +/- 12.7 kg). For all methods, body density (Db) was converted to percent body fat (%BF) using the Brozek equation. Hydration state was quantified by evaluating urine specific gravity. There were no significant differences for estimated FFM between ULTRA (57.2 +/- 9.7 kg) and HW (57.0 +/- 9.9 kg); however, SK (54.9 +/- 8.8 kg) were significantly different from HW. The standard errors of estimate for FFM with HW as the reference method were 2.40 kg for ULTRA and 2.74 kg for SK. Significant correlations were found for FFM between HW and ULTRA (r = 0.97, P < 0.001) and between HW and SK (r = 0.96, P < 0.001). A systematic bias was found for SK, as the difference between SK and HW significantly correlated with the FFM average of the two methods (r = -0.38, P < 0.001). This systematic bias was not found for ULTRA (r = - 0.07). This study demonstrates that ULTRA provides similar estimates of FFM when compared with HW in a heterogeneous high school wrestling population during a hydrated state. ULTRA should be considered as an alternative field-based method of estimating the FFM of high school wrestlers.

Functional connectivity of dissociation in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures.

PubMed

van der Kruijs, Sylvie J M; Bodde, Nynke M G; Vaessen, Maarten J; Lazeron, Richard H C; Vonck, Kristl; Boon, Paul; Hofman, Paul A M; Backes, Walter H; Aldenkamp, Albert P; Jansen, Jacobus F A

2012-03-01

Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) resemble epileptic seizures, but lack epileptiform brain activity. Instead, the cause is assumed to be psychogenic. An abnormal coping strategy may be exhibited by PNES patients, as indicated by their increased tendency to dissociate. Investigation of resting-state networks may reveal altered routes of information and emotion processing in PNES patients. The authors therefore investigated whether PNES patients differ from healthy controls in their resting-state functional connectivity characteristics and whether these connections are associated with the tendency to dissociate. 11 PNES patients without psychiatric comorbidity and 12 healthy controls underwent task-related paradigms (picture-encoding and Stroop paradigms) and resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI). Global cognitive performance was tested using the Raven's Matrices test and participants completed questionnaires for evaluating dissociation. Functional connectivity analysis on rsfMRI was based on seed regions extracted from task-related fMRI activation maps. The patients displayed a significantly lower cognitive performance and significantly higher dissociation scores. No significant differences were found between the picture-encoding and Stroop colour-naming activation maps between controls and patients with PNES. However, functional connectivity maps from the rsfMRI were statistically different. For PNES patients, stronger connectivity values between areas involved in emotion (insula), executive control (inferior frontal gyrus and parietal cortex) and movement (precentral sulcus) were observed, which were significantly associated with dissociation scores. The abnormal, strong functional connectivity in PNES patients provides a neurophysiological correlate for the underlying psychoform and somatoform dissociation mechanism where emotion can influence executive control, resulting in altered motor function (eg, seizure-like episodes).

The Reverberation Lag in the Low-mass X-ray Binary H1743-322

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Marco, Barbara; Ponti, Gabriele

2016-07-01

The evolution of the inner accretion flow of a black hole X-ray binary during an outburst is still a matter of active research. X-ray reverberation lags are powerful tools for constraining disk-corona geometry. We present a study of X-ray lags in the black hole transient H1743-322. We compared the results obtained from analysis of all the publicly available XMM-Newton observations. These observations were carried out during two different outbursts that occurred in 2008 and 2014. During all the observations the source was caught in the hard state and at similar luminosities ({L}3-10{keV}/{L}{Edd}˜ 0.004). We detected a soft X-ray lag of ˜60 ms, most likely due to thermal reverberation. We did not detect any significant change of the lag amplitude among the different observations, indicating a similar disk-corona geometry at the same luminosity in the hard state. On the other hand, we observe significant differences between the reverberation lag detected in H1743-322 and in GX 339-4 (at similar luminosities in the hard state), which might indicate variations of the geometry from source to source.

Comparison of electronic structure between monolayer silicenes on Ag (111)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chun-Liang, Lin; Ryuichi, Arafune; Maki, Kawai; Noriaki, Takagi

2015-08-01

The electronic structures of monolayer silicenes (4 × 4 and ) grown on Ag (111) surface are studied by scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. While both phases have similar electronic structures around the Fermi level, significant differences are observed in the higher energy unoccupied states. The DFT calculations show that the contributions of Si 3pz orbitals to the unoccupied states are different because of their different buckled configurations. Project supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) through Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Grant Nos. 24241040 and 25110008) and the World Premier International Research Center Initiative (WPI), MEXT, Japan.

Construction of diabatic energy surfaces for LiFH with artificial neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Yafu; Fu, Bina; Zhang, Dong H.

2017-12-01

A new set of diabatic potential energy surfaces (PESs) for LiFH is constructed with artificial neural networks (NNs). The adiabatic PESs of the ground state and the first excited state are directly fitted with NNs. Meanwhile, the adiabatic-to-diabatic transformation (ADT) angles (mixing angles) are obtained by simultaneously fitting energy difference and interstate coupling gradients. No prior assumptions of the functional form of ADT angles are used before fitting, and the ab initio data including energy difference and interstate coupling gradients are well reproduced. Converged dynamical results show remarkable differences between adiabatic and diabatic PESs, which suggests the significance of non-adiabatic processes.

A Comparative Analysis of Black American and Mexican-American Cultural Norms and Expectations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Underwood, Willard A.; And Others

Although Mexican-American and Black-American movements in the United States have typically been compared, significant differences between the two minorities--especially in cultural norms and expectations--make comparisons inaccurate and misleading. This paper explores the differences between the Black-American and Mexican-American minorities,…

Reflections of Cultural Values in Advertising: A Cross-Cultural Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmed, Niaz

2001-01-01

Contributes to the debate on standardized versus specialized approaches to international advertising. Compares print advertising from the United States and India and examines how cultural values are manifest in advertising. Finds significant differences in the way these two countries produced advertising messages and that different cultural values…

"Retweet to Pass the Blunt": Analyzing Geographic and Content Features of Cannabis-Related Tweeting Across the United States.

PubMed

Daniulaityte, Raminta; Lamy, Francois R; Smith, G Alan; Nahhas, Ramzi W; Carlson, Robert G; Thirunarayan, Krishnaprasad; Martins, Silvia S; Boyer, Edward W; Sheth, Amit

2017-11-01

Twitter data offer new possibilities for tracking health-related communications. This study is among the first to apply advanced information processing to identify geographic and content features of cannabis-related tweeting in the United States. Tweets were collected using streaming Application Programming Interface (March-May 2016) and were processed by eDrugTrends to identify geolocation and classify content by source (personal communication, media, retail) and sentiment (positive, negative, neutral). States were grouped by cannabis legalization policies into "recreational," "medical, less restrictive," "medical, more restrictive," and "illegal." Permutation tests were performed to analyze differences among four groups in adjusted percentages of all tweets, unique users, personal communications only, and positive-to-negative sentiment ratios. About 30% of all 13,233,837 cannabis-related tweets had identifiable state-level geo-information. Among geolocated tweets, 76.2% were personal communications, 21.1% media, and 2.7% retail. About 71% of personal communication tweets expressed positive sentiment toward cannabis; 16% expressed negative sentiment. States in the recreational group had significantly greater average adjusted percentage of cannabis tweets (3.01%) compared with other groups. For personal communication tweets only, the recreational group (2.47%) was significantly greater than the medical, more restrictive (1.84%) and illegal (1.85%) groups. Similarly, the recreational group had significantly greater average positive-to-negative sentiment ratio (4.64) compared with the medical, more restrictive (4.15) and illegal (4.19) groups. Average adjusted percentages of unique users showed similar differences between recreational and other groups. States with less restrictive policies displayed greater cannabis-related tweeting and conveyed more positive sentiment. The study demonstrates the potential of Twitter data to become a valuable indicator of drug-related communications in the context of varying policy environments.

Electroencephalogram approximate entropy influenced by both age and sleep.

PubMed

Lee, Gerick M H; Fattinger, Sara; Mouthon, Anne-Laure; Noirhomme, Quentin; Huber, Reto

2013-01-01

The use of information-based measures to assess changes in conscious state is an increasingly popular topic. Though recent results have seemed to justify the merits of such methods, little has been done to investigate the applicability of such measures to children. For our work, we used the approximate entropy (ApEn), a measure previously shown to correlate with changes in conscious state when applied to the electroencephalogram (EEG), and sought to confirm whether previously reported trends in adult ApEn values across wake and sleep were present in children. Besides validating the prior findings that ApEn decreases from wake to sleep (including wake, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and non-REM sleep) in adults, we found that previously reported ApEn decreases across vigilance states in adults were also present in children (ApEn trends for both age groups: wake > REM sleep > non-REM sleep). When comparing ApEn values between age groups, adults had significantly larger ApEn values than children during wakefulness. After the application of an 8 Hz high-pass filter to the EEG signal, ApEn values were recalculated. The number of electrodes with significant vigilance state effects dropped from all 109 electrodes with the original 1 Hz filter to 1 electrode with the 8 Hz filter. The number of electrodes with significant age effects dropped from 10 to 4. Our results support the notion that ApEn can reliably distinguish between vigilance states, with low-frequency sleep-related oscillations implicated as the driver of changes between vigilance states. We suggest that the observed differences between adult and child ApEn values during wake may reflect differences in connectivity between age groups, a factor which may be important in the use of EEG to measure consciousness.

Diabetes control among Hispanics in the action to control cardiovascular risk in diabetes trial.

PubMed

Getaneh, Asqual; Light, Laney S; Brillon, David J; Calles Escandón, Jorge; Felicetta, James; Evans, Gregory W; Lopez-Jimenez, Carlos R; Cuddihy, Robert; Bigger, J Thomas

2012-11-01

Hispanics in the United States represent diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, and manifest heterogeneous cardiovascular risks including diabetes. It is not known if there are residual differences in the control of diabetes among Hispanic groups given uniform access to diabetes care. To evaluate glucose control differences among Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Dominicans receiving substantial diabetes care and support in the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial. Secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial comparing two treatment strategies: intensive, targeting glycated hemoglobin below 6.0 %, and standard, targeting glycated hemoglobin between 7.0 % and 7.9 %. Seven hundred and sixteen Hispanic and 6066 non-Hispanic white participants were recruited from 77 clinical sites across the United States and Canada. There were 243 Mexicans, 199 Puerto Ricans, and 150 Dominicans; and 135 of these Hispanic groups were born in the United States. Glycated hemoglobin Compared to Puerto Ricans, Mexicans were more likely (HR=1.38, CI:0.90-2.10) and Dominicans as likely (HR=1.01, CI:0.66-1.54) to achieve glycated hemoglobin goal in the intensive arm. Participants born in the United States achieved glycated hemoglobin goal at a higher rate than those born elsewhere (HR=1.57, CI:0.99-2.51 in the intensive arm, HR=1.51, CI:0.95-2.43 in the standard arm). These differences were not statistically significant. In the intensive arm, Puerto Ricans (OR=0.47, CI:0.31-0.71), and Dominicans (OR=0.41, CI:0.26-0.66) were less likely than non-Hispanic whites to achieve glycated hemoglobin goal, whereas the difference between non-Hispanic whites and Mexicans was not statistically significant, (OR=0.66, CI:0.43-1.02). Hispanic groups, given access to comprehensive diabetes care, differed from each other non-significantly and had a variable divergence from non-Hispanic whites in achieving intensive glycated hemoglobin goal. These differences, if confirmed, could be due to such factors as variable acculturation and functional health literacy levels that were not measured in the ACCORD trial, but should be further explored in future studies.

The Effect of a State Department of Education Teacher Mentor Initiative on Science Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pruitt, Stephen L.

This study analyzed a state department of education's ability to have actual influence over the improvement of science achievement and proficiency by having direct relationships with science teachers in Georgia's lowest performing schools. The study employed a mixed ANOVA analysis of the mean scale scores and proficiency rates of the science portion of the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) for the years 2004 through 2007 to determine if the intervention by the Science Mentor Program (SMP) had significant effect on the science achievement and proficiency within the cohort of schools, as compared to a set of schools receiving no intervention, on various subgroups within the schools, and on various levels of intervention within the SMP. All data used in this study are available to the public through the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE). SMP schools were selected based on their level of intervention for three consecutive years. Non-SMP schools were selected based on demographic similarities in economically disadvantaged, white, African-American, and students with disabilities to ensure a match of pairings for analyses. The results of this study showed significant improvement of scale scores and proficiency rates between 2004 and 2007. The study showed significant increases in all schools regardless of treatment. The study also showed significant differences in performance within the subgroups. Males, white, non-Economically Disadvantaged, and regular education students were all found to have significantly better performance in both achievement and proficiency rate. Economically Disadvantaged students were found to have a significant difference with regard to treatment groups. There was a significant difference between the mean scale score and proficiency rates of Economically Disadvantaged students in schools receiving high-intervention and schools receiving no-intervention. Further analysis showed that the only significant difference was in 2004, the year prior to implementation. Results indicate while the high-intervention schools did perform lower over all four years, they were not significantly different during the time of treatment indicating high-intervention schools performed at levels equivalent to schools receiving no-intervention. This study provided evidence of the success of a specific intervention by a state education agency to improve science education for the practicing teacher and its role in improving student science achievement. It will be used by policymakers to determine future activities and potential funding of other such programs. This also has a potential for national use as it is the only program of this nature operated by a department of education in the country.

Investigation of the interaction between liquid and micro/nanostructured surfaces during condensation with quartz crystal microbalance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Junwei

Dropwise condensation (DWC) on hydrophobic surfaces is attracting attention for its great potential in many industrial applications, such as steam power plants, water desalination, and de-icing of aerodynamic surfaces, to list a few. The direct dynamic characterization of liquid/solid interaction can significantly accelerate the progress toward a full understanding of the thermal and mass transport mechanisms during DWC processes. The research focuses on the development of a novel acoustic-based technique for analyzing the liquid/solid interactions of different condensations on micro- and nanostructured surfaces including DWC. hi addition. the newly developed technology was demonstrated for quantitatively sensing different wetting states of liquid on rough surfaces. First, different micro/nanostructures were fabricated on the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), which serves as acoustic sensor. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) micropillars, with varying heights from 6.03 to 25.02 microm, were fabricated on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) substrate by thermal nanoimprinting lithography to form pillar-based QCM (QCM-P). For nanostructured QCM. a copper layer was deposited on the QCM surface and then nanostructures of copper oxide (CuO) films were formed via chemical oxidation in an alkaline solution. Then, these surfaces were treated to make them superhydrophilic or superhydrophobic using oxygen plasma treatment or with coating of 1H,1 H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl-trichlorosilane (PFOTS). Based on the geometry of these micro/nanostructures, the relationship between the frequency responses of QCM and the wetting states of these surfaces was theoretically investigated. Different theoretical models were established to describing the frequency shift of the micro- and nanostructured QCM in different wetting states. For the microstructured surface, the cantilever based model and a two-degree-of-freedom dynamic model were applied to predict the frequency shift of the QCM-P in different wetting states, by taking advantage of the well-defined micropillar structures. For the nanostructured surface, the gravimetric term was applied for the penetrated liquid as it moves synchronously with the oscillating crystal surface. It was revealed that the penetrated wetting state (Wenzel state) causes one order of magnitude higher frequency shift of the QCM than the suspended state (Cassie state) does. For the suspended state, the equivalent liquid mass on the tips of the roughness dominates the frequency shift signal instead of the damping. A nonlinear relationship appears between the frequency shift and micropillar height for both Cassie and Wenzel wetting states, due to the vibration phase veering at the "critical height". This implied that a significant improvement of sensitivity of QCM-P over traditional QCM occurred in the suspended state, as well as in the penetrated state. Besides, the suspended state provides a much higher quality factor than penetrated state. Using the insights gained from the experimental results and modeling results, the frequency shift of the QCM was normalized to reveal the wetting state directly. Then. the QCM device together with the microscopic observation was used to probe the droplets' growth and their coalescence processes. The normalized frequency shifts of QCM devices are clearly linked to the different condensation states at a global level, which cannot be characterized by other techniques such as E-SEM and TEM. The characterization of the trapped liquid in micro/nanostructures, which is very challenging for microscopic observation, can be easily carried out by this acoustic technique. These results quantitatively demonstrated the different condensation states. In addition, the transition between the Cassie and the Wenzel states was successfully captured by this method. The newly developed QCM system provides a valuable tool for the dynamic characterization of different condensation processes.

Statistical trend analysis and extreme distribution of significant wave height from 1958 to 1999 - an application to the Italian Seas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martucci, G.; Carniel, S.; Chiggiato, J.; Sclavo, M.; Lionello, P.; Galati, M. B.

2009-09-01

The study is a statistical analysis of sea states timeseries derived using the wave model WAM forced by the ERA-40 dataset in selected areas near the Italian coasts. For the period 1 January 1958 to 31 December 1999 the analysis yields: (i) the existence of a negative trend in the annual- and winter-averaged sea state heights; (ii) the existence of a turning-point in late 70's in the annual-averaged trend of sea state heights at a site in the Northern Adriatic Sea; (iii) the overall absence of a significant trend in the annual-averaged mean durations of sea states over thresholds; (iv) the assessment of the extreme values on a time-scale of thousand years. The analysis uses two methods to obtain samples of extremes from the independent sea states: the r-largest annual maxima and the peak-over-threshold. The two methods show statistical differences in retrieving the return values and more generally in describing the significant wave field. The study shows the existence of decadal negative trends in the significant wave heights and by this it conveys useful information on the wave climatology of the Italian seas during the second half of the 20th century.

Culture-dependent strategies in coordination games

PubMed Central

Jackson, Matthew O.; Xing, Yiqing

2014-01-01

We examine different populations’ play in coordination games in online experiments with over 1,000 study participants. Study participants played a two-player coordination game that had multiple equilibria: two equilibria with highly asymmetric payoffs and another equilibrium with symmetric payoffs but a slightly lower total payoff. Study participants were predominantly from India and the United States. Study participants residing in India played the strategies leading to asymmetric payoffs significantly more frequently than study participants residing in the United States who showed a greater play of the strategy leading to the symmetric payoffs. In addition, when prompted to play asymmetrically, the population from India responded even more significantly than those from the United States. Overall, study participants’ predictions of how others would play were more accurate when the other player was from their own populations, and they coordinated significantly more frequently and earned significantly higher payoffs when matched with other study participants from their own population than when matched across populations. PMID:25024196

Effect of Medicaid Disease Management Programs on Emergency Admissions and Inpatient Costs

PubMed Central

Conti, Matthew S

2013-01-01

Objective To determine the impact of state Medicaid diabetes disease management programs on emergency admissions and inpatient costs. Data National InPatient Sample sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Project for the years from 2000 to 2008 using 18 states. Study Design A difference-in-difference methodology compares costs and number of emergency admissions for Washington, Texas, and Georgia, which implemented disease management programs between 2000 and 2008, to states that did not undergo the transition to managed care (N = 103). Data Extraction Costs and emergency admissions were extracted for diabetic Medicaid enrollees diagnosed in the reform and non-reform states and collapsed into state and year cells. Principal Findings In the three treatment states, the implementation of disease management programs did not have statistically significant impacts on the outcome variables when compared to the control states. Conclusions States that implemented disease management programs did not achieve improvements in costs or the number of emergency of admissions; thus, these programs do not appear to be an effective way to reduce the burden of this chronic disease. PMID:23278435

Effect of Medicaid disease management programs on emergency admissions and inpatient costs.

PubMed

Conti, Matthew S

2013-08-01

To determine the impact of state Medicaid diabetes disease management programs on emergency admissions and inpatient costs. National InPatient Sample sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Project for the years from 2000 to 2008 using 18 states. A difference-in-difference methodology compares costs and number of emergency admissions for Washington, Texas, and Georgia, which implemented disease management programs between 2000 and 2008, to states that did not undergo the transition to managed care (N = 103). Costs and emergency admissions were extracted for diabetic Medicaid enrollees diagnosed in the reform and non-reform states and collapsed into state and year cells. In the three treatment states, the implementation of disease management programs did not have statistically significant impacts on the outcome variables when compared to the control states. States that implemented disease management programs did not achieve improvements in costs or the number of emergency of admissions; thus, these programs do not appear to be an effective way to reduce the burden of this chronic disease. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Effects of Maternal Work Incentives on Teen Drug Arrests

PubMed Central

Corman, Hope; Dave, Dhaval; Kalil, Ariel; Reichman, Nancy E.

2017-01-01

Purpose This study exploits differences in the implementation of welfare reform across states and over time in the United States in the attempt to identify causal effects of welfare reform on youth arrests for drug-related crimes between 1990 and 2005, the period during which welfare reform unfolded. Methodology Using monthly arrest data from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports, we estimate the effects of welfare reform implementation on drug-related arrests among 15–17 year olds in the United States between 1990 and 2005. We use a difference-in-differences (DD) approach that exploits the implementation of welfare reform across states and over time to estimate effects for teens exposed to welfare reform. Findings The findings, based on numerous different model specifications, suggest that welfare reform had no statistically significant effect on teen drug arrests. Most estimates were positive and suggestive of a small (3%) increase in arrests. Originality/Value This study investigated the effects of a broad-based policy change that altered maternal employment, family income, and other family characteristics on youth drug arrests. PMID:28989228

Relationships between nurse- and physician-to-population ratios and state health rankings.

PubMed

Bigbee, Jeri L

2008-01-01

To evaluate the relationship between nurse-to-population ratios and population health, as indicated by state health ranking, and to compare the findings with physician-to-population ratios. Secondary analysis correlational design. The sample consisted of all 50 states in the United States. Data sources included the United Health Foundation's 2006 state health rankings, the 2004 National Sample Survey for Registered Nurses, and the U.S. Health Workforce Profile from the New York Center for Health Workforce Studies. Significant relationships between nurse-to-population ratio and overall state health ranking (rho=-.446, p tf?>=.001) and 11 of the 18 components of that ranking were found. Significant components included motor vehicle death rate, high school graduation rate, violent crime rate, infectious disease rate, percentage of children in poverty, percentage of uninsured residents, immunization rate, adequacy of prenatal care, number of poor mental health days, number of poor physical health days, and premature death rate, with higher nurse-to-population ratios associated with higher health rankings. Specialty (public health and school) nurse-to-population ratios were not as strongly related to state health ranking. Physician-to-population ratios were also significantly related to state health ranking, but were associated with different components than nurses. These findings suggest that greater nurses per capita may be uniquely associated with healthier communities; however, further multivariate research is needed.

Towards psychologically adaptive brain-computer interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myrden, A.; Chau, T.

2016-12-01

Objective. Brain-computer interface (BCI) performance is sensitive to short-term changes in psychological states such as fatigue, frustration, and attention. This paper explores the design of a BCI that can adapt to these short-term changes. Approach. Eleven able-bodied individuals participated in a study during which they used a mental task-based EEG-BCI to play a simple maze navigation game while self-reporting their perceived levels of fatigue, frustration, and attention. In an offline analysis, a regression algorithm was trained to predict changes in these states, yielding Pearson correlation coefficients in excess of 0.45 between the self-reported and predicted states. Two means of fusing the resultant mental state predictions with mental task classification were investigated. First, single-trial mental state predictions were used to predict correct classification by the BCI during each trial. Second, an adaptive BCI was designed that retrained a new classifier for each testing sample using only those training samples for which predicted mental state was similar to that predicted for the current testing sample. Main results. Mental state-based prediction of BCI reliability exceeded chance levels. The adaptive BCI exhibited significant, but practically modest, increases in classification accuracy for five of 11 participants and no significant difference for the remaining six despite a smaller average training set size. Significance. Collectively, these findings indicate that adaptation to psychological state may allow the design of more accurate BCIs.

Serum micronutrient levels, nucleic acid metabolism and antioxidant defences in pregnant Nigerians: implications for fetal and maternal health.

PubMed

Anetor, J I; Adelaja, O; Adekunle, A O

2003-09-01

Micronutrients regulate numerous metabolic processes in pregnancy but their possible antioxidant function and contributions of alterations in their metabolism to fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality have received insufficients attention. Serum levels of copper, manganese and zinc were determined in 40 pregnant Nigerian women spread across the three trimesters of pregnancy and compared with those of 25 non-pregnant women of similar demographic and anthropometric characteristics. Serum levels of uric acid were also determined in both groups of women. The mean serum levels of manganese and zinc were significantly lower in the pregnant than in the non-pregnant state (P<0.02, P<0.002), respectively. Unlike manganese and zinc, copper was significantly elevated in the pregnant than in the non-pregnant state. The endogenous anti-oxidant, uric acid, was also significantly reduced in the pregnant than in the non-pregnant state (P<0.001). Copper levels increased progressively in all the three trimesters of pregnancy compared with controls (P<0.001). However, zinc levels declined steadily in all the 3 trimesters, but only the level of the third trimester was significantly different from the non-pregnant state (P<0.05). Unlike zinc, uric acid rose consistently in all the 3 trimesters compared with the non-pregnant state. Manganese and uric acid were significantly more elevated in the third than the first trimester. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparisons (Tukey HSD) show that the differences in the antioxidant levels can be ascribed mainly to the second and third trimesters. The prevalence of zinc deficiency was 4.0% in the non-pregnant state as compared to 22.5% in the pregnant subjects. The implications of micronutrient deficiencies and associated antioxidant status in pregnancy are discussed. Considering their role in pregnancy, prevention of such deficiencies and attendant oxidative stress may contribute to a reduction in the incidence of fetal and maternal ill-health, and complications of pregnancy. Interventions should be aimed mainly at the second and third trimesters.

Coherent frequency bridge between visible and telecommunications band for vortex light.

PubMed

Liu, Shi-Long; Liu, Shi-Kai; Li, Yin-Hai; Shi, Shuai; Zhou, Zhi-Yuan; Shi, Bao-Sen

2017-10-02

In quantum communications, vortex photons can encode higher-dimensional quantum states and build high-dimensional communication networks (HDCNs). The interfaces that connect different wavelengths are significant in HDCNs. We construct a coherent orbital angular momentum (OAM) frequency bridge via difference frequency conversion in a nonlinear bulk crystal for HDCNs. Using a single resonant cavity, maximum quantum conversion efficiencies from visible to infrared are 36%, 15%, and 7.8% for topological charges of 0,1, and 2, respectively. The average fidelity obtained using quantum state tomography for the down-converted infrared OAM-state of topological charge 1 is 96.51%. We also prove that the OAM is conserved in this process by measuring visible and infrared interference patterns. This coherent OAM frequency-down conversion bridge represents a basis for an interface between two high-dimensional quantum systems operating with different spectra.

Factor structure and sex differences on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence in China, Japan and United States.

PubMed

Liu, Jianghong; Lynn, Richard

2011-08-01

This study presents data on the factor structure of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) and sex and cultural differences in WPPSI test scores among 5- and 6-year-olds from China, Japan, and the United States. Results show the presence of a verbal and nonverbal factor structure across all three countries. Sex differences on the 10 subtests were generally consistent, with a male advantage on a subtest of spatial abilities (Mazes). Males in the Chinese sample obtained significantly higher Full Scale IQ scores than females and had lower variability in their test scores. These observations were not present in the Japan and United States samples. Mean Full Scale IQ score in the Chinese sample was 104.1, representing a 4-point increase from 1988 to 2004.

Analyze the dynamic features of rat EEG using wavelet entropy.

PubMed

Feng, Zhouyan; Chen, Hang

2005-01-01

Wavelet entropy (WE), a new method of complexity measure for non-stationary signals, was used to investigate the dynamic features of rat EEGs under three vigilance states. The EEGs of the freely moving rats were recorded with implanted electrodes and were decomposed into four components of delta, theta, alpha and beta by using multi-resolution wavelet transform. Then, the wavelet entropy curves were calculated as a function of time. The results showed that there were significant differences among the average WEs of EEGs recorded under the vigilance states of waking, slow wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The changes of WE had different relationships with the four power components under different states. Moreover, there was evident rhythm in EEG WEs of SWS sleep for most experimental rats, which indicated a reciprocal relationship between slow waves and sleep spindles in the micro-states of SWS sleep. Therefore, WE can be used not only to distinguish the long-term changes in EEG complexity, but also to reveal the short-term changes in EEG micro-state.

Modifications of resting state networks in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2.

PubMed

Cocozza, Sirio; Saccà, Francesco; Cervo, Amedeo; Marsili, Angela; Russo, Cinzia Valeria; Giorgio, Sara Maria Delle Acque; De Michele, Giuseppe; Filla, Alessandro; Brunetti, Arturo; Quarantelli, Mario

2015-09-01

We aimed to investigate the integrity of the Resting State Networks in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) and the correlations between the modification of these networks and clinical variables. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) data from 19 SCA2 patients and 29 healthy controls were analyzed using an independent component analysis and dual regression, controlling at voxel level for the effect of atrophy by co-varying for gray matter volume. Correlations between the resting state networks alterations and disease duration, age at onset, number of triplets, and clinical score were assessed by Spearman's coefficient, for each cluster which was significantly different in SCA2 patients compared with healthy controls. In SCA2 patients, disruption of the cerebellar components of all major resting state networks was present, with supratentorial involvement only for the default mode network. When controlling at voxel level for gray matter volume, the reduction in functional connectivity in supratentorial regions of the default mode network, and in cerebellar regions within the default mode, executive and right fronto-parietal networks, was still significant. No correlations with clinical variables were found for any of the investigated resting state networks. The SCA2 patients show significant alterations of the resting state networks, only partly explained by the atrophy. The default mode network is the only resting state network that shows also supratentorial changes, which appear unrelated to the cortical gray matter volume. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical significance of these changes. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

A Dichotomous Key to Tree Cones and Fruits of the Eastern United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Linda T.

1991-01-01

The author presents a dichotomous key to 29 tree cones, fruits, and nuts of eastern United States. Students can use the key to identify at least 10 species in a 1-hour laboratory assignment. This key uses reproductive structures that are significantly different from others. These structures are durable enough to be used in the laboratory for many…

America in World War II: An Analysis of History Textbooks from England, Japan, Sweden, and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Stuart; Nicholls, Jason

2005-01-01

This study examined how textbooks from England, Japan, Sweden, and the United States portray America's role in World War II. Analysis of the central story lines revealed that historical information purveyed to students in different nations varies considerably. Accordingly, U.S. textbooks emphasize the significant and pre-eminent role that the…

Comparison of 3D Classical Trajectory and Transition-State Theory Reaction Cross Sections

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Koeppl, G. W.; Karplus, Martin

1970-10-01

Although there is excellent agreement for a system such as H+H{sub 2} --> H{sub 2}+H, in which both the potential and the particle masses are symmetric, significant deviations occur for more asymmetric reactions. A detailed analysis show that the calculated differences are from the violation of two assumptions of transition-state theory.

Changes in metal contents in shrimp cultured in NW Mexico (2000-2010).

PubMed

Frías-Espericueta, M G; Osuna-López, J I; Delgado-Alvarez, C G; Muy-Rangel, M D; López-López, G; Izaguirre-Fierro, G; Jaimes-Bustamante, F; Zazueta-Padilla, H M; Aguilar-Juárez, M; Rubio-Carrasco, W; Voltolina, D

2015-05-01

This study shows the concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the muscle and hepatopancreas of Pacific white shrimps, Litopenaeus vannamei, cultured during 2010 in 26 commercial farms of the three main producer states of the Mexican NW, Sonora, Sinaloa, and Nayarit and compares the results to those obtained in 2000 using samples collected in16 farms of the same states. No significant changes were detected in Cd concentrations, but the 2010 Zn levels were significantly higher in all states in the hepatopancreas and in Sinaloa in the case of the muscle. Cu showed a tendency to higher hepatopancreas values in 2010, but differences were significant only in Sonora and for the global mean value. In contrast, Pb was one order of magnitude lower in both organs in 2010, possibly because of the almost 15 years since leaded gasoline was discontinued in Mexico.

BRAIN NETWORKS. Correlated gene expression supports synchronous activity in brain networks.

PubMed

Richiardi, Jonas; Altmann, Andre; Milazzo, Anna-Clare; Chang, Catie; Chakravarty, M Mallar; Banaschewski, Tobias; Barker, Gareth J; Bokde, Arun L W; Bromberg, Uli; Büchel, Christian; Conrod, Patricia; Fauth-Bühler, Mira; Flor, Herta; Frouin, Vincent; Gallinat, Jürgen; Garavan, Hugh; Gowland, Penny; Heinz, Andreas; Lemaître, Hervé; Mann, Karl F; Martinot, Jean-Luc; Nees, Frauke; Paus, Tomáš; Pausova, Zdenka; Rietschel, Marcella; Robbins, Trevor W; Smolka, Michael N; Spanagel, Rainer; Ströhle, Andreas; Schumann, Gunter; Hawrylycz, Mike; Poline, Jean-Baptiste; Greicius, Michael D

2015-06-12

During rest, brain activity is synchronized between different regions widely distributed throughout the brain, forming functional networks. However, the molecular mechanisms supporting functional connectivity remain undefined. We show that functional brain networks defined with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging can be recapitulated by using measures of correlated gene expression in a post mortem brain tissue data set. The set of 136 genes we identify is significantly enriched for ion channels. Polymorphisms in this set of genes significantly affect resting-state functional connectivity in a large sample of healthy adolescents. Expression levels of these genes are also significantly associated with axonal connectivity in the mouse. The results provide convergent, multimodal evidence that resting-state functional networks correlate with the orchestrated activity of dozens of genes linked to ion channel activity and synaptic function. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The effect of music-reinforced nonnutritive sucking on state of preterm, low birthweight infants experiencing heelstick.

PubMed

Whipple, Jennifer

2008-01-01

This study examined the physiologic and behavioral effects of music-reinforced nonnutritive sucking (NNS) for preterm, low birthweight (LBW) infants experiencing heelstick. Subjects were 60 infants, age 32 to 37 weeks post conceptional age in a neonatal intensive care unit. Infants were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: pacifier-activated lullaby (PAL), pacifier-only, and no-contact. Experimental infants were provided the Sondrex PAL System, which plays music contingent on infant sucking. Pacifier-only infants did not receive music reinforcement for sucking, and no-contact infants were not provided a pacifier or music at any point during the procedure. Stress level and behavior state were assessed continuously and heart, respiratory, and oxygen saturation rates were recorded at 15-second intervals for all infants. Most physiologic data results were inconclusive. However, analysis of behavior state and stress level revealed the following significant differences for the PAL and pacifier-only groups compared to the no-contact group, all of which were greatest between the PAL and no-contact groups: lower during-heelstick behavior state means, less time in undesirable behavior states, lower during- and post-heelstick stress level means, and smaller behavior state and stress level differences between intervals. In addition, the PAL group had a significantly lower pre-heelstick stress level mean than the no-contact group. Behavior state and stress level were also more stable across time for the PAL group than the other groups, and patterns of changes in oxygen saturation, behavior state, and stress level indicate that music-reinforced NNS may facilitate return to homeostasis.

Comparing Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Among Large Teaching and Urban Hospitals in China and the United States.

PubMed

Zheng, Zhe; Zhang, Heng; Yuan, Xin; Rao, Chenfei; Zhao, Yan; Wang, Yun; Normand, Sharon-Lise; Krumholz, Harlan M; Hu, Shengshou

2017-06-01

Coronary artery disease is prevalent in China, with concomitant increases in the volume of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The present study aims to compare CABG-related outcomes between China and the United States among large teaching and urban hospitals. Observational analysis of patients aged ≥18 years, discharged from acute-care, large teaching and urban hospitals in China and the United States after hospitalization for an isolated CABG surgery. Data were obtained from the Chinese Cardiac Surgery Registry in China and the National Inpatient Sample in the United States. Analysis was stratified by 2 periods: 2007, 2008, and 2010; and 2011 to 2013 periods. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome was length of stay. The sample included 51 408 patients: 32 040 from 77 hospitals in the China-CABG group and 19 368 from 303 hospitals in the US-CABG group. In the 2007 to 2008, 2010 period and for all-age and aged ≥65 years, the China-CABG group had higher mortality than the US-CABG group (1.91% versus 1.58%, P =0.059; and 3.12% versus 2.20%, P =0.004) and significantly higher age-, sex-, and comorbidity-adjusted odds of death (odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidential interval, 1.22-2.04; and odds ratio, 1.73; 95% confidential interval, 1.24-2.40). There were no significant mortality differences in the 2011 to 2013 period. For preoperative, postoperative, and total hospital stay, respectively, the median (interquartile range) length of stay across the entire study period between China-CABG and US-CABG groups were 9 (8) versus 1 (3), 9 (6) versus 6 (3), and 20 (12) versus 7 (5) days (all P <0.001). This difference did not change significantly over time. In 2011 to 2013, there was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality among patients who underwent an isolated CABG surgery in large teaching and urban hospitals in China and the United States. The longer length of stay in China may represent an opportunity for improvement. © 2017 The Authors.

Increased Hippocampus–Medial Prefrontal Cortex Resting-State Functional Connectivity and Memory Function after Tai Chi Chuan Practice in Elder Adults

PubMed Central

Tao, Jing; Liu, Jiao; Egorova, Natalia; Chen, Xiangli; Sun, Sharon; Xue, Xiehua; Huang, Jia; Zheng, Guohua; Wang, Qin; Chen, Lidian; Kong, Jian

2016-01-01

Previous studies provide evidence that aging is associated with the decline of memory function and alterations in the hippocampal (HPC) function, including functional connectivity to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In this study, we investigated if longitudinal (12-week) Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin practice can improve memory function and modulate HPC resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC). Memory function measurements and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) were applied at the beginning and the end of the experiment. The results showed that (1) the memory quotient (MQ) measured by the Wechsler Memory Scale-Chinese Revision significantly increased after Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin practice as compared with the control group, and no significant difference was observed in MQ between the Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin groups; (2) rs-FC between the bilateral hippocampus and mPFC significantly increased in the Tai Chi Chuan group compared to the control group (also in the Baduanjin group compared to the control group, albeit at a lower threshold), and no significant difference between the Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin groups was observed; (3) rs-FC increases between the bilateral hippocampus and mPFC were significantly associated with corresponding memory function improvement across all subjects. Similar results were observed using the left or right hippocampus as seeds. Our results suggest that both Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin may be effective exercises to prevent memory decline during aging. PMID:26909038

Increased Hippocampus-Medial Prefrontal Cortex Resting-State Functional Connectivity and Memory Function after Tai Chi Chuan Practice in Elder Adults.

PubMed

Tao, Jing; Liu, Jiao; Egorova, Natalia; Chen, Xiangli; Sun, Sharon; Xue, Xiehua; Huang, Jia; Zheng, Guohua; Wang, Qin; Chen, Lidian; Kong, Jian

2016-01-01

Previous studies provide evidence that aging is associated with the decline of memory function and alterations in the hippocampal (HPC) function, including functional connectivity to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In this study, we investigated if longitudinal (12-week) Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin practice can improve memory function and modulate HPC resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC). Memory function measurements and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) were applied at the beginning and the end of the experiment. The results showed that (1) the memory quotient (MQ) measured by the Wechsler Memory Scale-Chinese Revision significantly increased after Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin practice as compared with the control group, and no significant difference was observed in MQ between the Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin groups; (2) rs-FC between the bilateral hippocampus and mPFC significantly increased in the Tai Chi Chuan group compared to the control group (also in the Baduanjin group compared to the control group, albeit at a lower threshold), and no significant difference between the Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin groups was observed; (3) rs-FC increases between the bilateral hippocampus and mPFC were significantly associated with corresponding memory function improvement across all subjects. Similar results were observed using the left or right hippocampus as seeds. Our results suggest that both Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin may be effective exercises to prevent memory decline during aging.

Evolution of tripartite entangled states in a decohering environment and their experimental protection using dynamical decoupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Harpreet; Arvind, Dorai, Kavita

2018-02-01

We embarked upon the task of experimental protection of different classes of tripartite entangled states, namely, the maximally entangled Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) and W states and the tripartite entangled state called the W W ¯ state, using dynamical decoupling. The states were created on a three-qubit NMR quantum information processor and allowed to evolve in the naturally noisy NMR environment. Tripartite entanglement was monitored at each time instant during state evolution, using negativity as an entanglement measure. It was found that the W state is most robust while the GHZ-type states are most fragile against the natural decoherence present in the NMR system. The W W ¯ state, which is in the GHZ class yet stores entanglement in a manner akin to the W state, surprisingly turned out to be more robust than the GHZ state. The experimental data were best modeled by considering the main noise channel to be an uncorrelated phase damping channel acting independently on each qubit, along with a generalized amplitude damping channel. Using dynamical decoupling, we were able to achieve a significant protection of entanglement for GHZ states. There was a marginal improvement in the state fidelity for the W state (which is already robust against natural system decoherence), while the W W ¯ state showed a significant improvement in fidelity and protection against decoherence.

The Effects of Prior Authorization Policies on Medicaid-Enrolled Children's Use of Antipsychotic Medications: Evidence from Two Mid-Atlantic States

PubMed Central

Leckman-Westin, Emily; Okeke, Edward; Scharf, Deborah M.; Sorbero, Mark; Chen, Qingxian; Chor, Ka Ho Brian; Finnerty, Molly; Wisdom, Jennifer P.

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of prior authorization policies on the receipt of antipsychotic medication for Medicaid-enrolled children. Methods: Using de-identified administrative Medicaid data from two large, neighboring, mid-Atlantic states from November 2007 through June 2011, we identified subjects <18 years of age using antipsychotics, from the broader group of children and adolescents receiving behavioral health services or any psychotropic medication. Prior authorization for antipsychotics was required for children in State A <6 years of age from September 2008, and for children <13 years of age from August 2009. No such prior authorizations existed in State B during that period. Filled prescriptions were identified in the data using national drug codes. Using a triple-difference strategy (using differences among the states, time periods, and differences in antidepressant prescribing rates among states over the same time periods), we examined the effect of the prior authorization policy on the rate at which antipsychotic prescriptions were filled for Medicaid-enrolled children and adolescents. Results: The impact of prior authorization policies on antipsychotic medication use varied by age: Among 6–12 year old children, the impact of the prior authorization policy on antipsychotic medication prescribing was a modest but statistically significant decrease of 0.47% after adjusting for other factors; there was no effect of the prior authorization among children 0–5 years. Conclusions: Prior authorization policies had a modest but statistically significant effect on antipsychotic use in 6–12 year old children, but had no impact in younger children. Future research is needed to understand the utilization and clinical effects of prior authorization and other policies and interventions designed to influence antipsychotic use in children. PMID:25144909

Geographic variation and risk of skin cancer in US women. Differences between melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma.

PubMed

Qureshi, Abrar A; Laden, Francine; Colditz, Graham A; Hunter, David J

2008-03-10

Occurrences of melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) have been associated with varying geography. Our goal was to evaluate differences in risk of these skin cancers according to residence at varying UV indices at 3 time points. Prospective 1984-2002 study of 84 836 female nurses who lived in different UV index regions of the United States at birth and at 15 or 30 years of age. The outcome measure was diagnosis of melanoma, SCC, or BCC. During the 18-year study, 420 cases of melanoma, 863 cases of SCC, and 8215 cases of BCC occurred. At 30 years of age, age-adjusted risks for SCC were 1.47 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-1.76) and 1.90 (95% CI, 1.51-2.36) for women residing in states with a UV index of 6 (medium) and 7 or more (high), respectively. Although elevated, the age-adjusted risk of BCC at 30 years of age associated with residence in these states was substantially less. Although the risk of melanoma was not elevated for women living in these states at 30 years of age, it was significantly elevated among women living in states with UV indices of 6 at birth and at 15 years of age. There was no material change in risk estimates with multivariate adjustment. For women who reported living in states with UV indices of 7 or more at all 3 time points, the multivariate risk of SCC was highest. The risk of SCC is independently affected by residence in locations with medium and high UV indices; the gradient of risk is weaker for BCC; and the risk of melanoma does not change significantly across this gradient.

State Right to Refuse Medication Laws and Procedures: Impact on Homicide and Suicide.

PubMed

Edwards, Griffin

2016-09-01

As part of the expansive overhaul of the mental health system that occurred in the latter half of the 20th Century, many states passed laws that allow, under certain conditions, voluntary and involuntarily committed patients to refuse medication. While some predicted the consequences of these laws would be dire, the effect on violent behavior remains untested. The aim is to decipher any differences state right to refuse medication laws may have on violence. Using the homicide rate of every US state between 1972 and 2001 (N = 1,479), and the suicide rate between 1981 and 2001 (N = 1,071). The study compares the difference in homicide/suicide rates before and after a law change to that same difference in a set of control states to estimate the effect of laws aimed at extending the right to refuse medication to both voluntary and involuntarily committed mental health patients. Laws designed to allow voluntarily committed patients to refuse medication are associated with a 0.8 increase in homicides per 100,000 of the state population while laws dictating an involuntarily committed patient's right to request refusal of medication are negative but statistically insignificant using standard t test. Laws designed to allow voluntarily committed patients to refuse medication have no statistically significant effect on suicides while laws dictating an involuntarily committed patient's right to request refusal of medication, specifically when the request is reviewed by independent mental health professionals, are associated with a statistically significant reduction in suicides. Allowing voluntarily committed patients to refuse medication may entice some to enter in-patient facilities, but the brief and optional exposure to medication and their side effects may actually discourage treatment and increase violence.

Comparison of erythrocyte dynamics in shear flow under different stress-free configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cordasco, Daniel; Yazdani, Alireza; Bagchi, Prosenjit

2014-04-01

An open question that has persisted for decades is whether the cytoskeleton of a red blood cell is stress-free or under a stress. This question is important in the context of theoretical modeling of cellular motion under a flowing condition where it is necessary to make an assumption about the stress-free state. Here, we present a 3D numerical study to compare the cell dynamics in a simple shear flow under two different stress-free states, a biconcave discocyte representing the resting shape of the cell, and a nearly spherical oblate shape. We find that whether the stress-free states make a significant difference or not depends on the viscosity of the suspending medium. If the viscosity is close to that of blood plasma, the two stress-free states do not show any significant difference in cell dynamics. However, when the suspending medium viscosity is well above that of the physiological range, as in many in vitro studies, the shear rate separating the tank-treading and tumbling dynamics is observed to be higher for the biconcave stress-free state than the spheroidal state. The former shows a strong shape oscillation with repeated departures from the biconcave shape, while the latter shows a nearly stable biconcave shape. It is found that the cell membrane in the biconcave stress-free state is under a compressive stress and a weaker bending force density, leading to a periodic compression of the cell. The shape oscillation then leads to a higher energy barrier against membrane tank-tread leading to an early transition to tumbling. However, if the cells are released with a large off-shear plane angle, the oscillations can be suppressed due to an azimuthal motion of the membrane along the vorticity direction leading to a redistribution of the membrane points and lowering of the energy barrier, which again results in a nearly similar behavior of the cells under the two different stress-free states. A variety of off-shear plane dynamics is observed, namely, rolling, kayaking, precession, and a new dynamics termed "hovering." For the physiological viscosity range, the shear-plane tumbling appears to be relatively less common, while the rolling is observed to be more stable.

Does Compound Nucleus remember its Isospin- An Evidence from the Fission Widths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garg, Swati; Jain, Ashok Kumar

2018-05-01

We present an evidence of isospin effects in nuclear fission by comparing the fission widths for reactions involving different isospin states of the same compound nucleus (CN). Yadrovsky [1] suggested this possibility in 1975. Yadrovsky obtained the fission widths for two reaction data sets, namely 206Pb(α,f) and 209Bi(p,f), both leading to same CN, and concluded that "a nucleus remembers the isospin value of the nuclear states leading to fission". We obtain the fission decay widths for both the T0 + ½ and T0 - ½ states of CN by using two appropriate reaction data sets. We then compare the fission widths for the two isospin states of CN. More specifically, we have chosen the combination of 206Pb(α,f) and 209Bi(p,f) same as presented in Yadrovsky's paper [1] in this study. A significant difference between the ratios of fission decay widths to total decay widths for different isospin values suggests that isospin plays an important role in fission.

Equation of state of an ideal gas with nonergodic behavior in two connected vessels.

PubMed

Naplekov, D M; Semynozhenko, V P; Yanovsky, V V

2014-01-01

We consider a two-dimensional collisionless ideal gas in the two vessels connected through a small hole. One of them is a well-behaved chaotic billiard, another one is known to be nonergodic. A significant part of the second vessel's phase space is occupied by an island of stability. In the works of Zaslavsky and coauthors, distribution of Poincaré recurrence times in similar systems was considered. We study the gas pressure in the vessels; it is uniform in the first vessel and not uniform in second one. An equation of the gas state in the first vessel is obtained. Despite the very different phase-space structure, behavior of the second vessel is found to be very close to the behavior of a good ergodic billiard but of different volume. The equation of state differs from the ordinary equation of ideal gas state by an amendment to the vessel's volume. Correlation of this amendment with a share of the phase space under remaining intact islands of stability is shown.

Altered Distant Synchronization of Background Network in Mild Cognitive Impairment during an Executive Function Task.

PubMed

Wang, Pengyun; Li, Rui; Yu, Jing; Huang, Zirui; Yan, Zhixiong; Zhao, Ke; Li, Juan

2017-01-01

Few studies to date have investigated the background network in the cognitive state relying on executive function in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients. Using the index of degree of centrality (DC), we explored distant synchronization of background network in MCI during a hybrid delayed-match-to-sample task (DMST), which mainly relies on the working memory component of executive function. We observed significant interactions between group and cognitive state in the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the ventral subregion of precuneus. For normal control (NC) group, the long distance functional connectivity (FC) of the PCC/precuneus with the other regions of the brain was higher in rest state than that working memory state. For MCI patients, however, this pattern altered. There was no significant difference between rest and working memory state. The similar pattern was observed in the other cluster located in the right angular gyrus. To examine whether abnormal DC in PCC/precuneus and angular gyrus partially resulted from the deficit of FC between these regions and the other parts in the whole brain, we conducted a seed-based correlation analysis with these regions as seeds. The results indicated that the FC between bilateral PCC/precuneus and the right inferior parietal lobule (IPL) increased from rest to working memory state for NC participants. For MCI patients, however, there was no significant change between rest and working memory state. The similar pattern was observed for the FC between right angular gyrus and right anterior insula. However, there was no difference between MCI and NC groups in global efficiency and modularity. It may indicate a lack of efficient reorganization from rest state to a working memory state in the brain network of MCI patients. The present study demonstrates the altered distant synchronization of background network in MCI during a task relying on executive function. The results provide a new perspective regarding the neural mechanisms of executive function deficits in MCI patients, and extend our understanding of brain patterns in task-evoked cognitive states.

Comparison of Esophageal, Rectal, and Gastrointestinal Temperatures During Passive Rest After Exercise in The Heat: The Influence of Hydration.

PubMed

Hosokawa, Yuri; Adams, William; Casa, Douglas

2017-03-01

Context: It is unknown how valid esophageal, rectal, and gastrointestinal temperatures (TES, TRE, and TGI) compare after exercise-induced hyperthermia under different hydration states. Objective: To examine the differences between TES, TRE, and TGI during passive rest following exercise-induced hyperthermia under 2 different hydration states: euhydrated (EU) and hypohydrated (HY). Design: Randomized crossover design. Setting: Controlled laboratory setting. Participants: 9 recreationally active male participants (mean ± SD age 24 ± 4 y, height 177.3 ± 9.9 cm, body mass 76.7 ± 11.6 kg, body fat 14.7% ± 5.8%). Intervention: Participants completed 2 trials (EU and HY) consisting of a bout of treadmill exercise (a 10-min walk at 4.8-7.2 km/h at a 5% grade followed by a 20-min jog at 8.0-12.1 km/h at a 1% grade) in a hot environment (ambient temperature 39.3 ± 1.0°C, relative humidity 37.6% ± 6.0%, wet bulb globe temperature 31.3 ± 1.5°C) followed by passive rest. Main Outcome Measures: Root-mean-squared difference (RMSD) was used to compare the variance of temperature readings at corresponding time points for TRE vs TGI, TRE vs TES, and TGI vs TES in EU and HY. RMSD values were compared using 3-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Post hoc analysis of significant main effects was done using Tukey honestly significant difference with significance set at P < .05. Results: RMSD values (°C) for all device comparisons were significantly different in EU (TRE-TGI, 0.11 ± 0.12; TRE-TES, 1.58 ± 1.01; TGI-TES, 2.04 ± 1.19) than HY (TRE-TGI, 0.22 ± 0.28; TRE-TES, 1.27 ± 0.61; TGI-TES, 1.16 ± 0.76) (P < .01). Across the 45-min bout of passive rest, there were no differences in TRE, TGI, and TES between EU and HY trials (P = .468). Conclusions: During passive rest after exercise in the heat, TRE and TGI were in good agreement when tracking body temperature, with a better agreement appearing in those maintaining a state of euhydration versus those who became hypohydrated during exercise; however, this small difference does not appear to be of clinical significance. The large differences were observed when comparing TGI and TRE with TES. 2017 Human Kinetics, Inc.

Sensitivity and specificity of auditory steady‐state response testing

PubMed Central

Rabelo, Camila Maia; Schochat, Eliane

2011-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The ASSR test is an electrophysiological test that evaluates, among other aspects, neural synchrony, based on the frequency or amplitude modulation of tones. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of auditory steady‐state response testing in detecting lesions and dysfunctions of the central auditory nervous system. METHODS: Seventy volunteers were divided into three groups: those with normal hearing; those with mesial temporal sclerosis; and those with central auditory processing disorder. All subjects underwent auditory steady‐state response testing of both ears at 500 Hz and 2000 Hz (frequency modulation, 46 Hz). The difference between auditory steady‐state response‐estimated thresholds and behavioral thresholds (audiometric evaluation) was calculated. RESULTS: Estimated thresholds were significantly higher in the mesial temporal sclerosis group than in the normal and central auditory processing disorder groups. In addition, the difference between auditory steady‐state response‐estimated and behavioral thresholds was greatest in the mesial temporal sclerosis group when compared to the normal group than in the central auditory processing disorder group compared to the normal group. DISCUSSION: Research focusing on central auditory nervous system (CANS) lesions has shown that individuals with CANS lesions present a greater difference between ASSR‐estimated thresholds and actual behavioral thresholds; ASSR‐estimated thresholds being significantly worse than behavioral thresholds in subjects with CANS insults. This is most likely because the disorder prevents the transmission of the sound stimulus from being in phase with the received stimulus, resulting in asynchronous transmitter release. Another possible cause of the greater difference between the ASSR‐estimated thresholds and the behavioral thresholds is impaired temporal resolution. CONCLUSIONS: The overall sensitivity of auditory steady‐state response testing was lower than its overall specificity. Although the overall specificity was high, it was lower in the central auditory processing disorder group than in the mesial temporal sclerosis group. Overall sensitivity was also lower in the central auditory processing disorder group than in the mesial temporal sclerosis group. PMID:21437442

a Comparison Between Chemically Dependent Mothers and Drug-Free Mothers: Lifestyle during the Perinatal Period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uskokovic, Lila Milica

This study compared maternal lifestyle variables pertinent to the perinatal period in groups of chemically dependent mothers and drug-free mothers. Twenty-nine cocaine -abusing mothers were compared to 29 drug-free mothers carefully matched on age, race, education, and primipara versus multipara status. The drug history of each chemically dependent woman was explicitly documented. The chemically dependent group was subdivided into two groups, mothers who abused cocaine and those who abused cocaine with concomitant opiate use. Each of these two subgroups was compared to its respective matched drug-free control group. Finally, a comparison was made between the two drug subgroups. All subjects were interviewed within 48 hours after delivery using the following measures: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (A-State), Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression Scale, The Self-Esteem Scale, Maternal Adjustment and Maternal Attitude Questionnaire, The Neonatal Perception Inventory, The Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Interview Life Events Scale, Maternal Social Support Index, and Short Marital Adjustment Test. A t-test analysis revealed significant differences (p <.05) between the total experimental group and its matched control group on state anxiety, depression, self-esteem, maternal adjustment and attitudes, and life events. An analysis of covariance indicated that life events was the only significant variable when the influence of all other variables was removed. Comparisons made between each drug subgroup and its respective matched control group showed similar results, except that those who abused opiates with cocaine did not differ from their controls on depression and maternal adjustment and attitudes. No significant differences were obtained in the drug subgroup comparisons. These results identify increased life events and specific negative affect states that clinical intervention programs should address to assure the best possible outcome for chemically dependent mothers and their infants.

A Program Aimed at Reducing Anxiety in Pregnant Women Diagnosed With a Small-for-Gestational-Age Fetus: Evaluative Findings From a Spanish Study.

PubMed

Arranz Betegón, Ángela; García, Marta; Parés, Sandra; Montenegro, Gala; Feixas, Georgina; Padilla, Nelly; Camacho, Alba; Goberna, Josefina; Botet, Francesc; Gratacós, Eduard

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of anxiety-reducing techniques including music therapy, sophrology, and creative visualization in pregnant women with a fetus diagnosed as small for gestational age and improved fetal and neonatal weight. This was a quasi-experimental study with a nonrandomized clinical trial design. We compared 2 groups of pregnant women with a fetus diagnosed as small for gestational age with no abnormalities on Doppler studies. The control group (n = 93) received standard care, and the intervention group (n = 65), in addition to standard care, underwent a program of 6 sessions led by a midwife or nurse who taught anxiety-reduction techniques. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) including trait and state subscales were completed by both groups at the start of the study, and only the STAI-State subscale was completed again at the end of the study. Comparisons between the 2 groups regarding fetal weight and centile and maternal STAI scores were performed using the t test and the χ test. There were no significant differences in the STAI-Trait scores between the 2 groups. There were statistically significant differences in the intervention group's STAI-State score percentiles between the start and the end of the study, being lower at the end of the study (P < .001). There were significant differences between the 2 groups in fetal weight trajectory on the basis of fetal weight: the intervention group had a larger weight gain (P < .005). The program designed to reduce anxiety in pregnant women was effective at reducing anxiety in the women in the intervention group, leading to a favorable fetal weight trajectory in this group.

Pathways to Sustainability: 8-year follow-up from the PROSPER Project

PubMed Central

Welsh, Janet A.; Chilenski, Sarah M.; Johnson, Lesley; Greenberg, Mark T.; Spoth, Richard L.

2016-01-01

The large-scale dissemination of evidence-based practices (EBPs) is often hindered by problems with sustaining initiatives past a period of initial grant funding. Communities often have difficulty generating resources needed to sustain and grow their initiatives, resulting in limited public health impact. The PROSPER project, initiated in 2001, provided community coalitions with intensive technical assistance around marketing, communications, and revenue generating strategies. Past reports from PROSPER have indicated that these coalitions were successful with sustaining their programming, and that sustainability could be predicted by early aspects of team functioning and leadership. The current study examines financial sustainability eight years following the discontinuation of grant funding, with an emphasis on sources of revenue and the relationships between revenue generation, team functioning, and EBP participation. This study used four waves of data related to resource generation collected between 2004-2010 by PROSPER teams in Iowa and Pennsylvania. Teams reported annually on the amount and sources of funding procured, as well as annual reports of team functioning and leadership and annual reports of EBP participation by youth and parents. Data revealed that teams' overall revenue generation increased over time. There was significant variation in success with revenue generation at both the community level and across the two states. Teams accessed a variety of sources. Cash revenue generation was positively and predictively associated with EBP participation, but relationships with team functioning and leadership ratings varied significantly by state. State level differences in in-kind support were also apparent. The results indicated that there are different pathways to sustainability, and that no one method works for all teams. The presence of state level infrastructures available to support prevention appeared to account for significant differences in sustainability success between Pennsylvania and Iowa. PMID:26892601

Pathways to Sustainability: 8-Year Follow-Up From the PROSPER Project.

PubMed

Welsh, Janet A; Chilenski, Sarah M; Johnson, Lesley; Greenberg, Mark T; Spoth, Richard L

2016-06-01

The large-scale dissemination of evidence-based practices (EBPs) is often hindered by problems with sustaining initiatives past a period of initial grant funding. Communities often have difficulty generating resources needed to sustain and grow their initiatives, resulting in limited public health impact. The PROSPER project, initiated in 2001, provided community coalitions with intensive technical assistance around marketing, communications, and revenue generating strategies. Past reports from PROSPER have indicated that these coalitions were successful with sustaining their programming, and that sustainability could be predicted by early aspects of team functioning and leadership. The current study examines financial sustainability 8 years following the discontinuation of grant funding, with an emphasis on sources of revenue and the relationships between revenue generation, team functioning, and EBP participation. This study used four waves of data related to resource generation collected between 2004 and 2010 by PROSPER teams in Iowa and Pennsylvania. Teams reported annually on the amount and sources of funding procured, as well as annual reports of team functioning and leadership and annual reports of EBP participation by youth and parents. Data revealed that teams' overall revenue generation increased over time. There was significant variation in success with revenue generation at both the community level and across the two states. Teams accessed a variety of sources. Cash revenue generation was positively and predictively associated with EBP participation, but relationships with team functioning and leadership ratings varied significantly by state. State level differences in in-kind support were also apparent. The results indicated that there are different pathways to sustainability, and that no one method works for all teams. The presence of state level infrastructures available to support prevention appeared to account for significant differences in sustainability success between Pennsylvania and Iowa.

Nutrient intake and balancing among female Colobus angolensis palliatus inhabiting structurally distinct forest areas: Effects of group, season, and reproductive state.

PubMed

Dunham, Noah T; Rodriguez-Saona, Luis E

2018-06-08

Understanding intraspecific behavioral and dietary variation is critical for assessing primate populations' abilities to persist in habitats characterized by increasing anthropogenic disturbances. While it is evident that some species exhibit considerable dietary flexibility (in terms of species-specific plant parts) in relation to habitat disturbance, it is unclear if primates are characterized by similar variation and flexibility regarding nutrient intake. This study examined the effects of group, season, and reproductive state on nutrient intake and balancing in adult female Colobus angolensis palliatus in the Diani Forest, Kenya. During July 2014 to December 2015, estimates of nutrient intake were recorded for eight females from three groups inhabiting structurally and ecologically distinct forest areas differing in tree species composition and density. There were differences in metabolizable energy (ME) and macronutrient intakes among groups, seasons, and reproductive states. Most notably, females inhabiting one of the more disturbed forest areas consumed less ME and macronutrients compared to females in the more intact forest area. Contrary to prediction, females in early lactation consumed significantly less ME and macronutrients compared to non-lactating and late lactation females. Despite differences in macronutrient intake, the relative contribution of macronutrients to ME were generally more conservative among groups, seasons, and reproductive states. Average daily intake ratios of non-protein energy to available protein ranged from approximately 3.5:1-4.3:1 among groups. These results indicate that female C. a. palliatus demonstrate a consistent nutrient balancing strategy despite significant intergroup differences in consumption of species-specific plant parts. Data from additional colobine species inhabiting different forest types are required to assess the extent to which nutrient balancing is constrained by phylogeny or is more flexible to local ecological conditions. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influence of amorphous structure on polymorphism in vanadia

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

Stone, Kevin H.; Schelhas, Laura T.; Garten, Lauren M.

Normally we think of the glassy state as a single phase and therefore crystallization from chemically identical amorphous precursors should be identical. Here we show that the local structure of an amorphous precursor is distinct depending on the initial deposition conditions, resulting in significant differences in the final state material. Using grazing incidence total x-ray scattering, we have determined the local structure in amorphous thin films of vanadium oxide grown under different conditions using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Here we show that the subsequent crystallization of films deposited using different initial PLD conditions result in the formation of different polymorphsmore » of VO 2. Ultimately this suggests the possibility of controlling the formation of metastable polymorphs by tuning the initial amorphous structure to different formation pathways.« less

Influence of amorphous structure on polymorphism in vanadia

DOE PAGES

Stone, Kevin H.; Schelhas, Laura T.; Garten, Lauren M.; ...

2016-07-13

Normally we think of the glassy state as a single phase and therefore crystallization from chemically identical amorphous precursors should be identical. Here we show that the local structure of an amorphous precursor is distinct depending on the initial deposition conditions, resulting in significant differences in the final state material. Using grazing incidence total x-ray scattering, we have determined the local structure in amorphous thin films of vanadium oxide grown under different conditions using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Here we show that the subsequent crystallization of films deposited using different initial PLD conditions result in the formation of different polymorphsmore » of VO 2. Ultimately this suggests the possibility of controlling the formation of metastable polymorphs by tuning the initial amorphous structure to different formation pathways.« less

Fatigue Shifts and Scatters Heart Rate Variability in Elite Endurance Athletes

PubMed Central

Schmitt, Laurent; Regnard, Jacques; Desmarets, Maxime; Mauny, Fréderic; Mourot, Laurent; Fouillot, Jean-Pierre; Coulmy, Nicolas; Millet, Grégoire

2013-01-01

Purpose This longitudinal study aimed at comparing heart rate variability (HRV) in elite athletes identified either in ‘fatigue’ or in ‘no-fatigue’ state in ‘real life’ conditions. Methods 57 elite Nordic-skiers were surveyed over 4 years. R-R intervals were recorded supine (SU) and standing (ST). A fatigue state was quoted with a validated questionnaire. A multilevel linear regression model was used to analyze relationships between heart rate (HR) and HRV descriptors [total spectral power (TP), power in low (LF) and high frequency (HF) ranges expressed in ms2 and normalized units (nu)] and the status without and with fatigue. The variables not distributed normally were transformed by taking their common logarithm (log10). Results 172 trials were identified as in a ‘fatigue’ and 891 as in ‘no-fatigue’ state. All supine HR and HRV parameters (Beta±SE) were significantly different (P<0.0001) between ‘fatigue’ and ‘no-fatigue’: HRSU (+6.27±0.61 bpm), logTPSU (−0.36±0.04), logLFSU (−0.27±0.04), logHFSU (−0.46±0.05), logLF/HFSU (+0.19±0.03), HFSU(nu) (−9.55±1.33). Differences were also significant (P<0.0001) in standing: HRST (+8.83±0.89), logTPST (−0.28±0.03), logLFST (−0.29±0.03), logHFST (−0.32±0.04). Also, intra-individual variance of HRV parameters was larger (P<0.05) in the ‘fatigue’ state (logTPSU: 0.26 vs. 0.07, logLFSU: 0.28 vs. 0.11, logHFSU: 0.32 vs. 0.08, logTPST: 0.13 vs. 0.07, logLFST: 0.16 vs. 0.07, logHFST: 0.25 vs. 0.14). Conclusion HRV was significantly lower in 'fatigue' vs. 'no-fatigue' but accompanied with larger intra-individual variance of HRV parameters in 'fatigue'. The broader intra-individual variance of HRV parameters might encompass different changes from no-fatigue state, possibly reflecting different fatigue-induced alterations of HRV pattern. PMID:23951198

A Dental Hygiene Professional Practice Index (DHPPI) and access to oral health status and service use in the United States.

PubMed

Wing, Paul; Langelier, Margaret H; Continelli, Tracey A; Battrell, Ann

2005-01-01

The purpose of this article is to summarize a larger study that developed a statistical index that defines the professional practice environment of dental hygienists (DHs) in the United States, and to determine the extent to which the index scores are related to the number of DHs and dentists, the utilization of dental services, and selected oral health outcomes across the 50 states. A Dental Hygiene Professional Practice Index (DHPPI) defines the professional status, supervision requirements, tasks permitted, and reimbursement options for DHs in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, as of December 31, 2001. Spearman rank order correlations between the DHPPI and numbers of oral health professionals, utilization of oral health services, and oral health outcomes in the 50 states are also presented. The analyses revealed that: There are significant differences in the legal practice environments (as reflected in the DHPPI) across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Between 1990 and 2001, the number of DHs per capita increased by 46% in the United States, while the number of dentists per 100,000 population increased by only 10%. The DHPPI was not significantly correlated with the number of DHs or dentists in the 50 states in 2001. The DHPPI was significantly positively correlated with the salaries of DHs in 2001. The DHPPI was also significantly and positively correlated with a number of indicators of utilization of oral health services and oral health outcomes. Both access to oral health services and oral health outcomes are positively correlated with the DHPPI. This suggests that states with low DHPPI scores would be logical candidates for revised DH practice statutes and regulations to accomplish these objectives.

A Comparison of Student Understanding of Seasons Using Inquiry and Didactic Teaching Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashcraft, Paul G.

2006-02-01

Student performance on open-ended questions concerning seasons in a university physical science content course was examined to note differences between classes that experienced inquiry using a 5-E lesson planning model and those that experienced the same content with a traditional, didactic lesson. The class examined is a required content course for elementary education majors and understanding the seasons is part of the university's state's elementary science standards. The two self-selected groups of students showed no statistically significant differences in pre-test scores, while there were statistically significant differences between the groups' post-test scores with those who participated in inquiry-based activities scoring higher. There were no statistically significant differences between the pre-test and the post-test for the students who experienced didactic teaching, while there were statistically significant improvements for the students who experienced the 5-E lesson.

Stochastic switching of TiO2-based memristive devices with identical initial memory states

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

In this work, we show that identical TiO2-based memristive devices that possess the same initial resistive states are only phenomenologically similar as their internal structures may vary significantly, which could render quite dissimilar switching dynamics. We experimentally demonstrated that the resistive switching of practical devices with similar initial states could occur at different programming stimuli cycles. We argue that similar memory states can be transcribed via numerous distinct active core states through the dissimilar reduced TiO2-x filamentary distributions. Our hypothesis was finally verified via simulated results of the memory state evolution, by taking into account dissimilar initial filamentary distribution. PMID:24994953

Healthcare-seeking behaviors of older Iranian immigrants: health perceptions and definitions.

PubMed

Martin, Shadi Sahami

2009-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how cultural differences influence the healthcare-seeking behaviors of older Iranian immigrants in the United States. Cultural differences were examined in a variety of areas, including definitions and perceptions of health, illness, and care. Using a phenomenological methodology, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with older Iranian immigrants. The findings of this study showed that participants' definitions of health, illness, and care differ significantly from mainstream Western definitions. An understanding of these cultural differences helps explain why older Iranian immigrants may or may not seek healthcare when they need it in the United States. Recommendations for change include cultural training for medical staff and the use of cultural brokers.

Gender differences in brain regional homogeneity of healthy subjects after normal sleep and after sleep deprivation: a resting-state fMRI study.

PubMed

Dai, Xi-Jian; Gong, Hong-Han; Wang, Yi-Xiang; Zhou, Fu-Qing; Min, You-Jiang; Zhao, Feng; Wang, Si-Yong; Liu, Bi-Xia; Xiao, Xiang-Zuo

2012-06-01

To explore the gender differences of brain regional homogeneity (ReHo) in healthy subjects during the resting-state, after normal sleep, and after sleep deprivation (SD) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the ReHo method. Sixteen healthy subjects (eight males and eight females) each underwent the resting-state fMRI exams twice, i.e., once after normal sleep and again after 24h's SD. According to the gender and sleep, 16 subjects were all measured twice and divided into four groups: the male control group (MC), female control group (FC), male SD group (MSD), and female SD group (FSD). The ReHo method was used to calculate and analyze the data, SPM5 software was used to perform a two-sample T-test and a two-pair T-test with a P value <0.001, and cluster volume ≥ 270 mm(3) was used to determine statistical significance. Compared with the MC, the MSD showed significantly higher ReHo in the right paracentral lobule (BA3/6), but in no obviously lower regions. Compared with the FC, the FSD showed significantly higher ReHo in bilateral parietal lobes (BA2/3), bilateral vision-related regions of occipital lobes (BA17/18/19), right frontal lobe (BA4/6), and lower ReHo in the right frontal lobe. Compared with the FC, the MC showed significantly higher ReHo in the left occipital lobe (BA18/19), and left temporal lobe (BA21), left frontal lobe, and lower ReHo in the right insula and in the left parietal lobe. Compared with the FSD, the MSD showed significantly higher ReHo in the left cerebellum posterior lobe (uvula/declive of vermis), left parietal lobe, and bilateral frontal lobes, and lower ReHo in the right occipital lobe (BA17) and right frontal lobe (BA4). The differences of brain activity in the resting state can be widely found not only between the control and SD group in a same gender group, but also between the male group and female group. Thus, we should take the gender differences into consideration in future fMRI studies, especially the treatment of brain-related diseases (e.g., depression). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Psychological Evaluation of Animal-assisted Intervention (AAI) Programs Involving Visiting Dogs and Cats for Alcohol Dependents: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Ohtani, Nobuyo; Narita, Shin; Yoshihara, Eiji; Ohta, Mitsuaki; Iwahashi, Kazuhiko

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an evaluation method for animal-assisted intervention (AAI) programs involving Mood Check List-Short form.2 (MCL-S.2) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for psychiatric daycare of Japanese alcohol. dependents. A total of 36 alcohol dependents completed the study and questionnaires assessing their state. A single session of AAI reduced both subjective and physiological measures of state anxiety (A-State); and this program induced a significant reduction in the anxiety after an AAI program session with the dogs and cats involved in the intervention (p = 0.001). The Wilcoxon t-test showed that there were also significant differences in the "anxiety", "pleasantness", and "relaxation". scores for MCL-S.2 among the alcohol dependents, before and after AAI; a significantly decreased "anxiety" score (p = 0.006), and increased "pleasantness" (p = 0.002) and "relaxation" (p=0.012) scores for MCL-S.2 after AAI. The results of this study indicated that alcohol dependents who experienced a group AAI session-program exhibited significant improvements in their feeling; decreased anxiety, and increased pleasantness and relaxation.

Discrepant perceptions of communication, teamwork and situation awareness among surgical team members.

PubMed

Wauben, L S G L; Dekker-van Doorn, C M; van Wijngaarden, J D H; Goossens, R H M; Huijsman, R; Klein, J; Lange, J F

2011-04-01

To assess surgical team members' differences in perception of non-technical skills. Questionnaire design. Operating theatres (OTs) at one university hospital, three teaching hospitals and one general hospital in the Netherlands. Sixty-six surgeons, 97 OT nurses, 18 anaesthetists and 40 nurse anaesthetists. All surgical team members, of five hospitals, were asked to complete a questionnaire and state their opinion on the current state of communication, teamwork and situation awareness at the OT. Ratings for 'communication' were significantly different, particularly between surgeons and all other team members (P ≤ 0.001). The ratings for 'teamwork' differed significantly between all team members (P ≤ 0.005). Within 'situation awareness' significant differences were mainly observed for 'gathering information' between surgeons and other team members (P < 0.001). Finally, 72-90% of anaesthetists, OT nurses and nurse anaesthetists rated routine team briefings and debriefings as inadequate. This study shows discrepancies on many aspects in perception between surgeons and other surgical team members concerning communication, teamwork and situation awareness. Future research needs to ascertain whether these discrepancies are linked to greater risk of adverse events or to process as well as systems failures. Establishing this link would support implementation and use of complex team interventions that intervene at multiple levels of the healthcare system.

Free-energy landscape of the GB1 hairpin in all-atom explicit solvent simulations with different force fields: Similarities and differences.

PubMed

Best, Robert B; Mittal, Jeetain

2011-04-01

Although it is now possible to fold peptides and miniproteins in molecular dynamics simulations, it is well appreciated that force fields are not all transferable to different proteins. Here, we investigate the influence of the protein force field and the solvent model on the folding energy landscape of a prototypical two-state folder, the GB1 hairpin. We use extensive replica-exchange molecular dynamics simulations to characterize the free-energy surface as a function of temperature. Most of these force fields appear similar at a global level, giving a fraction folded at 300 K between 0.2 and 0.8 in all cases, which is a difference in stability of 2.8 kT, and are generally consistent with experimental data at this temperature. The most significant differences appear in the unfolded state, where there are different residual secondary structures which are populated, and the overall dimensions of the unfolded states, which in most of the force fields are too collapsed relative to experimental Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) data.

Differences in incidence and trends of haematological malignancies in Japan and the United States

PubMed Central

Chihara, Dai; Ito, Hidemi; Matsuda, Tomohiro; Shibata, Akiko; Katsumi, Akira; Nakamura, Shigeo; Tomotaka, Sobue; Morton, Lindsay M; Weisenburger, Dennis D; Matsuo, Keitaro

2014-01-01

The incidence of a malignant disease reflects the genetic and cumulative exposure to the environment of a population. Therefore, evaluation of the incidence and trends of a disease in different populations may provide insights into its aetiology and pathogenesis. To evaluate the incidence of haematological malignancies according to specific subtypes, we used population-based registry data in Japan (N = 125 148) and the United States (US; N = 172 925) from 1993 to 2008. The age-adjusted incidence of haematological malignancies in Japan was approximately one-half that in the US but has been increasing significantly, whereas no significant change was seen in the US [annual percent change (95% C confidence interval): Japan, +2·4% (1·7, 3·1); US, +0·1% (−0·1, 0·2)]. Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) showed the largest differences in incidence, with the most remarkable differences observed for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, HL-nodular sclerosis, mycosis fungoides and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. HL and NHL are increasing substantially in Japan but not in the US, suggesting that environmental exposures, such as Westernization of the life style may be causing this increase. Differences in the incidence and trends for specific subtypes also showed a marked contrast across subtypes, which, in turn, may provide significant new insights into disease aetiology in the future. PMID:24245986

Major Variations in HIV-1 Capsid Assembly Morphologies Involve Minor Variations in Molecular Structures of Structurally Ordered Protein Segments*

PubMed Central

Lu, Jun-Xia; Bayro, Marvin J.; Tycko, Robert

2016-01-01

We present the results of solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments on HIV-1 capsid protein (CA) assemblies with three different morphologies, namely wild-type CA (WT-CA) tubes with 35–60 nm diameters, planar sheets formed by the Arg18-Leu mutant (R18L-CA), and R18L-CA spheres with 20–100 nm diameters. The experiments are intended to elucidate molecular structural variations that underlie these variations in CA assembly morphology. We find that multidimensional solid state NMR spectra of 15N,13C-labeled CA assemblies are remarkably similar for the three morphologies, with only small differences in 15N and 13C chemical shifts, no significant differences in NMR line widths, and few differences in the number of detectable NMR cross-peaks. Thus, the pronounced differences in morphology do not involve major differences in the conformations and identities of structurally ordered protein segments. Instead, morphological variations are attributable to variations in conformational distributions within disordered segments, which do not contribute to the solid state NMR spectra. Variations in solid state NMR signals from certain amino acid side chains are also observed, suggesting differences in the intermolecular dimerization interface between curved and planar CA lattices, as well as possible differences in intramolecular helix-helix packing. PMID:27129282

Identify changes of brain regional homogeneity in early and later adult onset patients with first-episode depression using resting-state fMRI.

PubMed

Shen, Zonglin; Jiang, Linling; Yang, Shuran; Ye, Jing; Dai, Nan; Liu, Xiaoyan; Li, Na; Lu, Jin; Liu, Fang; Lu, Yi; Sun, Xuejin; Cheng, Yuqi; Xu, Xiufeng

2017-01-01

Previous work exhibited different brain grey matter volume (GMV) changes between patients with early adult onset depression (EOD, age 18-29) and later adult onset depression (LOD, age 30-44) by using 30-year-old as the cut-off age. To identify whether regional homogeneity (ReHo) changes are also different between EOD and LOD by using same cut-off age, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to detect the abnormal ReHo between patients with EOD and LOD in the present study. Resting-state fMRI scans of 58 patients with EOD, 62 patients with LOD, 60 young healthy controls (HC), and 52 old HC were obtained. The ReHo approach was used to analyze the images. The ANOVA analysis revealed that the ReHo values in the frontoparietal, occipital, and cerebellar regions were significantly different among the four groups. Relative to patients with LOD, patients with EOD displayed significantly increased ReHo in the left precuneus, and decreased ReHo in the right fusiform. The ReHo values in the left precuneus and the right fusiform had no significant correlation with the score of the depression rating scale or illness duration in both patient subgroups. Compared to young HC, patients with EOD showed significantly increased ReHo in the right frontoparietal regions and the right calcarine. Furthermore, the increased ReHo in the right frontoparietal regions, right insula and left hippocampus, and decreased ReHo in the left inferior occipital gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus, left calcarine, and left supplementary motor area were observed in patients with LOD when compared to old HC. The ReHo of brain areas that were related to mood regulation was changed in the first-episode, drug-naive adult patients with MDD. Adult patients with EOD and LOD exhibited different ReHo abnormalities relative to each age-matched comparison group, suggesting that depressed adult patients with different age-onset might have different pathological mechanism.

Mathematics Learning Styles of Chinese Immigrant Students. Final Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsang, Sau-Lim

Major revision in the U.S. mathematics curriculum since the 1960s have led to significant differences between the mathematics curriculum of the United States and those of many other countries. This study explored how eight Chinese immigrant students, with different cultural backgrounds, mathematics knowledge, and learning styles, learned in an…

Bidirectionality in Self-Regulation and Expressive Vocabulary: Comparisons between Monolingual and Dual Language Learners in Preschool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohlmann, Natalie L.; Maier, Michelle F.; Palacios, Natalia

2015-01-01

Significant differences in language and self-regulation skills exist among children when they enter formal schooling. Contributing to these language differences is a growing population of dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States. Given evidence linking self-regulatory processes and language development, this study explored bidirectional…

Differences among Adult COAs and Adult Non-COAs on Levels of Self-Esteem, Depression, and Anxiety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodd, David T.; Roberts, Richard L.

1994-01-01

Examined self-esteem, depression, and anxiety among 60 adult children of alcoholics (COAs) and 143 adult non-COAs. Subjects completed Children of Alcoholics Screening Test, demographic questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Found no significant differences between COAs and…

Complying with US and European complaint handling requirements.

PubMed

Donawa, M E

1997-09-01

The importance of customer complaints for providing valuable information on the use of medical devices is clearly reflected in United States (US) and European quality system requirements for handling complaints. However, there are significant differences in US and European complaint handling requirements. This article will discuss those differences and methods for ensuring compliance.

Fact or Factitious? A Psychobiological Study of Authentic and Simulated Dissociative Identity States

PubMed Central

Simone Reinders, A. A. T.; Willemsen, Antoon T. M.; Vos, Herry P. J.; den Boer, Johan A.; Nijenhuis, Ellert R. S.

2012-01-01

Background Dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a disputed psychiatric disorder. Research findings and clinical observations suggest that DID involves an authentic mental disorder related to factors such as traumatization and disrupted attachment. A competing view indicates that DID is due to fantasy proneness, suggestibility, suggestion, and role-playing. Here we examine whether dissociative identity state-dependent psychobiological features in DID can be induced in high or low fantasy prone individuals by instructed and motivated role-playing, and suggestion. Methodology/Principal Findings DID patients, high fantasy prone and low fantasy prone controls were studied in two different types of identity states (neutral and trauma-related) in an autobiographical memory script-driven (neutral or trauma-related) imagery paradigm. The controls were instructed to enact the two DID identity states. Twenty-nine subjects participated in the study: 11 patients with DID, 10 high fantasy prone DID simulating controls, and 8 low fantasy prone DID simulating controls. Autonomic and subjective reactions were obtained. Differences in psychophysiological and neural activation patterns were found between the DID patients and both high and low fantasy prone controls. That is, the identity states in DID were not convincingly enacted by DID simulating controls. Thus, important differences regarding regional cerebral bloodflow and psychophysiological responses for different types of identity states in patients with DID were upheld after controlling for DID simulation. Conclusions/Significance The findings are at odds with the idea that differences among different types of dissociative identity states in DID can be explained by high fantasy proneness, motivated role-enactment, and suggestion. They indicate that DID does not have a sociocultural (e.g., iatrogenic) origin. PMID:22768068

In-surface confinement of topological insulator nanowire surface states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Fan W.; Jauregui, Luis A.; Tan, Yaohua; Manfra, Michael; Klimeck, Gerhard; Chen, Yong P.; Kubis, Tillmann

2015-09-01

The bandstructures of [110] and [001] Bi2Te3 nanowires are solved with the atomistic 20 band tight binding functionality of NEMO5. The theoretical results reveal: The popular assumption that all topological insulator (TI) wire surfaces are equivalent is inappropriate. The Fermi velocity of chemically distinct wire surfaces differs significantly which creates an effective in-surface confinement potential. As a result, topological insulator surface states prefer specific surfaces. Therefore, experiments have to be designed carefully not to probe surfaces unfavorable to the surface states (low density of states) and thereby be insensitive to the TI-effects.

Validation of the state version of the Self-Statement during Public Speaking Scale.

PubMed

Osório, Flávia L; Crippa, José Alexandre S; Loureiro, Sonia Regina

2013-03-01

To adapt the trait version of the Self Statements during Public Speaking (SSPS) scale to a state version (SSPS-S) and to assess its discriminative validity for use in the Simulated Public Speaking Test (SPST). Subjects with and without social anxiety disorder (n = 45) were assessed while performing the SPST, a clinical-experimental model of anxiety with seven different phases. Alterations in negative self-assessment occurred with significant changes throughout the different phases of the procedure (p = .05). Non-cases presented significantly higher mean values of the SSPS-S in all phases of the procedure than cases (p < .01). Cases assessed themselves in a less positive and more negative manner during the SPST than did non-cases. SSPS-S is adequate for this assessment, especially its negative subscale, and shows good psychometric qualities.

Significant difference in the dynamics between strong and fragile glass formers.

PubMed

Furukawa, Akira; Tanaka, Hajime

2016-11-01

Glass-forming liquids are often classified into strong glass formers with nearly Arrhenius behavior and fragile ones with super-Arrhenius behavior. We reveal a significant difference in the dynamics between these two types of glass formers through molecular dynamics simulations: In strong glass formers, the relaxation dynamics of density fluctuations is nondiffusive, whereas in fragile glass formers it exhibits diffusive behavior. We demonstrate that this distinction is a direct consequence of the fundamental difference in the underlying elementary relaxation process between these two dynamical classes of glass formers. For fragile glass formers, a density-exchange process proceeds the density relaxation, which takes place locally at the particle level in normal states but is increasingly cooperative and nonlocal as the temperature is lowered in supercooled states. On the other hand, in strong glass formers, such an exchange process is not necessary for density relaxation due to the presence of other local relaxation channels. Our finding provides a novel insight into Angell's classification scheme from a hydrodynamic perspective.

Text messaging versus email for emergency medicine residents’ knowledge retention: a pilot comparison in the United States

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

We evaluated the effectiveness of text messaging versus email, as a delivery method to enhance knowledge retention of emergency medicine (EM) content in EM residents. We performed a multi-centered, prospective, randomized study consisting of postgraduate year (PGY) 1 to PGY 3 & 4 residents in three United States EM residency programs in 2014. Fifty eight residents were randomized into one delivery group: text message or email. Participants completed a 40 question pre- and post-intervention exam. Primary outcomes were the means of pre- and post-intervention exam score differences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and multiple linear regressions. No significant difference was found between the primary outcomes of the two groups (P=0.51). PGY 2 status had a significant negative effect (P=0.01) on predicted exam score difference. Neither delivery method enhanced resident knowledge retention. Further research on implementation of mobile technology in residency education is required. PMID:27780350

Text messaging versus email for emergency medicine residents' knowledge retention: a pilot comparison in the United States.

PubMed

Hoonpongsimanont, Wirachin; Kulkarni, Miriam; Tomas-Domingo, Pedro; Anderson, Craig; McCormack, Denise; Tu, Khoa; Chakravarthy, Bharath; Lotfipour, Shahram

2016-01-01

We evaluated the effectiveness of text messaging versus email, as a delivery method to enhance knowledge retention of emergency medicine (EM) content in EM residents. We performed a multi-centered, prospective, randomized study consisting of postgraduate year (PGY) 1 to PGY 3 & 4 residents in three United States EM residency programs in 2014. Fifty eight residents were randomized into one delivery group: text message or email. Participants completed a 40 question pre- and post-intervention exam. Primary outcomes were the means of pre- and post-intervention exam score differences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and multiple linear regressions. No significant difference was found between the primary outcomes of the two groups (P=0.51). PGY 2 status had a significant negative effect (P=0.01) on predicted exam score difference. Neither delivery method enhanced resident knowledge retention. Further research on implementation of mobile technology in residency education is required.

Economic hardship and depression across the life course: the impact of welfare state regimes.

PubMed

Levecque, Katia; Van Rossem, Ronan; De Boyser, Katrien; Van de Velde, Sarah; Bracke, Piet

2011-06-01

Previous research in the United States suggests that depression related to economic hardship decreases with age. We test whether this pattern can be generalized to other developed nations. Based on data from 23 countries in the European Social Survey (2006--2007), multilevel analyses show that the moderating role of age depends on the socio-political context. While the hardship--depression link is not significantly different across the life course in Nordic and Bismarckian regimes, the hardship--depression link increases with age in Southern and Eastern European countries and decreases with age in strength in Anglo-Saxon welfare states. Our findings suggest that welfare state regimes play a significant role in attenuating, boosting, or even reversing the health effects of social experiences such as economic hardship on aging. Health knowledge gained through research that ignores the socio-political context may be limited in terms of generalization.

Comparative Study on Subjective Experience of Elder Abuse Between Older Korean Immigrants in the United States and Older Koreans in Korea.

PubMed

Chang, Miya

2018-01-01

This study examines the prevalence of elder abuse and the relationship between sociodemographic factors and elder abuse among older Koreans in the United States and Korea. Survey data from older Koreans aged between 60 and 79 years from the two countries ( n = 480) were analyzed descriptively and in binary logistic regressions. This study found a similar prevalence of elder abuse in the two samples, with 26% of older Korean immigrants in the United States reporting abuse and 23% of older Koreans in Korea reporting abuse. However, there were significant differences in the types of emotional abuse experienced by older Koreans in both countries. Reports of some types of emotional abuse, such as 'name calling' and 'silent treatment,' were significantly higher in the United States than in Korea. These findings expand our knowledge of the experience of elder abuse among older Koreans in both countries.

The danger of imperfect regulation: OxyContin use in the United States and Canada.

PubMed

Lexchin, Joel; Kohler, Jillian Clare

2011-01-01

Drug companies aggressively market their products to increase sales and economic rewards. Different countries have different regulatory regimes for controlling promotion. In the United States control rests directly with the Food and Drug Administration whereas Canada relies on a mixture of voluntary self-regulation and an autonomous agency. Each method has significant weaknesses. We examine these weaknesses by analyzing the promotion of OxyContin (the time release version of the opioid oxycodone) by Purdue in Canada and the United States. We then look at the association between promotion and the misuse and abuse of OxyContin in both countries. Finally, we advance specific recommendations for regulating promotion for drugs that may have a high abuse potential.

Brain resting-state networks in adolescents with high-functioning autism: Analysis of spatial connectivity and temporal neurodynamics.

PubMed

Bernas, Antoine; Barendse, Evelien M; Aldenkamp, Albert P; Backes, Walter H; Hofman, Paul A M; Hendriks, Marc P H; Kessels, Roy P C; Willems, Frans M J; de With, Peter H N; Zinger, Svitlana; Jansen, Jacobus F A

2018-02-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is mainly characterized by functional and communication impairments as well as restrictive and repetitive behavior. The leading hypothesis for the neural basis of autism postulates globally abnormal brain connectivity, which can be assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Even in the absence of a task, the brain exhibits a high degree of functional connectivity, known as intrinsic, or resting-state, connectivity. Global default connectivity in individuals with autism versus controls is not well characterized, especially for a high-functioning young population. The aim of this study is to test whether high-functioning adolescents with ASD (HFA) have an abnormal resting-state functional connectivity. We performed spatial and temporal analyses on resting-state networks (RSNs) in 13 HFA adolescents and 13 IQ- and age-matched controls. For the spatial analysis, we used probabilistic independent component analysis (ICA) and a permutation statistical method to reveal the RSN differences between the groups. For the temporal analysis, we applied Granger causality to find differences in temporal neurodynamics. Controls and HFA display very similar patterns and strengths of resting-state connectivity. We do not find any significant differences between HFA adolescents and controls in the spatial resting-state connectivity. However, in the temporal dynamics of this connectivity, we did find differences in the causal effect properties of RSNs originating in temporal and prefrontal cortices. The results show a difference between HFA and controls in the temporal neurodynamics from the ventral attention network to the salience-executive network: a pathway involving cognitive, executive, and emotion-related cortices. We hypothesized that this weaker dynamic pathway is due to a subtle trigger challenging the cognitive state prior to the resting state.

"Time for dabs": Analyzing Twitter data on marijuana concentrates across the U.S.

PubMed

Daniulaityte, Raminta; Nahhas, Ramzi W; Wijeratne, Sanjaya; Carlson, Robert G; Lamy, Francois R; Martins, Silvia S; Boyer, Edward W; Smith, G Alan; Sheth, Amit

2015-10-01

Media reports suggest increasing popularity of marijuana concentrates ("dabs"; "earwax"; "budder"; "shatter; "butane hash oil") that are typically vaporized and inhaled via a bong, vaporizer or electronic cigarette. However, data on the epidemiology of marijuana concentrate use remain limited. This study aims to explore Twitter data on marijuana concentrate use in the U.S. and identify differences across regions of the country with varying cannabis legalization policies. Tweets were collected between October 20 and December 20, 2014, using Twitter's streaming API. Twitter data filtering framework was available through the eDrugTrends platform. Raw and adjusted percentages of dabs-related tweets per state were calculated. A permutation test was used to examine differences in the adjusted percentages of dabs-related tweets among U.S. states with different cannabis legalization policies. eDrugTrends collected a total of 125,255 tweets. Almost 22% (n=27,018) of these tweets contained identifiable state-level geolocation information. Dabs-related tweet volume for each state was adjusted using a general sample of tweets to account for different levels of overall tweeting activity for each state. Adjusted percentages of dabs-related tweets were highest in states that allowed recreational and/or medicinal cannabis use and lowest in states that have not passed medical cannabis use laws. The differences were statistically significant. Twitter data suggest greater popularity of dabs in the states that legalized recreational and/or medical use of cannabis. The study provides new information on the epidemiology of marijuana concentrate use and contributes to the emerging field of social media analysis for drug abuse research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

“Time for dabs”: Analyzing Twitter data on marijuana concentrates across the U.S.

PubMed Central

Daniulaityte, Raminta; Nahhas, Ramzi W.; Wijeratne, Sanjaya; Carlson, Robert G.; Lamy, Francois R.; Martins, Silvia S.; Boyer, Edward W.; Smith, G. Alan; Sheth, Amit

2015-01-01

Aims Media reports suggest increasing popularity of marijuana concentrates (“dabs”; “earwax”; “budder”; “shatter; “butane hash oil”) that are typically vaporized and inhaled via a bong, vaporizer or electronic cigarette. However, data on the epidemiology of marijuana concentrate use remain limited. This study aims to explore Twitter data on marijuana concentrate use in the U.S. and identify differences across regions of the country with varying cannabis legalization policies. Methods Tweets were collected between October 20 and December 20, 2014, using Twitter's streaming API. Twitter data filtering framework was available through the eDrugTrends platform. Raw and adjusted percentages of dabs-related tweets per state were calculated. A permutation test was used to examine differences in the adjusted percentages of dabs-related tweets among U.S. states with different cannabis legalization policies. Results eDrugTrends collected a total of 125,255 tweets. Almost 22% (n=27,018) of these tweets contained identifiable state-level geolocation information. Dabs-related tweet volume for each state was adjusted using a general sample of tweets to account for different levels of overall tweeting activity for each state. Adjusted percentages of dabs-related tweets were highest in states that allowed recreational and/or medicinal cannabis use and lowest in states that have not passed medical cannabis use laws. The differences were statistically significant. Conclusions Twitter data suggest greater popularity of dabs in the states that legalized recreational and/or medical use of cannabis. The study provides new information on the epidemiology of marijuana concentrate use and contributes to the emerging field of social media analysis for drug abuse research. PMID:26338481

Assessment of changing interdependencies between human electroencephalograms using nonlinear methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereda, E.; Rial, R.; Gamundi, A.; González, J.

2001-01-01

We investigate the problems that might arise when two recently developed methods for detecting interdependencies between time series using state space embedding are applied to signals of different complexity. With this aim, these methods were used to assess the interdependencies between two electroencephalographic channels from 10 adult human subjects during different vigilance states. The significance and nature of the measured interdependencies were checked by comparing the results of the original data with those of different types of surrogates. We found that even with proper reconstructions of the dynamics of the time series, both methods may give wrong statistical evidence of decreasing interdependencies during deep sleep due to changes in the complexity of each individual channel. The main factor responsible for this result was the use of an insufficient number of neighbors in the calculations. Once this problem was surmounted, both methods showed the existence of a significant relationship between the channels which was mostly of linear type and increased from awake to slow wave sleep. We conclude that the significance of the qualitative results provided for both methods must be carefully tested before drawing any conclusion about the implications of such results.

Psychological Distress in Patients with Symptomatic Vitreous Floaters

PubMed Central

Yim, Kyung Mi; Seong, Su Jeong

2017-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the degree of psychological distress in symptomatic vitreous floater patients and to evaluate whether these psychological factors are associated with the severity of discomfort associated with vitreous floaters. Methods We recruited 61 patients with symptomatic vitreous floaters and 34 controls. The degree of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) was evaluated using optical coherence tomography. We measured the level of depression, perceived stress, state, and trait anxiety and the degree of floater-associated discomfort with self-administered questionnaire. We compared psychological parameters between floater patients and control. We also compared clinical and psychological characteristics among different floater-associated discomfort severity groups. Results Symptomatic vitreous floater patients showed higher rate of complete PVD and higher psychological distress compared to the control. On multiple logistic regression analysis, complete PVD (p = 0.001), depression (p = 0.001), and younger age (p = 0.037) were significantly associated with symptomatic floaters. There were no significant differences in complete PVD rate among different discomfort groups, while severe discomfort group showed higher depression, perceived stress, and state and trait anxiety compared to the other two milder symptom groups. Conclusions Symptomatic vitreous floater patients showed substantial level of psychological distress, and the severity of floater symptoms was significantly associated with psychological distress. PMID:29375909

Psychological Distress in Patients with Symptomatic Vitreous Floaters.

PubMed

Kim, Yong-Kyu; Moon, Su Young; Yim, Kyung Mi; Seong, Su Jeong; Hwang, Jae Yeon; Park, Sung Pyo

2017-01-01

To evaluate the degree of psychological distress in symptomatic vitreous floater patients and to evaluate whether these psychological factors are associated with the severity of discomfort associated with vitreous floaters. We recruited 61 patients with symptomatic vitreous floaters and 34 controls. The degree of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) was evaluated using optical coherence tomography. We measured the level of depression, perceived stress, state, and trait anxiety and the degree of floater-associated discomfort with self-administered questionnaire. We compared psychological parameters between floater patients and control. We also compared clinical and psychological characteristics among different floater-associated discomfort severity groups. Symptomatic vitreous floater patients showed higher rate of complete PVD and higher psychological distress compared to the control. On multiple logistic regression analysis, complete PVD ( p = 0.001), depression ( p = 0.001), and younger age ( p = 0.037) were significantly associated with symptomatic floaters. There were no significant differences in complete PVD rate among different discomfort groups, while severe discomfort group showed higher depression, perceived stress, and state and trait anxiety compared to the other two milder symptom groups. Symptomatic vitreous floater patients showed substantial level of psychological distress, and the severity of floater symptoms was significantly associated with psychological distress.

The Importance of Ethical Training for the Improvement of Ethical Decision-Making: Evidence from Germany and the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rottig, Daniel; Heischmidt, Kenneth A.

2007-01-01

Based on three independent samples from Germany and the United States, this exploratory, cross-cultural study examines empirically the importance of ethical training for the improvement of ethical decision-making. The results of the study reveal a significant difference in the use of corporate codes of conduct and ethical training, as well as…

Comparative analysis of Edwardsiella tarda isolates from fish in the eastern United States suggests the existence of two genetically distinct species, Edwardsiella tarda and Edwardsiella pseudotarda sp. nov

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Edwardsiella tarda, a Gram-negative member of the family Enterobacteriaceae, is often implicated in significant losses in aquaculture facilities worldwide. Here, we assessed the intra-specific variability of a collection of E. tarda isolates from 4 different fish species in the eastern United State...

Anxiety symptoms in crack cocaine and inhalant users admitted to a psychiatric hospital in southern Brazil.

PubMed

Zubaran, Carlos; Foresti, Katia; Thorell, Mariana Rossi; Franceschini, Paulo Roberto

2013-01-01

The occurrence of psychiatric comorbidity among individuals with crack or inhalant dependence is frequently observed. The objective of this study was to investigate anxiety symptoms among crack cocaine and inhalant users in southern Brazil. The study investigated two groups of volunteers of equal size (n=50): one group consisted of crack cocaine users, and the other group consisted of inhalant users. Research volunteers completed the Portuguese versions of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), and Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ). Both crack and inhalant users experience significant symptoms of anxiety. Inhalant users presented significantly more anxiety symptoms than crack users according to the HAM-A questionnaire only. In contrast to the results of the HAM-A, the STAI failed to demonstrate a significant difference between the two groups of substance users. SRQ scores revealed that crack and inhalants users had significant degrees of morbidity. A significant difference regarding anxiety symptomatology, especially state anxiety, was observed among inhalant and crack users. Anxiety and overall mental psychopathology were significantly correlated in this sample. The results indicate that screening initiatives to detect anxiety and additional psychiatric comorbidities among crack and inhalant users are feasible and relevant. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

A comparison of protocols and observer precision for measuring physical stream attributes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Whitacre, H.W.; Roper, B.B.; Kershner, J.L.

2007-01-01

Stream monitoring programs commonly measure physical attributes to assess the effect of land management on stream habitat. Variability associated with the measurement of these attributes has been linked to a number of factors, but few studies have evaluated variability due to differences in protocols. We compared six protocols, five used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and one by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, on six streams in Oregon and Idaho to determine whether differences in protocol affect values for 10 physical stream attributes. Results from Oregon and Idaho were combined for groups participating in both states, with significant differences in attribute means for 9 out of the 10 stream attributes. Significant differences occurred in 5 of 10 in Idaho, and 10 of 10 in Oregon. Coefficients of variation, signal-to-noise ratio, and root mean square error were used to evaluate measurement precision. There were differences among protocols for all attributes when states were analyzed separately and as a combined dataset. Measurement differences were influenced by choice of instruments, measurement method, measurement location, attribute definitions, and training approach. Comparison of data gathered by observers using different protocols will be difficult unless a core set of protocols for commonly measured stream attributes can be standardized among monitoring programs.

Characteristics of Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Intractable Unilateral Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Patients with Impaired Executive Control Function

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chao; Yang, Hongyu; Qin, Wen; Liu, Chang; Qi, Zhigang; Chen, Nan; Li, Kuncheng

2017-01-01

Executive control function (ECF) deficit is a common complication of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Characteristics of brain network connectivity in TLE with ECF dysfunction are still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate resting-state functional connectivity (FC) changes in patients with unilateral intractable TLE with impaired ECF. Forty right-handed patients with left TLE confirmed by comprehensive preoperative evaluation and postoperative pathological findings were enrolled. The patients were divided into normal ECF (G1) and decreased ECF (G2) groups according to whether they showed ECF impairment on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). Twenty-three healthy volunteers were recruited as the healthy control (HC) group. All subjects underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Group-information-guided independent component analysis (GIG-ICA) was performed to estimate resting-state networks (RSNs) for all subjects. General linear model (GLM) was employed to analyze intra-network FC (p < 0.05, false discovery rate, FDR correction) and inter-network FC (p < 0.05, Bonferroni correction) of RSN among three groups. Pearson correlations between FC and neuropsychological tests were also determined through partial correlation analysis (p < 0.05). Eleven meaningful RSNs were identified from 40 left TLE and 23 HC subjects. Comparison of intra-network FC of all 11 meaningful RSNs did not reveal significant difference among the three groups (p > 0.05, FDR correction). For inter-network analysis, G2 exhibited decreased FC between the executive control network (ECN) and default-mode network (DMN) when compared with G1 (p = 0.000, Bonferroni correction) and HC (p = 0.000, Bonferroni correction). G1 showed no significant difference of FC between ECN and DMN when compared with HC. Furthermore, FC between ECN and DMN had significant negative correlation with perseverative responses (RP), response errors (RE) and perseverative errors (RPE) and had significant positive correlation categories completed (CC) in both G1 and G2 (p < 0.05). No significant difference of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was found between G1 and G2, while intelligence quotient (IQ) testing showed significant difference between G1and G2.There was no correlation between FC and either MoCA or IQ performance. Our findings suggest that ECF impairment in unilateral TLE is not confined to the diseased temporal lobe. Decreased FC between DMN and ECN may be an important characteristic of RSN in intractable unilateral TLE. PMID:29375338

Hospital Utilization and Cost Trends in Canada and the United States

PubMed Central

Andersen, Ronald; Hull, John T.

1969-01-01

Differences in hospital costs and utilization between the United States and Canada are analyzed and an attempt made to measure the significance of various demographic, economic, and other factors thought to be related to the differences. Increases in utilization are traced to population increases and to actual increased use per person; and cost increases tied to general inflationary trends are separated from those attributable to specific hospital price increases. Differences in the financing and reimbursement mechanisms in the two countries are shown to have had little effect on relative cost increases, which in the period under consideration were parallelled by similar or greater increases in other industrialized nations. PMID:4981616

[Assessment of energy metabolism and nutritional supply in children with mechanical ventilation].

PubMed

Ji, Jian; Qian, Suyun; Yan, Jie

2016-01-01

To determine the resting energy expenditure on mechanical ventilation in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) by indirect calorimetry, and analyze the distribution of metabolic states. The nutrition supply was assessed according to the resting energy expenditure. An observational study which was held in PICU of Beijing Children's Hospital from November 2013 to April 2014. Critically ill children with mechanical ventilation were enrolled in this study. The inclusion criteria included the following: (1) pediatric critical illness score < 90, or meet the United States PICU admission criteria; (2) age > 29 days, < 18 years old; (3) time of mechanical ventilation > 24 hours; (4) volume of mechanical ventilation > 60 ml. Resting energy expenditure was determined by US Med Graphic Company CCM/D energy metabolism test system. Predictive resting energy expenditure was calculated for each subject with age-appropriate equation (Schofield-HTWT). According to the actual energy intake records and required energy intake (10% higher than the measured value) to define the nutritional status. The selected subjects were grouped according to gender, age, types of disease and nutritional status, and compared the metabolic status and nutritional supply of different groups. Sixty-eight children were enrolled in this study, 46 were boys and 22 were girls, including 25 cases of pneumonia with respiratory failure, 23 cases of central nervous system diseases complicated with respiratory failure and 20 cases of postoperative tracheal intubation. The ratio of boys and girls was 2:1. The results showed 36 patients in a low metabolic state, accounting for 53%, 23 patients in a high metabolic state, accounting for 34% and 9 patients (13%) in the metabolism of the normal state. In the male children, 12 cases (26%) were in the high metabolism and 26 cases (57%) were in the low metabolism, and 8 cases (17%) were in the normal metabolism. In the female children, 11 cases (50%) were classified into high metabolism; 10 cases (45%) into low metabolism and 1 case (5%) was classified into normal metabolism. There was no significant difference in the distribution of metabolic status among different gender(χ(2) = 4.176, P = 0.095). In terms of ages, 15 cases (63%) were mainly in high metabolism in the patients at age < 3 years, 19 and 11 patients in 3-9 and 10-18 years age group respectively are mostly in low metabolism. As to the diseases, pneumonia complicated with respiratory failure and central nervous system diseases complicated with respiratory failure with mechanical ventilation (respectively 15 cases (60%) and 12 cases (52%)) were in low metabolism mainly; 11 cases of postoperative tracheal intubation were in high metabolism states, accounting for 55%. The distribution of metabolic status in different age and clinical diagnosis had significant difference. Thirty-one patients had normal nutrients supply, accounting for 46%, 37 patients had inappropriate nutrition supply, accounting for 54%, including insufficient supplies of nutrients in 22 cases, accounting for 32%, excessive supplies of nutrients were seen in 15 cases(22%). There were no statistically significant differences among the different types of diseases. There are differences in the metabolic state of the mechanical ventilation in critically ill patients, mainly in low metabolic state. The age and types of diseases can affect the metabolic status of patients. Empirical nutritional support is not applicable to patients.

A Multisample Analysis of Psychometric Properties for the Malaysian Adapted Sport Anxiety Scale-2 Among Youth Athletes.

PubMed

Hashim, Hairul Anuar; Shaharuddin, Saidatin Sabiyah; Hamidan, Shazarina; Grove, J Robert

2017-02-01

This study examined psychometric properties of a Malaysian-language Sport Anxiety Scale-2 (SAS-2) in three separate studies. Study 1 examined the criterion validity and internal consistency of SAS-2 among 119 developmental hockey players. Measures of trait anxiety and mood states along with digit vigilance, choice reaction time, and depth perception tests were administered. Regression analysis revealed that somatic anxiety and concentration disruption were significantly associated with sustained attention. Worry was significantly associated with depth perception but not sustained attention. Pearson correlation coefficients also revealed significant relationships between SAS-2 subscales and negative mood state dimensions. Study 2 examined the convergent and discriminant validity of SAS-2 by correlating it with state anxiety measured by the CSAI-2R. Significant positive relationships were obtained between SAS-2 subscales and somatic and cognitive state anxiety. Conversely, state self-confidence was negatively related to SAS-2 subscales. In addition, significant differences were observed between men and women in somatic anxiety. Study 3 examined the factorial validity of the Malaysian SAS-2 using confirmatory factor analysis in a sample of 539 young athletes. Confirmatory factor analysis results provided strong support for the SAS-2 factor structure. Path loadings exceeding 0.5 indicated convergent validity among the subscales, and low to moderate subscale intercorrelations provided evidence of discriminant validity. Overall, the results supported the criterion and construct validity of this Malaysian-language SAS-2 instrument.

Test of neural inertia in humans during general anaesthesia.

PubMed

Kuizenga, M H; Colin, P J; Reyntjens, K M E M; Touw, D J; Nalbat, H; Knotnerus, F H; Vereecke, H E M; Struys, M M R F

2018-03-01

Neural inertia is defined as the tendency of the central nervous system to resist transitions between arousal states. This phenomenon has been observed in mice and Drosophila anaesthetized with volatile anaesthetics: the effect-site concentration required to induce anaesthesia in 50% of the population (C 50 ) was significantly higher than the effect-site concentration for 50% of the population to recover from anaesthesia. We evaluated this phenomenon in humans using propofol or sevoflurane (both with or without remifentanil) as anaesthetic agents. Thirty-six healthy volunteers received four sessions of anaesthesia with different drug combinations in a step-up/step-down design. Propofol or sevoflurane was administered with or without remifentanil. Serum concentrations of propofol and remifentanil were measured from arterial blood samples. Loss and return of responsiveness (LOR-ROR), response to pain (PAIN), Patient State Index (PSI) and spectral edge frequency (SEF) were modeled with NONMEM®. For propofol, the C 50 for induction and recovery of anaesthesia was not significantly different across the different endpoints. For sevoflurane, for all endpoints except SEF, significant differences were found. For some endpoints (LOR and PAIN) the difference was significant only when sevoflurane was combined with remifentanil. Our results nuance earlier findings with volatile anaesthetics in mice and Drosophila. Methodological aspects of the study, such as the measured endpoint, influence the detection of neural inertia. A more thorough definition of neural inertia, with a robust methodological framework for clinical studies is required to advance our knowledge of this phenomenon. NCT 02043938. Copyright © 2017 British Journal of Anaesthesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health state utility instruments compared: inquiring into nonlinearity across EQ-5D-5L, SF-6D, HUI-3 and 15D.

PubMed

Gamst-Klaussen, Thor; Chen, Gang; Lamu, Admassu N; Olsen, Jan Abel

2016-07-01

Different health state utility (HSU) instruments produce different utilities for the same individuals, thereby compromising the intended comparability of economic evaluations of health care interventions. When developing crosswalks, previous studies have indicated nonlinear relationships. This paper inquires into the degree of nonlinearity across the four most widely used HSU-instruments and proposes exchange rates that differ depending on the severity levels of the health state utility scale. Overall, 7933 respondents from six countries, 1760 in a non-diagnosed healthy group and 6173 in seven disease groups, reported their health states using four different instruments: EQ-5D-5L, SF-6D, HUI-3 and 15D. Quantile regressions investigate the degree of nonlinear relationships between these instruments. To compare the instruments across different disease severities, we split the health state utility scale into utility intervals with 0.2 successive decrements in utility starting from perfect health at 1.00. Exchange rates (ERs) are calculated as the mean utility difference between two utility intervals on one HSU-instrument divided by the difference in mean utility on another HSU-instrument. Quantile regressions reveal significant nonlinear relationships across all four HSU-instruments. The degrees of nonlinearities differ, with a maximum degree of difference in the coefficients along the health state utility scale of 3.34 when SF-6D is regressed on EQ-5D. At the lower end of the health state utility scale, the exchange rate from SF-6D to EQ-5D is 2.11, whilst at the upper end it is 0.38. Comparisons at different utility levels illustrate the fallacy of using linear functions as crosswalks between HSU-instruments. The existence of nonlinear relationships between different HSU-instruments suggests that level-specific exchange rates should be used when converting a change in utility on the instrument used, onto a corresponding utility change had another instrument been used. Accounting for nonlinearities will increase the validity of the comparison for decision makers when faced with a choice between interventions whose calculations of QALY gains have been based on different HSU-instruments.

Predictors of expressive writing content and posttraumatic stress following a mass shooting.

PubMed

Reddy, Madhavi K; Seligowski, Antonia V; Rabenhorst, Mandy M; Orcutt, Holly K

2015-05-01

This study examined relations among experiential avoidance, state dissociation during writing, cognitive-emotional processing, and posttraumatic stress in the context of an expressive writing task among 58 undergraduate females who were students at a large midwestern university that had recently experienced a mass shooting. Experiential avoidance significantly predicted reported suppression during the writing task. Additionally, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) at the time of the writing task were significantly associated with state dissociation, suppression, and the use of positive emotion words during the writing. Finally, at the zero-order level, prospective PTSS were associated with state dissociation and suppression during the earlier writing task. However, in a full regression model, only experiential avoidance and PTSS at the time of the writing task significantly predicted prospective PTSS. Supplemental analyses suggest processes may operate differently across levels of exposure. Findings from the present study provide further support for the role of experiential avoidance, state dissociation during writing, and cognitive-emotional processing in predicting PTSS. Additionally, experiential avoidance may play an important role in how individuals use cognitive-emotional processing to narrate a traumatic event. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

[Comparing the value of ecological protection in Sanjiang Plain wetland, Northeast China based on the stated preference method.

PubMed

Fan, Zi Juan; Ao, Chang Lin; Mao, Bi Qi; Chen, Hong Guang; Wang, Xu Dong

2017-02-01

Stated preference method is usually used to evaluate the non-market value of environmental goods which includes contingent valuation method (CVM) and choice experiments (CE). In this paper, stated preference method was adopted to evaluate the non-market value of Sanjiang Plain wetland. A willingness to pay (WTP) evaluation model of stated preference method was constructed based on the random utility theory. The average WTP of CVM and CE was obtained, respectively. The average WTP elicited by CE was 379 yuan per year, and the marginal WTPs of different selection properties including water conservation, wetland area, natural landscape and biodiversity were114.00, 72.55, 59.55 and 37.09 yuan per year, respectively. Meanwhile, the average WTP elicited by CVM was 134 yuan per year. The influence of factors on WTP was analyzed and reasons for protest responses were discussed. Results showed that the respondents' WTP elicited by CE was signi-ficantly higher than that by CVM, and respondents' socio-economic attitudes such as level of education and personal annual income had a significant positive impact on respondents' WTP. There were no significant difference in the reasons of protest responses between CVM and CE. Besides, respondents' multiple attributes and multiple levels analysis could be carried out by CE and the WTP of wetland's selection attributes could be calculated. Therefore, CE had the better ability of revealing respondents' preference information than CVM and its assessment results were more close to the actual value.

Paid family leave's effect on hospital admissions for pediatric abusive head trauma.

PubMed

Klevens, Joanne; Luo, Feijun; Xu, Likang; Peterson, Cora; Latzman, Natasha E

2016-12-01

Paediatric abusive head trauma (AHT) is a leading cause of fatal child maltreatment among young children. Current prevention efforts have not been consistently effective. Policies such as paid parental leave could potentially prevent AHT, given its impacts on risk factors for child maltreatment. To explore associations between California's 2004 paid family leave (PFL) policy and hospital admissions for AHT, we used difference-in-difference analyses of 1995-2011 US state-level data before and after the policy in California and seven comparison states. Compared with seven states with no PFL policies, California's 2004 PFL showed a significant decrease in AHT admissions in both <1 and <2-year-olds. Analyses using additional data years and comparators could yield different results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Differences in practitioners' proficiency affect the effectiveness of massage therapy on physical and psychological states.

PubMed

Donoyama, Nozomi; Shibasaki, Masanao

2010-07-01

An examination was made of how differences in the proficiency of massage practitioners had different physical and psychological effects on clients. Eight healthy 50-year-old females, suffering from chronic neck and shoulder stiffness, were recruited and four interventions were conducted: three 40-minute massage therapy interventions, one each by a freshman and a sophomore student studying massage therapy, and one by their instructor, and one rest on the massage table. Visual analogue scale score for muscle stiffness in the neck and shoulder, state anxiety score, and salivary cortisol concentration levels and secretory immunoglobulin A, were measured pre- and post- interventions. Visual analogue scale of neck and shoulder stiffness after massage by the instructor was significantly lower than that after the other interventions, and the score of state anxiety was lower than that after resting. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dangerous Knowledge: On the Epistemic and Moral Significance of Arts in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, David

2010-01-01

Despite differences, it would seem that Plato and Aristotle agreed in according epistemic and educational significance to the arts. Whereas Plato regarded the arts as (largely) sources of sophistry and delusion and was prepared to exile the artist from his ideal state, Aristotle clearly considered poetry to be of value for the education of…

En Route Air Traffic Control Input Devices for the Next Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mainini, Matthew J.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of different input device configurations when trial planning new routes for aircraft in an advanced simulation of the en route workstation. The task of trial planning is one of the futuristic tools that is performed by the graphical manipulation of an aircraft's trajectory to reroute the aircraft without voice communication. In this study with two input devices, the FAA's current trackball and a basic optical computer mouse were evaluated with "pick" button in a click-and-hold state and a click-and-release state while the participant dragged the trial plan line. The trial plan was used for three different conflict types: Aircraft Conflicts, Weather Conflicts, and Aircraft + Weather Conflicts. Speed and accuracy were the primary dependent variables. Results indicate that the mouse conditions were significantly faster than the trackball conditions overall with no significant loss of accuracy. Several performance ratings and preference ratings were analyzed from post-run and post-simulation questionnaires. The release conditions were significantly more useful and likable than the hold conditions. The results suggest that the mouse in the release button state was the fastest and most well liked device configuration for trial planning in the en route workstation. Keywords-input devices, en route, controller, workstation, mouse, trackball, NextGen

Gender Differences in Autonomic Control of the Cardiovascular System.

PubMed

Pothineni, Naga Venkata; Shirazi, Lily F; Mehta, Jawahar L

2016-01-01

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a key regulator of the cardiovascular system. The two arms of the ANS, sympathetic and parasympathetic (vagal) have co-regulatory effects on cardiac homeostasis. ANS modulation and dysfunction are also believed to affect various cardiac disease states. Over the past decade, there has been increasing evidence suggesting gender differences in ANS activity. In multiple previous studies, ANS activity was primarily assessed using heart rate variability, muscle sympathetic nerve activity, coronary blood flow velocity, and plasma biomarkers. Heart rate variability is a non-invasive measure, which can be analyzed in terms of low frequency and high frequency oscillations, which indicate the sympathetic and parasympathetic tone, respectively. These measures have been studied between women and men in states of rest and stress, and in cardiac disease. Studies support the concept of a significant gender difference in ANS activity. Further studies are indicated to elucidate specific differences and mechanisms, which could guide targeted therapy of various cardiovascular disease states.

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

Williamson, David L.; Olson, Jerry G.; Hannay, Cécile

An error in the energy formulation in the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) is identified and corrected. Ten year AMIP simulations are compared using the correct and incorrect energy formulations. Statistics of selected primary variables all indicate physically insignificant differences between the simulations, comparable to differences with simulations initialized with rounding sized perturbations. The two simulations are so similar mainly because of an inconsistency in the application of the incorrect energy formulation in the original CAM. CAM used the erroneous energy form to determine the states passed between the parameterizations, but used a form related to the correct formulation for themore » state passed from the parameterizations to the dynamical core. If the incorrect form is also used to determine the state passed to the dynamical core the simulations are significantly different. In addition, CAM uses the incorrect form for the global energy fixer, but that seems to be less important. The difference of the magnitude of the fixers using the correct and incorrect energy definitions is very small.« less

Energy considerations in the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM)

DOE PAGES

Williamson, David L.; Olson, Jerry G.; Hannay, Cécile; ...

2015-06-30

An error in the energy formulation in the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) is identified and corrected. Ten year AMIP simulations are compared using the correct and incorrect energy formulations. Statistics of selected primary variables all indicate physically insignificant differences between the simulations, comparable to differences with simulations initialized with rounding sized perturbations. The two simulations are so similar mainly because of an inconsistency in the application of the incorrect energy formulation in the original CAM. CAM used the erroneous energy form to determine the states passed between the parameterizations, but used a form related to the correct formulation for themore » state passed from the parameterizations to the dynamical core. If the incorrect form is also used to determine the state passed to the dynamical core the simulations are significantly different. In addition, CAM uses the incorrect form for the global energy fixer, but that seems to be less important. The difference of the magnitude of the fixers using the correct and incorrect energy definitions is very small.« less

Biomechanical testing of circumferential instrumentation after cervical multilevel corpectomy.

PubMed

Hartmann, Sebastian; Thomé, Claudius; Keiler, Alexander; Fritsch, Helga; Hegewald, Aldemar Andres; Schmölz, Werner

2015-12-01

Biomechanical investigation. This study describes ex vivo evaluation of the range of motion (ROM) to characterize the stability and need for additional dorsal fixation after cervical single-level, two-level or multilevel corpectomy (CE) to elucidate biomechanical differences between anterior-only and supplemental dorsal instrumentation. Twelve human cervical cadaveric spines were loaded in a spine tester with pure moments of 1.5 Nm in lateral bending (LB), flexion/extension (FE), and axial rotation (AR), followed by two cyclic loading periods for three-level corpectomies. After each cyclic loading session, flexibility tests were performed for anterior-only instrumentation (group_1, six specimens) and circumferential instrumentation (group_2, six specimens). The flexibility tests for all circumferential instrumentations showed a significant decrease in ROM in comparison with the intact state and anterior-only instrumentations. In comparison with the intact state, supplemental dorsal instrumentation after three-level CE reduced the ROM to 12% (±10%), 9% (±12%), and 22% (±18%) in LB, FE, and AR, respectively. The anterior-only construct outperformed the intact state only in FE, with a significant ROM reduction to 57% (±35 %), 60% (±27%), and 62% (±35%) for one-, two- and three-level CE, respectively. The supplemental dorsal instrumentation provided significantly more stability than the anterior-only instrumentation regardless of the number of levels resected and the direction of motion. After cyclic loading, the absolute differences in stability between the two instrumentations remained significant while both instrumentations showed a comparable increase of ROM after cyclic loading. The large difference in the absolute ROM of anterior-only compared to circumferential instrumentations supports a dorsal support in case of three-level approaches.

The excited spin-triplet state of a charged exciton in quantum dots.

PubMed

Molas, M R; Nicolet, A A L; Piętka, B; Babiński, A; Potemski, M

2016-09-14

We report on spectroscopic studies of resonances related to ladder of states of a charged exciton in single GaAlAs/AlAs quantum dot structures. Polarization-resolved photoluminescence, photoluminescence excitation and photon-correlation measurements were performed at low (T  =  4.2 K) temperature also in magnetic field applied in Faraday configuration. The investigated resonances are assigned to three different configurations of a positively charged exciton. Together with a singlet ground state and a conventional triplet state (involving an electron from the ground state electronic s-shell), an excited triplet state, which involved an electron from the excited electronic p-shell was identified in single dots. The appearance of an emission line related to the latter complex is due to a partially suppressed electron relaxation in the investigated dots. An analysis of this emission line allows us to scrupulously determine properties of the excited triplet state and compare them with those of the conventional triplet state. Both triplets exhibit similar patterns of anisotropic fine structure and Zeeman splitting, however their amplitudes significantly differ for those two states. Presented results emphasize the role of the symmetry of the electronic state on the properties of the triplet states of two holes  +  electron excitonic complex.

Effect of age and single versus multiple dose pharmacokinetics of letrozole (Femara) in breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Pfister, C U; Martoni, A; Zamagni, C; Lelli, G; De Braud, F; Souppart, C; Duval, M; Hornberger, U

2001-07-01

Letrozole (trademark Femara) is a new orally active, potent and selective aromatase inhibitor for the hormonal treatment of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women. The pharmacokinetics of letrozole and the suppression of peripheral estrogens were studied in 28 breast cancer patients after a single dose and at steady state. The pharmacokinetics of two distinct age groups (> or =50, < or =65, N=15 and > or =70 years old, N=9) were compared. There were no significant differences in area under the curve (AUC) or terminal half-life between the two age groups neither after a single dose nor at steady state. However, when comparing steady state to single dose kinetics, half-life and AUC increased significantly by 42% (90% CI: 1.13, 1.78) and 28% (90% CI: 1.12, 1.47), respectively. This deviation from linearity was probably due to a partial saturation or auto-inhibition of the dominant metabolic clearance mechanism of letrozole. At steady state, approximately 70% of the administered dose was excreted in urine as unchanged letrozole (6.0+/-3.8%) or as the glucuronide of the major, pharmacologically inactive metabolite CGP44645 (64.2+/-22.7%). A single dose of letrozole caused suppression of serum estrogen levels close to the quantification limit of the assay. No difference between single dose suppression and suppression at steady state could be detected. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psychosocial factors and tooth wear with a significant component of attrition.

PubMed

da Silva, A M; Oakley, D A; Hemmings, K W; Newman, H N; Watkins, S

1997-06-01

Pathological tooth wear is often associated with bruxism, which appears in turn to be influenced by psychosocial factors. This study investigated putative relationships between psychosocial factors (total and average perceived stress, state and trait anxiety) and tooth wear, comparing 45 patients exhibiting tooth wear with a significant component of attrition to 45 controls. Groups were matched for gender and age. Subjects completed the Modified and Perceived Stress Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A between-groups multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the two groups did not differ significantly on the combined psychosocial factors, F(4,85) = 1.16, P > 0.05. However, a univariate F-test showed that tooth-wear patients presented significantly more trait anxiety than controls, F(1,88) = 4.15, P < 0.05. Further research is indicated to clarify the importance of trait anxiety and other psychosocial factors in the progression of tooth wear with a significant component of attrition.

New way for determining electron energy levels in quantum dots arrays using finite difference method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dujardin, F.; Assaid, E.; Feddi, E.

2018-06-01

Electronic states are investigated in quantum dots arrays, depending on the type of cubic Bravais lattice (primitive, body centered or face centered) according to which the dots are arranged, the size of the dots and the interdot distance. It is shown that the ground state energy level can undergo significant variations when these parameters are modified. The results were obtained by means of finite difference method which has proved to be easily adaptable, efficient and precise. The symmetry properties of the lattice have been used to reduce the size of the Hamiltonian matrix.

CFDP Performance over Weather-dependent Ka-band Channel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sung, I. U.; Gao, Jay L.

2006-01-01

This study presents an analysis of the delay performance of the CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP) over weather-dependent Ka-band channel. The Ka-band channel condition is determined by the strength of the atmospheric noise temperature, which is weather dependent. Noise temperature data collected from the Deep Space Network (DSN) Madrid site is used to characterize the correlations between good and bad channel states in a two-state Markov model. Specifically, the probability distribution of file delivery latency using the CFDP deferred Negative Acknowledgement (NAK) mode is derived and quantified. Deep space communication scenarios with different file sizes and bit error rates (BERs) are studied and compared. Furthermore, we also examine the sensitivity of our analysis with respect to different data sampling methods. Our analysis shows that while the weather-dependent channel only results in fairly small increases in the average number of CFDP retransmissions required, the maximum number of transmissions required to complete 99 percentile, on the other hand, is significantly larger for the weather-dependent channel due to the significant correlation of poor weather states.

CFDP Performance over Weather-Dependent Ka-Band Channel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

U, Sung I.; Gao, Jay L.

2006-01-01

This study presents an analysis of the delay performance of the CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP) over weather-dependent Ka-band channel. The Ka-band channel condition is determined by the strength of the atmospheric noise temperature, which is weather dependent. Noise temperature data collected from the Deep Space Network (DSN) Madrid site is used to characterize the correlations between good and bad channel states in a two-state Markov model. Specifically, the probability distribution of file delivery latency using the CFDP deferred Negative Acknowledgement (NAK) mode is derived and quantified. Deep space communication scenarios with different file sizes and bit error rates (BERs) are studied and compared. Furthermore, we also examine the sensitivity of our analysis with respect to different data sampling methods. Our analysis shows that while the weather-dependent channel only results in fairly small increases in the average number of CFDP retransmissions required, the maximum number of transmissions required to complete 99 percentile, on the other hand, is significantly larger for the weather-dependent channel due to the significant correlation of poor weather states.

Sexually transmissible infection and HIV management among men who have sex with men with and without HIV: survey of medical practitioners who are members of the Australasian Society for HIV Medicine.

PubMed

Fairley, Christopher K; Fehler, Glenda; Lewin, Sharon R; Pitts, Marian; Chen, Marcus Y; Bradshaw, Catriona S; Hocking, Jane S

2008-06-01

Rates of HIV in New South Wales (NSW) have been stable, but have increased significantly in other Australian states. The reasons for this are unknown and may be associated with differences in the management of sexually transmissible infections (STI) and HIV in different states in Australia. Our aim was to determine if the use of suppressive treatment for genital herpes, the treatment of HIV or STI screening practices were different between states in Australia. This study was a cross-sectional survey of medical practitioners who are S100 prescribers and members of the Australian Society for HIV Medicine. In general, there were no differences between the clinical practices of practitioners in NSW and other states except that in NSW fewer practitioners tested HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) for syphilis annually (NSW 78% v. others 87%, P = 0.04) or treated MSM with advanced HIV disease (CD4 < 150 x 10(6) cells L(-1)) with acicylovir in the absence of herpes simplex virus (HSV) (NSW 4% v. others 13%, P = 0.03), and more practitioners in NSW tested HIV-negative MSM for HSV type-specific serology (NSW 21% v. others 11%, P = 0.02). It is unlikely that the minor differences in HSV and HIV treatment or STI screening practices among practitioners in NSW and other Australian states explains the differences in HIV notifications between these two areas.

Role of Performance Goals in Prose Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaPorte, Ronald E.; Nath, Raghu

1976-01-01

Investigates a subject's internalized goals and the relationship of the goals to test performance as a function of different learning instructions. Stating specific goals was found to produce the most significant results among subjects. (Author/DEP)

Learning Objectives and Testing: An Analysis of Six Principles of Economics Textbooks, Using Bloom's Taxonomy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karns, James M. L.; And Others

1983-01-01

Significant differences were found between the stated objectives of most college level economics textbooks and the instruments included in the instructor's manuals to measure student achievement. (Author/RM)

The utility score of epilepsy with partial seizure measured by TTO, VAS, and EQ-5D in the general Korean population.

PubMed

Kang, Hee-Jin; Kang, Eunjeong; Jo, Min-Woo; Park, Eun-Ja; Yoon, Seonyoung; Lee, Eui-Kyung

2014-07-01

This study aimed to measure utilities, which are quantitative terms incorporating preferences, for various health states of epilepsy with partial seizure in the general population in South Korea. It also aimed to find socio-demographic characteristics associated with the utility scores. Utility scores using Time Trade-Off (TTO), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and EuroQol five Dimension (EQ-5D) were obtained from 300 people aged 16 and over by face-to-face interviews. We measured utilities for three hypothetical health states of epilepsy for which scenarios were defined based on the frequency of partial seizure: seizure-free, seizure reduction, and withdrawal. We compared utilities with varying seizure frequency using a repeated-measures ANOVA, and analyzed the association between utilities and socio-demographic characteristics using a generalized estimating equation (GEE). The mean utility scores for withdrawal state, seizure reduction state, and seizure-free state were 0.303, 0.493, and 0.899, respectively, when measured by TTO. VAS yielded the mean utility scores of 0.211, 0.424, and 0.752 for respective health states, and corresponding scores with EQ-5D were 0.261, 0.645, and 0.959. The utility scores for the three health states were statistically different in TTO, VAS, and EQ-5D. The withdrawal state had the lowest utility scores. There were differences in mean utilities for the three health states across the three methods. Utilities by EQ-5D tended to have higher values than those by TTO and VAS. Utilities by VAS had the lowest values. In GEE analysis, the severity of epilepsy and household income were significantly related to utility scores. The withdrawal state of epilepsy had the lowest utility value and the seizure-free state had the highest by all three techniques of utility measurement used. There were significant differences in utilities between one severity level of epilepsy and another. Utility was associated with household income and the severity of disease. Utility scores for distinct epilepsy states obtained in this study could facilitate health economic analyses of epilepsy treatments and thus help decision making in resource allocation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Differential Effects of Regular Shift Work and Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Sleepiness, Mood and Neurocognitive Function.

PubMed

Cori, Jennifer M; Jackson, Melinda L; Barnes, Maree; Westlake, Justine; Emerson, Paul; Lee, Jacen; Galante, Rosa; Hayley, Amie; Wilsmore, Nicholas; Kennedy, Gerard A; Howard, Mark

2018-06-15

To assess whether poor sleep quality experienced by regular shift workers and individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects neurobehavioral function similarly, or whether the different etiologies have distinct patterns of impairment. Thirty-seven shift workers (> 24 hours after their last shift), 36 untreated patients with OSA, and 39 healthy controls underwent assessment of sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESS]), mood (Beck Depression Index, State Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI], Profile of Mood States), vigilance (Psychomotor Vigilance Task [PVT], Oxford Sleep Resistance Test [OSLER], driving simulation), neurocognitive function (Logical Memory, Trails Making Task, Digit Span Task, Victoria Stroop Test) and polysomnography. Sleepiness (ESS score; median, interquartile range) did not differ between the OSA (10.5, 6.3-14) and shift work (7, 5-11.5) groups, but both had significantly elevated scores relative to the control group (5, 3-6). State anxiety (STAI-S) was the only mood variable that differed significantly between the OSA (35, 29-43) and shift work (30, 24-33.5) groups, however both demonstrated several mood deficits relative to the control group. The shift work and control groups performed similarly on neurobehavioral tasks (simulated driving, PVT, OSLER and neurocognitive tests), whereas the OSA group performed worse. On the PVT, lapses were significantly greater for the OSA group (3, 2-6) than both the shift work (2, 0-3.5) and control (1, 0-4) groups. Shift workers and patients with OSA had similar sleepiness and mood deficits relative to healthy individuals. However, only the patients with OSA showed deficits on vigilance and neurocognitive function relative to healthy individuals. These findings suggest that distinct causes of sleep disturbance likely result in different patterns of neurobehavioral dysfunction. © 2018 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Endothelial cell density after photorefractive keratectomy for moderate myopia using a 213 nm solid-state laser system.

PubMed

Tsiklis, Nikolaos S; Kymionis, George D; Pallikaris, Aristofanis I; Diakonis, Vasilios F; Ginis, Harilaos S; Kounis, George A; Panagopoulou, Sophia I; Pallikaris, Ioannis G

2007-11-01

To evaluate whether photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for moderate myopia using a solid-state laser with a wavelength of 213 nm alters the corneal endothelial cell density. University refractive surgery center. The corneal endothelium was analyzed preoperatively and 1, 6, and 12 months postoperatively using corneal confocal microscopy (modified HRT II with a Rostock Cornea Module, Heidelberg Engineering) in 60 eyes (30 patients). Patients were randomized to have myopic PRK using a 213 nm wavelength solid-state laser (study group) or a conventional 193 nm wavelength excimer laser (control group). Three endothelial images were acquired in each of 30 preoperative normal eyes to evaluate the repeatability of endothelial cell density measurements. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare the variations in endothelial cell density between the 2 lasers and the changes in endothelial cell density over time. There were no statistically significant differences in sex, age, corneal pachymetry, attempted correction, preoperative endothelial cell density, or postoperative refractive outcomes (uncorrected visual acuity, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, and spherical equivalent refraction) between the 2 groups (P>.05). The coefficient of repeatability of endothelial cell density was 131 cells/mm(2). The measured endothelial cell count per 1.0 mm(2) did not significantly change up to 1 year postoperatively in either group (both P>.05). No statistically significant difference was found between the 2 groups in any postoperative interval (P>.05). Photorefractive keratectomy for moderate myopia using a 213 nm wavelength solid-state laser or a conventional 193 nm wavelength excimer laser did not significantly affect corneal endothelial density during the 1-year postoperative period.

Cranial electrotherapy stimulation affects mood state but not levels of peripheral neurotrophic factors or hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal axis regulation.

PubMed

Roh, Hee-Tae; So, Wi-Young

2017-01-01

Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) is reported to aid in relieving symptoms of depression and anxiety, though the mechanism underlying this effect remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response and levels of neurotrophic factors, as well as changes in mood state, in patients undergoing CES therapy. Fifty healthy postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to either a Sham CES group (n = 25) or an Active CES group (n = 25). CES treatment was conducted in 20-minute sessions, three times per week for 8 weeks, using a micro current cranial electrotherapy stimulator. Blood samples were collected prior to and following the 8-week treatment period for measurement of cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and nerve growth factor (NGF) levels. Changes in mood state were also examined at the time of blood collection using the Profile of Mood States (POMS). No significant differences in cortisol, ACTH, BDNF, or NGF were observed between the two participant groups (p > 0.05) following the treatment period. However, those in the Active CES group exhibited significantly decreased Tension-Anxiety and Depression-Dejection scores on the POMS relative to pre-treatment scores (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Depression-Dejection scores following treatment were significantly lower in the Active CES group than in the Sham CES group (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in any other POMS scores such as Anger-Hostility, Vigor-Activity, Fatigue-Inertia, and Confusion-Bewilderment (p > 0.05). These results suggest that 8 weeks of CES treatment does not induce changes in blood levels of neurotrophic factors or HPA-axis-related hormones, though such treatment may be effective in treating symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The biomechanical influence of the deltotrapezoid fascia on horizontal and vertical acromioclavicular joint stability.

PubMed

Pastor, M F; Averbeck, A K; Welke, B; Smith, T; Claassen, L; Wellmann, M

2016-04-01

Many studies have investigated the biomechanical influence of the acromioclavicular (AC) and coracoclavicular (CC) ligaments on the stability of the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ). It has been shown that augmentation of the CC ligaments alone can result in residual horizontal instability. Our hypothesis was that the DTF would have a significant stabilizing effect on horizontal ACJ stability. In a biomechanical in vitro study a sequential injury of the ACJ was created on eight shoulders from full body, which were placed in an upright sitting position. The translation and rotation of the clavicle were measured in relation to the acromion using an optical navigation system in various states during thoracic-humeral elevation, abduction, and horizontal adduction. The three states were: an intact shoulder, complete sectioning of the AC ligaments, and a circular lesion of the DTF. Compared to the intact state we found a significant increase in anterior rotation of the clavicle of 1.11° (p = 0.012) and a tendency in lateral translation of 2.71 mm (p = 0.017) in relation to the acromion, with a combined lesion of AC ligaments and DTF. No significant differences were found between the intact state and the isolated dissected AC ligaments as well in adduction as elevation. A combined lesion of the AC ligaments and the DTF resulted in a quantitatively small but significant increase in anterior rotation and a tendency in lateral translation of the clavicle in relation to the acromion. These differences were quantitatively small, so that the clinical relevance of the stabilization effect of combined AC ligaments and DTF injuries is questionable.

Increased interhemispheric resting-state functional connectivity after sleep deprivation: a resting-state fMRI study.

PubMed

Zhu, Yuanqiang; Feng, Zhiyan; Xu, Junling; Fu, Chang; Sun, Jinbo; Yang, Xuejuan; Shi, Dapeng; Qin, Wei

2016-09-01

Several functional imaging studies have investigated the regional effects of sleep deprivation (SD) on impaired brain function; however, potential changes in the functional interactions between the cerebral hemispheres after SD are not well understood. In this study, we used a recently validated approach, voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC), to directly examine the changes in interhemispheric homotopic resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) after SD. Resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) was performed in 28 participants both after rest wakefulness (RW) and a total night of SD. An interhemispheric RSFC map was obtained by calculating the Pearson correlation (Fisher Z transformed) between each pair of homotopic voxel time series for each subject in each condition. The between-condition differences in interhemispheric RSFC were then examined at global and voxelwise levels separately. Significantly increased global VMHC was found after sleep deprivation; specifically, a significant increase in VMHC was found in specific brain regions, including the thalamus, paracentral lobule, supplementary motor area, postcentral gyrus and lingual gyrus. No regions showed significantly reduced VMHC after sleep deprivation. Further analysis indicates that these findings did not depend on the various sizes of smoothing kernels that were adopted in the preprocessing steps and that the differences in these regions were still significant with or without global signal regression. Our data suggest that the increased VMHC might reflect the compensatory involvement of bilateral brain areas, especially the bilateral thalamus, to prevent cognitive performance deterioration when sleep pressure is elevated after sleep deprivation. Our findings provide preliminary evidence of interhemispheric correlation changes after SD and contribute to a better understanding of the neural mechanisms of SD.

Basic and Advanced EMS Providers Are Equally Effective in Naloxone Administration for Opioid Overdose in Northern New England.

PubMed

Gulec, Nazey; Lahey, Joseph; Suozzi, James C; Sholl, Matthew; MacLean, Charles D; Wolfson, Daniel L

2018-01-01

Overdose mortality from illicit and prescription opioids has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, especially in rural areas. Naloxone is a safe and effective agent that has been shown to successfully reverse the effects of opioid overdose in the prehospital setting. The National EMS Scope of Practice Model currently only recommends advanced life support (ALS) providers to administer naloxone; however, some individual states have expanded this scope of practice to include intranasal (IN) administration of naloxone by basic life support (BLS) providers, including the Northern New England states. This study compares the effectiveness and appropriateness of naloxone administration between BLS and ALS providers. All Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine EMS patient encounters between April 1, 2014 and December 31, 2016 where naloxone was administered were examined and 3,219 patients were identified. The proportion of successful reversals of opioid overdose, based on improvement in the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), respiratory rate (RR), and provider global assessment (GA) of response to medication was compared between BLS and ALS providers using a Chi-Squared statistic, Fisher's exact or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. There was no significant difference in the percent improvement in GCS between BLS and ALS (64% and 64% P = 0.94). There was no significant difference in the percentage of improvement in RR between BLS and ALS (45% and 48% P = 0.43). There was a significant difference in the percentage of improvement of GA between BLS and ALS (80% and 67% P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in determining appropriate cases to administer naloxone where RR < 12 and GCS < 15 between BLS and ALS (42% and 43% P = 0.94). BLS providers were as effective as ALS providers in improving patient outcome measures after naloxone administration and in identifying patients for whom administration of naloxone is appropriate. These findings support expanding the National EMS Scope of Practice Model to include BLS administration of intranasal naloxone for suspected opioid overdoses.

Statistical trend analysis and extreme distribution of significant wave height from 1958 to 1999 - an application to the Italian Seas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martucci, G.; Carniel, S.; Chiggiato, J.; Sclavo, M.; Lionello, P.; Galati, M. B.

2010-06-01

The study is a statistical analysis of sea states timeseries derived using the wave model WAM forced by the ERA-40 dataset in selected areas near the Italian coasts. For the period 1 January 1958 to 31 December 1999 the analysis yields: (i) the existence of a negative trend in the annual- and winter-averaged sea state heights; (ii) the existence of a turning-point in late 80's in the annual-averaged trend of sea state heights at a site in the Northern Adriatic Sea; (iii) the overall absence of a significant trend in the annual-averaged mean durations of sea states over thresholds; (iv) the assessment of the extreme values on a time-scale of thousand years. The analysis uses two methods to obtain samples of extremes from the independent sea states: the r-largest annual maxima and the peak-over-threshold. The two methods show statistical differences in retrieving the return values and more generally in describing the significant wave field. The r-largest annual maxima method provides more reliable predictions of the extreme values especially for small return periods (<100 years). Finally, the study statistically proves the existence of decadal negative trends in the significant wave heights and by this it conveys useful information on the wave climatology of the Italian seas during the second half of the 20th century.

Contribution of small and medium enterprises to economic development: Evidence from a transiting economy.

PubMed

Obi, James; Ibidunni, Ayodotun Stephen; Tolulope, Atolagbe; Olokundun, Maxwell Ayodele; Amaihian, Augusta Bosede; Borishade, Taiye Tairat; Fred, Peter

2018-06-01

The focus of this research was to present a data article on the contribution of SMEs to economic development in a transiting economy. Descriptive research design was adopted in this study. Data were obtained from 600 respondents in 60 small-scale enterprises located in different parts of the country (20 small-scale enterprises located in Lagos State, 20 in Anambra State and 20 in Kano State of Nigeria respectively). Data analysis was carried out using tables and percentages and the null hypotheses of the study was tested using chi-square ( X 2 ) inferential statistical model at 5% level of significance. The findings revealed that there is a significant relationship between the operation of small and medium-scale enterprises and economic growth in developing nations.

A Two-Timescale Discretization Scheme for Collocation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Desai, Prasun; Conway, Bruce A.

2004-01-01

The development of a two-timescale discretization scheme for collocation is presented. This scheme allows a larger discretization to be utilized for smoothly varying state variables and a second finer discretization to be utilized for state variables having higher frequency dynamics. As such. the discretization scheme can be tailored to the dynamics of the particular state variables. In so doing. the size of the overall Nonlinear Programming (NLP) problem can be reduced significantly. Two two-timescale discretization architecture schemes are described. Comparison of results between the two-timescale method and conventional collocation show very good agreement. Differences of less than 0.5 percent are observed. Consequently. a significant reduction (by two-thirds) in the number of NLP parameters and iterations required for convergence can be achieved without sacrificing solution accuracy.

Time density curve analysis for C-arm FDCT PBV imaging.

PubMed

Kamran, Mudassar; Byrne, James V

2016-04-01

Parenchymal blood volume (PBV) estimation using C-arm flat detector computed tomography (FDCT) assumes a steady-state contrast concentration in cerebral vasculature for the scan duration. Using time density curve (TDC) analysis, we explored if the steady-state assumption is met for C-arm CT PBV scans, and how consistent the contrast-material dynamics in cerebral vasculature are across patients. Thirty C-arm FDCT datasets of 26 patients with aneurysmal-SAH, acquired as part of a prospective study comparing C-arm CT PBV with MR-PWI, were analysed. TDCs were extracted from the 2D rotational projections. Goodness-of-fit of TDCs to a steady-state horizontal-line-model and the statistical similarity among the individual TDCs were tested. Influence of the differences in TDC characteristics on the agreement of resulting PBV measurements with MR-CBV was calculated. Despite identical scan parameters and contrast-injection-protocol, the individual TDCs were statistically non-identical (p < 0.01). Using Dunn's multiple comparisons test, of the total 435 individual comparisons among the 30 TDCs, 330 comparisons (62%) reached statistical significance for difference. All TDCs deviated significantly (p < 0.01) from the steady-state horizontal-line-model. PBV values of those datasets for which the TDCs showed largest deviations from the steady-state model demonstrated poor agreement and correlation with MR-CBV, compared with the PBV values of those datasets for which the TDCs were closer to steady-state. For clinical C-arm CT PBV examinations, the administered contrast material does not reach the assumed 'ideal steady-state' for the duration of scan. Using a prolonged injection protocol, the degree to which the TDCs approximate the ideal steady-state influences the agreement of resulting PBV measurements with MR-CBV. © The Author(s) 2016.

Work-related injuries among commercial janitors in Washington State, comparisons by gender.

PubMed

Smith, Caroline K; Anderson, Naomi J

2017-09-01

We analyzed workers' compensation (WC) data to identify characteristics related to workers' compensation claim outcomes among janitorial service workers in Washington State. We analyzed WC data from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) State Fund (SF) from January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2013, for janitorial service workers employed in the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Services Sector. We constructed multivariable models to identify factors associated with higher medical costs and increased time lost from work. There were 2,390 janitorial service compensable claims available for analysis. There were significant differences in injury type and other factors by gender, age, and language preference. Linguistic minority status was associated with longer time loss and higher median medical costs. Women were estimated to account for 35% of janitorial service workers but made up 55% of the compensable claims in this study. Janitorial service workers comprise a large vulnerable occupational group in the U.S. workforce. Identifying differences by injury type and potential inequitable outcomes by gender and language is important to ensuring equal treatment in the workers' compensation process. There were significant differences in injury and individual characteristics between men and women in this study. Women had twice the estimated rate of injury to men, and were more likely to require Spanish language materials. Improving communication for training and knowledge about the workers' compensation system appear to be high priorities in this population of injured janitorial service workers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Sex differences and similarities in job attribute preferences: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Konrad, A M; Ritchie, J E; Lieb, P; Corrigall, E

2000-07-01

Many researchers have studied sex differences in job attribute preferences. The authors meta-analyzed 242 samples collected from 321,672 men and boys and 316,842 women and girls in the United States between 1970 and 1998. Findings indicated significant (p < .05) sex differences on 33 of 40 job attribute preferences examined. The effect sizes were small. Of the 33 significant differences, 26 had average effect sizes of magnitude .20 or less. The directions of the differences were generally consistent with gender roles and stereotypes. Many job attributes became relatively more important to women and girls in the 1980s and 1990s compared with the 1970s, indicating that women's aspirations to obtain job attributes rose as gender barriers to opportunity declined.

Quantitative determination of carbonaceous particle mixing state in Paris using single-particle mass spectrometer and aerosol mass spectrometer measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Healy, R. M.; Sciare, J.; Poulain, L.; Crippa, M.; Wiedensohler, A.; Prévôt, A. S. H.; Baltensperger, U.; Sarda-Estève, R.; McGuire, M. L.; Jeong, C.-H.; McGillicuddy, E.; O'Connor, I. P.; Sodeau, J. R.; Evans, G. J.; Wenger, J. C.

2013-09-01

Single-particle mixing state information can be a powerful tool for assessing the relative impact of local and regional sources of ambient particulate matter in urban environments. However, quantitative mixing state data are challenging to obtain using single-particle mass spectrometers. In this study, the quantitative chemical composition of carbonaceous single particles has been determined using an aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ATOFMS) as part of the MEGAPOLI 2010 winter campaign in Paris, France. Relative peak areas of marker ions for elemental carbon (EC), organic aerosol (OA), ammonium, nitrate, sulfate and potassium were compared with concurrent measurements from an Aerodyne high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS), a thermal-optical OCEC analyser and a particle into liquid sampler coupled with ion chromatography (PILS-IC). ATOFMS-derived estimated mass concentrations reproduced the variability of these species well (R2 = 0.67-0.78), and 10 discrete mixing states for carbonaceous particles were identified and quantified. The chemical mixing state of HR-ToF-AMS organic aerosol factors, resolved using positive matrix factorisation, was also investigated through comparison with the ATOFMS dataset. The results indicate that hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA) detected in Paris is associated with two EC-rich mixing states which differ in their relative sulfate content, while fresh biomass burning OA (BBOA) is associated with two mixing states which differ significantly in their OA / EC ratios. Aged biomass burning OA (OOA2-BBOA) was found to be significantly internally mixed with nitrate, while secondary, oxidised OA (OOA) was associated with five particle mixing states, each exhibiting different relative secondary inorganic ion content. Externally mixed secondary organic aerosol was not observed. These findings demonstrate the range of primary and secondary organic aerosol mixing states in Paris. Examination of the temporal behaviour and chemical composition of the ATOFMS classes also enabled estimation of the relative contribution of transported emissions of each chemical species and total particle mass in the size range investigated. Only 22% of the total ATOFMS-derived particle mass was apportioned to fresh, local emissions, with 78% apportioned to regional/continental-scale emissions.

Coin state properties in quantum walks

PubMed Central

Andrade, R. F. S.

2013-01-01

Recent experimental advances have measured individual coin components in discrete time quantum walks, which have not received the due attention in most theoretical studies on the theme. Here is presented a detailed investigation of the properties of M, the difference between square modulus of coin states of discrete quantum walks on a linear chain. Local expectation values are obtained in terms of real and imaginary parts of the Fourier transformed wave function. A simple expression is found for the average difference between coin states in terms of an angle θ gauging the coin operator and its initial state. These results are corroborated by numerical integration of dynamical equations in real space. The local dependence is characterized both by large and short period modulations. The richness of revealed patterns suggests that the amount of information stored and retrieved from quantum walks is significantly enhanced if M is taken into account. PMID:23756358

Sign of coupling in barrier-separated Bose-Einstein condensates and stability of double-ring systems

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

Brand, J.; Haigh, T. J.; Zuelicke, U.

We revisit recent claims about the instability of nonrotating tunnel coupled annular Bose-Einstein condensates leading to the emergence of angular momentum Josephson oscillation [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 050401 (2007)]. It was predicted that all stationary states with uniform density become unstable in certain parameter regimes. By careful analysis, we arrive at a different conclusion. We show that there is a stable nonrotating and uniform ground state for any value of the tunnel coupling and repulsive interactions. The instability of an excited state with {pi} phase difference between the condensates can be interpreted in terms of the familiar snake instability. Wemore » further discuss the sign of the tunnel coupling through a separating barrier, which carries significance for the nature of the stationary states. It is found to always be negative for physical reasons.« less

Chimera and phase-cluster states in populations of coupled chemical oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tinsley, Mark R.; Nkomo, Simbarashe; Showalter, Kenneth

2012-09-01

Populations of coupled oscillators may exhibit two coexisting subpopulations, one with synchronized oscillations and the other with unsynchronized oscillations, even though all of the oscillators are coupled to each other in an equivalent manner. This phenomenon, discovered about ten years ago in theoretical studies, was then further characterized and named the chimera state after the Greek mythological creature made up of different animals. The highly counterintuitive coexistence of coherent and incoherent oscillations in populations of identical oscillators, each with an equivalent coupling structure, inspired great interest and a flurry of theoretical activity. Here we report on experimental studies of chimera states and their relation to other synchronization states in populations of coupled chemical oscillators. Our experiments with coupled Belousov-Zhabotinsky oscillators and corresponding simulations reveal chimera behaviour that differs significantly from the behaviour found in theoretical studies of phase-oscillator models.

Theory of mind and central coherence in adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome.

PubMed

Beaumont, Renae; Newcombe, Peter

2006-07-01

The study investigated theory of mind and central coherence abilities in adults with high-functioning autism (HFA) or Asperger syndrome (AS) using naturalistic tasks. Twenty adults with HFA/AS correctly answered significantly fewer theory of mind questions than 20 controls on a forced-choice response task. On a narrative task, there were no differences in the proportion of mental state words between the two groups, although the participants with HFA/AS were less inclined to provide explanations for characters' mental states. No between-group differences existed on the central coherence questions of the forced-choice response task, and the participants with HFA/AS included an equivalent proportion of explanations for non-mental state phenomena in their narratives as did controls. These results support the theory of mind deficit account of autism spectrum disorders, and suggest that difficulties in mental state attribution cannot be exclusively attributed to weak central coherence.

Fifteen-minute music intervention reduces pre-radiotherapy anxiety in oncology patients.

PubMed

Chen, Lee-Chen; Wang, Tze-Fang; Shih, Yi-Nuo; Wu, Le-Jung

2013-08-01

Oncology patients may respond to radiation treatment with anxiety expressed as stress, fear, depression, and frustration. This study aimed to investigate effects of music intervention on reducing pre-radiotherapy anxiety in oncology patients. Quasi-experimental study with purposeful sampling was conducted in the Department of Radiation Oncology, at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Subjects were assigned into a music group (n = 100) receiving 15 min of music therapy prior to radiation and a control group (n = 100) receiving 15 min rest prior to radiation. Both groups were evaluated for pre- and post-test anxiety using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Physiological indicators of anxiety were measured pre- and post-test. Baseline State/Trait scores and vital signs were comparable between groups (P > 0.05). Mean change in pre- and post-test State/Trait scores showed significant decreases from baseline to post-test in both groups (all P < 0.05). A statistically significant difference was observed between music therapy and control groups in mean change of State anxiety scores (mean decreases 7.19 and 1.04, respectively; P < 0.001) and Trait anxiety scores (mean decreases 2.77 and 1.13, respectively; P = 0.036). In vital signs, both groups had significant decreases in pre- and post-test heart rate and respiration rate (P < 0.05). A statistically significant difference in mean change of systolic pressure was found between music and control groups (-5.69 ± 0.41 mmHg vs. -0.67 ± 1.29 mmHg, respectively; P = 0.009). Music therapy decreased State anxiety levels, Trait anxiety levels and systolic blood pressure in oncology patients who received the intervention prior to radiotherapy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diffusion of influenza viruses among migratory birds with a focus on the Southwest United States.

PubMed

Scotch, Matthew; Lam, Tommy Tsan-Yuk; Pabilonia, Kristy L; Anderson, Theodore; Baroch, John; Kohler, Dennis; DeLiberto, Thomas J

2014-08-01

The Southwest United States, including Arizona and New Mexico, has a diverse climate and is home to many different avian species. We sequenced the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of twenty influenza specimens for the years 2007-2009. This included four from Arizona, and sixteen from New Mexico. We analyzed the sequences and determined the following HA subtypes: H3, H4, H6, H8, and H11. For each subtype, we combined our virus sequences with those from a public database, and inferred phylogeographic models of influenza diffusion. Statistical phylogeography indicated that overall evolutionary diffusion of avian influenza viruses is geographically structured (p<0.05). In addition, we found that diffusion to the Southwest was often from nearby states including California. For H3, H4 and H6, the intra-flyway gene flow rates were significantly (p<0.001) higher than those of inter-flyway. Such rate difference was also observed in H8 and H11, yet, without statistical significance (p=0.132, p=0.190, respectively). Excluding any one flyway from the calculation generated similar results, suggesting that such barrier effect on gene flow rates is not exclusively produced by any single flyway. We also calculated the Bayes factor test for the significant non-zero rates between states and identified significant routes both within and across flyways. Such inter-flyway spread of influenza was probably the result of birds from four flyways co-mingling on breeding grounds in northern regions or marshaling on staging areas post breeding in Canada or Alaska, before moving south each fall. This study provides an initial analysis of evolutionary diffusion of avian influenza virus to and from the Southwest United States. However, more sequences from this region need to be generated to determine the role of host migration and other factors on influenza diffusion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring alert and drowsy states by modeling EEG source nonstationarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Sheng-Hsiou; Jung, Tzyy-Ping

2017-10-01

Objective. As a human brain performs various cognitive functions within ever-changing environments, states of the brain characterized by recorded brain activities such as electroencephalogram (EEG) are inevitably nonstationary. The challenges of analyzing the nonstationary EEG signals include finding neurocognitive sources that underlie different brain states and using EEG data to quantitatively assess the state changes. Approach. This study hypothesizes that brain activities under different states, e.g. levels of alertness, can be modeled as distinct compositions of statistically independent sources using independent component analysis (ICA). This study presents a framework to quantitatively assess the EEG source nonstationarity and estimate levels of alertness. The framework was tested against EEG data collected from 10 subjects performing a sustained-attention task in a driving simulator. Main results. Empirical results illustrate that EEG signals under alert versus drowsy states, indexed by reaction speeds to driving challenges, can be characterized by distinct ICA models. By quantifying the goodness-of-fit of each ICA model to the EEG data using the model deviation index (MDI), we found that MDIs were significantly correlated with the reaction speeds (r  =  -0.390 with alertness models and r  =  0.449 with drowsiness models) and the opposite correlations indicated that the two models accounted for sources in the alert and drowsy states, respectively. Based on the observed source nonstationarity, this study also proposes an online framework using a subject-specific ICA model trained with an initial (alert) state to track the level of alertness. For classification of alert against drowsy states, the proposed online framework achieved an averaged area-under-curve of 0.745 and compared favorably with a classic power-based approach. Significance. This ICA-based framework provides a new way to study changes of brain states and can be applied to monitoring cognitive or mental states of human operators in attention-critical settings or in passive brain-computer interfaces.

The importance of the viable but non-culturable state in human bacterial pathogens

PubMed Central

Li, Laam; Mendis, Nilmini; Trigui, Hana; Oliver, James D.; Faucher, Sebastien P.

2014-01-01

Many bacterial species have been found to exist in a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state since its discovery in 1982. VBNC cells are characterized by a loss of culturability on routine agar, which impairs their detection by conventional plate count techniques. This leads to an underestimation of total viable cells in environmental or clinical samples, and thus poses a risk to public health. In this review, we present recent findings on the VBNC state of human bacterial pathogens. The characteristics of VBNC cells, including the similarities and differences to viable, culturable cells and dead cells, and different detection methods are discussed. Exposure to various stresses can induce the VBNC state, and VBNC cells may be resuscitated back to culturable cells under suitable stimuli. The conditions that trigger the induction of the VBNC state and resuscitation from it are summarized and the mechanisms underlying these two processes are discussed. Last but not least, the significance of VBNC cells and their potential influence on human health are also reviewed. PMID:24917854

The association between neuropsychological scores and ethnicity, language, and acculturation variables in a large patient population.

PubMed

Boone, Kyle Brauer; Victor, Tara L; Wen, Johnny; Razani, Jill; Pontón, Marcel

2007-03-01

The relationship between ethnicity and cognitive test performance was examined in a sample of 161 patients referred for evaluation at a public hospital-affiliated neuropsychology clinic; 83 patients were Caucasian (non-Hispanic), 31 were African-American, 30 were Hispanic, and 17 were Asian. Significant group differences were present on some measures of language (Boston Naming Test), attention (Digit Span ACSS), constructional ability (Rey-Osterrieth [RO] copy), nonverbal processing speed (Trails A), and executive skills (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test [WCST]). Comparison of those who spoke English as a first language (or who learned English concurrently with a second language) versus those who spoke English as a second language (ESL) revealed significantly higher performance in the non-ESL group for Digit Span, Boston Naming Test, and FAS, and a higher score in the ESL group for RO copy. Boston Naming Test scores were significantly related to years educated in the United States; Boston Naming Test and Digit Span scores were significantly correlated with age at which conversational English was first learned and number of years in the United States; and finally, FAS scores were also significantly related to number of years in the United States. These findings are consistent with data from published literature on ethnic differences and the effects of acculturation on cognitive test performance in nonpatients, and also indicate that these observations are not attenuated by the presence of psychiatric or neurologic illness. The results further caution that normative data derived on Caucasian samples may not be appropriate for use with other ethnic groups.

Formation and aging of secondary organic aerosol from toluene: Changes in chemical composition, volatility, and hygroscopicity

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

Hildebrandt Ruiz, L.; Paciga, A. L.; Cerully, K. M.

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is transformed after its initial formation, but this chemical aging of SOA is poorly understood. Experiments were conducted in the Carnegie Mellon environmental chamber to form secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from the photo-oxidation of toluene and other small aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of NO x under different oxidizing conditions. The effects of the oxidizing condition on organic aerosol (OA) composition, mass yield, volatility, and hygroscopicity were explored. Higher exposure to the hydroxyl radical resulted in different OA composition, average carbon oxidation state (OS c), and mass yield. The OA oxidation state generallymore » increased during photo-oxidation, and the final OA OS c ranged from –0.29 to 0.16 in the performed experiments. The volatility of OA formed in these different experiments varied by as much as a factor of 30, demonstrating that the OA formed under different oxidizing conditions can have a significantly different saturation concentration. In conclusion, there was no clear correlation between hygroscopicity and oxidation state for this relatively hygroscopic SOA.« less

Formation and aging of secondary organic aerosol from toluene: Changes in chemical composition, volatility, and hygroscopicity

DOE PAGES

Hildebrandt Ruiz, L.; Paciga, A. L.; Cerully, K. M.; ...

2015-07-24

Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is transformed after its initial formation, but this chemical aging of SOA is poorly understood. Experiments were conducted in the Carnegie Mellon environmental chamber to form secondary organic aerosol (SOA) from the photo-oxidation of toluene and other small aromatic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of NO x under different oxidizing conditions. The effects of the oxidizing condition on organic aerosol (OA) composition, mass yield, volatility, and hygroscopicity were explored. Higher exposure to the hydroxyl radical resulted in different OA composition, average carbon oxidation state (OS c), and mass yield. The OA oxidation state generallymore » increased during photo-oxidation, and the final OA OS c ranged from –0.29 to 0.16 in the performed experiments. The volatility of OA formed in these different experiments varied by as much as a factor of 30, demonstrating that the OA formed under different oxidizing conditions can have a significantly different saturation concentration. In conclusion, there was no clear correlation between hygroscopicity and oxidation state for this relatively hygroscopic SOA.« less

The politics of risk in the Philippines: comparing state and NGO perceptions of disaster management.

PubMed

Bankoff, Greg; Hilhorst, Dorothea

2009-10-01

It is now generally appreciated that what constitutes vulnerability to one person is not necessarily perceived as such by the next. Different actors 'see' disasters as different types of events and as a result they prepare for, manage and record them in very different ways. This paper explores what different perceptions of vulnerability mean in terms of the understanding and practices of two significant sets of actors and stakeholders involved in disaster preparedness and management in the Philippines: the state and NGOs. Approaches to disaster are not just a function of people's perceptions of disaster risk but also of their understanding of the prevailing social order and social relations. Despite a shared vocabulary-which increasingly presents disasters as processes rather than events, takes a proactive rather than a reactive approach, and favours the inclusion of stakeholders rather than solely relying on technocratic management-different realities continue to make for different responses.

Comparing the health state preferences of older persons, informal caregivers and healthcare professionals: a vignette study.

PubMed

Hofman, Cynthia S; Makai, Peter; Blom, Jeanet W; Boter, Han; Buurman, Bianca M; Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M; Donders, Rogier; Melis, René J F

2015-01-01

The Older Persons and Informal Caregivers Survey-Minimum Dataset (TOPICS-MDS) collects uniform information from research projects funded under the Dutch National Care for the Elderly Programme. To compare the effectiveness of these projects a preference-weighted outcome measure that combined multidimensional TOPICS-MDS outcomes into a composite endpoint (TOPICS-CEP) was developed based on the health state preferences of older persons and informal caregivers. To derive preference weights for TOPICS-CEP's components based on health state preferences of healthcare professionals and to investigate whether these weights differ between disciplines and differ from those of older persons and informal caregivers. Vignette studies were conducted. Participants assessed the general wellbeing of older persons described in vignettes on a scale (0-10). Mixed linear analyses were used to obtain and compare the preference weights of the eight TOPICS-CEP components: morbidities, functional limitations, emotional wellbeing, pain experience, cognitive problems, social functioning, self-perceived health, and self-perceived quality of life (QOL). Overall, 330 healthcare professionals, 124 older persons and 76 informal caregivers participated. The preference weights were not significantly different between disciplines. However, the professionals' preference weights differed significantly from those of older persons and informal caregivers. Morbidities and functional limitations were given more weight by older persons and informal caregivers than by healthcare professionals [difference between preference weights: 0.12 and 0.07] while the opposite was true for pain experience, social functioning, and self-perceived QOL [difference between preference weights: 0.13, 0.15 and 0.26]. It is important to recognize the discrepancies between the health state preferences of various stakeholders to (1) correctly interpret results when studying the effectiveness of interventions in elderly care and (2) establish appropriate healthcare policies. Furthermore, we should strive to include older persons in our decision making process through a shared decision making approach.

Effect of L-arginine supplementation on immune responsiveness in patients with sickle cell disease.

PubMed

Scavella, Arnette; Leiva, Lily; Monjure, Hanh; Zea, Arnold H; Gardner, Renee V

2010-08-01

L-arginine (L-Arg) is deficient in sickle cell disease (SSD) during vasoocclusion. We investigated possible causal relationship between L-Arg deficiency and immune dysfunction in SSD in steady-state. Fifteen patients with SSD in steady-state and 13 controls were studied. Plasma L-Arg levels were measured using liquid chromatography. T cell subsets and CD3zeta (CD3zeta) chain expression were analyzed using flow cytometry. Lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and production of IL-6 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were evaluated with and without L-Arg. SSD patients had significantly lower L-Arg levels than controls. CD3 and CD19 cell populations were comparable for both groups, but SSD patients had above normal numbers of natural killer cells (P = 0.06). Patients and controls exhibited significantly increased lymphocyte blastogenesis to PHA after introduction of L-Arg to cultures; response of patients was significantly greater than values for control individuals. Proliferative response to candida in SSD patients was significantly lower than in controls; L-Arg supplementation did not increase this response. L-Arg had no effect on blastogenic response to PPD and candida albicans. No effect was likewise seen in production of IL-6 and IFN-gamma after addition of L-Arg. CD3zeta chain expression increased after addition of L-Arg in both groups; differences were insignificant. L-Arg levels in steady-state SSD are significantly lower than in controls. L-Arg supplementation enhanced lymphocyte blastogenesis to PHA for both controls and patients, but not in response to antigen. There were no significant differences in CD3zeta chain expression although upregulation of expression occurred after L-Arg supplementation for both groups. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Up-Conversion Intersystem Crossing Rates in Organic Emitters for Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence: Impact of the Nature of Singlet vs Triplet Excited States.

PubMed

Samanta, Pralok K; Kim, Dongwook; Coropceanu, Veaceslav; Brédas, Jean-Luc

2017-03-22

The rates for up-conversion intersystem crossing (UISC) from the T 1 state to the S 1 state are calculated for a series of organic emitters with an emphasis on thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials. Both the spin-orbit coupling and the energy difference between the S 1 and T 1 states (ΔE ST ) are evaluated, at the density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT levels. The calculated UISC rates and ΔE ST values are found to be in good agreement with available experimental data. Our results underline that small ΔE ST values and sizable spin-orbit coupling matrix elements have to be simultaneously realized in order to facilitate UISC and ultimately TADF. Importantly, the spatial separation of the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals of the emitter, a widely accepted strategy for the design of TADF molecules, does not necessarily lead to a sufficient reduction in ΔE ST ; in fact, either a significant charge-transfer (CT) contribution to the T 1 state or a minimal energy difference between the local-excitation and charge-transfer triplet states is required to achieve a small ΔE ST . Also, having S 1 and T 1 states of a different nature is found to strongly enhance spin-orbit coupling, which is consistent with the El-Sayed rule for ISC rates. Overall, our results indicate that having either similar energies for the local-excitation and charge-transfer triplet states or the right balance between a substantial CT contribution to T 1 and somewhat different natures of the S 1 and T 1 states, paves the way toward UISC enhancement and thus TADF efficiency improvement.

Osteoporotic cytokines and bone metabolism on rats with induced hyperthyroidism; changes as a result of reversal to euthyroidism.

PubMed

Simsek, Gönül; Karter, Yesari; Aydin, Seval; Uzun, Hafize

2003-12-31

Hyperthyroidism is characterized by increased bone turnover and resorptive activity. Raised levels of serum osteoporotic cytokines, such as interleukin (IL) -1beta, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha have been demonstrated previously in hyperthyroidism. These elevations are controversial and it is difficult to differentiate the contribution of thyroid hormones to the elevation of cytokines from that of the autoimmune inflammation in Graves' disease (GD) and follicular cell damage in thyroiditis. Therefore, we investigated the effect of thyroid hormones on serum IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-alpha levels and bone metabolism on L-thyroxine induced hyperthyroid rats and changes in cytokine levels and bone metabolism on the same rats after reversal to euthyroidism. Rats were treated with L-thyroxine for 5 weeks (0.4 mg/ 100 g food). Plasma T3, T4, TSH and serum IL-1beta, IL-6, TNFalpha, Calcium (Ca), phosphorous (P), parathyroid hormone (PTH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone alkaline phosphatase (B-ALP) levels were measured and differential leucocyte counts were made initially, at the 5th week of the experiment (hyperthyroid state) and 5 weeks after quitting the administration of L-thyroxine (euthyroid state). Significant rises in serum IL-1beta, IL-6 and TNFalpha were noted in hyperthyroidism (P < 0.001). In euthyroid state, IL-15, IL-6 and TNFalpha decreased significantly, but IL-beta and TNFalpha were significantly higher than the baseline values (P < 0.05) while IL-6 levels turned back to the baseline values. Plasma T3 and T4 levels were significantly correlated with serum cytokines in hyperthyroid state while there was no correlation in euthyroid states. Ca and P levels did not differ significantly while PTH levels declined significantly in the hyperthyroid state (P < 0.05). After the reversal to the euthyroidism, there was no significant change in Ca, P and PTH levels. ALP and B-ALP increased significantly in hyperthyroidism (P < 0.001, P < 0.01) and they did not decrease in euthyroid state. The lymphocyte number and ratio in differentials increased significantly in the hyperthyroid state (P < 0.001). In euthyroidism they decreased significantly (P < 0.001) but it was significantly higher than the baseline value (P < 0.05). Our findings showed that the deleterious effect on bone metabolism in hyperthyroidism might be mediated by cytokines and the increased bone turnover in hyperthyroidism failed to decrease despite euthyroidism.

Gender Differences in Examinee Performance on the Step 2 Clinical Skills[R] Data Gathering (DG) and Patient Note (PN) Components

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swygert, Kimberly A.; Cuddy, Monica M.; van Zanten, Marta; Haist, Steven A.; Jobe, Ann C.

2012-01-01

Multiple studies examining the relationship between physician gender and performance on examinations have found consistent significant gender differences, but relatively little information is available related to any gender effect on interviewing and written communication skills. The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE[R]) Step 2…

Restricted Creativity: Advertising Agency Work Practices in the U.S., Canada and the UK.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Douglas

1993-01-01

The extent to which relationships and work practices within advertising agencies differ in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom and degree of similarity to practices of artists were examined. Responses from Senior Creative Directors at 303 agencies suggested that work practices did not differ significantly but were limited in efforts…

The Sunni and Shia Schism: Religion, Islamic Politics, and Why Americans Need to Know the Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, James

2015-01-01

Research indicates that most American citizens know little about Islam and, specifically, the major differences between Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims and why this matters to the United States. Although the two major Islamic factions share many common core beliefs and practices, there are some significant religious and political differences…

Gender Differences in Perceptions of Ethics among Teacher Education Students at San Diego State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kegler, Dorothy E.

2011-01-01

The Problem: The purpose of this study was to determine if there were significant differences between male and female college students' perceptions on a survey of ethics. Method: A quasi-experimental research design was administered with gender as the primary independent variable. Approximately 100 students from the School of Education Program…

Sending the Right Signals | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL), the most common type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, causes about 10,000 deaths every year in the United States, even though about half of all patients are cured with current regimens. There are different subtypes of DLBCL that vary biologically and have significantly different rates of patient survival following chemotherapy, with the

The Status of Mass Media Coverage of Campaign '80.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Charles U.

Some of the similarities and differences in the news media coverage of the United States presidential campaign of 1980 are discussed in this paper. Among the differences related are the loss of the symbolic power of tbe primary elections, which forced the media to look for significant trends elsewhere; the mixture of politics with the…

Mandatory continuing education in physical therapy: survey of physical therapists in states with and states without a mandate.

PubMed

Landers, Merrill R; McWhorter, James W; Krum, Laura L; Glovinsky, David

2005-09-01

Although formal continuing education (CE) in physical therapy is one part of professional development, its value for renewing licensure is not shared by all states. The purpose of this study was to explore the differences in how physical therapists pursue formal continuing education on the basis of state mandate, sex, years of experience, practice specialty, American Physical Therapy Association membership, motivation, and perception of the benefits of CE. A survey questionnaire was sent to 3,000 physical therapists in 7 states--1,500 to physical therapists in states with mandatory CE and 1,500 to physical therapists in states without a requirement. A total of 1,145 usable survey questionnaires were returned, for a response rate of 38.2%. Physical therapists in states with mandatory CE averaged 33.8 hours of CE per year, whereas physical therapists in states without a mandate averaged 28.3 hours per year; 5.9% of therapists in states without a mandate reported taking no CE at all, and 10.8% reported taking 2 or fewer hours of CE within the preceding 5 years. No statistically significant relationships were observed between the amount of CE taken and years of experience, sex, or practice specialty. Therapists who reported membership in the American Physical Therapy Association participated in 7.2 more hours of CE per year than therapists who did not report membership. Significant motivational variables that respondents noted for taking CE were state mandate, increased clinical competence, and certification. Therapists overwhelmingly (96.2%) believed that CE had a beneficial effect on their clinical practice. Results from this study suggest that mandatory CE does have a significant association with the number of formal CE hours taken by physical therapists.

Analysing generator matrices G of similar state but varying minimum determinants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harun, H.; Razali, M. F.; Rahman, N. A. Abdul

2016-10-01

Since Tarokh discovered Space-Time Trellis Code (STTC) in 1998, a considerable effort has been done to improve the performance of the original STTC. One way of achieving enhancement is by focusing on the generator matrix G, which represents the encoder structure for STTC. Until now, researchers have only concentrated on STTCs of different states in analyzing the performance of generator matrix G. No effort has been made on different generator matrices G of similar state. The reason being, it is difficult to produce a wide variety of generator matrices G with diverse minimum determinants. In this paper a number of generator matrices G with minimum determinant of four (4), eight (8) and sixteen (16) of the same state (i.e., 4-PSK) have been successfully produced. The performance of different generator matrices G in term of their bit error rate and signal-to-noise ratio for a Rayleigh fading environment are compared and evaluated. It is found from the MATLAB simulation that at low SNR (<8), the BER of generator matrices G with smaller minimum determinant is comparatively lower than those of higher minimum determinant. However, at high SNR (>14) there is no significant difference between the BER of these generator matrices G.

Exploring Market State and Stock Interactions on the Minute Timescale

PubMed Central

Tan, Lei; Chen, Jun-Jie; Zheng, Bo; Ouyang, Fang-Yan

2016-01-01

A stock market is a non-stationary complex system. The stock interactions are important for understanding the state of the market. However, our knowledge on the stock interactions on the minute timescale is limited. Here we apply the random matrix theory and methods in complex networks to study the stock interactions and sector interactions. Further, we construct a new kind of cross-correlation matrix to investigate the correlation between the stock interactions at different minutes within one trading day. Based on 50 million minute-to-minute price data in the Shanghai stock market, we discover that the market states in the morning and afternoon are significantly different. The differences mainly exist in three aspects, i.e. the co-movement of stock prices, interactions of sectors and correlation between the stock interactions at different minutes. In the afternoon, the component stocks of sectors are more robust and the structure of sectors is firmer. Therefore, the market state in the afternoon is more stable. Furthermore, we reveal that the information of the sector interactions can indicate the financial crisis in the market, and the indicator based on the empirical data in the afternoon is more effective. PMID:26900948

Exploring Market State and Stock Interactions on the Minute Timescale.

PubMed

Tan, Lei; Chen, Jun-Jie; Zheng, Bo; Ouyang, Fang-Yan

2016-01-01

A stock market is a non-stationary complex system. The stock interactions are important for understanding the state of the market. However, our knowledge on the stock interactions on the minute timescale is limited. Here we apply the random matrix theory and methods in complex networks to study the stock interactions and sector interactions. Further, we construct a new kind of cross-correlation matrix to investigate the correlation between the stock interactions at different minutes within one trading day. Based on 50 million minute-to-minute price data in the Shanghai stock market, we discover that the market states in the morning and afternoon are significantly different. The differences mainly exist in three aspects, i.e. the co-movement of stock prices, interactions of sectors and correlation between the stock interactions at different minutes. In the afternoon, the component stocks of sectors are more robust and the structure of sectors is firmer. Therefore, the market state in the afternoon is more stable. Furthermore, we reveal that the information of the sector interactions can indicate the financial crisis in the market, and the indicator based on the empirical data in the afternoon is more effective.

Climate Impacts of Ice Nucleation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gettelman, Andrew; Liu, Xiaohong; Barahona, Donifan; Lohmann, Ulrike; Chen, Celia

2012-01-01

Several different ice nucleation parameterizations in two different General Circulation Models (GCMs) are used to understand the effects of ice nucleation on the mean climate state, and the Aerosol Indirect Effects (AIE) of cirrus clouds on climate. Simulations have a range of ice microphysical states that are consistent with the spread of observations, but many simulations have higher present-day ice crystal number concentrations than in-situ observations. These different states result from different parameterizations of ice cloud nucleation processes, and feature different balances of homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation. Black carbon aerosols have a small (0.06 Wm(exp-2) and not statistically significant AIE when included as ice nuclei, for nucleation efficiencies within the range of laboratory measurements. Indirect effects of anthropogenic aerosols on cirrus clouds occur as a consequence of increasing anthropogenic sulfur emissions with different mechanisms important in different models. In one model this is due to increases in homogeneous nucleation fraction, and in the other due to increases in heterogeneous nucleation with coated dust. The magnitude of the effect is the same however. The resulting ice AIE does not seem strongly dependent on the balance between homogeneous and heterogeneous ice nucleation. Regional effects can reach several Wm2. Indirect effects are slightly larger for those states with less homogeneous nucleation and lower ice number concentration in the base state. The total ice AIE is estimated at 0.27 +/- 0.10 Wm(exp-2) (1 sigma uncertainty). This represents a 20% offset of the simulated total shortwave AIE for ice and liquid clouds of 1.6 Wm(sup-2).

Principal dynamic mode analysis of neural mass model for the identification of epileptic states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Yuzhen; Jin, Liu; Su, Fei; Wang, Jiang; Deng, Bin

2016-11-01

The detection of epileptic seizures in Electroencephalography (EEG) signals is significant for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. In this paper, in order to obtain characteristics of various epileptiform EEGs that may differentiate different states of epilepsy, the concept of Principal Dynamic Modes (PDMs) was incorporated to an autoregressive model framework. First, the neural mass model was used to simulate the required intracerebral EEG signals of various epileptiform activities. Then, the PDMs estimated from the nonlinear autoregressive Volterra models, as well as the corresponding Associated Nonlinear Functions (ANFs), were used for the modeling of epileptic EEGs. The efficient PDM modeling approach provided physiological interpretation of the system. Results revealed that the ANFs of the 1st and 2nd PDMs for the auto-regressive input exhibited evident differences among different states of epilepsy, where the ANFs of the sustained spikes' activity encountered at seizure onset or during a seizure were the most differentiable from that of the normal state. Therefore, the ANFs may be characteristics for the classification of normal and seizure states in the clinical detection of seizures and thus provide assistance for the diagnosis of epilepsy.

The legal status of home education in post-communist countries of Central Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostelecká, Yvona

2012-08-01

As new laws on education were gradually adopted in post-communist states after 1989, the countries also dealt with the problem of how to include home education in their own legislation. This article investigates the development of legislation on home education in five states of post-communist Central Europe: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Poland and Hungary. This analysis of the legal environment for home education confirms on the one hand that these countries' approach is similar in many aspects. Generally, laws tend to regulate home education rather strictly, all home-educated children must be enrolled at some school, and these schools are mandated by the state to serve as supervisory bodies for home-educated children. This legal arrangement puts the parents of home-schooled children in a very subordinate position in relation to the school. Despite these restrictions, however, the states have gradually opened up the option for home education to quite a broad pool of potentially interested people. On the other hand, the findings show that there are also significant differences between individual countries. These differences provide a good illustration of the fact that, despite historical, economic and cultural similarities, political institutions and state bureaucracies in individual states act autonomously, which leads to different policy outcomes.

Explaining rISC and 100% efficient TADF (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monkman, Andrew P.; Etherington, Marc; Graves, David; Data, Przemyslaw; Dos Santos, Paloma Lays; Nobuyasu, Roberto; Baiao Dias, Fernando M.

2016-09-01

Detailed photophysical measurements of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) states have been made both in solution and solid state. Temperature dependent time resolved emission, delayed emission and photoinduced absorption are used to map the energy levels involved in molecule decay, and through detailed kinetic modelling of the thermally activated processes observed, true electron exchange energies and other energy barriers of the systems determined with the real states involved in the reversed intersystem crossing mechanism elucidated. For specific donor acceptor molecules, the CT singlet and local triplet states (of donor or acceptor) are found to be the lowest lying excited states of the molecule with very small energy barrier between them ? kT. In these cases the decay kinetics of the molecules become significantly different to normal molecules, and the effect of rapid recycling between CT singlet and local triplet states is observed which gives rise to the true triplet harvesting mechanism in TADF. Using a series of different TADF emitters we will show how the energy level ordering effects or does not effect TADF and how ultimate OLED performance is dictated by energy level ordering, from 5% to 22% external quantum efficiency. From this understanding, we are able to define three criterion for TADF in different molecules and these will be discussed.

Self-organized criticality in neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makarenkov, Vladimir I.; Kirillov, A. B.

1991-08-01

Possible mechanisms of creating different types of persistent states for informational processing are regarded. It is presented two origins of criticalities - self-organized and phase transition. A comparative analyses of their behavior is given. It is demonstrated that despite a likeness there are important differences. These differences can play a significant role to explain the physical issue of such highest functions of the brain as a short-term memory and attention. 1.

Exploring the effects of tape-recording on personality assessment.

PubMed

Lichton, A I; Waehler, C A

1999-06-01

This study examined the possible influence of audio and video recording of personality assessment measures on anxiety. Undergraduate students in psychology were randomly assigned to Audiotape, Videotape, or Control conditions and given the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Rorschach Inkblot Method. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance indicated no significant differences among these conditions on the Spielberger, et al. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, A-State scale, and five Rorschach measures of situational anxiety. Tape-recording itself did not seem to affect the anxiety indices of these frequently used personality assessments.

This is my neighborhood: comparing United States and Australian Oxford House Neighborhoods.

PubMed

Ferrari, Joseph R; Jason, Leonard A; Blake, Ron; Davis, Margaret I; Olson, Bradley D

2006-01-01

The number of Oxford Houses, communal-living, mutual help settings for persons in recovery of alcohol and substance abuse, has spread across the United States and recently in and around Melbourne, Australia. In this study 55 US and 6 AU Houses were compared descriptively for their neighborhood characteristics. Across settings, there were greater similarities than significant differences in the locations. Results imply that Australian Oxford Houses are "safe and sober" settings for persons in recovery consistent with the original United States model in physical dwelling settings.

A model of the normal and null states of pulsars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, P. B.

1981-12-01

A solvable three-dimensional polar cap model of pair creation and charged particle acceleration has been derived. There are no free parameters of significance apart from the polar surface magnetic flux density. The parameter determining the acceleration potential difference has been obtained by calculation of elementary nuclear and electromagnetic processes. Solutions of the model exist for both normal and null states of a pulsar, and the instability in the normal state leading to the normal to null transition has been identified. The predicted necessary condition for the transition is entirely consistent with observation.

A model of the normal and null states of pulsars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, P. B.

A solvable three dimensional polar cap model of pair creation and charged particle acceleration is derived. There are no free parameters of significance apart from the polar surface magnetic flux density. The parameter CO determining the acceleration potential difference was obtained by calculation of elementary nuclear and electromagnetic processes. Solutions of the model exist for both normal and null states of a pulsar, and the instability in the normal state leading to the normal to null transition is identified. The predicted necessary condition for the transition is entirely consistent with observation.

Current Models of Investor State Dispute Settlement Are Bad for Health: The European Union Could Offer an Alternative

PubMed Central

McKee, Martin; Stuckler, David

2017-01-01

In this commentary, we endorse concerns about the health impact of the trans-pacific partnership (TPP), paying particular attention to its mechanisms for investor state dispute settlement. We then describe the different, judge-led approach being advocated by the European Commission team negotiating the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, arguing that, while not perfect, it offers significant advantages. PMID:28812799

[Comparison of mental health state and psychological capacities between college students with and without siblings].

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-yuan; Yu, Shou-yi; Zhao, Jiu-bo; Li, Jian-ming; Xiao, Rong

2007-04-01

To compare the differences in mental health state and psychological capacities between Chinese college students with and without siblings. The psychological status and capacities were evaluated with SCL-90, the Self-Esteem Scale, Spheres of Control Scale, Security Questionnaire and Cattell 16-PF Questionnaire in 427 college students, and among the students who presented valid responses, 139 with and 139 without siblings were selected for this comparative study. The total score and average score of SCL-90 in college students without siblings were significantly lower than those in students with siblings (P<0.05); the scores of factors C, E, and F of 16-PF were significantly higher but the score of factor O significantly lower in the former group (P<0.05). The scores of certainty in control, interpersonal security and total score of security were significantly higher in the students without siblings (P<0.01). The mental health state and some of the psychological capacities are generally better in college students with siblings than in those without siblings.

Leadership styles in secondary school science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawson, Michael A.

A comparison of United States secondary school science teachers who mentor high quality student research and teachers who do not mentor research was conducted using a demographic survey and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire-Form 5X. The major demographic difference between the two groups was a significantly greater number of years of teaching experience in the research group, a factor that correlated significantly with Extra Effort in students. Research group teachers self-reported higher mean scores than non-research group teachers on the five transformational leadership scales plus the transactional scale of Contingent Reward; however, a Multivariate Analysis of Variance found no significant difference between the groups. Independent t-tests found no significant difference between the groups based upon the remaining transactional scales. The research group was found to be significantly higher on the outcome variable of Extra Effort generated by students while the non-research group rated themselves significantly higher on Satisfaction of students. Transformational leadership in teachers should be addressed by future studies as a possible method of identifying motivational teachers.

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.

[Difference and distance between the central and thinnest points of the cornea: impact of refractive state, age and ocular side].

PubMed

Steinberg, J; Kohl, C; Katz, T; Richard, G; Linke, S J

2014-04-01

The aim of the study was to quantify the difference in corneal thickness between the central and thinnest points (∆PachyZ-PachyD), the distance between the center of the cornea and its thinnest point (vector length PachyD) and to explore the impact of refractive state, age and ocular side. This was a multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional study and medical records of 16,872 eyes were reviewed. The Orbscan® (Bausch and Lomb) procedure was used for pachymetry and keratometry. The results showed that ∆PachyZ-PachyD and vector length PachyD were higher in hyperopic eyes (∆PachyZ-PachyD: 11.99 ± 12.08 µm, vector length PachyD: 0.85 ± 0.44 mm) compared to myopic eyes (∆PachyZ-PachyD: 9.2 ± 7.86 µm, vector length PachyD: 0.7 ± 0.37 mm; p < 0.001). Refractive state, age and ocular side demonstrated an independent, statistically significant impact on ∆PachyZ-PachyD and vector length PachyD. As a result of the significant impact of refractive state, age and ocular side on ∆PachyZ-PachyD and vector length PachyD, these variables should be considered in a normative data collection.

Real-time eye tracking for the assessment of driver fatigue.

PubMed

Xu, Junli; Min, Jianliang; Hu, Jianfeng

2018-04-01

Eye-tracking is an important approach to collect evidence regarding some participants' driving fatigue. In this contribution, the authors present a non-intrusive system for evaluating driver fatigue by tracking eye movement behaviours. A real-time eye-tracker was used to monitor participants' eye state for collecting eye-movement data. These data are useful to get insights into assessing participants' fatigue state during monotonous driving. Ten healthy subjects performed continuous simulated driving for 1-2 h with eye state monitoring on a driving simulator in this study, and these measured features of the fixation time and the pupil area were recorded via using eye movement tracking device. For achieving a good cost-performance ratio and fast computation time, the fuzzy K -nearest neighbour was employed to evaluate and analyse the influence of different participants on the variations in the fixation duration and pupil area of drivers. The findings of this study indicated that there are significant differences in domain value distribution of the pupil area under the condition with normal and fatigue driving state. Result also suggests that the recognition accuracy by jackknife validation reaches to about 89% in average, implying that show a significant potential of real-time applicability of the proposed approach and is capable of detecting driver fatigue.

Real-time eye tracking for the assessment of driver fatigue

PubMed Central

Xu, Junli; Min, Jianliang

2018-01-01

Eye-tracking is an important approach to collect evidence regarding some participants’ driving fatigue. In this contribution, the authors present a non-intrusive system for evaluating driver fatigue by tracking eye movement behaviours. A real-time eye-tracker was used to monitor participants’ eye state for collecting eye-movement data. These data are useful to get insights into assessing participants’ fatigue state during monotonous driving. Ten healthy subjects performed continuous simulated driving for 1–2 h with eye state monitoring on a driving simulator in this study, and these measured features of the fixation time and the pupil area were recorded via using eye movement tracking device. For achieving a good cost-performance ratio and fast computation time, the fuzzy K-nearest neighbour was employed to evaluate and analyse the influence of different participants on the variations in the fixation duration and pupil area of drivers. The findings of this study indicated that there are significant differences in domain value distribution of the pupil area under the condition with normal and fatigue driving state. Result also suggests that the recognition accuracy by jackknife validation reaches to about 89% in average, implying that show a significant potential of real-time applicability of the proposed approach and is capable of detecting driver fatigue. PMID:29750113

Climate Change and Phenology: Empoasca fabae (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) Migration and Severity of Impact

PubMed Central

Lamp, William O.

2015-01-01

Climate change can benefit individual species, but when pest species are enhanced by warmer temperatures agricultural productivity may be placed at greater risk. We analyzed the effects of temperature anomaly on arrival date and infestation severity of potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae Harris, a classic new world long distance migrant, and a significant pest in several agricultural crops. We compiled E. fabae arrival dates and infestation severity data at different states in USA from existing literature reviews and agricultural extension records from 1951–2012, and examined the influence of temperature anomalies at each target state or overwintering range on the date of arrival and severity of infestation. Average E. fabae arrival date at different states reveal a clear trend along the south-north axis, with earliest arrival closest to the overwintering range. E. fabae arrival has advanced by 10 days over the last 62 years. E. fabae arrived earlier in warmer years in relation to each target state level temperature anomaly (3.0 days / °C increase in temperature anomaly). Increased temperature had a significant and positive effect on the severity of infestation, and arrival date had a marginal negative effect on severity. These relationships suggest that continued warming could advance the time of E. fabae colonization and increase their impact on affected crops. PMID:25970705

Changes in Self-reported Insurance Coverage, Access to Care, and Health Under the Affordable Care Act.

PubMed

Sommers, Benjamin D; Gunja, Munira Z; Finegold, Kenneth; Musco, Thomas

2015-07-28

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) completed its second open enrollment period in February 2015. Assessing the law's effects has major policy implications. To estimate national changes in self-reported coverage, access to care, and health during the ACA's first 2 open enrollment periods and to assess differences between low-income adults in states that expanded Medicaid and in states that did not expand Medicaid. Analysis of the 2012-2015 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, a daily national telephone survey. Using multivariable regression to adjust for pre-ACA trends and sociodemographics, we examined changes in outcomes for the nonelderly US adult population aged 18 through 64 years (n = 507,055) since the first open enrollment period began in October 2013. Linear regressions were used to model each outcome as a function of a linear monthly time trend and quarterly indicators. Then, pre-ACA (January 2012-September 2013) and post-ACA (January 2014-March 2015) changes for adults with incomes below 138% of the poverty level in Medicaid expansion states (n = 48,905 among 28 states and Washington, DC) vs nonexpansion states (n = 37,283 among 22 states) were compared using a differences-in-differences approach. Beginning of the ACA's first open enrollment period (October 2013). Self-reported rates of being uninsured, lacking a personal physician, lacking easy access to medicine, inability to afford needed care, overall health status, and health-related activity limitations. Among the 507,055 adults in this survey, pre-ACA trends were significantly worsening for all outcomes. Compared with the pre-ACA trends, by the first quarter of 2015, the adjusted proportions who were uninsured decreased by 7.9 percentage points (95% CI, -9.1 to -6.7); who lacked a personal physician, -3.5 percentage points (95% CI, -4.8 to -2.2); who lacked easy access to medicine, -2.4 percentage points (95% CI, -3.3 to -1.5); who were unable to afford care, -5.5 percentage points (95% CI, -6.7 to -4.2); who reported fair/poor health, -3.4 percentage points (95% CI, -4.6 to -2.2); and the percentage of days with activities limited by health, -1.7 percentage points (95% CI, -2.4 to -0.9). Coverage changes were largest among minorities; for example, the decrease in the uninsured rate was larger among Latino adults (-11.9 percentage points [95% CI, -15.3 to -8.5]) than white adults (-6.1 percentage points [95% CI, -7.3 to -4.8]). Medicaid expansion was associated with significant reductions among low-income adults in the uninsured rate (differences-in-differences estimate, -5.2 percentage points [95% CI, -7.9 to -2.6]), lacking a personal physician (-1.8 percentage points [95% CI, -3.4 to -0.3]), and difficulty accessing medicine (-2.2 percentage points [95% CI, -3.8 to -0.7]). The ACA's first 2 open enrollment periods were associated with significantly improved trends in self-reported coverage, access to primary care and medications, affordability, and health. Low-income adults in states that expanded Medicaid reported significant gains in insurance coverage and access compared with adults in states that did not expand Medicaid.

Cosmetic surgery growth and correlations with financial indices: a comparative study of the United Kingdom and United States from 2002-2011.

PubMed

Nassab, Reza; Harris, Paul

2013-05-01

Over the past 10 years, there has been significant fluctuation in the yearly growth rates for cosmetic surgery procedures in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The authors compare cosmetic surgical procedure rates in the United Kingdom and United States with the macroeconomic climate of each region to determine whether there is a direct relationship between cosmetic surgery rates and economic health. The authors analyzed annual cosmetic surgery statistics from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery for 2002-2011 against economic indices from both regions, including the gross domestic product (GDP), consumer prices indices (CPI), and stock market reports. There was a 285.9% increase in the United Kingdom and a 1.1% increase in the United States in the number of procedures performed between 2002 and 2011. There were significant positive correlations between the number of cosmetic procedures performed in the United Kingdom and both the GDP (r = 0.986, P < .01) and CPI (r = 0.955, P < .01). Analysis of the US growth rates failed to show a significant relationship with any indices. UK interest rates showed a significant negative correlation (r = -0.668, P < .05) with procedures performed, whereas US interest rates showed a significant positive correlation. Data from the United States and United Kingdom suggest 2 very different growth patterns in the number of cosmetic surgeries being performed as compared with the economy in each region. Economic indices are accurate indicators of numbers of procedures being performed in the United Kingdom, whereas rates in the United States seem independent of those factors.

Investigating the state-of-the-art in whole-body MR-based attenuation correction: an intra-individual, inter-system, inventory study on three clinical PET/MR systems.

PubMed

Beyer, Thomas; Lassen, Martin L; Boellaard, Ronald; Delso, Gaspar; Yaqub, Maqsood; Sattler, Bernhard; Quick, Harald H

2016-02-01

We assess inter- and intra-subject variability of magnetic resonance (MR)-based attenuation maps (MRμMaps) of human subjects for state-of-the-art positron emission tomography (PET)/MR imaging systems. Four healthy male subjects underwent repeated MR imaging with a Siemens Biograph mMR, Philips Ingenuity TF and GE SIGNA PET/MR system using product-specific MR sequences and image processing algorithms for generating MRμMaps. Total lung volumes and mean attenuation values in nine thoracic reference regions were calculated. Linear regression was used for comparing lung volumes on MRμMaps. Intra- and inter-system variability was investigated using a mixed effects model. Intra-system variability was seen for the lung volume of some subjects, (p = 0.29). Mean attenuation values across subjects were significantly different (p < 0.001) due to different segmentations of the trachea. Differences in the attenuation values caused noticeable intra-individual and inter-system differences that translated into a subsequent bias of the corrected PET activity values, as verified by independent simulations. Significant differences of MRμMaps generated for the same subjects but different PET/MR systems resulted in differences in attenuation correction factors, particularly in the thorax. These differences currently limit the quantitative use of PET/MR in multi-center imaging studies.

Acute effects of traditional Japanese alcohol beverages on blood glucose and polysomnography levels in healthy subjects

PubMed Central

Kido, Megumi; Asakawa, Akihiro; Koyama, Ken-Ichiro K.; Takaoka, Toshio; Tajima, Aya; Takaoka, Shigeru; Yoshizaki, Yumiko; Okutsu, Kayu; Takamine, Kazunori T.; Sameshima, Yoshihiro

2016-01-01

Background. Alcohol consumption is a lifestyle factor associated with type 2 diabetes. This relationship is reportedly different depending on the type of alcohol beverage. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of traditional Japanese alcohol beverages on biochemical parameters, physical and emotional state, and sleep patterns. Methods. Six healthy subjects (three men and three women; age, 28.8 ± 9.5 years; body mass index, 21.4 ± 1.6 kg/m2) consumed three different types of alcohol beverages (beer, shochu, and sake, each with 40 g ethanol) or mineral water with dinner on different days in the hospital. Blood samples were collected before and 1, 2, and 12 h after drinking each beverage, and assessments of physical and emotional state were administered at the same time. In addition, sleep patterns and brain waves were examined using polysomnography. Results. Blood glucose levels at 1 h and the 12-h area under the curve (AUC) value after drinking shochu were significantly lower than that with water and beer. The 12-h blood insulin AUC value after drinking shochu was significantly lower than that with beer. Blood glucose × insulin level at 1 h and the 2-h blood glucose × insulin AUC value with shochu were significantly lower than that with beer. The insulinogenic indexes at 2 h with beer and sake, but not shochu, were significantly higher than that with water. The visual analogue scale scores of physical and emotional state showed that the tipsiness levels with beer, shochu, and sake at 1 h were significantly higher than that with water. These tipsiness levels were maintained at 2 h. The polysomnography showed that the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency with shochu and sake were shorter than that with water and beer. Conclusions. Acute consumption of alcohol beverages with a meal resulted in different responses in postprandial glucose and insulin levels as well as REM sleep latency. Alcohol beverage type should be taken into consideration for people with impaired glucose tolerance. PMID:27069795

Acute effects of traditional Japanese alcohol beverages on blood glucose and polysomnography levels in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Kido, Megumi; Asakawa, Akihiro; Koyama, Ken-Ichiro K; Takaoka, Toshio; Tajima, Aya; Takaoka, Shigeru; Yoshizaki, Yumiko; Okutsu, Kayu; Takamine, Kazunori T; Sameshima, Yoshihiro; Inui, Akio

2016-01-01

Background. Alcohol consumption is a lifestyle factor associated with type 2 diabetes. This relationship is reportedly different depending on the type of alcohol beverage. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of traditional Japanese alcohol beverages on biochemical parameters, physical and emotional state, and sleep patterns. Methods. Six healthy subjects (three men and three women; age, 28.8 ± 9.5 years; body mass index, 21.4 ± 1.6 kg/m(2)) consumed three different types of alcohol beverages (beer, shochu, and sake, each with 40 g ethanol) or mineral water with dinner on different days in the hospital. Blood samples were collected before and 1, 2, and 12 h after drinking each beverage, and assessments of physical and emotional state were administered at the same time. In addition, sleep patterns and brain waves were examined using polysomnography. Results. Blood glucose levels at 1 h and the 12-h area under the curve (AUC) value after drinking shochu were significantly lower than that with water and beer. The 12-h blood insulin AUC value after drinking shochu was significantly lower than that with beer. Blood glucose × insulin level at 1 h and the 2-h blood glucose × insulin AUC value with shochu were significantly lower than that with beer. The insulinogenic indexes at 2 h with beer and sake, but not shochu, were significantly higher than that with water. The visual analogue scale scores of physical and emotional state showed that the tipsiness levels with beer, shochu, and sake at 1 h were significantly higher than that with water. These tipsiness levels were maintained at 2 h. The polysomnography showed that the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency with shochu and sake were shorter than that with water and beer. Conclusions. Acute consumption of alcohol beverages with a meal resulted in different responses in postprandial glucose and insulin levels as well as REM sleep latency. Alcohol beverage type should be taken into consideration for people with impaired glucose tolerance.

Economic effects of access management techniques in North Carolina.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-12-21

The NCDOT has made significant strides to reduce collisions and increase capacity along : strategic highway corridors across the state. Efforts have led to the implementation of many : different access management techniques along corridors, such as i...

Productivity Problem in United States Shipbuilding

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-12-01

U.S. shipbuilding productivity is significantly less than that of Japan and some European countries. The traditional view has either minimized the importance of the difference in productivity between U.S. and the best foreign shipyards, or focused on...

Regional differences in constituents of gall stones.

PubMed

Ashok, M; Nageshwar Reddy, D; Jayanthi, V; Kalkura, S N; Vijayan, V; Gokulakrishnan, S; Nair, K G M

2005-01-01

The pathogenesis of pigment and mixed gall stone formation remains elusive. The elemental constituents of gall stones from southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka have been characterized. Our aim was to determine the elemental concentration of representative samples of pigment, mixed and cholesterol gall stones from Andhra Pradesh using proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) using a 3 MV horizontal pelletron accelerator. Pigment gall stones had significantly high concentrations of copper, iron and lead; chromium was absent. Except for iron all these elements were significantly low in cholesterol gall stones and intermediate levels were seen in mixed gall stones. Highest concentrations of chromium was seen in cholesterol and titanium in mixed gall stones respectively; latter similar to other southern states. Arsenic was distinctly absent in cholesterol and mixed gall stones. The study has identified differences in elemental components of the gall stones from Andhra Pradesh.

Proton Induced Modulation of ICT and PET Processes in an Imidazo-phenanthroline Based BODIPY Fluorophores.

PubMed

Thakare, Shrikant S; Chakraborty, Goutam; Kothavale, Shantaram; Mula, Soumyaditya; Ray, Alok K; Sekar, Nagaiyan

2017-11-01

BODIPY fluorophores linked with an imidazo-phenanthroline donor at α and β positions have been synthesized. Intriguing intramolecular charge transfer phenomenon is observed in both the dyes which has been extensively investigated using UV-vis absorption, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. H-bonding and intrinsic polarity of the solvents has modulated the absorption and emission bands of these fluorophores strongly causing significant increase in the Stokes shifts. In spite of having difference only in terms of the position of donor subunit, the photophysics of these dyes are not only significantly different from each other, but contradictory too. Interestingly, acidochromic studies revealed the shuttling mechanism between ICT and PET processes for BDP 2. Quantum chemical calculations have been employed further to support experimental findings. DFT and TD-DFT method of analysis have been used to optimize ground and excited state geometries of the synthesized dyes.

Organochlorine pesticide level differences among female inhabitants from Veracruz, Puebla and Tabasco, Mexico.

PubMed

Waliszewski, Stefan M; Caba, M; Saldarriaga-Noreña, H; Martínez, A J; Meza, E; Valencia Quintana, R; Zepeda, R

2014-08-01

Organochlorine pesticides have been used in Mexico in malaria control programs and against ectoparasites. The objective of this study was to compare the levels of organochlorine pesticides: HCB, α-β-γ-HCH, pp'-DDE, op'-DDT and pp'-DDT in adipose tissue of female inhabitants from three Mexican states: Veracruz, Puebla and Tabasco. Data analyses indicated higher β-HCH levels in Puebla inhabitants. When comparing the mean values of the pp'-DDE concentrations among the three states, no statistically significant differences were noted. A trend of increasing concentrations of op'-DDT from Veracruz to Puebla and Tabasco was observed. Significantly higher pp'-DDT concentrations in Veracruz as compared to Puebla and Tabasco were determined. Using factorial analysis of three age categories (>30, 31-50, <51) organochlorine pesticide concentrations increases with age of participants, indicating time of exposure as a principal factor of organochlorine pesticides accumulation in adipose tissue.

Auditory steady state response in sound field.

PubMed

Hernández-Pérez, H; Torres-Fortuny, A

2013-02-01

Physiological and behavioral responses were compared in normal-hearing subjects via analyses of the auditory steady-state response (ASSR) and conventional audiometry under sound field conditions. The auditory stimuli, presented through a loudspeaker, consisted of four carrier tones (500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz), presented singly for behavioral testing but combined (multiple frequency technique), to estimate thresholds using the ASSR. Twenty normal-hearing adults were examined. The average differences between the physiological and behavioral thresholds were between 17 and 22 dB HL. The Spearman rank correlation between ASSR and behavioral thresholds was significant for all frequencies (p < 0.05). Significant differences were found in the ASSR amplitude among frequencies, and strong correlations between the ASSR amplitude and the stimulus level (p < 0.05). The ASSR in sound field testing was found to yield hearing threshold estimates deemed to be reasonably well correlated with behaviorally assessed thresholds.

The concentrations of methaemoglogin, carboxyhaemoglobin and some haematological parameters in tobacco snuff addicts in Igbo of Nigeria.

PubMed

Ureme, S O; Ibeagha, I D; Maduka, I G; Ibeagbulam, O G

2007-01-01

Methaemoglobin, carboxyhaemoglobin concentrations and some haematological parameters were studied in fifty tobacco snuff addicts (40 males and 10 females) in some villages of Anambra State, Nigeria. The aim was to investigate possible adverse effects of tobacco snuff in addicts in Igbos of Anambra State. Fifty apparently healthy persons (25 males and 25 females) who do not inhale snuff were used as controls. The age range of tests and control subjects was 25-65 years. The results showed no statistically significant difference when the tests group was compared with the control group. A comparison of the results on the basis of sex, age and period of exposure, showed no significant differences. Blood picture in test and control groups was normocytic and normochromic. The results suggest that tobacco snuff may not have any adverse effect on haemoglobin metabolism and erythropoiesis.

Investigation of the redox-dependent modulation of structure and dynamics in human cytochrome c.

PubMed

Imai, Mizue; Saio, Tomohide; Kumeta, Hiroyuki; Uchida, Takeshi; Inagaki, Fuyuhiko; Ishimori, Koichiro

2016-01-22

Redox-dependent changes in the structure and dynamics of human cytochrome c (Cyt c) were investigated by solution NMR. We found significant structural changes in several regions, including residues 23-28 (loop 3), which were further corroborated by chemical shift differences between the reduced and oxidized states of Cyt c. These differences are essential for discriminating redox states in Cyt c by cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) during electron transfer reactions. Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) relaxation dispersion experiments identified that the region around His33 undergoes conformational exchanges on the μs-ms timescale, indicating significant redox-dependent structural changes. Because His33 is not part of the interaction site for CcO, our data suggest that the dynamic properties of the region, which is far from the interaction site for CcO, contribute to conformational changes during electron transfer to CcO. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Depression and anxiety in patients on chronic hemodialysis in University Clinical Hospital Mostar.

PubMed

Klarić, Miro; Letica, Ivona; Petrov, Bozo; Tomić, Monika; Klarić, Branka; Letica, Ludvig; Francisković, Tanja

2009-12-01

Depression and anxiety are prevailing mental problem in patients on chronic hemodialysis and they have great influence on outcome of illness. Additionally, these disorders are rarely identified in that population of patients and they are insufficiently treated. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients on chronic hemodialysis in University Clinical Hospital Mostar and to examine the correlation between the demographic variables and the time spent on dialysis with depression and anxiety levels. The experimental group consisted of 56 patients on chronic hemodialysis in Mostar Clinical Hospital. The control group 1 consisted of 53 patients diagnosed with a chronic illness and treated for at least a year, while the control group 2 consisted of 51 persons who were not diagnosed with any chronic somatic or mental illness. Demographic data were collected using the constructed questionnaire. The Beck Depression Inventory-BDI was used to determine depression, while the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-STAI was used to determine anxiety. We recorded significantly higher prevalence of depression in patients on chronic dialysis (51.8%) than in patients with a chronic illness (41.5%) and persons without chronic illnesses (9.8%; p < 0.001). Trait anxiety level was significantly higher in hemodialysed patients compared to the other two groups (p = 0.006) but there were no significant differences in state anxiety level. The study has not shown any significant difference in the prevalence of depression and anxiety level regarding the differences in sex, gender and education level, apart from a higher level of state anxiety in patients with a lower education level (p = 0.032). These results indicate that patients on hemodialysis have a significantly higher level of depression and a higher level of trait anxiety compared to patients with chronic illnesses and especially compared to general population.

EKG analysis skills of family practice residents in the United Arab Emirates: a comparison with US data.

PubMed

Margolis, S; Reed, R

2001-06-01

Concern has been raised about the electrocardiogram (EKG) analysis skills of family practice residents in the United States. This study examined EKG analysis skills of family practice residents, medical students, interns, and general practitioners (GPs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a different environment. The measurement instrument was a set of 10 EKGs, used in a study of US family practice residents. Two of the EKGs were normal, and there were 14 clinical abnormalities in the remainder. There was no significant difference in the correct diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction between US family practice residents and UAE family practice residents, medical students, or GPs. Interns' diagnoses were significantly poorer. The mean score for correctly identifying acute myocardial infarction and both normal EKGs was not significantly different between groups: 2.50 medical students, 2.35 interns, 2.58 UAE family practice residents, 2.67 FD, and 2.55 US family practice residents. However, the US family practice resident mean score of 11.26 for all 16 clinical findings was significantly higher than any group in the UAE: 5.35 medical students, 5.87 interns, 6.08 UAE family practice residents, 5.69 family physicians. Difficulty in EKG interpretation transcends geographic boundaries, suggesting that new approaches to teaching these skills need to be explored. Improved EKG reading skills by family physicians are generally needed in both the United States and the UAE.

Daily emotional states as reported by children and adolescents.

PubMed

Larson, R; Lampman-Petraitis, C

1989-10-01

Hour-to-hour emotional states reported by children, ages 9-15, were examined in order to evaluate the hypothesis that the onset of adolescence is associated with increased emotional variability. These youths carried electronic pagers for 1 week and filled out reports on their emotional states in response to signals received at random times. To evaluate possible age-related response sets, a subset of children was asked to use the same scales to rate the emotions shown in drawings of 6 faces. The expected relation between daily emotional variability and age was not found among the boys and was small among the girls. There was, however, a linear relation between age and average mood states, with the older participants reporting more dysphoric average states, especially more mildly negative states. An absence of age difference in the ratings of the faces indicated that this relation could not be attributed to age differences in response set. Thus, these findings provide little support for the hypothesis that the onset of adolescence is associated with increased emotionality but indicate significant alterations in everyday experience associated with this age period.

State-dependent increase in the levels of neurotrophin-3 and neurotrophin-4/5 in patients with bipolar disorder: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Tseng, Ping-Tao; Chen, Yen-Wen; Tu, Kun-Yu; Wang, Hung-Yu; Chung, Weilun; Wu, Ching-Kuan; Hsu, Shih-Pin; Kuo, Hung-Chang; Lin, Pao-Yen

2016-08-01

Bipolar disorder (BD) is one of the most serious psychiatric disorders in the world, but its pathophysiology is still unclear. Regulation of neurotrophic factors have been thought to play a role in this process. There have been inconsistent findings regarding the differences in blood neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and neurotrophin-4/5 (NT-4/5) between patients with BD and healthy controls (HCs). The aim of the current meta-analysis is to examine the changes in the levels of NT-3 and NT-4/5 in BD patients at different affective states. Eight articles (including 465 BD patients and 353 HCs) were included in the analysis, and their results were pooled by using a random effects model. We found the levels of both NT-3 (p = 0.0046) and NT-4/5 (p = 0.0003) were significantly increased in BD patients, compared to HCs. Through subgroup analysis, this increase persisted only in patients in depressed state (p = 0.0038 for NT-3 and p = 0.0001 for NT-4/5), but not in manic or euthymic state. In addition, we found the differences in NT-3 and NT-4/5 were significantly associated with the duration of illness, but not by the mean age or female proportion. Our results suggest a state-dependent increase in NT-3 and NT-4/5 levels in patients with BD. Further studies are needed to examine dynamic changes of these neurotrophins in BD patients along the disease course. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining the association between race, ethnicity, and health status: do assets matter?

PubMed

Boyas, Javier; Shobe, Marcia A; Hannam, Holly M

2009-10-01

The current study employs data from the 2004 Immigration and Intergenerational Mobility in Metropolitan Los Angeles (IIMMLA) study to examine the degree to which observed differences in self-reported health status between African Americans, Asians, Latinos, and non-Hispanic Whites in the United States can be attributed to differences in various indicators of socioeconomic status. Results of the multinomial logistic regression techniques suggest that socioeconomic indicators had varying significant effects in predicting self-reported health status among all racial and ethnic groups. Among African Americans, homeownership, income, and age played a significant role. Among Asian Americans, only income and age significantly predicted health status. Among Latinos, income, having a checking account, and age significantly shaped health status, while education, age, and homeownership significantly predicted health status among non-Hispanic Whites.

Depression Care in the United States

PubMed Central

González, Hector M.; Vega, William A.; Williams, David R.; Tarraf, Wassim; West, Brady T.; Neighbors, Harold W.

2010-01-01

Objective: To determine the prevalence and adequacy of depression care among different ethnic and racial groups in the United States. Design: Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys (CPES) data were analyzed to calculate nationally representative estimates of depression care. Setting: The 48 coterminous United States. Participants: Household residents 18 years and older (N=15 762) participated in the study. Main Outcome Measures: Past-year depression pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy using American Psychiatric Association guideline-concordant therapies. Depression severity was assessed with the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report. Primary predictors were major ethnic/racial groups (Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Caribbean black, African American, and non-Latino white) and World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview criteria for 12-month major depressive episode. Results: Mexican American and African American individuals meeting 12-month major depression criteria consistently and significantly had lower odds for any depression therapy and guideline-concordant therapies despite depression severity ratings not significantly differing between ethnic/racial groups. All groups reported higher use of any past-year psychotherapy and guideline-concordant psychotherapy compared with pharmacotherapy; however, Caribbean black and African American individuals reported the highest proportions of this use. Conclusions: Few Americans with recent major depression have used depression therapies and guideline-concordant therapies; however, the lowest rates of use were found among Mexican American and African American individuals. Ethnic/racial differences were found despite comparable depression care need. More Americans with recent major depression used psychotherapy over pharmacotherapy, and these differences were most pronounced among Mexican American and African American individuals. This report underscores the importance of disaggregating ethnic/racial groups and depression therapies in understanding and directing efforts to improve depression care in the United States. PMID:20048221

Profiling of Alzheimer's disease patients in Puerto Rico: A comparison of two distinct socioeconomic areas.

PubMed

Camacho-Mercado, Clara L; Figueroa, Raúl; Acosta, Heriberto; Arnold, Steven E; Vega, Irving E

2016-01-01

The Latino/Hispanic community in the United States is at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than other ethnic groups. Specifically, Caribbean Hispanics showed a more severe Alzheimer's disease symptomatology than any other ethnic group. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the mortality rate associated with Alzheimer's disease in Puerto Rico is higher than that reported in the United States. Moreover, the mortality rate associated with Alzheimer's disease was higher among Puerto Rican living in Puerto Rico than those in the mainland United States. There is also a differential geographical distribution of mortality rate associated with Alzheimer's disease in Puerto Rico, which may be associated with differential socioeconomic status and/or access to healthcare. However, there is no information regarding the clinical profile of Alzheimer's disease patients in Puerto Rico. Here, we present the results of a retrospective study directed to profile Alzheimer's disease patients clustered into two groups based on areas previously determined with low (Metro Region) and high (Northwest-Central Region) mortality rate associated with Alzheimer's disease in Puerto Rico. Significant difference in the age-at-diagnosis and years of education was found among patients within the two studied regions. Despite these differences, both regions showed comparable levels of initial and last Mini Mental State Examination scores and rate of cognitive decline. Significant difference was also observed in the occurance of co-morbidities associated with Alzheimer's disease. The differential profile of Alzheimer's disease patients correlated with differences in socioeconomic status between these two regions, suggesting that covariant associated with social status may contribute to increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Further studies should be conducted to determine the role of socioeconomic factors and healthy living practices as risk factors for Alzheimer's disease.

Health State Utilities Associated with Glucose Monitoring Devices.

PubMed

Matza, Louis S; Stewart, Katie D; Davies, Evan W; Hellmund, Richard; Polonsky, William H; Kerr, David

2017-03-01

Glucose monitoring is important for patients with diabetes treated with insulin. Conventional glucose monitoring requires a blood sample, typically obtained by pricking the finger. A new sensor-based system called "flash glucose monitoring" monitors glucose levels with a sensor worn on the arm, without requiring blood samples. To estimate the utility difference between these two glucose monitoring approaches for use in cost-utility models. In time trade-off interviews, general population participants in the United Kingdom (London and Edinburgh) valued health states that were drafted and refined on the basis of literature, clinician input, and a pilot study. The health states had identical descriptions of diabetes and insulin treatment, differing only in glucose monitoring approach. A total of 209 participants completed the interviews (51.7% women; mean age = 42.1 years). Mean utilities were 0.851 ± 0.140 for conventional monitoring and 0.882 ± 0.121 for flash monitoring (significant difference between the mean utilities; t = 8.3; P < 0.0001). Of the 209 participants, 78 (37.3%) had a higher utility for flash monitoring, 2 (1.0%) had a higher utility for conventional monitoring, and 129 (61.7%) had the same utility for both health states. The flash glucose monitoring system was associated with a significantly greater utility than the conventional monitoring system. This difference may be useful in cost-utility models comparing the value of glucose monitoring devices for patients with diabetes. This study adds to the literature on treatment process utilities, suggesting that time trade-off methods may be used to quantify preferences among medical devices. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Markers of endothelial dysfunction and leucocyte activation in Saudi and non-Saudi haplotypes of sickle cell disease.

PubMed

Al Najjar, Salwa; Adam, Soheir; Ahmed, Nessar; Qari, Mohamed

2017-01-01

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive inherited hemoglobinopathy, characterized by chronic hemolysis and recurrent vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC). This study investigates changes in leucocyte subsets and the relationship between cell adhesion molecule expression and disease manifestations in patients during steady state and acute VOC. We compared soluble E-selectin and P-selectin levels in 84 SCD patients, in steady state and during VOC to 84 healthy controls. Using immunophenotyping, we also compared lymphocyte subsets in these three groups. Further, we compared E-selectin and P-selectin levels in patients of Saudi ethnicity to non-Saudi patients, in all three groups. Lymphocyte subsets showed high percentages of total T lymphocytes, T helper and suppressor lymphocytes, B lymphocytes as well as NK cells in patients with SCD during steady state, while B lymphocytes and NK cells were significantly higher during acute VOC crisis. High levels of both soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) and soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) markers were demonstrated in the serum of patients with SCD during both steady state and acute VOC. Levels of selectins were significantly higher in acute VOC. The immunophenotypic expression of L-selectin, on leucocytes, was high in SCD both during steady state and during acute VOC in comparison to normal control subjects. There was no significant difference in all three study groups between Saudi and non-Saudi patients. These findings suggest that patients with SCD have increased expression of adhesion molecules: E-selectin and P-selectin, which play an important role in the pathogenesis of VOC. Despite the distinct phenotype of Saudi patients with SCD, there was no significant difference in levels of soluble E-selectin and soluble P-selectin between Saudi and non-Saudi patients in all three groups. While sickle cell disease is a well-recognized state of chronic inflammation, the role of specific adhesion molecules is steadily unraveling. Studies are underway to investigate the potential role of selectin antagonists, for prevention and reversal of acute vascular occlusions in SCD patients.

Assessing the value of the NHIS for studying changes in state coverage policies: the case of New York.

PubMed

Long, Sharon K; Graves, John A; Zuckerman, Stephen

2007-12-01

(1) To assess the effects of New York's Health Care Reform Act of 2000 on the insurance coverage of eligible adults and (2) to explore the feasibility of using the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) as opposed to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to conduct evaluations of state health reform initiatives. We take advantage of the natural experiment that occurred in New York to compare health insurance coverage for adults before and after the state implemented its coverage initiative using a difference-in-differences framework. We estimate the effects of New York's initiative on insurance coverage using the NHIS, comparing the results to estimates based on the CPS, the most widely used data source for studies of state coverage policy changes. Although the sample sizes are smaller in the NHIS, the NHIS addresses a key limitation of the CPS for such evaluations by providing a better measure of health insurance status. Given the complexity of the timing of the expansion efforts in New York (which encompassed the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks), we allow for difference in the effects of the state's policy changes over time. In particular, we allow for differences between the period of Disaster Relief Medicaid (DRM), which was a temporary program implemented immediately after September 11th, and the original components of the state's reform efforts-Family Health Plus (FHP), an expansion of direct Medicaid coverage, and Healthy New York (HNY), an effort to make private coverage more affordable. 2000-2004 CPS; 1999-2004 NHIS. We find evidence of a significant reduction in uninsurance for parents in New York, particularly in the period following DRM. For childless adults, for whom the coverage expansion was more circumscribed, the program effects are less promising, as we find no evidence of a significant decline in uninsurance. The success of New York at reducing uninsurance for parents through expansions of both public and private coverage offers hope for new strategies to expand coverage. The NHIS is a strong data source for evaluations of many state health reform initiatives, providing a better measure of insurance status and supporting a more comprehensive study of state innovations than is possible with the CPS.

[Aberrant topological properties of whole-brain functional network in chronic right-sided sensorineural hearing loss: a resting-state functional MRI study].

PubMed

Zhang, Lingling; Liu, Bin; Xu, Yangwen; Yang, Ming; Feng, Yuan; Huang, Yaqing; Huan, Zhichun; Hou, Zhaorui

2015-02-03

To investigate the topological properties of the functional brain network in unilateral sensorineural hearing loss patients. In this study, we acquired resting-state BOLD- fMRI data from 19 right-sided SNHL patients and 31 healthy controls with normal hearing and constructed their whole brain functional networks. Two-sample two-tailed t-tests were performed to investigate group differences in topological parameters between the USNHL patients and the controls. Partial correlation analysis was conducted to determine the relationships between the network metrics and USNHL-related variables. Both USNHL patients and controls exhibited small-word architecture in their brain functional networks within the range 0. 1 - 0. 2 of sparsity. Compared to the controls, USNHL patients showed significant increase in characteristic path length and normalized characteristic path length, but significant decrease in global efficiency. Clustering coefficient, local efficiency and normalized clustering coefficient demonstrated no significant difference. Furthermore, USNHL patients exhibited no significant association between the altered network metrics and the duration of USNHL or the severity of hearing loss. Our results indicated the altered topological properties of whole brain functional networks in USNHL patients, which may help us to understand pathophysiologic mechanism of USNHL patients.

RES-E Support Policies In The Baltic States: Development Aspect (Part I)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobinaite, V.; Priedite, I.

2015-02-01

Despite quite similar conditions (natural resources) for electricity production from renewable energy sources (RES-E) in three Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), significant differences exist in these countries as to the RES-E production volume. In Latvia this volume is the highest, while in Estonia and Lithuania it is half as high. One of the factors that determine the RES-E production volumes is support policies, which in the Baltic States are different. The main objective of this work was to analyze and compare these support policies. The results have shown that for rapid RES-E development the most effective policy is to be market-oriented (as in Estonia), whereas for more stable development such policy should be producer-oriented (as in Lithuania).

Influence of gap states on the nonresonant second hyperpolarizabilities of conjugated organic polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beratan, David N.

1989-01-01

The presence of conjugation and substitution defects introduces gap states in finite polyenes that are shown to influence the size and sign of the second molecular hyperpolarizability (SMH). Using a one-electron tight-binding model, the dependence of SMH on the defect-state occupancy and energy in finite polyenes is calculated. Defects can cause a significant decrease or enhancement of SMH by impeding charge delocalization or by creating partly filled bands (mimicking the one-band limit), respectively. Concomitant sign changes in SMH are predicted. Calculation results suggest strategies for designing molecules that can be either photochemically or electrochemically switched between states with considerably different SMHs.

[The state of the psychological contract and its relation with employees' psychological health].

PubMed

Gracia, Francisco Javier; Silla, Inmaculada; Peiró, José María; Fortes-Ferreira, Lina

2006-05-01

In the present paper the role of the state of the psychological contract to predict psychological health results is studied in a sample of 385 employees of different Spanish companies. Results indicate that the state of the psychological contract significantly predicts life satisfaction, work-family conflict and well-being beyond the prediction produced by the content of the psychological contract. In addition, trust and fairness, two dimensions of the state of psychological contract, all together contribute to explain these psychological health variables adding value to the role as predictor of fulfillment of the psychological contract. The results support the approach argued by Guest and colleagues.

Factors of Renewable Energy Deployment and Empirical Studies of United States Wind Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Can Sener, Serife Elif

Considered essential for countries' development, energy demand is growing worldwide. Unlike conventional sources, the use of renewable energy sources has multiple benefits, including increased energy security, sustainable economic growth, and pollution reduction, in particular greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, there is a considerable difference in the share of renewable energy sources in national energy portfolios. This dissertation contains a series of studies to provide an outlook on the existing renewable energy deployment literature and empirically identify the factors of wind energy generation capacity and wind energy policy diffusion in the U.S. The dissertation begins with a systematic literature review to identify drivers and barriers which could help in understanding the diverging paths of renewable energy deployment for countries. In the analysis, economic, environmental, and social factors are found to be drivers, whereas political, regulatory, technical potential and technological factors are not classified as either a driver or a barrier (i.e., undetermined). Each main category contains several subcategories, among which only national income is found to have a positive impact, whereas all other subcategories are considered undetermined. No significant barriers to the deployment of renewable energy sources are found over the analyzed period. Wind energy deployment within the states related to environmental and economic factors was seldom discussed in the literature. The second study of the dissertation is thus focused on the wind energy deployment in the United States. Wind energy is among the most promising clean energy sources and the United States has led the world in per capita newly installed generation capacity since 2000. In the second study, using a fixed-effects panel data regression analysis, the significance of a number of economic and environmental factors are investigated for 39 states from 2000 to 2015. The results suggested that the increase in economic factors is related to a significant increase in the installed wind energy capacity, whereas, the increase in environmental factors is related to a significant decrease in the installed wind capacity. The final study explores the factors of diffusion of state- and local-level wind energy support policies which are considered fundamental factors of the continuum and development of wind power in the United States. To reveal the internal determinants of state's wind energy policy diffusion, we further narrow the scope and control for the geographical region in the final study. We limit our analysis to seven neighboring Midwestern states, which are located in the center of United States wind energy corridor. Using data from 2008 to 2015, the study investigates the significance of the following internal factors: wind power potential, per capita gross state product, unemployment rate, per capita value of the agriculture sector, number of establishments in agricultural sector, and state government control. Through the addition of interaction terms, the study also considers the behavioral differences in the explanatory variables under Republican and non-Republican state governance. Our findings suggest that the economic development potential and related environmental benefits were the common motivation for state- and local-level policy makers. Lastly, technical terms and agricultural sector presence provides additional motives for the state level diffusion of wind energy policies. The findings of this dissertation are expected to contribute to the understanding of how countries and states might best stimulate and support renewable energy, and in particular wind energy, deployment.

Thermodynamics and kinetics of protein folding on the ribosome: Alteration in energy landscapes, denatured state, and transition state ensembles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Brien, Edward; Vendruscolo, Michele; Dobson, Christopher

2010-03-01

In vitro experiments examining cotranslational folding utilize ribosome-nascent chain complexes (RNCs) in which the nascent chain is stalled at different points of its biosynthesis on the ribosome. We investigate the thermodynamics, kinetics, and structural properties of RNCs containing five different globular and repeat proteins stalled at ten different nascent chain lengths using coarse grained replica exchange simulations. We find that when the proteins are stalled near the ribosome exit tunnel opening they exhibit altered folding coopserativity, quantified by the van't Hoff enthalpy criterion; a significantly altered denatured state ensemble, in terms of Rg and shape parameters (Rg tensor); and the appearance of partially folded intermediates during cotranslation, evidenced by the appearance of a third basin in the free energy profile. These trends are due in part to excluded volume (crowding) interactions between the ribosome and nascent chain. We perform in silico temperature-jump experiments on the RNCs and examine nascent chain folding kinetics and structural changes in the transition state ensemble at various stall lengths.

Resting-state EEG study of comatose patients: a connectivity and frequency analysis to find differences between vegetative and minimally conscious states

PubMed Central

Lehembre, Rémy; Bruno, Marie-Aurélie; Vanhaudenhuyse, Audrey; Chatelle, Camille; Cologan, Victor; Leclercq, Yves; Soddu, Andrea; Macq, Benoît; Laureys, Steven; Noirhomme, Quentin

2012-01-01

Summary The aim of this study was to look for differences in the power spectra and in EEG connectivity measures between patients in the vegetative state (VS/UWS) and patients in the minimally conscious state (MCS). The EEG of 31 patients was recorded and analyzed. Power spectra were obtained using modern multitaper methods. Three connectivity measures (coherence, the imaginary part of coherency and the phase lag index) were computed. Of the 31 patients, 21 were diagnosed as MCS and 10 as VS/UWS using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R). EEG power spectra revealed differences between the two conditions. The VS/UWS patients showed increased delta power but decreased alpha power compared with the MCS patients. Connectivity measures were correlated with the CRS-R diagnosis; patients in the VS/UWS had significantly lower connectivity than MCS patients in the theta and alpha bands. Standard EEG recorded in clinical conditions could be used as a tool to help the clinician in the diagnosis of disorders of consciousness. PMID:22687166

Symphyseal fixation in open book injuries cannot fully compensate anterior SI joint injury-A biomechanical study in a two-leg alternating load model.

PubMed

Stuby, Fabian M; Lenz, Mark; Doebele, Stefan; Agarwal, Yash; Skulev, Hristo; Ochs, Björn G; Zwingmann, Jörn; Gueorguiev, Boyko

2017-01-01

In open book injuries type Tile B1.1 or B1.2 also classified as APC II (anteroposterior compression), it remains controversial, if a fixation of the anterior ring provides sufficient stability or a fixation of the posterior ring should be included. Therefore the relative motion at the sacroiliac joint was quantified in a two-leg alternating load biomechanical pelvis model in the intact, the injured and the restored pelvis. Fresh-frozen intact (I) pelvises (n = 6) were subjected to a non-destructive cyclic test under sinosuidal axial two-leg alternating load with progressively increasing amplitude. Afterwards an open book injury (J) including the anterior ligament complex of the left sacroiliac joint, the sacrospinal and sacrotuberal ligaments (Tile B1.1) was created and the specimens were retested. Finally, the symphysis was stabilized with a modular fixation system (1-, 2- or 4-rod configuration) (R) and specimens were cyclically retested. Relative motion at the sacroiliac joint was captured at both sacroiliac joints by motion tracking system at two load levels of 170 N and 340 N during all tests. Relative sacroiliac joint movements at both load levels were significantly higher in the J-state compared to the I-state, excluding superoinferior translational movement. With exception of the anteroposterior translational movement at 340N, the relative sacroiliac joint movements after each of the three reconstructions (1-, 2-, 4-rod fixation) were significantly smaller compared to the J-state and did not differ significantly to the I-state, but stayed above the values of the latter. Relative movements did not differ significantly in a direct comparison between the 1-rod, 2-rod and 4-rod fixations. Symphyseal locked plating significantly reduces relative movement of the sacroiliac joint in open book injuries type Tile B1.1 or B1.2 (APC II) but cannot fully restore the situation of the intact sacroiliac joint.

Symphyseal fixation in open book injuries cannot fully compensate anterior SI joint injury—A biomechanical study in a two-leg alternating load model

PubMed Central

Stuby, Fabian M.; Lenz, Mark; Agarwal, Yash; Skulev, Hristo; Ochs, Björn G.; Zwingmann, Jörn; Gueorguiev, Boyko

2017-01-01

Introduction In open book injuries type Tile B1.1 or B1.2 also classified as APC II (anteroposterior compression), it remains controversial, if a fixation of the anterior ring provides sufficient stability or a fixation of the posterior ring should be included. Therefore the relative motion at the sacroiliac joint was quantified in a two-leg alternating load biomechanical pelvis model in the intact, the injured and the restored pelvis. Methods Fresh-frozen intact (I) pelvises (n = 6) were subjected to a non-destructive cyclic test under sinosuidal axial two-leg alternating load with progressively increasing amplitude. Afterwards an open book injury (J) including the anterior ligament complex of the left sacroiliac joint, the sacrospinal and sacrotuberal ligaments (Tile B1.1) was created and the specimens were retested. Finally, the symphysis was stabilized with a modular fixation system (1-, 2- or 4-rod configuration) (R) and specimens were cyclically retested. Relative motion at the sacroiliac joint was captured at both sacroiliac joints by motion tracking system at two load levels of 170 N and 340 N during all tests. Results Relative sacroiliac joint movements at both load levels were significantly higher in the J-state compared to the I-state, excluding superoinferior translational movement. With exception of the anteroposterior translational movement at 340N, the relative sacroiliac joint movements after each of the three reconstructions (1-, 2-, 4-rod fixation) were significantly smaller compared to the J-state and did not differ significantly to the I-state, but stayed above the values of the latter. Relative movements did not differ significantly in a direct comparison between the 1-rod, 2-rod and 4-rod fixations. Conclusion Symphyseal locked plating significantly reduces relative movement of the sacroiliac joint in open book injuries type Tile B1.1 or B1.2 (APC II) but cannot fully restore the situation of the intact sacroiliac joint. PMID:29176772

The decay of motor adaptation to novel movement dynamics reveals an asymmetry in the stability of motion state-dependent learning

PubMed Central

Hosseini, Eghbal A.; Nguyen, Katrina P.; Joiner, Wilsaan M.

2017-01-01

Motor adaptation paradigms provide a quantitative method to study short-term modification of motor commands. Despite the growing understanding of the role motion states (e.g., velocity) play in this form of motor learning, there is little information on the relative stability of memories based on these movement characteristics, especially in comparison to the initial adaptation. Here, we trained subjects to make reaching movements perturbed by force patterns dependent upon either limb position or velocity. Following training, subjects were exposed to a series of error-clamp trials to measure the temporal characteristics of the feedforward motor output during the decay of learning. The compensatory force patterns were largely based on the perturbation kinematic (e.g., velocity), but also showed a small contribution from the other motion kinematic (e.g., position). However, the velocity contribution in response to the position-based perturbation decayed at a slower rate than the position contribution to velocity-based training, suggesting a difference in stability. Next, we modified a previous model of motor adaptation to reflect this difference and simulated the behavior for different learning goals. We were interested in the stability of learning when the perturbations were based on different combinations of limb position or velocity that subsequently resulted in biased amounts of motion-based learning. We trained additional subjects on these combined motion-state perturbations and confirmed the predictions of the model. Specifically, we show that (1) there is a significant separation between the observed gain-space trajectories for the learning and decay of adaptation and (2) for combined motion-state perturbations, the gain associated to changes in limb position decayed at a faster rate than the velocity-dependent gain, even when the position-dependent gain at the end of training was significantly greater. Collectively, these results suggest that the state-dependent adaptation associated with movement velocity is relatively more stable than that based on position. PMID:28481891

Influence of biomass burning on mixing state of sub-micron aerosol particles in the North China Plain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kecorius, Simonas; Ma, Nan; Teich, Monique; van Pinxteren, Dominik; Zhang, Shenglan; Gröβ, Johannes; Spindler, Gerald; Müller, Konrad; Iinuma, Yoshiteru; Hu, Min; Herrmann, Hartmut; Wiedensohler, Alfred

2017-09-01

Particulate emissions from crop residue burning decrease the air quality as well as influence aerosol radiative properties on a regional scale. The North China Plain (NCP) is known for the large scale biomass burning (BB) of field residues, which often results in heavy haze pollution episodes across the region. We have been able to capture a unique BB episode during the international CAREBeijing-NCP intensive field campaign in Wangdu in the NCP (38.6°N, 115.2°E) from June to July 2014. It was found that aerosol particles originating from this BB event showed a significantly different mixing state compared with clean and non-BB pollution episodes. BB originated particles showed a narrower probability density function (PDF) of shrink factor (SF). And the maximum was found at shrink factor of 0.6, which is higher than in other episodes. The non-volatile particle number fraction during the BB episode decreased to 3% and was the lowest measured value compared to all other predefined episodes. To evaluate the influence of particle mixing state on aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA), SSA at different RHs was simulated using the measured aerosol physical-chemical properties. The differences between the calculated SSA for biomass burning, clean and pollution episodes are significant, meaning that the variation of SSA in different pollution conditions needs to be considered in the evaluation of aerosol direct radiative effects in the NCP. And the calculated SSA was found to be quite sensitive on the mixing state of BC, especially at low-RH condition. The simulated SSA was also compared with the measured values. For all the three predefined episodes, the measured SSA are very close to the calculated ones with assumed mixing states of homogeneously internal and core-shell internal mixing, indicating that both of the conception models are appropriate for the calculation of ambient SSA in the NCP.

Are adolescents with anorexia nervosa better at reading minds?

PubMed

Laghi, Fiorenzo; Pompili, Sara; Zanna, Valeria; Castiglioni, Maria Chiara; Criscuolo, Michela; Chianello, Ilenia; Baumgartner, Emma; Baiocco, Roberto

2015-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate mindreading abilities in female adolescent patients with AN compared to healthy controls (HCs), analysing differences for emotional valence of facial stimuli. The Eating Disorder Inventory) for evaluating psychological traits associated with eating disorders and the Children's version of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test for evaluating mindreading abilities were administered to 40 Italian female patients (mean age = 14.93; SD = 1.48) with restrictive diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN) and 40 healthy females (mean age = 14.88; SD = 0.56). No significant differences between the AN group and HCs for the Eyes Total score were found. Even when analysing emotional valence of the items, the two groups were equally successful in the facial recognition of positive, negative and neutral emotions. A significant difference was revealed for the percentage of correct responses of item 10 and item 15, where the AN group was less able to correctly identify the target descriptor (Not believing) over the foils than HCs. A significant difference was revealed in discriminating for affective emotions versus cognitive states; only for affective but not for cognitive states, patients with AN were found to perform better than controls on the mindreading task. Our study highlighted the importance of analysing and discriminating for different valences of facial stimuli when assessing mindreading abilities in adolescents with AN, so that more precise and specific treatment approaches could be developed for female adolescents with AN.

Classification of commercial wines from the Canary Islands (Spain) by chemometric techniques using metallic contents.

PubMed

Frías, Sergio; Conde, José E; Rodríguez-Bencomo, Juan J; García-Montelongo, Francisco; Pérez-Trujillo, Juan P

2003-02-06

Eleven elements, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Sr, Li and Rb, were determined in dry and sweet wines bearing the denominations of origin of El Hierro, La Palma and Lanzarote islands (Canary Islands, Spain). Analyses were performed by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry, with the exceptions of lithium and rubidium for which flame atomic emission spectrophotometry was used. Sweet wines from La Palma were elaborated as naturally sweet with over-ripe grapes and significant differences were found in all the analysed elements with the exceptions of sodium, iron and rubidium with regard to dry wines from the same island. Contrarily, sweet wines from Lanzarote elaborated with grapes in a similar ripening state to dry wines did not present significant differences between them with the exception of strontium, the content of which was greater in dry wines. Among the three islands, significant differences in mean content were found with the exceptions of iron and copper. Cluster analysis and principal component analysis show differences in wines according to the island of origin and the ripening state of the grapes. Linear discriminant analysis using rubidium, sodium, manganese and strontium, the four most discriminant elements, gave 100% recognition ability and 95.6% prediction ability. The sensitivity and specificity obtained using soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) as a modelling multivariate technique were both 100% for El Hierro and Lanzarote, and 100 and 95%, respectively, for La Palma. The modelling and discriminant capacities of the different metals were also studied.

Discrepant perceptions of communication, teamwork and situation awareness among surgical team members

PubMed Central

Wauben, L.S.G.L.; Dekker-van Doorn, C.M.; van Wijngaarden, J.D.H.; Goossens, R.H.M.; Huijsman, R.; Klein, J.; Lange, J.F.

2011-01-01

Objective To assess surgical team members’ differences in perception of non-technical skills. Design Questionnaire design. Setting Operating theatres (OTs) at one university hospital, three teaching hospitals and one general hospital in the Netherlands. Participants Sixty-six surgeons, 97 OT nurses, 18 anaesthetists and 40 nurse anaesthetists. Methods All surgical team members, of five hospitals, were asked to complete a questionnaire and state their opinion on the current state of communication, teamwork and situation awareness at the OT. Results Ratings for ‘communication’ were significantly different, particularly between surgeons and all other team members (P ≤ 0.001). The ratings for ‘teamwork’ differed significantly between all team members (P ≤ 0.005). Within ‘situation awareness’ significant differences were mainly observed for ‘gathering information’ between surgeons and other team members (P < 0.001). Finally, 72–90% of anaesthetists, OT nurses and nurse anaesthetists rated routine team briefings and debriefings as inadequate. Conclusions This study shows discrepancies on many aspects in perception between surgeons and other surgical team members concerning communication, teamwork and situation awareness. Future research needs to ascertain whether these discrepancies are linked to greater risk of adverse events or to process as well as systems failures. Establishing this link would support implementation and use of complex team interventions that intervene at multiple levels of the healthcare system. PMID:21242160

Resting-state EEG coupling analysis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment with type 2 diabetes mellitus by using permutation conditional mutual information.

PubMed

Wen, Dong; Bian, Zhijie; Li, Qiuli; Wang, Lei; Lu, Chengbiao; Li, Xiaoli

2016-01-01

This study was meant to explore whether the coupling strength and direction of resting-state electroencephalogram (rsEEG) could be used as an indicator to distinguish the patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with or without amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Permutation conditional mutual information (PCMI) was used to calculate the coupling strength and direction of rsEEG signals between different brain areas of 19 aMCI and 20 normal control (NC) with T2DM on 7 frequency bands: Delta, Theta, Alpha1, Alpha2, Beta1, Beta2 and Gamma. The difference in coupling strength or direction of rsEEG between two groups was calculated. The correlation between coupling strength or direction of rsEEG and score of different neuropsychology scales were also calculated. We have demonstrated that PCMI can calculate effectively the coupling strength and directionality of EEG signals between different brain regions. The significant difference in coupling strength and directionality of EEG signals was found between the patients of aMCI and NC with T2DM on different brain regions. There also existed significant correlation between sex or age and coupling strength or coupling directionality of EEG signals between a few different brain regions from all subjects. The coupling strength or directionality of EEG signals calculated by PCMI are significantly different between aMCI and NC with T2DM. These results showed that the coupling strength or directionality of EEG signals calculated by PCMI might be used as a biomarker in distinguishing the aMCI from NC with T2DM. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Best practices to promote occupational safety and satisfaction: a comparison of three North American hospitals.

PubMed

McCaughey, Deirdre; DelliFraine, Jami; Erwin, Cathleen O

2015-01-01

Hospitals in North America consistently have employee injury rates ranking among the highest of all industries. Organizations that mandate workplace safety training and emphasize safety compliance tend to have lower injury rates and better employee safety perceptions. However, it is unclear if the work environment in different national health care systems (United States vs. Canada) is associated with different employee safety perceptions or injury rates. This study examines occupational safety and workplace satisfaction in two different countries with employees working for the same organization. Survey data were collected from environmental services employees (n = 148) at three matched hospitals (two in Canada and one in the United States). The relationships that were examined included: (1) safety leadership and safety training with individual/unit safety perceptions; (2) supervisor and coworker support with individual job satisfaction and turnover intention; and (3) unit turnover, labor usage, and injury rates. Hierarchical regression analysis and ANO VA found safety leadership and safety training to be positively related to individual safety perceptions, and unit safety grade and effects were similar across all hospitals. Supervisor and coworker support were found to be related to individual and organizational outcomes and significant differences were found across the hospitals. Significant differences were found in injury rates, days missed, and turnover across the hospitals. This study offers support for occupational safety training as a viable mechanism to reduce employee injury rates and that a codified training program translates across national borders. Significant differences were found.between the hospitals with respect to employee and organizational outcomes (e.g., turnover). These findings suggest that work environment differences are reflective of the immediate work group and environment, and may reflect national health care system differences.

Ocular Motor and Sensory Function in Parkinson Disease

PubMed Central

Almer, Zina; Klein, Kathyrn S.; Marsh, Laura; Gerstenhaber, Melissa; Repka, Michael X.

2011-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the effect of dopaminergic medication and deep brain stimulation on ocular function in Parkinson disease (PD) and to measure vision-related quality of life in subjects with PD. Design Prospective comparative case series. Participants and Controls Twenty-seven PD and 16 control subjects were recruited. Methods We measured visual acuity, ocular motor function, convergence, and vision-related quality of life using the Visual Function Questionnaire–25 (VFQ-25). Visual sensory and motor measurements were made during the “on” and “off” states of PD dopaminergic treatment. Main Outcome Measures Convergence ability and vision related quality of life. Results The PD subjects had a mean age of 58.8 years; 30% were female. Their mean duration of PD was 10.9 ± 6.8 years. The control subjects had a mean age of 61.6 years; 56% were female. There was no difference in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity or color vision of the PD subjects in their “on” state compared with controls. Convergence amplitudes measured with base-out prism were significantly poorer in PD subjects compared with controls (24.1 ± 8 Δ vs 14.8 ±10.3 Δ; P=0.003). The mean composite VFQ-25 score was significantly worse in the PD subjects compared with the controls (87.1 ± 8.69 vs 96.6 ± 3.05; P=0.0001). Comparing the PD subjects in their “on” with their “off” states, there was no difference in distance exodeviation, near exodeviation or ocular ductions. Mean convergence amplitudes and near point of convergence were better in the “on” state compared with the “off” state, 14.8±10.3 Δ vs 10.7±9.0 Δ, (P=0.0006), and 13.1±9.1 cm vs 18.1±12.2, (P=0.002), respectively. Conclusions Convergence ability is significantly poorer in PD subjects in both their “on” and “off” states compared with controls, but significantly improves with systemic dopaminergic treatment. Ocular motor function in PD subjects fluctuates in response to treatment, which complicates ophthalmic management. PD subjects have a significant reduction in vision-related quality of life, especially near activities, that is not associated with visual acuity. PMID:21959370

Human Genetic Variation and Yellow Fever Mortality during 19th Century U.S. Epidemics

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT We calculated the incidence, mortality, and case fatality rates for Caucasians and non-Caucasians during 19th century yellow fever (YF) epidemics in the United States and determined statistical significance for differences in the rates in different populations. We evaluated nongenetic host factors, including socioeconomic, environmental, cultural, demographic, and acquired immunity status that could have influenced these differences. While differences in incidence rates were not significant between Caucasians and non-Caucasians, differences in mortality and case fatality rates were statistically significant for all epidemics tested (P < 0.01). Caucasians diagnosed with YF were 6.8 times more likely to succumb than non-Caucasians with the disease. No other major causes of death during the 19th century demonstrated a similar mortality skew toward Caucasians. Nongenetic host factors were examined and could not explain these large differences. We propose that the remarkably lower case mortality rates for individuals of non-Caucasian ancestry is the result of human genetic variation in loci encoding innate immune mediators. PMID:24895309

Solvatochromic Effects on the Absorption Spectrum of 2-Thiocytosine

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The solvatochromic effects of six different solvents on the UV absorption spectrum of 2-thiocytosine have been studied by a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques. The steady-state absorption spectra show significant shifts of the absorption bands, where in more polar solvents the first absorption maximum shifts to higher transition energies and the second maximum to lower energies. The observed solvatochromic shifts have been rationalized using three popular solvatochromic scales and with high-level multireference quantum chemistry calculations including implicit and explicit solvent effects. It has been found that the dipole moments of the excited states account for some general shifts in the excitation energies, whereas the explicit solvent interactions explain the differences in the spectra recorded in the different solvents. PMID:28452483

An adaptive and generalizable closed-loop system for control of medically induced coma and other states of anesthesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yuxiao; Shanechi, Maryam M.

2016-12-01

Objective. Design of closed-loop anesthetic delivery (CLAD) systems is an important topic, particularly for medically induced coma, which needs to be maintained for long periods. Current CLADs for medically induced coma require a separate offline experiment for model parameter estimation, which causes interruption in treatment and is difficult to perform. Also, CLADs may exhibit bias due to inherent time-variation and non-stationarity, and may have large infusion rate variations at steady state. Finally, current CLADs lack theoretical performance guarantees. We develop the first adaptive CLAD for medically induced coma, which addresses these limitations. Further, we extend our adaptive system to be generalizable to other states of anesthesia. Approach. We designed general parametric pharmacodynamic, pharmacokinetic and neural observation models with associated guidelines, and derived a novel adaptive controller. We further penalized large steady-state drug infusion rate variations in the controller. We derived theoretical guarantees that the adaptive system has zero steady-state bias. Using simulations that resembled real time-varying and noisy environments, we tested the closed-loop system for control of two different anesthetic states, burst suppression in medically induced coma and unconsciousness in general anesthesia. Main results. In 1200 simulations, the adaptive system achieved precise control of both anesthetic states despite non-stationarity, time-variation, noise, and no initial parameter knowledge. In both cases, the adaptive system performed close to a baseline system that knew the parameters exactly. In contrast, a non-adaptive system resulted in large steady-state bias and error. The adaptive system also resulted in significantly smaller steady-state infusion rate variations compared to prior systems. Significance. These results have significant implications for clinically viable CLAD design for a wide range of anesthetic states, with potential cost-saving and therapeutic benefits.

Does a Relationship Between Arctic Low Clouds and Sea Ice Matter?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Patrick C.

2016-01-01

Arctic low clouds strongly affect the Arctic surface energy budget. Through this impact Arctic low clouds influence important aspects of the Arctic climate system, namely surface and atmospheric temperature, sea ice extent and thickness, and atmospheric circulation. Arctic clouds are in turn influenced by these elements of the Arctic climate system, and these interactions create the potential for Arctic cloud-climate feedbacks. To further our understanding of potential Arctic cloudclimate feedbacks, the goal of this paper is to quantify the influence of atmospheric state on the surface cloud radiative effect (CRE) and its covariation with sea ice concentration (SIC). We build on previous research using instantaneous, active remote sensing satellite footprint data from the NASA A-Train. First, the results indicate significant differences in the surface CRE when stratified by atmospheric state. Second, there is a weak covariation between CRE and SIC for most atmospheric conditions. Third, the results show statistically significant differences in the average surface CRE under different SIC values in fall indicating a 3-5 W m(exp -2) larger LW CRE in 0% versus 100% SIC footprints. Because systematic changes on the order of 1 W m(exp -2) are sufficient to explain the observed long-term reductions in sea ice extent, our results indicate a potentially significant amplifying sea ice-cloud feedback, under certain meteorological conditions, that could delay the fall freeze-up and influence the variability in sea ice extent and volume. Lastly, a small change in the frequency of occurrence of atmosphere states may yield a larger Arctic cloud feedback than any cloud response to sea ice.

Investigating the capability of ToF-SIMS to determine the oxidation state of Ce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seed Ahmed, H. A. A.; Swart, H. C.; Kroon, R. E.

2018-04-01

The capability of time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) to determine the oxidation state of Ce ions doped in a phosphor was investigated. Two samples of SiO2:Ce (4 mol%) with known Ce3+/Ce4+ relative concentrations were subjected to ToF-SIMS measurements. The spectra were very similar and no significant differences in the relative peak intensities were observed that would readily allow one to distinguish Ce3+ from Ce4+. Although ToF-SIMS was therefore not useful to distinguish the charge state of Ce ions doped in this phosphor material, the idea in principle was also tested on two other samples, namely CeF3 and CeF4 These contain Ce as part of the host (i.e. much higher concentration) and are fluorides, which is significant because ToF-SIMS has previously been reported to be able to distinguish Eu2+ from Eu3+ in Eu doped Sr5(PO4)3F phosphor. The spectrum of CeF4 contained a small peak related to Ce4+ which was not observed in the CeF3 spectrum, yet the peak related to the Ce3+ ions was found to be much more intense in the spectrum of CeF4 than CeF3, showing that the ToF-SIMS signals cannot be directly interpreted as retaining the charge state of the ions in the original material. Nevertheless, the significant differences in the Ce-related peaks in the ToF-SIMS spectra from CeF3 and CeF4 show that the charge state of Ce may be distinguished. This study shows that while in principle ToF-SIMS may be used to distinguish the charge state of Ce ions, this depends on the sample and it would not be easy to interpret the spectra without a standard or reference.

Idealized vs. Realistic Microstructures: An Atomistic Simulation Case Study on γ/γ′ Microstructures

PubMed Central

Prakash, Aruna; Bitzek, Erik

2017-01-01

Single-crystal Ni-base superalloys, consisting of a two-phase γ/γ′ microstructure, retain high strengths at elevated temperatures and are key materials for high temperature applications, like, e.g., turbine blades of aircraft engines. The lattice misfit between the γ and γ′ phases results in internal stresses, which significantly influence the deformation and creep behavior of the material. Large-scale atomistic simulations that are often used to enhance our understanding of the deformation mechanisms in such materials must accurately account for such misfit stresses. In this work, we compare the internal stresses in both idealized and experimentally-informed, i.e., more realistic, γ/γ′ microstructures. The idealized samples are generated by assuming, as is frequently done, a periodic arrangement of cube-shaped γ′ particles with planar γ/γ′ interfaces. The experimentally-informed samples are generated from two different sources to produce three different samples—the scanning electron microscopy micrograph-informed quasi-2D atomistic sample and atom probe tomography-informed stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric atomistic samples. Additionally, we compare the stress state of an idealized embedded cube microstructure with finite element simulations incorporating 3D periodic boundary conditions. Subsequently, we study the influence of the resulting stress state on the evolution of dislocation loops in the different samples. The results show that the stresses in the atomistic and finite element simulations are almost identical. Furthermore, quasi-2D boundary conditions lead to a significantly different stress state and, consequently, different evolution of the dislocation loop, when compared to samples with fully 3D boundary conditions. PMID:28772453

Investigating changes in brain network properties in HIV-associated neurocognitive disease (HAND) using mutual connectivity analysis (MCA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abidin, Anas Zainul; D'Souza, Adora M.; Nagarajan, Mahesh B.; Wismüller, Axel

2016-03-01

About 50% of subjects infected with HIV present deficits in cognitive domains, which are known collectively as HIV associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). The underlying synaptodendritic damage can be captured using resting state functional MRI, as has been demonstrated by a few earlier studies. Such damage may induce topological changes of brain connectivity networks. We test this hypothesis by capturing the functional interdependence of 90 brain network nodes using a Mutual Connectivity Analysis (MCA) framework with non-linear time series modeling based on Generalized Radial Basis function (GRBF) neural networks. The network nodes are selected based on the regions defined in the Automated Anatomic Labeling (AAL) atlas. Each node is represented by the average time series of the voxels of that region. The resulting networks are then characterized using graph-theoretic measures that quantify various network topology properties at a global as well as at a local level. We tested for differences in these properties in network graphs obtained for 10 subjects (6 male and 4 female, 5 HIV+ and 5 HIV-). Global network properties captured some differences between these subject cohorts, though significant differences were seen only with the clustering coefficient measure. Local network properties, such as local efficiency and the degree of connections, captured significant differences in regions of the frontal lobe, precentral and cingulate cortex amongst a few others. These results suggest that our method can be used to effectively capture differences occurring in brain network connectivity properties revealed by resting-state functional MRI in neurological disease states, such as HAND.

Idealized vs. Realistic Microstructures: An Atomistic Simulation Case Study on γ/γ' Microstructures.

PubMed

Prakash, Aruna; Bitzek, Erik

2017-01-23

Single-crystal Ni-base superalloys, consisting of a two-phase γ / γ ' microstructure, retain high strengths at elevated temperatures and are key materials for high temperature applications, like, e.g., turbine blades of aircraft engines. The lattice misfit between the γ and γ ' phases results in internal stresses, which significantly influence the deformation and creep behavior of the material. Large-scale atomistic simulations that are often used to enhance our understanding of the deformation mechanisms in such materials must accurately account for such misfit stresses. In this work, we compare the internal stresses in both idealized and experimentally-informed, i.e., more realistic, γ / γ ' microstructures. The idealized samples are generated by assuming, as is frequently done, a periodic arrangement of cube-shaped γ ' particles with planar γ / γ ' interfaces. The experimentally-informed samples are generated from two different sources to produce three different samples-the scanning electron microscopy micrograph-informed quasi-2D atomistic sample and atom probe tomography-informed stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric atomistic samples. Additionally, we compare the stress state of an idealized embedded cube microstructure with finite element simulations incorporating 3D periodic boundary conditions. Subsequently, we study the influence of the resulting stress state on the evolution of dislocation loops in the different samples. The results show that the stresses in the atomistic and finite element simulations are almost identical. Furthermore, quasi-2D boundary conditions lead to a significantly different stress state and, consequently, different evolution of the dislocation loop, when compared to samples with fully 3D boundary conditions.

Greater Perceived Age Discrimination in England than the United States: Results from HRS and ELSA

PubMed Central

Zaninotto, Paola; Steptoe, Andrew

2015-01-01

Objectives. We examined cross-national differences in perceptions of age discrimination in England and the United States. Under the premise that the United States has had age discrimination legislation in place for considerably longer than England, we hypothesized that perceptions of age discrimination would be lower in the United States. Methods. We analyzed data from two nationally representative studies of aging, the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (n = 4,818) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (n = 7,478). Respondents aged 52 years and older who attributed any experiences of discrimination to their age were treated as cases of perceived age discrimination. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate the odds ratios of experiencing perceived age discrimination in relation to selected sociodemographic factors. Results. Perceptions of age discrimination were significantly higher in England than the United States, with 34.8% of men and women in England reporting age discrimination compared with 29.1% in the United States. Associations between perceived age discrimination and older age and lower levels of household wealth were observed in both countries, but we found differences between England and the United States in the relationship between perceived age discrimination and education. Discussion. Our study revealed that levels of perceived age discrimination are lower in the United States than England and are less socially patterned. This suggests that differing social and political circumstances in the two countries may have an important role to play. PMID:26224759

Effects of consumption of sucromalt, a slowly digestible carbohydrate, on mental and physical energy questionnaire responses.

PubMed

Dammann, Kristen W; Bell, Margie; Kanter, Mitch; Berger, Alvin

2013-03-01

To evaluate whether consumption of the low-glycemic index (GI) carbohydrate sucromalt improves healthy adults' perceptions of mental and physical energy and fatigue compared to dextrose (glucose), a high GI control. In this double-blind, randomized, cross-over study, subjects (n = 44 healthy adults) consumed a standardized dinner, and following an overnight fast, ingested 75 g of either sucromalt or glucose in solution at 7:30 AM the next day. Subjects completed validated questionnaires that assessed mental and physical energy, and fatigue, hunger, and sleepiness at baseline and hourly until 12:30 PM for a total of five post-consumption time points. Within-subject differences adjusted for baseline for individual questions and composite scores (Mental Energy State, Mental Fatigue State, Physical Energy State, and Physical Fatigue State) were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. Mental Energy State, Physical Energy State, and Physical Fatigue State results favored sucromalt compared to glucose, with significant differences emerging particularly after 4-5 hours (P < 0.050). A trend toward a delay in Mental Fatigue State was also observed with sucromalt compared to glucose (P < 0.100). Minimal differences in ratings of hunger and sleepiness were observed between the beverages. Sucromalt may help attenuate the perceived decline in mental and physical energy and rise in mental and physical fatigue that can occur 4-5 hours after ingestion of a high GI beverage. Trials examining effects of sucromalt on cognitive and physical performance are of future interest.

Investigating the effects of nitrous oxide sedation on frontal-parietal interactions.

PubMed

Ryu, Ji-Ho; Kim, Pil-Jong; Kim, Hong-Gee; Koo, Yong-Seo; Shin, Teo Jeon

2017-06-09

Although functional connectivity has received considerable attention in the study of consciousness, few studies have investigated functional connectivity limited to the sedated state where consciousness is maintained but impaired. The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in functional connectivity of the parietal-frontal network resulting from nitrous oxide-induced sedation, and to determine the neural correlates of cognitive impairment during consciousness transition states. Electroencephalography was acquired from healthy adult patients who underwent nitrous oxide inhalation to induce cognitive impairment, and was analyzed using Granger causality (GC). Periods of awake, sedation and recovery for GC between frontal and parietal areas in the delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma and total frequency bands were obtained. The Friedman test with post-hoc analysis was conducted for GC values of each period for comparison. As a sedated state was induced by nitrous oxide inhalation, power in the low frequency band showed increased activity in frontal regions that was reversed with discontinuation of nitrous oxide. Feedback and feedforward connections analyzed in spectral GC were changed differently in accordance with EEG frequency bands in the sedated state by nitrous oxide administration. Calculated spectral GC of the theta, alpha, and beta frequency regions in the parietal-to-frontal direction was significantly decreased in the sedated state while spectral GC in the reverse direction did not show significant change. Frontal-parietal functional connectivity is significantly affected by nitrous oxide inhalation. Significantly decreased parietal-to-frontal interaction may induce a sedated state. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biases in grant proposal success rates, funding rates and award sizes affect the geographical distribution of funding for biomedical research

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

The ability of the United States to most efficiently make breakthroughs on the biology, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases requires that physicians and scientists in each state have equal access to federal research grants and grant dollars. However, despite legislative and administrative efforts to ensure equal access, the majority of funding for biomedical research is concentrated in a minority of states. To gain insight into the causes of such disparity, funding metrics were examined for all NIH research project grants (RPGs) from 2004 to 2013. State-by-state differences in per application success rates, per investigator funding rates, and average award size each contributed significantly to vast disparities (greater than 100-fold range) in per capita RPG funding to individual states. To the extent tested, there was no significant association overall between scientific productivity and per capita funding, suggesting that the unbalanced allocation of funding is unrelated to the quality of scientists in each state. These findings reveal key sources of bias in, and new insight into the accuracy of, the funding process. They also support evidence-based recommendations for how the NIH could better utilize the scientific talent and capacity that is present throughout the United States. PMID:27077009

Biases in grant proposal success rates, funding rates and award sizes affect the geographical distribution of funding for biomedical research.

PubMed

Wahls, Wayne P

2016-01-01

The ability of the United States to most efficiently make breakthroughs on the biology, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases requires that physicians and scientists in each state have equal access to federal research grants and grant dollars. However, despite legislative and administrative efforts to ensure equal access, the majority of funding for biomedical research is concentrated in a minority of states. To gain insight into the causes of such disparity, funding metrics were examined for all NIH research project grants (RPGs) from 2004 to 2013. State-by-state differences in per application success rates, per investigator funding rates, and average award size each contributed significantly to vast disparities (greater than 100-fold range) in per capita RPG funding to individual states. To the extent tested, there was no significant association overall between scientific productivity and per capita funding, suggesting that the unbalanced allocation of funding is unrelated to the quality of scientists in each state. These findings reveal key sources of bias in, and new insight into the accuracy of, the funding process. They also support evidence-based recommendations for how the NIH could better utilize the scientific talent and capacity that is present throughout the United States.

Sex-Related Differences in Mood Responses to Acute Aerobic Exercise.

PubMed

McDowell, Cillian P; Campbell, Mark J; Herring, Matthew P

2016-09-01

Although some evidence supports stronger mood improvements in response to acute exercise among women, sex-related differences remain understudied. This study aimed to quantify and compare differences in baseline mood and the magnitude of mood responses to either acute aerobic exercise or quiet rest among young adult men and women. Fifty-three young adults (27 males and 26 females) completed two counterbalanced conditions: 30 min of vigorous treadmill exercise or 30 min of quiet rest. Outcomes included state anxiety, worry symptoms, and feelings of tension, depression, vigor, fatigue, anger, and confusion. ANOVA and RM-ANOVA examined sex-related differences at baseline and across condition and time, respectively. Hedges' d (95% CI) values were calculated to quantify and compare the magnitude of change in response to exercise compared with control. Females were more likely to report scores indicative of depression (Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms > 5; 38.5% vs 18.5%) and high trait anxiety (≥1 SD above age- and sex-related norm on the trait subscale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; 26.9% vs 3.7%). Baseline worry symptoms and trait anxiety were significantly higher among females (P < 0.02). Although repeated-measures models did not support statistically significant differences between sexes, the magnitude of improvement in mood outcomes was larger among females than males for all outcomes other than feelings of tension. Compared with quiet rest, exercise significantly improved feelings of fatigue (d = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.01-1.17), confusion (d = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.24-1.41), and energy (d = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.02-2.33), and total mood disturbance (d = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.49-1.70) and resulted in a nonsignificant, moderate-sized improvement in state anxiety (d = 0.51, 95% CI = -0.07 to 1.08) among females. Findings support potential sex-related differences in mood response to acute aerobic exercise, with larger improvements found among females. Future research should confirm findings and examine putative mechanisms of sex-related differences in mood responses to exercise.

Cognitive and default-mode resting state networks: do male and female brains "rest" differently?

PubMed

Weissman-Fogel, Irit; Moayedi, Massieh; Taylor, Keri S; Pope, Geoff; Davis, Karen D

2010-11-01

Variability in human behavior related to sex is supported by neuroimaging studies showing differences in brain activation patterns during cognitive task performance. An emerging field is examining the human connectome, including networks of brain regions that are not only temporally-correlated during different task conditions, but also networks that show highly correlated spontaneous activity during a task-free state. Both task-related and task-free network activity has been associated with individual task performance and behavior under certain conditions. Therefore, our aim was to determine whether sex differences exist during a task-free resting state for two networks associated with cognitive task performance (executive control network (ECN), salience network (SN)) and the default mode network (DMN). Forty-nine healthy subjects (26 females, 23 males) underwent a 5-min task-free fMRI scan in a 3T MRI. An independent components analysis (ICA) was performed to identify the best-fit IC for each network based on specific spatial nodes defined in previous studies. To determine the consistency of these networks across subjects we performed self-organizing group-level ICA analyses. There were no significant differences between sexes in the functional connectivity of the brain areas within the ECN, SN, or the DMN. These important findings highlight the robustness of intrinsic connectivity of these resting state networks and their similarity between sexes. Furthermore, our findings suggest that resting state fMRI studies do not need to be controlled for sex. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Antiabortion violence in the United States.

PubMed

Russo, Jennefer A; Schumacher, Kristin L; Creinin, Mitchell D

2012-11-01

This study was conducted to determine if an association exists between the amount of harassment and violence directed against abortion providers and the restrictiveness of state laws relating to family planning. We used responses from a July 2010 survey of 357 abortion providers in 50 states to determine their experience of antiabortion harassment and violence. Their responses were grouped and analyzed in relation to a published grading of state laws in the United States (A, B, C, D and F) as they relate to restrictions on family planning services. Group by group comparison of respondents illustrates that the difference in the number of reported incidents of minor vandalism by group is statistically significant (A vs. C, p=.07; A vs. D, p=.017; A vs. F, p=.0002). Incidents of harassment follow a similar pattern. There were no differences noted overall for violence or major vandalism. Major violence, including eight murders, is a new occurrence in the last two decades. Harassment of abortion providers in the United States has an association with the restrictiveness of state abortion laws. In the last two decades, murder of abortion providers has become an unfortunate part of the violence. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.