The Development of Extraversion and Ability: Analysis of Data from a Large-Scale Longitudinal Study of Children Tested at 10-11 and 14-15 Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anthony, W. S.

1983-01-01

Results of analysis of correlations collected by Cookson, following Eysenck and Cookson's study of personality and ability in young people, confirm the finding from previous Cattellian test data that the more intelligent children decline in relative extraversion scores and cast doubt on Eysenck's suggestion that introverts gradually show higher…

Study Casts Doubt on Strength of Charter Managers: Author Says Final Text Eased Negative Findings on CMOs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viadero, Debra

2009-01-01

A report from Education Sector raises questions about the ability of charter schools and charter-management organizations (CMOs) to scale up as dramatically as their supporters might hope. "The extraordinary demands of educating disadvantaged students to higher standards, the challenges of attracting the talent required to do that work, the burden…

When Mommy Comes to the Rescue of Statistics: Infants Combine Top-Down and Bottom-Up Cues to Segment Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mersad, Karima; Nazzi, Thierry

2012-01-01

Transitional Probability (TP) computations are regarded as a powerful learning mechanism that is functional early in development and has been proposed as an initial bootstrapping device for speech segmentation. However, a recent study casts doubt on the robustness of early statistical word-learning. Johnson and Tyler (2010) showed that when…

Agrammatic Comprehension Caused by a Glioma in the Left Frontal Cortex

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinno, Ryuta; Muragaki, Yoshihiro; Hori, Tomokatsu; Maruyama, Takashi; Kawamura, Mitsuru; Sakai, Kuniyoshi L.

2009-01-01

It has been known that lesions in the left inferior frontal gyrus (L. IFG) do not always cause Broca's aphasia, casting doubt upon the specificity of this region. We have previously devised a picture-sentence matching task for a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, and observed that both pars triangularis (L. F3t) of L. IFG…

From "What Did I Write?" to "Is This Right?": Intention, Convention, and Accountability in Early Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wohlwend, Karen E.

2008-01-01

When children enter public kindergartens in the current atmosphere of high-stakes testing, they often encounter an emphasis on correctness that casts doubt on the integrity of their personally invented messages, prompting them to ask not "What did I write?" but "Is this right?" This ethnographic case study examines early writing by 23 kindergarten…

Global temperatures and the global warming ``debate''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubrecht, Gordon

2009-04-01

Many ordinary citizens listen to pronouncements on talk radio casting doubt on anthropogenic global warming. Some op-ed columnists likewise cast doubts, and are read by credulous citizens. For example, on 8 March 2009, the Boston Globe published a column by Jeff Jacoby, ``Where's global warming?'' According to Jacoby, ``But it isn't such hints of a planetary warming trend that have been piling up in profusion lately. Just the opposite.'' He goes on to write, ``the science of climate change is not nearly as important as the religion of climate change,'' and blamed Al Gore for getting his mistaken views accepted. George Will at the Washington Post also expressed denial. As a result, 44% of U.S. voters, according to the January 19 2009 Rasmussen Report, blame long-term planetary trends for global warming, not human beings. Is there global cooling, as skeptics claim? We examine the temperature record.

Research and Development Project Priotization. An Annotated Bibliography.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

matrix) theory provides the answer in any particular 17 problem. The matrix used is a table to express the number of votes cast for each motion...the majority-rule model and the game model. In 1964, Aumana’s chapter in Shelly and Bryan’s book [187] briefly described ordinal utility ranking...propositions to cast doubt on the existence of Bergson-Samuelson SWFs. They demonstrated that it was impossible to find a "reasonable" Bergson

Testing Standard Reliability Criteria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherry, David

2017-01-01

Maul's paper, "Rethinking Traditional Methods of Survey Validation" (Andrew Maul), contains two stages. First he presents empirical results that cast doubt on traditional methods for validating psychological measurement instruments. These results motivate the second stage, a critique of current conceptions of psychological measurement…

Repetitive member factors for the allowable properties of wood products

Treesearch

Steve Verrill; David Kretschmann

2010-01-01

We identify confusion in the literature about the definition and calculation of repetitive member factors. This confusion casts some doubt on the validity of the 1.15 repetitive member factor permitted in ASTM D 245 and ASTM D 1990.

Doubts cast over success of US antimissile tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2010-07-01

Two physicists have expressed reservations about the reliability of an anti-ballistic missile - a key component of the US antimissile armour - and have accused the US's Missile Defence Agency (MDA) of deliberately misleading the Obama administration about its test results.

ScienceCast 64: Andromeda vs. the Milky Way: Astronomers Predict a Titanic Collision

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-06-08

Astronomers no longer have any doubt: Our Milky Way Galaxy will have a head-on collision with Andromeda. Fortunately, they say, Earth will survive when the two great star systems meet 4 billions years from now.

The Cooperative Infiltration of Science Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beder, Sharon

1998-01-01

Argues that educational materials produced by corporations and industry associations tend to give a corporate view of environmental problems, often casting doubt on the scientific basis for environmental regulation and promoting superficial solutions that have minimal impact on their operations. Contains 30 references. (Author/DDR)

Criticism and Study of the Astrology of the Eckankar Based on the Teachings of Islam

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahmoudi, Abdolreza; Shamsaie, Maryam; Kakaei, Hashem

2017-01-01

The subject of astrology in the School of Eckankar has two main bases of Karma and reincarnation. Karma or the very law of action and reaction can be called the moral basis of the Eckankar. The totality of this law is accepted by the reason and tradition. But yet what casts doubt and therefore a serious damage to this law would be a tight…

Romancing the Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirsch, E. D., Jr.

2001-01-01

Explains the need to "cure" American education of its enduring, romantic belief that learning is natural, noting that progressive education has proven somewhat invulnerable to its failures. Suggests that only when doubt is cast on public education's endemic romanticism will there be more equality in education and widespread improvements in…

Of Specialists and Generalists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVore, Paul W.

The issues involving the role and impact of specialists and generalists in society are critically examined in this paper. Currently held views on specialization are analyzed and challenged. Perspectives on this dilemma are developed in the following areas: (1) limitations of experts (casts doubt on the assumption that ordinary citizens are…

10 CFR 436.24 - Uncertainty analyses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Procedures for Life Cycle Cost Analyses § 436.24 Uncertainty analyses. If particular items of cost data or... impact of uncertainty on the calculation of life cycle cost effectiveness or the assignment of rank order... and probabilistic analysis. If additional analysis casts substantial doubt on the life cycle cost...

10 CFR 436.24 - Uncertainty analyses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Procedures for Life Cycle Cost Analyses § 436.24 Uncertainty analyses. If particular items of cost data or... impact of uncertainty on the calculation of life cycle cost effectiveness or the assignment of rank order... and probabilistic analysis. If additional analysis casts substantial doubt on the life cycle cost...

10 CFR 436.24 - Uncertainty analyses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Procedures for Life Cycle Cost Analyses § 436.24 Uncertainty analyses. If particular items of cost data or... impact of uncertainty on the calculation of life cycle cost effectiveness or the assignment of rank order... and probabilistic analysis. If additional analysis casts substantial doubt on the life cycle cost...

10 CFR 436.24 - Uncertainty analyses.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Procedures for Life Cycle Cost Analyses § 436.24 Uncertainty analyses. If particular items of cost data or... impact of uncertainty on the calculation of life cycle cost effectiveness or the assignment of rank order... and probabilistic analysis. If additional analysis casts substantial doubt on the life cycle cost...

The Right to Be Heard.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nix, Gary W.

1981-01-01

The author cites research that casts doubt upon the use of total communication as a means of facilitating speech, communication between parent and child, academic achievement, and vocabulary development in hearing-impaired children. He states that the Alexander Graham Bell Association is not antimanual communication, but rather prospeech. (CL)

Terrorist Capabilities for Cyberattack: Overview and Policy Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-22

originated in the United States and in China (although some of the attacks apparently only traversed through networks in China, casting some doubt on the...detection. CRS-21 86 Louise Shelly , Organized Crime, Cybercrime and Terrorism, Computer Crime Research Center, September 27, 2004, [http://www.crime

The Writing Mathematician

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoon, Caroline

2017-01-01

Popular culture casts mathematics and writing as opposites--a false dichotomy, which can be harmful for our discipline of mathematics education. Positioning writing outside the domain of the mathematician's abilities and cultivated skill set can create doubt in the mathematician wishing to write--not that one cannot be both writer and…

Control system of water flow and casting speed in continuous steel casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tirian, G. O.; Gheorghiu, C. A.; Hepuţ, T.; Chioncel, C.

2017-05-01

This paper presents the results of research based on real data taken from the installation process at Arcelor Mittal Hunedoara. Using Matlab Simulink an intelligent system is made that takes in data from the process and makes real time adjustments in the rate of flow of the cooling water and the speed of casting that eliminates fissures in the poured material from the secondary cooling of steel. Using Matlab Simulink simulation environment allowed for qualitative analysis for various real world situations. Thus, compared to the old method of approach for the problem of cracks forming in the crust of the steel in the continuous casting, this new method, proposed and developed, brings safety and precision in this complex process, thus removing any doubt on the existence or non-existence of cracks and takes the necessary steps to prevent and correct them.

Politics, Policy and Practice: How Suitable is Australian Business As a Model for Emulation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornford, Ian

This paper examines and critiques the Australian Federal Government's efforts to put pressure on universities to increase the links between business and universities and to adopt more business practices. Examination of the 1992 and 1993 World Competitiveness Reports reveal ratings which cast serious doubt about the effectiveness of Australian…

Do We Really Know What Makes Educational Software Effective? A Call for Empirical Research on Effectiveness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jolicoeur, Karen; Berger, Dale E.

1986-01-01

Examination of methods used by two software review services in evaluating microcomputer courseware--EPIE (Educational Products Information Exchange) and MicroSIFT (Microcomputer Software and Information for Teachers)--found low correlations between their recommendations for 82 programs. This lack of agreement casts doubts on the usefulness of…

Local Tax Limits, Student Achievement, and School-Finance Equalization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Matthew; Vedder, Andrea; Stone, Joe

2016-01-01

Evidence that local tax and expenditure limits (TELs) for public K-12 schools lower student achievement is widely attributed to the effects of reduced funding, but our results cast doubt on reduced funding as the primary explanation for negative effects of TELs and instead suggest the importance of the predictability of funding. Students in…

Defending commercial surrogate motherhood against Van Niekerk and Van Zyl.

PubMed Central

McLachlan, H V

1997-01-01

The arguments of Van Niekerk and Van Zyl that, on the grounds that it involves an inappropriate commodification and alienation of women's labour, commercial surrogate motherhood (CSM) is morally suspect are discussed and considered to be defective. In addition, doubt is cast on the notion that CSM should be illegal. PMID:9451602

Is Game Behavior Related to Behavior in Any Other Situation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McTavish, Jeanne

This paper begins by reviewing previous research concerning the external validity of mixed-motive games as models of international conflict, interpersonal behavior, and behavior in large-scale social dilemmas. Two further experiments are then described, both of which cast further doubt upon the usefulness of such games as models of any real-world…

32 CFR Appendix H to Part 154 - Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... educational, medical, retirement, social welfare, or other such benefits from a foreign country; (4) Residence... recur and does not cast doubt on the individual's current reliability, trustworthiness, or good judgment..., good-faith efforts to correct the omission, concealment, or falsification before being confronted with...

32 CFR Appendix H to Part 154 - Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... educational, medical, retirement, social welfare, or other such benefits from a foreign country; (4) Residence... recur and does not cast doubt on the individual's current reliability, trustworthiness, or good judgment..., good-faith efforts to correct the omission, concealment, or falsification before being confronted with...

32 CFR Appendix H to Part 154 - Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... educational, medical, retirement, social welfare, or other such benefits from a foreign country; (4) Residence... recur and does not cast doubt on the individual's current reliability, trustworthiness, or good judgment..., good-faith efforts to correct the omission, concealment, or falsification before being confronted with...

32 CFR Appendix H to Part 154 - Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... educational, medical, retirement, social welfare, or other such benefits from a foreign country; (4) Residence... recur and does not cast doubt on the individual's current reliability, trustworthiness, or good judgment..., good-faith efforts to correct the omission, concealment, or falsification before being confronted with...

32 CFR Appendix H to Part 154 - Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... educational, medical, retirement, social welfare, or other such benefits from a foreign country; (4) Residence... recur and does not cast doubt on the individual's current reliability, trustworthiness, or good judgment..., good-faith efforts to correct the omission, concealment, or falsification before being confronted with...

Teachers' Views on the Effects of Streaming According to "Self-Management" Criteria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Philippa; Weir, Kama

2013-01-01

The pervasiveness of academic ability grouping, or streaming, as a means of organising students into instructional groups in New Zealand schools remains a dominant discourse, despite international and New Zealand research that casts doubt on the benefits of this practice. This article documents teachers' views on the effects of an innovative form…

Are School-SES Effects Statistical Artefacts? Evidence from Longitudinal Population Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Gary N.

2015-01-01

Schools' socioeconomic status (SES) has been claimed as an important influence on student performance and there are calls for a policy response. However, there is an extensive literature which for various reasons casts doubt on the veracity of school-SES effects. This paper investigates school-SES effects with population data from a longitudinal…

76 FR 7810 - Certain Hot-Rolled Carbon Steel Flat Products From India: Notice of Court Decision Not in Harmony...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-11

... Policy (``CIP''). See Final Results, and accompanying I&D Memorandum at ``SGOC's Industrial Policy...'' or ``fourth administrative review''), which found that Essar did not benefit from the CIP, cast ``grave doubt'' upon the Department's findings that Essar benefited from the CIP during the fifth POR. See...

Where to Begin? The Evolving Role of Placement Exams for Students Starting College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burdman, Pamela

2012-01-01

For years, colleges have used placement exams to determine whether to deem incoming students "college ready" or assign them to developmental education. But emerging information reveals the tests have little correlation to students' future success, casting doubt on their use even as the high stakes for students of taking remedial courses…

Sleep Disturbances among Persons Who Are Visually Impaired: Survey of Dog Guide Users.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fouladi, Massoud K.; Moseley, Merrick J.; Jones, Helen S.; Tobin, Michael J.

1998-01-01

A survey completed by 1237 adults with severe visual impairments found that 20% described the quality of their sleep as poor or very poor. Exercise was associated with better sleep and depression with poorer sleep. However, visual acuity did not predict sleep quality, casting doubt on the idea that restricted visual input (light) causes sleep…

Making Sense of Adequate Yearly Progress. Topical Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory NWREL, 2004

2004-01-01

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 has brought about a sea change in education in the United States. While the act has its detractors?as well as its admirers?among educators, parents, government officials, and the media, there is little doubt that NCLB has cast new light on public schools by using hard data to focus on achievement gaps at…

Economic Migration and Happiness: Comparing Immigrants' and Natives' Happiness Gains from Income

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartram, David

2011-01-01

Research on happiness casts doubt on the notion that increases in income generally bring greater happiness. This finding can be taken to imply that economic migration might fail to result in increased happiness for the migrants: migration as a means of increasing one's income might be no more effective in raising happiness than other means of…

Where to Begin? The Evolving Role of Placement Exams for Students Starting College. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burdman, Pamela

2012-01-01

For years, colleges have used placement exams to determine whether to deem incoming students "college ready" or assign them to developmental education. Emerging information reveals the tests have little correlation to students' future success, casting doubt on their use even as the high stakes for students of taking remedial courses become clear.…

The Deployment, Training and Teacher Relationships of Teaching Assistants Supporting Pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in Mainstream Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Symes, Wendy; Humphrey, Neil

2011-01-01

Growing numbers of pupils with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) are attending mainstream schools, and increasing numbers of additional staff are being deployed to support them. Recent research has cast doubt on the effectiveness of this support, by highlighting issues relating to deployment and training, and to relationships with class teachers.…

Using the Child's Testimony in Defending the Alleged Child Molester.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castro, Carolyn D.

Analysis of the transcript of a social worker's interview with a five-and-a-half-year-old girl allegedly sexually abused by a man focuses on how the interview was conducted and elements that suggest it should not be used as testimony. First, inconsistencies in the transcript that cast doubt on the child's reliability are noted, and the truth of…

A Call to Honesty: Extending Religious Priming of Moral Behavior to Middle Eastern Muslims

PubMed Central

Aveyard, Mark E.

2014-01-01

Two experiments with Middle Eastern participants explored the generalizability of prior research on religious priming and moral behavior to a novel cultural and religious context. Participants in Experiment 1 completed a sentence unscrambling task with religious or non-religious content (in Arabic) before taking an unsupervised math test on which cheating was possible and incentivized. No difference in honesty rates emerged between the two groups, failing to extend findings from previous research with similar stimuli. Experiment 2 tested the effects of the athan, the Islamic call to prayer, using the same design. This naturalistic religious prime produced higher rates of honesty (68%) compared to controls who did not hear the call to prayer (53%).These results raise the possibility that the psychological mechanisms used by religion to influence moral behavior might differ between religions and cultures, highlighting an avenue of exploration for future research. The experiments here also address two growing concerns in psychological science: that the absence of replications casts doubt on the reliability of original research findings, and that the Westernized state of psychological science casts doubt on the generalizability of such work. PMID:24992091

The inhibition capacities of children with mathematical disabilities.

PubMed

Censabella, Sandrine; Noël, Marie-Pascale

2008-01-01

Several authors have argued that mathematical disabilities might result from difficulties in inhibiting irrelevant information. The present study addresses this issue by assessing three inhibition functions in 40 ten-year-old children: suppression of irrelevant information from working memory, inhibition of prepotent responses, and interference control. We found no significant differences between children with math disabilities and typically achieving controls, or between children with arithmetic facts disabilities and children with above-average arithmetic facts skills. These findings, along with other empirical evidence and with theoretical considerations, cast doubt on the inhibition deficit hypothesis.

Spintronics: spin accumulation in mesoscopic systems.

PubMed

Johnson, Mark

2002-04-25

In spintronics, in which use is made of the spin degree of freedom of the electron, issues concerning electrical spin injection and detection of electron spin diffusion are fundamentally important. Jedema et al. describe a magneto-resistance study in which they claim to have observed spin accumulation in a mesoscopic copper wire, but their one-dimensional model ignores two-dimensional spin-diffusion effects, which casts doubt on their analysis. A two-dimensional vector formalism of spin transport is called for to model spin-injection experiments, and the identification of spurious background resistance effects is crucial.

Laboratory Study of Magnetorotational Instability and Hydrodynamic Stability at Large Reynolds Numbers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ji, H.; Burin, M.; Schartman, E.; Goodman, J.; Liu, W.

2006-01-01

Two plausible mechanisms have been proposed to explain rapid angular momentum transport during accretion processes in astrophysical disks: nonlinear hydrodynamic instabilities and magnetorotational instability (MRI). A laboratory experiment in a short Taylor-Couette flow geometry has been constructed in Princeton to study both mechanisms, with novel features for better controls of the boundary-driven secondary flows (Ekman circulation). Initial results on hydrodynamic stability have shown negligible angular momentum transport in Keplerian-like flows with Reynolds numbers approaching one million, casting strong doubt on the viability of nonlinear hydrodynamic instability as a source for accretion disk turbulence.

The evidence of the rugoscopy effectiveness as a human identification method in patients submitted to rapid palatal expansion.

PubMed

Barbieri, Ana A; Scoralick, Raquel A; Naressi, Suely C M; Moraes, Mari E L; Daruge, Eduardo; Daruge, Eduardo

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of rugoscopy as a human identification method, even when the patient is submitted to rapid palatal expansion, which in theory would introduce doubt. With this intent, the Rugoscopic Identity was obtained for each subject using the classification formula proposed by Santos based on the intra-oral casts made before and after treatment from patients who were subjected to palatal expansion. The casts were labeled with the patients' initials and randomly arranged for studying. The palatine rugae kept the same patterns in every case studied. The technical error of the intra-evaluator measurement provided a confidence interval of 95%, making rugoscopy a reliable identification method for patients who were submitted to rapid palatal expansion, because even in the presence of intra-oral changes owing to the use of palatal expanders, the palatine rugae retained the biological and technical requirements for the human identification process. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Biological phosphorus removal in wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Timmerman, M W

1984-09-01

Several commercially available systems claim to remove phosphate biologically from municipal wastewater. Techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) have demonstrated that the phosphate removed is stored within bacterial cells as polyphosphate. Acinetobacter species are usually isolated from phosphate-removing systems although there is a great deal of evidence which casts doubt on the exclusive role of these organisms.

Examining nonextensive statistics in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, A.; Wolschin, G.

2018-04-01

We show in detailed numerical solutions of the nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation (FPE), which has been associated with nonextensive q statistics, that the available data on rapidity distributions for stopping in relativistic heavy-ion collisions cannot be reproduced with any permitted value of the nonextensivity parameter (1

The Hong Kong Policy of Quality Education for All: A Multi-Level Analysis of Its Impacts on Newly Arrived Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chong, Stella

2012-01-01

This paper attempts to argue that using market forces to raise education standards casts doubts to quality education, although this is seemingly an international trend, for such practice presents challenges to many issues such as equity. Using Hong Kong as a case, the paper analyses the practices of quality school education by focusing in…

The role of the thymus in immunosenescence: lessons from the study of thymectomized individuals

PubMed Central

Appay, Victor; Sauce, Delphine; Prelog, Martina

2010-01-01

The thymus is the major site of T cell production and a key organ of the immune system. Its natural involution during the course of life has cast doubts as to its importance for the integrity of our immunity in adulthood. We provide here an overview of the recent works focusing on the immunological evaluation of subjects thymectomized during early childhood due to cardiac surgery of congenital heart defects. These studies represent new advances in our appreciation of the role of the thymus in humans and more generally in our understanding of the development of immunosenescence. PMID:20354268

Forest carbon changes of the United States in response to impacts of disturbances, succession, climate variability and atmospheric chemistry

Treesearch

Yude Pan; Richard Birdsey; Jing Chen; kevin McCullough

2008-01-01

U.S. forests and forest products currently offset about 20% of the nation's fossil fuel emissions. Two of the most significant recent scientific findings cast doubt on the sustainability of this offset. First, there are clear indications that the strength of the U.S. forest carbon offset is weakening due to increasing forest age, climate variability, and...

Vortex Simulation of Turbulent Combustion

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-11-19

used in this simulation was more representative of that of a wake . The difference between the stability and long-time behavior of wakes and shear...several important issues, summarized next, cast some doubt on the conclusions of these simulations. Using desingularized vortex sheets to model shear...17, 1991. 8. Krishnan, A. and Ghoniem, A.F., "Simulation of the Roll-up and Mixing in Rayleigh- Taylor Flow using the Vortex /Transport Element Method

SIS (Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor) Mixer Research.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-01

performed in that work was unique in that it employed the complete equations of the quantum theory of mixing in the three- frequency , low -intermediate...addition, these results cast doubt upon recent reports of low - noise single-junction 5IS rec, ivers which have extremely wide bandwidths. In conjunction...have significant and widespread implications for any active arrayed device which has a very low driving power. 3. High frequency : The third objective

The Potential of the Modernization of Higher Education in Russia: The Communications of Competences of College Professors and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ovsiannikov, A. A.

2013-01-01

Research data cast doubt on the assumption that the best universities in Russia are of a high quality and are graduating students who are well educated and ready to contribute to the development of the Russian economy and society. The dominance of Moscow in Russian higher education is not providing the benefits for Russia that it should be…

On the palynomorph-based biozones in paleogene strata of rocky mountain basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, D.J.

2009-01-01

In a paper published in this journal, and in five previous papers published elsewhere, Lillegraven and McKenna (2008) criticize the research of Nichols and Ott (1978) and Nichols and Flores (2006). They attempt to cast doubt on the validity of the palynomorph-based biozones (the "P- zone" system) applied in strata of Paleocene age throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Their conclusions are without merit.

Sociology of Modern Cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Corredoira, M.

2009-08-01

Certain results of observational cosmology cast critical doubt on the foundations of standard cosmology but leave most cosmologists untroubled. Alternative cosmological models that differ from the Big Bang have been published and defended by heterodox scientists; however, most cosmologists do not heed these. This may be because standard theory is correct and all other ideas and criticisms are incorrect, but it is also to a great extent due to sociological phenomena such as the ``snowball effect'' or ``groupthink''. We might wonder whether cosmology, the study of the Universe as a whole, is a science like other branches of physics or just a dominant ideology.

Teachers' language practices and academic outcomes of preschool children.

PubMed

Dickinson, David K

2011-08-19

Early childhood programs have long been known to be beneficial to children from low-income backgrounds, but recent studies have cast doubt on their ability to substantially increase the rate of children's academic achievement. This Review examines research on the role of language in later reading, describes home and classroom factors that foster early language growth, and reviews research on preschool interventions. It argues that one reason interventions are not having as great an impact as desired is because they fail to substantially change the capacity of teachers to support children's language and associated conceptual knowledge.

Ghost Imaging without Discord

PubMed Central

Shapiro, Jeffrey H.; Venkatraman, Dheera; Wong, Franco N. C.

2013-01-01

Ragy and Adesso argue that quantum discord is involved in the formation of a pseudothermal ghost image. We show that quantum discord plays no role in spatial light modulator ghost imaging, i.e., ghost-image formation based on structured illumination realized with laser light that has undergone spatial light modulation by the output from a pseudorandom number generator. Our analysis thus casts doubt on the degree to which quantum discord is necessary for ghost imaging. PMID:23673426

Sunnier European countries have lower melanoma mortality.

PubMed

Shipman, A R; Clark, A B; Levell, N J

2011-07-01

Doubt has been cast on sunlight as the major causative factor for malignant melanoma. We performed statistical analysis of the average annual sunlight hours in 36 European capital cities compared with the country's melanoma mortality rate. A significant inverse proportionality was identified in both men and women, indicating that sun exposure is unlikely to be the strongest factor affecting mortality from malignant melanoma. © The Author(s). CED © 2011 British Association of Dermatologists.

Were Workers of Eusocial Hymenoptera Initially Altruistic or Oppressed?*

PubMed Central

Michener, Charles D.; Brothers, Denis J.

1974-01-01

Studies of a primitively eusocial halictid bee, Lasioglossum zephyrum, strongly suggest that a major factor in originating a worker caste is selection at the individual level for queens that control associated adult females. Even in this scarcely social form, the queen inhibits other adult females from becoming queens, perhaps by her high level of activity and frequent nudging in the nest. Queens are behaviorally less varied than workers and show specialization, particularly in frequency of nudging (which is concentrated on the worker with largest ovaries) and of backing. Backing draws workers, especially those with slender ovaries, down to lower parts of the burrows where the stimuli for cell construction and provisioning probably operate. Eating of worker-laid eggs by queens was also noted. In spite of the suggestion that queens have evolved to control their workers rather than that workers have evolved to help their queens, both may well have occurred, for these processes are not mutually exclusive; moreover, social attributes mutually beneficial to both castes no doubt have arisen. PMID:16592144

Experimental testing of scattering polarization models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wenxian; Casini, Roberto; Tomczyk, Steven; Landi Degl'Innocenti, Egidio; Marsell, Brandan

2018-06-01

We realized a laboratory experiment to study the polarization of the Na I doublet at 589.3 nm, in the presence of a magnetic field. The purpose of the experiment is to test the theory of scattering polarization for illumination conditions typical of astrophysical plasmas. This work was stimulated by solar observations of the Na I doublet that have proven particularly challenging to reproduce with current models of polarized line formation, even casting doubts on our very understanding of the physics of scattering polarization on the Sun. The experiment has confirmed the fundamental correctness of the current theory, and demonstrated that the "enigmatic'' polarization of those observations is exclusively of solar origin.

Bounds on the polymer scale from gamma ray bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonder, Yuri; Garcia-Chung, Angel; Rastgoo, Saeed

2017-11-01

The polymer representations, which are partially motivated by loop quantum gravity, have been suggested as alternative schemes to quantize the matter fields. Here we apply a version of the polymer representations to the free electromagnetic field, in a reduced phase space setting, and derive the corresponding effective (i.e., semiclassical) Hamiltonian. We study the propagation of an electromagnetic pulse, and we confront our theoretical results with gamma ray burst observations. This comparison reveals that the dimensionless polymer scale must be smaller than 4 ×10-35 , casting doubts on the possibility that the matter fields are quantized with the polymer representation we employed.

Estimating search engine index size variability: a 9-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

van den Bosch, Antal; Bogers, Toine; de Kunder, Maurice

One of the determining factors of the quality of Web search engines is the size of their index. In addition to its influence on search result quality, the size of the indexed Web can also tell us something about which parts of the WWW are directly accessible to the everyday user. We propose a novel method of estimating the size of a Web search engine's index by extrapolating from document frequencies of words observed in a large static corpus of Web pages. In addition, we provide a unique longitudinal perspective on the size of Google and Bing's indices over a nine-year period, from March 2006 until January 2015. We find that index size estimates of these two search engines tend to vary dramatically over time, with Google generally possessing a larger index than Bing. This result raises doubts about the reliability of previous one-off estimates of the size of the indexed Web. We find that much, if not all of this variability can be explained by changes in the indexing and ranking infrastructure of Google and Bing. This casts further doubt on whether Web search engines can be used reliably for cross-sectional webometric studies.

Peer-reviewed and unbiased research, rather than 'sound science', should be used to evaluate endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

PubMed

Trasande, Leonardo; Vandenberg, Laura N; Bourguignon, Jean-Pierre; Myers, John Peterson; Slama, Remy; Vom Saal, Frederick; Zoeller, Robert Thomas

2016-11-01

Evidence increasingly confirms that synthetic chemicals disrupt the endocrine system and contribute to disease and disability across the lifespan. Despite a United Nations Environment Programme/WHO report affirmed by over 100 countries at the Fourth International Conference on Chemicals Management, 'manufactured doubt' continues to be cast as a cloud over rigorous, peer-reviewed and independently funded scientific data. This study describes the sources of doubt and their social costs, and suggested courses of action by policymakers to prevent disease and disability. The problem is largely based on the available data, which are all too limited. Rigorous testing programmes should not simply focus on oestrogen, androgen and thyroid. Tests should have proper statistical power. 'Good laboratory practice' (GLP) hardly represents a proper or even gold standard for laboratory studies of endocrine disruption. Studies should be evaluated with regard to the contamination of negative controls, responsiveness to positive controls and dissection techniques. Flaws in many GLP studies have been identified, yet regulatory agencies rely on these flawed studies. Peer-reviewed and unbiased research, rather than 'sound science', should be used to evaluate endocrine-disrupting chemicals. 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/.

Is there a conclusive evidence on lightning-related effects on sporadic E layers?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haldoupis, Christos

2018-07-01

In recent years, there have been a few studies claiming that thunderstorm cloud-to-ground lightning discharges affect sporadic E layers existing over the storm. In this brief paper, we consider and critically evaluate the results of these studies in the context of our present knowledge on sporadic E layers and the coupling processes of thunderstorm and lightning wave energy into the upper atmosphere and lower ionosphere. It is shown that the reported findings and their implications raise questions and cast doubts, therefore the conclusions of the existing studies are not substantiated and thus need to be treated with caution. We reason that, the anticipated occurrence of lighting-related effects on midlatitude sporadic E lacks at present firm verification.

Arts practices in unreasonable doubt? Reflections on understandings of arts practices in healthcare contexts.

PubMed

Broderick, Sheelagh

2011-09-01

This article suggests that the discourse on arts and health encompass contemporary arts practices as an active and engaged analytical activity. Distinctions between arts therapy and arts practice are made to suggest that clinical evidence-based evaluation, while appropriate for arts therapy, is not appropriate for arts practice and in effect cast them in unreasonable doubt. Themes in current discourse on "arts" and "health" are broadly sketched to provide a context for discussion of arts practices. Approaches to knowledge validation in relation to each domain are discussed. These discourses are applied to the Irish healthcare context, offering a reading of three different art projects; it suggests a multiplicity of analyses beyond causal positive health gains. It is suggested that the social turn in medicine and the social turn in arts practices share some similar pre-occupations that warrant further attention.

Surface singularities in Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld gravity.

PubMed

Pani, Paolo; Sotiriou, Thomas P

2012-12-21

Eddington-inspired Born-Infeld gravity was recently proposed as an alternative to general relativity that offers a resolution of spacetime singularities. The theory differs from Einstein's gravity only inside matter due to nondynamical degrees of freedom, and it is compatible with all current observations. We show that the theory is reminiscent of Palatini f(R) gravity and that it shares the same pathologies, such as curvature singularities at the surface of polytropic stars and unacceptable Newtonian limit. This casts serious doubt on its viability.

PHYSICS: Will Livermore Laser Ever Burn Brightly?

PubMed

Seife, C; Malakoff, D

2000-08-18

The National Ignition Facility (NIF), a superlaser being built here at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in an effort to use lasers rather than nuclear explosions to create a fusion reaction, is supposed to allow weapons makers to preserve the nuclear arsenal--and do nifty fusion science, too. But a new report that examines its troubled past also casts doubt on its future. Even some of NIF's scientific and political allies are beginning to talk openly of a scaled-down version of the original 192-laser design.

Was Sigmund Freud's death hastened?

PubMed

Macleod, Alastair D Sandy

2017-08-01

The terminal illness of Sigmund Freud has been considered by many authors to be an example of physician-enacted euthanasia. A review and a reconsideration of the published literature by Freud's doctors and biographers cast doubt on this opinion. Over his last 48 h, Freud was administered substantial morphine doses to sedate and relieve his pain. However, from a pharmacological perspective, the timing of his death would not be consistent with that of a fatal dose of opioid. Freud died a natural death. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Adults' drug use: relationship to perceived drug use of parents, friends while growing up, and present friends.

PubMed

Apsler, R; Blackman, C

1979-01-01

Results from a random household survey of the Boston Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area show a consistent and relatively strong association of adults' use of coffee, tobacco, alcohol, tranquilizers, and marijuana with their perceptions of present friends' use. Associations with parents' and past adolescent friends' use are much weaker. The results support efforts to explain illicit drug use with general theories of behavior acquisition and cast doubt on the utility of deviance theories.

Has the Web really empowered health care consumers? The truth is customers may not have changed as much as we think.

PubMed

Wilkins, S T; Navarro, F H

2001-01-01

The experts tell us that fueled by unprecedented access to health information online, today's new health care consumer will revolutionize the way health care services are organized and delivered. An examination of consumers from a health value-graphic perspective, however, casts some doubt on these predictions. Patterns emerging online are simply making us more aware of existing consumer segments that have always been actively involved in their own health.

The fact of uncertainty, the uncertainty of facts and the cultural resonance of doubt.

PubMed

Oreskes, Naomi

2015-11-28

Sixty years after industry executives first decided to fight the facts of tobacco, the exploitation of doubt and uncertainty as a defensive tactic has spread to a diverse set of industries and issues with an interest in challenging scientific evidence. However, one can find examples of doubt-mongering before tobacco. One involves the early history of electricity generation in the USA. In the 1920s, the American National Electric Light Association ran a major propaganda campaign against public sector electricity generation, focused on the insistence that privately generated electricity was cheaper and that public power generation was socialistic and therefore un-American. This campaign included advertisements, editorials (generally ghost-written), the rewriting of textbooks and the development of high school and college curricula designed to cast doubt on the cost-effectiveness of public electricity generation and extol the virtues of laissez-faire capitalism. It worked in large part by finding, cultivating and paying experts to endorse the industry's claims in the mass media and the public debate, and to legitimatize the alterations to textbooks and curricula. The similarities between the electric industry strategy and the defence of tobacco, lead paint and fossil fuels suggests that these strategies work for reasons that are not specific to the particular technical claims under consideration. This paper argues that a reason for the cultural persistence of doubt is what we may label the 'fact of uncertainty'. Uncertainty is intrinsic to science, and this creates vulnerabilities that interested parties may, and commonly do, exploit, both by attempting to challenge the specific conclusions of technical experts and by implying that those conclusions threaten other social values. © 2015 The Author(s).

Resolving the evolution of sterile worker castes: a window on the advantages and disadvantages of monogamy

PubMed Central

Nonacs, Peter

2014-01-01

Many social Hymenoptera species have morphologically sterile worker castes. It is proposed that the evolutionary routes to this obligate sterility must pass through a ‘monogamy window’, because inclusive fitness favours individuals retaining their reproductive totipotency unless they can rear full siblings. Simulated evolution of sterility, however, finds that ‘point of view’ is critically important. Monogamy is facilitating if sterility is expressed altruistically (i.e. workers defer reproduction to queens), but if sterility results from manipulation by mothers or siblings, monogamy may have no effect or lessen the likelihood of sterility. Overall, the model and data from facultatively eusocial bees suggest that eusociality and sterility are more likely to originate through manipulation than by altruism, casting doubt on a mandatory role for monogamy. Simple kin selection paradigms, such as Hamilton's rule, can also fail to account for significant evolutionary dynamics created by factors, such as population structure, group-level effects or non-random mating patterns. The easy remedy is to always validate apparently insightful predictions from Hamiltonian equations with life-history appropriate genetic models. PMID:24647729

Resolving the evolution of sterile worker castes: a window on the advantages and disadvantages of monogamy.

PubMed

Nonacs, Peter

2014-03-01

Many social Hymenoptera species have morphologically sterile worker castes. It is proposed that the evolutionary routes to this obligate sterility must pass through a 'monogamy window', because inclusive fitness favours individuals retaining their reproductive totipotency unless they can rear full siblings. Simulated evolution of sterility, however, finds that 'point of view' is critically important. Monogamy is facilitating if sterility is expressed altruistically (i.e. workers defer reproduction to queens), but if sterility results from manipulation by mothers or siblings, monogamy may have no effect or lessen the likelihood of sterility. Overall, the model and data from facultatively eusocial bees suggest that eusociality and sterility are more likely to originate through manipulation than by altruism, casting doubt on a mandatory role for monogamy. Simple kin selection paradigms, such as Hamilton's rule, can also fail to account for significant evolutionary dynamics created by factors, such as population structure, group-level effects or non-random mating patterns. The easy remedy is to always validate apparently insightful predictions from Hamiltonian equations with life-history appropriate genetic models.

Suggestibility and suggestive modulation of the Stroop effect.

PubMed

Kirsch, Irving

2011-06-01

Although the induction of a hypnotic state does not seem necessary for suggestive modulation of the Stroop effect, this important phenomenon has seemed to be dependent on the subject's level of hypnotic suggestibility. Raz and Campbell's (2011) study indicates that suggestion can modulate the Stroop effect substantially in very low suggestible subjects, as well as in those who are highly suggestible. This finding casts doubt on the presumed mechanism by which suggestive modulation is brought about. Research aimed at uncovering the means by which low suggestible individuals are able to modulate the Stroop effect would be welcome, as would assessment of this effect in moderately suggestible people. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intelligence, birth order, and family size.

PubMed

Kanazawa, Satoshi

2012-09-01

The analysis of the National Child Development Study in the United Kingdom (n = 17,419) replicates some earlier findings and shows that genuine within-family data are not necessary to make the apparent birth-order effect on intelligence disappear. Birth order is not associated with intelligence in between-family data once the number of siblings is statistically controlled. The analyses support the admixture hypothesis, which avers that the apparent birth-order effect on intelligence is an artifact of family size, and cast doubt on the confluence and resource dilution models, both of which claim that birth order has a causal influence on children's cognitive development. The analyses suggest that birth order has no genuine causal effect on general intelligence.

Happy but still focused: failures to find evidence for a mood-induced widening of visual attention.

PubMed

Bruyneel, Lynn; van Steenbergen, Henk; Hommel, Bernhard; Band, Guido P H; De Raedt, Rudi; Koster, Ernst H W

2013-05-01

In models of affect and cognition, it is held that positive affect broadens the scope of attention. Consistent with this claim, previous research has indeed suggested that positive affect is associated with impaired selective attention as evidenced by increased interference of spatially distant distractors. However, several recent findings cast doubt on the reliability of this observation. In the present study, we examined whether selective attention in a visual flanker task is influenced by positive mood induction. Across three experiments, positive affect consistently failed to exert any impact on selective attention. The implications of this null-finding for theoretical models of affect and cognition are discussed.

"Lost in a shopping mall" -- a breach of professional ethics.

PubMed

Crook, Lynn S; Dean, Martha C

1999-01-01

The "lost in a shopping mall" study has been cited to support claims that psychotherapists can implant memories of false autobiographical information of childhood trauma in their patients. The mall study originated in 1991 as 5 pilot experiments involving 3 children and 2 adult participants. The University of Washington Human Subjects Committee granted approval for the mall study on August 10, 1992. The preliminary results with the 5 pilot subjects were announced 4 days laters. An analysis of the mall study shows that beyond the external misrepresentions, internal scientific methodological errors cast doubt on the validity of the claims that have been attributed to the mall study within scholarly and legal arenas. The minimal involvement -- or, in some cases, negative impact -- of collegial consultation, acadmic supervision, and peer review throughout the evolution of the mall study are reviewed.

Communicating and countering misconceptions about the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, J.

2016-12-01

A number of studies have sought to quantify the level of agreement among climate scientists on human-caused global warming. This has included surveys of the scientific community, analyses of public declarations about climate change and analyses of peer-reviewed climate papers. This body of research has found that the level of consensus increases with expertise in climate science, culminating in 97% agreement among publishing climate scientists. Despite this robust finding, there is a significant gap between public perception of scientific consensus and the overwhelming agreement among climate scientists. This "consensus gap" is due in large part to a persistent, focused campaign to manufacture doubt about the scientific consensus by opponents of climate action. This campaign has employed non-expert spokespeople, magnified the small minority of dissenting scientists and exploited the journalistic norm of balance to generate the impression of an equal debate among scientists. Given the importance of perceived consensus as a "gateway belief" influencing a number of climate beliefs and attitudes, it is imperative that climate communicators close the consensus gap. This can be achieved by communicating the 97% consensus and explaining the techniques used to cast doubt on the consensus.

[Probiotics: innocuousness, prevention and risks].

PubMed

Brunser, Oscar

2017-01-01

Probiotics have been defined as live microorganisms which, when ingested in adequate numbers, confer health benefits to the host. They are currently consumed without any age restrictions and adverse effects such as sepsis, a marker of the risk of invasion of the bloodstream, are extremely infrequent. However, some health professionals express doubts about probiotics being truly innocuous. This review discusses the incidence of sepsis secondary to probiotics use, mainly lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, evaluated through molecular biology or classic culture techniques, showing that sepsis in large numbers of individuals along decennia is extremely low, of the order of 0,02% en some centers or as low as 1 case/million population in France. These data are important considering the use different species and strains of these microorganisms. Few studies which have reported other adverse effects but many of these have problems with their design that cast doubt about the validity of their results. On the contrary, it has been shown that probiotic microorganisms exert positive stimulatory effects on innate and acquired immunity, with decrease of the manifestations of atopy and eczema. These positive effects are further evidenced by the beneficial effects of many species of probiotics in preventing necrotizing enterocolitis in patients as functionally labile as premature-born babies.

Psychoemotional features of a doubtful disorder: functional dyspepsia.

PubMed

Dragoş, D; Ionescu, O; Micuţ, R; Ojog, D G; Tănăsescu, M D

2012-09-15

To delineate the psychological profile of individuals prone to FD-like symptoms (FDLS). A triple questionnaire of 614 items (including psychological and medical ones) was given to 10192 respondents, the results were analyzed by means of Cronbach alpha, and Chi square test, together with an ad-hoc designed method that implied ranking and outliers detecting. FDLS appears to be an accompanying feature of many (if not most) human emotions and are more frequent in anxious, timid, pessimistic, discontent, irascible, tense, success-doubting, unexpected-dreading individuals, bothered by persistent thoughts and tormented by the professional requirements and the lack of time. A higher degree of specificity might have: chiefly fear of failure, susceptibility, and tension, secondarily emotivity, fear of unpredictable events, sense of insufficient time, preoccupation with authority factors, and tendency to endure unacceptable situations, and also faulty patience and lack of punctuality. Rumination appears to be the psychological tendency most strongly associated with FD. Nocturnal epigastric pain seems to indicate a submissive nature but a rather responsibilities-free childhood, while early satiety is associated with inclination to work and responsibility and preoccupation with self-image. The superposition of FD symptoms with biliary and esophageal symptoms cast a doubt over the distinctness and even the materiality of the various functional digestive disorders.

The attenuation of Love waves and toroidal oscillations of the earth.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, D. D.

1971-01-01

An attempt has been made to invert a large set of attenuation data for Love waves and toroidal oscillations in the earth, using a recent method by Backus and Gilbert. The difficulty in finding an acceptable model of internal friction which explains the data, under the assumption that the internal friction is independent of frequency, casts doubt on the validity of this assumption. A frequency-dependent model of internal friction is presented which is in good agreement with the seismic data and with recent experimental measurements of attenuation in rocks.

Rediscovery of the sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) in Yingjiang County,Yunnan Province,China.

PubMed

Li, Fei; Zheng, Xi; Jiang, Xue-Long; Chan, Bosco Pui Lok

2017-07-18

The sun bear, Helarctos malayanus (Raffles, 1821), is a forest-dependent bear species distributed in tropical Southeast Asia. The species was previously reported from scattered localities in southwestern China, which is at the northeastern edge of its global range. Due to the scarcity of reliable recent records, some authorities cast doubt on the continued existence of sun bear in China. Here we present the rediscovery of this species in Yingjiang County, western Yunnan Province, China, near the international border with Myanmar's Kachin State.

Chrysotile in water

PubMed Central

Speil, Sidney

1974-01-01

The problems of quantitating chrysotile in water by fiber count techniques are reviewed briefly and the use of mass quantitation is suggested as a preferable measure. Chrysotile fiber has been found in almost every sample of natural water examined, but generally transmission electron miscroscopy (TEM) is required because of the small diameters involved. The extreme extrapolation required in mathematically converting a few fibers or fiber fragments under the TEM to the fiber content of a liquid sample casts considerable doubt on the validity of numbers used to compare chrysotile contents of different liquids. PMID:4470930

The origin and location of the 5 March 1979 gamma-ray burst

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kazanas, Demosthenes

1988-01-01

Evidence and arguments concerning the origin and location of the gamma-ray burst (GRB) of March 5, 1979 are reviewed. This GRB has been positionally identified with the SNR 49 in the LMC. Such an association would fix the GRB's distance at 55 kpc, and the observed flux from the GRB would require prodigious energy and luminosity, casting doubt on the GRB's distance and its association with the LMC. Some Kosmos 856 observations which may provide more direct evidence on the energy released are discussed.

Comment on "Locomotion of a microorganism in weakly viscoelastic liquids".

PubMed

Christov, Ivan C; Jordan, P M

2016-11-01

We point out, and show the implications of resolving, an apparent conceptual difficulty in a recent article by De Corato et al. [Phys. Rev. E 92, 053008 (2015)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.92.053008] on the locomotion of certain microorganisms in a second-grade fluid. The difficulty arises due to the assumption that α_{1}<0, where α_{1} is the first normal stress modulus of the (non-Newtonian) liquid, was chosen for this study. In particular, this choice of sign for α_{1} is inconsistent with thermodynamics, and as such casts considerable doubt on De Corato et al.'s assumption regarding the existence of a steady-state solution of the equations of motion of the fluid.

The legacy of Tuskegee and trust in medical care: is Tuskegee responsible for race differences in mistrust of medical care?

PubMed

Brandon, Dwayne T; Isaac, Lydia A; LaVeist, Thomas A

2005-07-01

To examine race differences in knowledge of the Tuskegee study and the relationship between knowledge of the Tuskegee study and medical system mistrust. We conducted a telephone survey of 277 African-American and 101 white adults 18-93 years of age in Baltimore, MD. Participants responded to questions regarding mistrust of medical care, including a series of questions regarding the Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male (Tuskegee study). Findings show no differences by race in knowledge of or about the Tuskegee study and that knowledge of the study was not a predictor of trust of medical care. However, we find significant race differences in medical care mistrust. Our results cast doubt on the proposition that the widely documented race difference in mistrust of medical care results from the Tuskegee study. Rather, race differences in mistrust likely stem from broader historical and personal experiences.

A critical review of the neuroimaging literature on synesthesia

PubMed Central

Hupé, Jean-Michel; Dojat, Michel

2015-01-01

Synesthesia refers to additional sensations experienced by some people for specific stimulations, such as the systematic arbitrary association of colors to letters for the most studied type. Here, we review all the studies (based mostly on functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging) that have searched for the neural correlates of this subjective experience, as well as structural differences related to synesthesia. Most differences claimed for synesthetes are unsupported, due mainly to low statistical power, statistical errors, and methodological limitations. Our critical review therefore casts some doubts on whether any neural correlate of the synesthetic experience has been established yet. Rather than being a neurological condition (i.e., a structural or functional brain anomaly), synesthesia could be reconsidered as a special kind of childhood memory, whose signature in the brain may be out of reach with present brain imaging techniques. PMID:25873873

Potential benefits of toothpaste advertising on dental health.

PubMed

Kioulafas, K E; Athanassouli, T N; Weatherell, J A

1989-03-01

This paper considers the effect of advertising on the sales of various brands of toothpaste. It has attempted to investigate the relationship between the level of sales of a brand and those of its competitors. Econometric estimations of the demand-function for toothpaste have been made and the authors have tried to determine the interrelationships between advertisement and toothpaste sales. The findings cast doubt upon the efficiency of the present system of competitive advertisement and suggest a possible alternative approach to the marketing of toothpaste which could increase sales and, at the same time, beneficially influence dental health.

Caucasus conflict challenges US space policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gwynne, Peter

2008-10-01

A leaked e-mail sent to staff by NASA administrator Michael Griffin has indicated that there could be a "lengthy" period with no US crew based on the International Space Station (ISS). His fears stem from a surprising source: the recent conflict between Georgia and Russia, and the subsequent occupation by Russian troops of South Ossetia - a disputed part of Georgia - and Georgia itself. It triggered a frosty relationship between the US and Russian governments, which has now cast doubts on an agreement to permit Americans to fly onboard the Russian Soyuz craft to reach the orbiting station.

Information, Physics, and Cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adami, Chris

Many researchers have doubts that a ''theory of cancer'' can exist, given the fact that there are so many different cancer phenotypes. However, such a situation-many significantly different manifestations of an underlying law-is not at all uncommon in physics. I argue that a unified cause for all forms of cancer is possible, but that such a theory must be cast in terms of information and communication theory. I briefly revisit key concepts of that theory, then discuss possible applications to communication in game theory that could lead us to view cancer as a disease that, at its root, is a cellular failure to properly communicate.

Seeing by exploring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, Richard L.

1989-01-01

The classical notion of how things are seen is that perception is passive, that the eyes are windows, and in floods reality. Physiological work of the 19th century cast doubt on this view that perception is passive acceptance of reality. Perception is not at the present time a popular topic for philosophers. This must be partly because scientific accounts of perception have now gone a long way away from appearances. They depend on physiological and psycho-physical experiments which require technical investigation and do not fall within traditional concepts of philosophy. Theories of visual perception are examined, both from a physical and psycho-physical standpoint.

Komatiite genesis in the Archaean mantle, with implications for the tectonics of Archaean greenstone belts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elthon, D.

1986-01-01

The presence of ultramafic lavas (komatiites) associated with Archean greenstone belts has been suggested to indicate very high increments (50-80%) of partial melting of the Archean mantle. Such extensive melting of the Earth's mantle during the Archean might have profound effects on the early tectonic and chemical evolution of the planet, although problems associated with keeping the komatiite liquid in equilibrium with the residual mantle at such high increments of melting has cast doubt upon aspects of extensive melting. Two important aspects of the origin of komatiites are discussed below.

Scaling of Myocardial Mass to Flow and Morphometry of Coronary Arteries

PubMed Central

Choy, Jenny Susana; Kassab, Ghassan S.

2009-01-01

There is no doubt that scaling relations exist between myocardial mass and morphometry of coronary vasculature. The purpose of this study is to quantify several morphological (diameter, length, and volume) and functional (flow) parameters of the coronary arterial tree in relation to myocardial mass. Eight normal porcine hearts of 117-244 g (mean of 177.5±32.7) were used in this study. Various coronary sub-trees of the Left Anterior Descending (LAD), Right Coronary (RCA) and Left Circumflex (LCX) arteries were perfused at pressure of 100 mmHg with different colors of a polymer (Microfil) in order to obtain rubber casts of arterial trees corresponding to different regions of myocardial mass. Volume, diameter and cumulative length of coronary arteries were reconstructed from casts to analyze their relationship to the perfused myocardial mass. Volumetric flow was measured in relationship with perfused myocardial mass. Our results show that arterial volume is linearly related to regional myocardial mass, whereas the sum of coronary arterial branch lengths, vessel diameters and volumetric flow show an approximately 3/4, 3/8 and 3/4 power-law relationship, respectively, in relation to myocardial mass. These scaling laws suggest fundamental design principles underlying the structure-function relationship of the coronary arterial tree that may facilitate diagnosis and management of diffuse coronary artery disease. PMID:18323461

Scaling of myocardial mass to flow and morphometry of coronary arteries.

PubMed

Choy, Jenny Susana; Kassab, Ghassan S

2008-05-01

There is no doubt that scaling relations exist between myocardial mass and morphometry of coronary vasculature. The purpose of this study is to quantify several morphological (diameter, length, and volume) and functional (flow) parameters of the coronary arterial tree in relation to myocardial mass. Eight normal porcine hearts of 117-244 g (mean of 177.5 +/- 32.7) were used in this study. Various coronary subtrees of the left anterior descending, right coronary, and left circumflex arteries were perfused at pressure of 100 mmHg with different colors of a polymer (Microfil) to obtain rubber casts of arterial trees corresponding to different regions of myocardial mass. Volume, diameter, and cumulative length of coronary arteries were reconstructed from casts to analyze their relationship to the perfused myocardial mass. Volumetric flow was measured in relationship with perfused myocardial mass. Our results show that arterial volume is linearly related to regional myocardial mass, whereas the sum of coronary arterial branch lengths, vessel diameters, and volumetric flow show an approximately 3/4, 3/8, and 3/4 power-law relationship, respectively, in relation to myocardial mass. These scaling laws suggest fundamental design principles underlying the structure-function relationship of the coronary arterial tree that may facilitate diagnosis and management of diffuse coronary artery disease.

Shifting subjects of health-care: placing "medical tourism" in the context of Malaysian domestic health-care reform.

PubMed

Ormond, Meghann

2011-01-01

"Medical tourism" has frequently been held to unsettle naturalised relationships between the state and its citizenry. Yet in casting "medical tourism" as either an outside "innovation" or "invasion," scholars have often ignored the role that the neoliberal retrenchment of social welfare structures has played in shaping the domestic health-care systems of the "developing" countries recognised as international medical travel destinations. While there is little doubt that "medical tourism" impacts destinations' health-care systems, it remains essential to contextualise them. This paper offers a reading of the emergence of "medical tourism" from within the context of ongoing health-care privatisation reform in one of today's most prominent destinations: Malaysia. It argues that "medical tourism" to Malaysia has been mobilised politically both to advance domestic health-care reform and to cast off the country's "underdeveloped" image not only among foreign patient-consumers but also among its own nationals, who are themselves increasingly envisioned by the Malaysian state as prospective health-care consumers.

Effect of garlic on cardiovascular disorders: a review

PubMed Central

Banerjee, Sanjay K; Maulik, Subir K

2002-01-01

Garlic and its preparations have been widely recognized as agents for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and other metabolic diseases, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, thrombosis, hypertension and diabetes. Effectiveness of garlic in cardiovascular diseases was more encouraging in experimental studies, which prompted several clinical trials. Though many clinical trials showed a positive effect of garlic on almost all cardiovascular conditions mentioned above, however a number of negative studies have recently cast doubt on the efficary of garlic specially its cholesterol lowering effect of garlic. It is a great challenge for scientists all over the world to make a proper use of garlic and enjoy its maximum beneficial effect as it is the cheapest way to prevent cardiovascular disease. This review has attempted to make a bridge the gap between experimental and clinical study and to discuss the possible mechanisms of such therapeutic actions of garlic. PMID:12537594

Characterization of scientific studies usually cited as evidence of adverse effects of GM food/feed.

PubMed

Sánchez, Miguel A; Parrott, Wayne A

2017-10-01

GM crops are the most studied crops in history. Approximately 5% of the safety studies on them show adverse effects that are a cause for concern and tend to be featured in media reports. Although these reports are based on just a handful of GM events, they are used to cast doubt on all GM crops. Furthermore, they tend to come from just a few laboratories and are published in less important journals. Importantly, a close examination of these reports invariably shows methodological flaws that invalidate any conclusions of adverse effects. Twenty years after commercial cultivation of GM crops began, a bona fide report of an adverse health effect due to a commercialized modification in a crop has yet to be reported. © 2017 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Stem cell plasticity.

PubMed

Lakshmipathy, Uma; Verfaillie, Catherine

2005-01-01

The central dogma in stem cell biology has been that cells isolated from a particular tissue can renew and differentiate into lineages of the tissue it resides in. Several studies have challenged this idea by demonstrating that tissue specific cell have considerable plasticity and can cross-lineage restriction boundary and give rise to cell types of other lineages. However, the lack of a clear definition for plasticity has led to confusion with several reports failing to demonstrate that a single cell can indeed differentiate into multiple lineages at significant levels. Further, differences between results obtained in different labs has cast doubt on some results and several studies still await independent confirmation. In this review, we critically evaluate studies that report stem cell plasticity using three rigid criteria to define stem cell plasticity; differentiation of a single cell into multiple cell lineages, functionality of differentiated cells in vitro and in vivo, robust and persistent engraft of transplanted cells.

Evolution of bacterial life-history traits is sensitive to community structure.

PubMed

Ketola, Tarmo; Mikonranta, Lauri; Mappes, Johanna

2016-06-01

Very few studies have experimentally assessed the evolutionary effects of species interactions within the same trophic level. Here we show that when Serratia marcescens evolve in multispecies communities, their growth rate exceeds the growth rate of the bacteria that evolved alone, whereas the biomass yield gets lower. In addition to the community effects per se, we found that few species in the communities caused strong effects on S. marcescens evolution. The results indicate that evolutionary responses (of a focal species) are different in communities, compared to species evolving alone. Moreover, selection can lead to very different outcomes depending on the community structure. Such context dependencies cast doubt on our ability to predict the course of evolution in the wild, where species often inhabit very different kinds of communities. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Determinants of Household Water Conservation Retrofit Activity: A Discrete Choice Model Using Survey Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, T. A.; Wright, M. B.

1990-02-01

Economic analyses of residential water demand have typically concentrated on price and income elasticities. In the short run a substantial change in water prices might induce only small changes in consumption levels. As time passes, however, households will have the opportunity to "retrofit" existing water-using equipment to make it less water-intensive. This produces medium- to long-run demand elasticities that are higher than short-run studies suggest. We examine responses to water conservation questions appearing on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's 1983 residential energy survey. We find that households' decisions to install shower retrofit devices are influenced by the potential to save money on water heating bills. We attribute toilet retrofit decisions more to noneconomic factors which might be characterized as "general conservation mindedness." The endogeneity of these retrofit decisions casts some doubt on the results of studies of individual households that treat voluntary retrofits as exogenous.

The shell game: a panoramic view of Fornax

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bate, N. F.; McMonigal, B.; Lewis, G. F.; Irwin, M. J.; Gonzalez-Solares, E.; Shanks, T.; Metcalfe, N.

2015-10-01

We present a panoramic study of the Fornax dwarf spheroidal galaxy, using data obtained as part of the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) ATLAS Survey. The data presented here - a subset of the full survey - uniformly cover a region of 25 deg2 centred on the galaxy, in g, r and i bands. This large area coverage reveals two key differences to previous studies of Fornax. First, data extending beyond the nominal tidal radius of the dwarf highlight the presence of a second distinct red giant branch population. This bluer red giant branch appears to be co-eval with the horizontal branch population. Secondly, a shell structure located approximately 1.4° from the centre of Fornax is shown to be a mis-identified background overdensity of galaxies. This last result casts further doubt on the hypothesis that Fornax underwent a gas-rich merger in its relatively recent past.

Critical factors in displacement ductility assessment of high-strength concrete columns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taheri, Ali; Moghadam, Abdolreza S.; Tasnimi, Abass Ali

2017-12-01

Ductility of high-strength concrete (HSC) columns with rectangular sections was assessed in this study by reviewing experimental data from the available literature. Up to 112 normal weights concrete columns with strength in the range of 50-130 MPa were considered and presented as a database. The data included the results of column testes under axial and reversed lateral loading. Displacement ductility of HSC columns was evaluated in terms of their concrete and reinforcement strengths, bar arrangement, volumetric ratio of transverse reinforcement, and axial loading. The results indicated that the confinement requirements and displacement ductility in HSC columns are more sensitive than those in normal strength concrete columns. Moreover, ductility is descended by increasing concrete strength. However, it was possible to obtain ductile behavior in HSC columns through proper confinement. Furthermore, this study casts doubt about capability of P/ A g f c' ratio that being inversely proportional to displacement ductility of HSC columns.

Metabolic networks are almost nonfractal: a comprehensive evaluation.

PubMed

Takemoto, Kazuhiro

2014-08-01

Network self-similarity or fractality are widely accepted as an important topological property of metabolic networks; however, recent studies cast doubt on the reality of self-similarity in the networks. Therefore, we perform a comprehensive evaluation of metabolic network fractality using a box-covering method with an earlier version and the latest version of metabolic networks and demonstrate that the latest metabolic networks are almost self-dissimilar, while the earlier ones are fractal, as reported in a number of previous studies. This result may be because the networks were randomized because of an increase in network density due to database updates, suggesting that the previously observed network fractality was due to a lack of available data on metabolic reactions. This finding may not entirely discount the importance of self-similarity of metabolic networks. Rather, it highlights the need for a more suitable definition of network fractality and a more careful examination of self-similarity of metabolic networks.

Naked Black Hole Firewalls.

PubMed

Chen, Pisin; Ong, Yen Chin; Page, Don N; Sasaki, Misao; Yeom, Dong-Han

2016-04-22

In the firewall proposal, it is assumed that the firewall lies near the event horizon and should not be observable except by infalling observers, who are presumably terminated at the firewall. However, if the firewall is located near where the horizon would have been, based on the spacetime evolution up to that time, later quantum fluctuations of the Hawking emission rate can cause the "teleological" event horizon to have migrated to the inside of the firewall location, rendering the firewall naked. In principle, the firewall can be arbitrarily far outside the horizon. This casts doubt about the notion that firewalls are the "most conservative" solution to the information loss paradox.

Against the empirical viability of the Deutsch-Wallace-Everett approach to quantum mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawid, Richard; Thébault, Karim P. Y.

2014-08-01

The subjective Everettian approach to quantum mechanics presented by Deutsch and Wallace fails to constitute an empirically viable theory of quantum phenomena. The decision theoretic implementation of the Born rule realized in this approach provides no basis for rejecting Everettian quantum mechanics in the face of empirical data that contradicts the Born rule. The approach of Greaves and Myrvold, which provides a subjective implementation of the Born rule as well but derives it from empirical data rather than decision theoretic arguments, avoids the problem faced by Deutsch and Wallace and is empirically viable. However, there is good reason to cast doubts on its scientific value.

On the origin of electrical conductivity in the bio-electronic material melanin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernardus Mostert, A.; Powell, Ben J.; Gentle, Ian R.; Meredith, Paul

2012-02-01

The skin pigment melanin is one of a few bio-macromolecules that display electrical and photo-conductivity in the solid-state. A model for melanin charge transport based on amorphous semiconductivity has been widely accepted for 40 years. In this letter, we show that a central pillar in support of this hypothesis, namely experimental agreement with a hydrated dielectric model, is an artefact related to measurement geometry and non-equilibrium behaviour. Our results cast significant doubt on the validity of the amorphous semiconductor model and are a reminder of the difficulties of electrical measurements on low conductivity, disordered organic materials.

Naked Black Hole Firewalls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Pisin; Ong, Yen Chin; Page, Don N.; Sasaki, Misao; Yeom, Dong-han

2016-04-01

In the firewall proposal, it is assumed that the firewall lies near the event horizon and should not be observable except by infalling observers, who are presumably terminated at the firewall. However, if the firewall is located near where the horizon would have been, based on the spacetime evolution up to that time, later quantum fluctuations of the Hawking emission rate can cause the "teleological" event horizon to have migrated to the inside of the firewall location, rendering the firewall naked. In principle, the firewall can be arbitrarily far outside the horizon. This casts doubt about the notion that firewalls are the "most conservative" solution to the information loss paradox.

The argument from potentiality in the embryo protection debate: finally "depotentialized"?

PubMed

Stier, Marco; Schoene-Seifert, Bettina

2013-01-01

Debates on the moral status of human embryos have been highly and continuously controversial. For many, these controversies have turned into a fruitless scholastical endeavor. However, recent developments and insights in cellular biology have cast further doubt on one of the core points of dissent: the argument from potentiality. In this article we want to show in a nonscholastical way why this argument cannot possibly survive. Getting once more into the intricacies of status debates is a must in our eyes. Not merely intellectual coherence but the standing and self-understanding of current stem cell research might profit from finally taking leave of the argument from potentiality.

Measurements of reflectance spectra of ion-bombarded ice and application to surfaces in the outer solar system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Shaughnessy, D. J.; Boring, J. W.; Johnson, R. E.

1988-01-01

The first results of laboratory measurements of the wavelength dependence of the alternation of the visible reflectance of H2O ice irradiated by keV ions are presented. When the implanted species is chemically neutral, absorption is slightly enhanced below 0.55 micron. For an incident species containing sulfur, a strong absorption feature is produced at 0.4 micron, probably corresponding to S3. This occurs at too large a wavelength to account for the absorption feature observed at Europa by Voyager and therefore casts doubt on the recent interpretation of the reflectance data of Europa.

A natural resource condition assessment for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: Appendix 22: climatic change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Das, Adrian J.; Stephenson, Nathan L.

2013-01-01

30-year time periods -- the Independence station, with a relatively continuous temperature record starting in 1925 -- shows a modest warming, not a cooling, between 1925-1940 and 1971-2000, further casting doubt on the Kings Canyon cooling shown in Figs. 6 and 11 of Appendix 1. If funds become available, it will be useful to more formally analyze potential PRISM biases in long-term SEKI climatic trends. Until then, the analyses of individual weather station records presented here (effectively an analysis of source data that PRISM uses) are meant to provide a robust summary of climatic changes in SEKI.

Not just for consumers: context effects are fundamental to decision making.

PubMed

Trueblood, Jennifer S; Brown, Scott D; Heathcote, Andrew; Busemeyer, Jerome R

2013-06-01

Context effects--preference changes that depend on the availability of other options--have attracted a great deal of attention among consumer researchers studying high-level decision tasks. In the experiments reported here, we showed that these effects also arise in simple perceptual-decision-making tasks. This finding casts doubt on explanations limited to consumer choice and high-level decisions, and it indicates that context effects may be amenable to a general explanation at the level of the basic decision process. We demonstrated for the first time that three important context effects from the preferential-choice literature--similarity, attraction, and compromise effects--all occurred within a single perceptual-decision task. Not only do our results challenge previous explanations for context effects proposed by consumer researchers, but they also challenge the choice rules assumed in theories of perceptual decision making.

Visual illusion of tool use recalibrates tactile perception

PubMed Central

Miller, Luke E.; Longo, Matthew R.; Saygin, Ayse P.

2018-01-01

Brief use of a tool recalibrates multisensory representations of the user’s body, a phenomenon called tool embodiment. Despite two decades of research, little is known about its boundary conditions. It has been widely argued that embodiment requires active tool use, suggesting a critical role for somatosensory and motor feedback. The present study used a visual illusion to cast doubt on this view. We used a mirror-based setup to induce a visual experience of tool use with an arm that was in fact stationary. Following illusory tool use, tactile perception was recalibrated on this stationary arm, and with equal magnitude as physical use. Recalibration was not found following illusory passive tool holding, and could not be accounted for by sensory conflict or general interhemispheric plasticity. These results suggest visual tool-use signals play a critical role in driving tool embodiment. PMID:28196765

The Doubting Process: A Longitudinal Study of the Precipitants and Consequences of Religious Doubt.

PubMed

Krause, Neal; Ellison, Christopher G

2009-06-01

Religious doubt arises from a process in which there is a precipitant, the experience of doubt, a coping response, and a health-related outcome. We explore this process by assessing whether social factors precipitate doubt and the coping responses that are invoked to deal with it. Moreover, we evaluate whether these coping responses are, in turn, associated with health. The data reveal that, over time, people who encounter more negative interaction with fellow congregants have more doubts about religion, whereas more spiritual support and greater involvement in prayer groups are associated with less religious doubt. The findings further indicate that people who encounter more negative interaction are more likely to suppress religious doubts, but people who attend Bible study groups are more likely to seek spiritual growth when faced with doubt. Finally, the results suggest that suppressing religious doubt is associated with less favorable health, whereas seeking spiritual growth does not have a significant effect.

What Is the 'Minimum Inhibitory Concentration' (MIC) of Pexiganan Acting on Escherichia coli?-A Cautionary Case Study.

PubMed

Jepson, Alys K; Schwarz-Linek, Jana; Ryan, Lloyd; Ryadnov, Maxim G; Poon, Wilson C K

2016-01-01

We measured the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the antimicrobial peptide pexiganan acting on Escherichia coli , and found an intrinsic variability in such measurements. These results led to a detailed study of the effect of pexiganan on the growth curve of E. coli, using a plate reader and manual plating (i.e. time-kill curves). The measured growth curves, together with single-cell observations and peptide depletion assays, suggested that addition of a sub-MIC concentration of pexiganan to a population of this bacterium killed a fraction of the cells, reducing peptide activity during the process, while leaving the remaining cells unaffected. This pharmacodynamic hypothesis suggests a considerable inoculum effect, which we quantified. Our results cast doubt on the use of the MIC as 'a measure of the concentration needed for peptide action' and show how 'coarse-grained' studies at the population level give vital information for the correct planning and interpretation of MIC measurements.

Morphology of the megalopa of the mud crab, Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould, 1841) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Panopeidae), identified by DNA barcode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marco-Herrero, Elena; González-Gordillo, J. Ignacio; Cuesta, José A.

2014-06-01

The morphology of the megalopa stage of the panopeid Rhithropanopeus harrisii is redescribed and illustrated in detail from plankton specimens identified by DNA barcode (16S mtDNA) as previous descriptions do not meet the current standard of brachyuran larval description. Several morphological characters vary widely from those of other panopeid species which could cast some doubt on the species' placement in the same family. Besides, some anomalous megalopae of R. harrisii were found among specimens reared at the laboratory from zoeae collected in the plankton. These anomalous morphological features are discussed in terms of problems associated with laboratory rearing conditions.

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

Daly, G.G.; Mayor, T.H.

This paper develops a technique for extracting the expectations embedded in the current prices of energy-using durable goods and applies it to be used-car markets during the two energy crises of the 1970s. The resulting estimates indicate that consumers took the energy crises seriously and formed expectations about future gasoline prices that appear rational when compared with the historical gasoline price series, with the forecasts of specialists and experts, or with the actual postsample behavior of gasoline prices. The evidence therefore supports the view that consumers are able to make rather complex choices with a great deal of rationality andmore » casts doubt on the wisdom of policies based on assumptions to the contrary. 17 references, 2 figures.« less

The neural basis of reversible sentence comprehension: Evidence from voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping in aphasia

PubMed Central

Thothathiri, Malathi; Kimberg, Daniel Y.; Schwartz, Myrna F.

2012-01-01

We explored the neural basis of reversible sentence comprehension in a large group of aphasic patients (N=79). Voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping revealed a significant association between damage in temporoparietal cortex and impaired sentence comprehension. This association remained after we controlled for phonological working memory. We hypothesize that this region plays an important role in the thematic or what-where processing of sentences. In contrast, we detected weak or no association between reversible sentence comprehension and the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, which includes Broca’s area, even for syntactically complex sentences. This casts doubt on theories that presuppose a critical role for this region in syntactic computations. PMID:21861679

Requiem for the max rule?

PubMed Central

Ma, Wei Ji; Shen, Shan; Dziugaite, Gintare; van den Berg, Ronald

2015-01-01

In tasks such as visual search and change detection, a key question is how observers integrate noisy measurements from multiple locations to make a decision. Decision rules proposed to model this process haven fallen into two categories: Bayes-optimal (ideal observer) rules and ad-hoc rules. Among the latter, the maximum-of-outputs (max) rule has been most prominent. Reviewing recent work and performing new model comparisons across a range of paradigms, we find that in all cases except for one, the optimal rule describes human data as well as or better than every max rule either previously proposed or newly introduced here. This casts doubt on the utility of the max rule for understanding perceptual decision-making. PMID:25584425

Unclothed firewalls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Pisin; Ong, Yen Chin; Page, Don Nelson; Sasaki, Misao; Yeom, Dong-Han

2016-07-01

We have previously argued that fluctuations of the Hawking emission rate can cause a black hole event horizon to fluctuate inside the location of a putative firewall, rendering the firewall naked. This assumes that the firewall is located near where the horizon would be expected based on the past evolution of the spacetime. Here, we expand our previous results by defining two new estimates for where the firewall might be that have more smooth temporal behavior than our original estimate. Our results continue to contradict the usual assumption that the firewall should not be observable except by infalling observers. This casts doubt about the idea that firewalls are the ‘most conservative’ solution to the information loss paradox.

Leaf starch degradation comes out of the shadows.

PubMed

Lloyd, James R; Kossmann, Jens; Ritte, Gerhard

2005-03-01

During the day, plants accumulate starch in their leaves as an energy source for the coming night. Based on recent findings, the prevailing view of how the transitory starch is remobilized needs considerable revision. Analyses of transgenic and mutant plants demonstrate that plastidic glucan phosphorylase is not required for normal starch breakdown and cast doubt on the presumed essential role of alpha-amylase but do show that beta-amylase is important. Repression of the activity of a plastidic beta-amylase, the export of its product (maltose) or further metabolism of maltose by a newly identified transglucosidase impairs starch degradation. Breakdown of particulate starch also depends on the activity of glucan-water dikinase, which phosphorylates glucosyl residues within the polymer.

Photochemical oxidant transport - Mesoscale lake breeze and synoptic-scale aspects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyons, W. A.; Cole, H. S.

1976-01-01

Data from routine ozone monitoring in southeastern Wisconsin and limited monitoring of the Milwaukee area by the Environmental Protection Agency are examined. Hourly averages as high as 30 pphm have been recorded in southeastern Wisconsin, and high readings have been reported in rural regions throughout the state. The observations indicate that photochemical oxidants and their nitrogen oxide and reactive hydrocarbon precursers advect from Chicago and northern Indiana into southeastern Wisconsin. There is evidence that synoptic-scale transport of photochemical oxidants occurs, allowing the pollution of entire anticyclones. These results cast doubt on the validity of the Air Quality Control Regions established by amendment to the Clean Air Act of 1970.

The Economic Effect of Competition in the Air Transportation Industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hubbard, H. B.

1972-01-01

The air transportation industry has been described as a highly-competitive, regulated oligopoly or as a price-regulated cartel with blocked entry, resulting in excessive service and low load factors. The current structure of the industry has been strongly influenced by the hypotheses that increased levels of competition are desirable per se, and that more competing carriers can be economically supported in larger markets, in longer haul markets, with lower unit costs, and with higher fare levels. An elementary application of competition/game theory casts doubt on the validity of these hypotheses, but rather emphasizes the critical importance of the short-term non-variable costs in determining economic levels of competition.

Prototype Training Materials for Acceptance Criteria of Maintenance ASAP Events Occurring Within Social Context

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, J. C.

2004-01-01

The aviation maintenance community is at a crossroads with respect to implementing the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP). While there is considerable interest, several key issues have emerged that cast doubt on how to assure a successful implementation, including buy-in from all levels of the company and training for key participants. There are two objectives for the present report. The first is to provide an examination of limits (or more properly, examples) of the degree of acceptability of more problematic events for risk-based decisions within the current ASAP guidelines. The second objective is to apply these limits of community standards to a set of further refined ASAP training scenarios.

Efecto del gas nebular sobre la dinámica de un protoplaneta Joviano

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cionco, R. G.; Brunini, A.

In order to describe a realist scenario to investigate the formation of giant planets, we analyze the physical structure of the primordial gaseous circumsolar disk, the environment where protoplanets growth. We calculate the gas drag efect onto embrios of 1 M⊕ at 5.2 AU with a new formulation of the dinamycal friction effect. We have found a strong radial migration of the protoplanet, that, in comparison whith the predictions of other formulations of gas drag is, at least, one order of magnitude larger. This result casts doubts about the possible survival of these kinds of planetary embrios. The implications for the modelling of the planetary systems are discussed.

CRASH-2 Study of Tranexamic Acid to Treat Bleeding in Trauma Patients: A Controversy Fueled by Science and Social Media

PubMed Central

Binz, Sophia; McCollester, Jonathon; Thomas, Scott; Miller, Joseph; Pohlman, Timothy; Waxman, Dan; Shariff, Faisal; Tracy, Rebecca; Walsh, Mark

2015-01-01

This paper reviews the application of tranexamic acid, an antifibrinolytic, to trauma. CRASH-2, a large randomized controlled trial, was the first to show a reduction in mortality and recommend tranexamic acid use in bleeding trauma patients. However, this paper was not without controversy. Its patient recruitment, methodology, and conductance in moderate-to-low income countries cast doubt on its ability to be applied to trauma protocols in countries with mature trauma networks. In addition to traditional vetting in scientific, peer-reviewed journals, CRASH-2 came about at a time when advances in communication technology allowed debate and influence to be leveraged in new forms, specifically through the use of multimedia campaigns, social media, and Internet blogs. This paper presents a comprehensive view of tranexamic acid utilization in trauma from peer-reviewed evidence to novel multimedia influences. PMID:26448897

Therapeutic deep brain stimulation in Parkinsonian rats directly influences motor cortex.

PubMed

Li, Qian; Ke, Ya; Chan, Danny C W; Qian, Zhong-Ming; Yung, Ken K L; Ko, Ho; Arbuthnott, Gordon W; Yung, Wing-Ho

2012-12-06

Much recent discussion about the origin of Parkinsonian symptoms has centered around the idea that they arise with the increase of beta frequency waves in the EEG. This activity may be closely related to an oscillation between subthalamic nucleus (STN) and globus pallidus. Since STN is the target of deep brain stimulation, it had been assumed that its action is on the nucleus itself. By means of simultaneous recordings of the firing activities from populations of neurons and the local field potentials in the motor cortex of freely moving Parkinsonian rats, this study casts doubt on this assumption. Instead, we found evidence that the corrective action is upon the cortex, where stochastic antidromic spikes originating from the STN directly modify the firing probability of the corticofugal projection neurons, destroy the dominance of beta rhythm, and thus restore motor control to the subjects, be they patients or rodents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Are the Motivational Effects of Autonomy-Supportive Conditions Universal? Contrasting Results Among Indians and Americans.

PubMed

Tripathi, Ritu; Cervone, Daniel; Savani, Krishna

2018-04-01

In Western theories of motivation, autonomy is conceived as a universal motivator of human action; enhancing autonomy is expected to increase motivation panculturally. Using a novel online experimental paradigm that afforded a behavioral measure of motivation, we found that, contrary to this prevailing view, autonomy cues affect motivation differently among American and Indian corporate professionals. Autonomy-supportive instructions increased motivation among Americans but decreased motivation among Indians. The motivational Cue × Culture interaction was extraordinarily large; the populations exhibited little statistical overlap. A second study suggested that this interaction reflects culturally specific norms that are widely understood by members of the given culture. When evaluating messages to motivate workers, Indians, far more than Americans, preferred a message invoking obligations to one invoking autonomous personal choice norms. Results cast doubt on the claim, made regularly in both basic and applied psychology, that enhancing autonomy is a universally preferred method for boosting motivation.

Entangled Parametric Hierarchies: Problems for an Overspecified Universal Grammar

PubMed Central

Boeckx, Cedric; Leivada, Evelina

2013-01-01

This study addresses the feasibility of the classical notion of parameter in linguistic theory from the perspective of parametric hierarchies. A novel program-based analysis is implemented in order to show certain empirical problems related to these hierarchies. The program was developed on the basis of an enriched data base spanning 23 contemporary and 5 ancient languages. The empirical issues uncovered cast doubt on classical parametric models of language acquisition as well as on the conceptualization of an overspecified Universal Grammar that has parameters among its primitives. Pinpointing these issues leads to the proposal that (i) the (bio)logical problem of language acquisition does not amount to a process of triggering innately pre-wired values of parameters and (ii) it paves the way for viewing language, epigenetic (‘parametric’) variation as an externalization-related epiphenomenon, whose learning component may be more important than what sometimes is assumed. PMID:24019867

CRASH-2 Study of Tranexamic Acid to Treat Bleeding in Trauma Patients: A Controversy Fueled by Science and Social Media.

PubMed

Binz, Sophia; McCollester, Jonathon; Thomas, Scott; Miller, Joseph; Pohlman, Timothy; Waxman, Dan; Shariff, Faisal; Tracy, Rebecca; Walsh, Mark

2015-01-01

This paper reviews the application of tranexamic acid, an antifibrinolytic, to trauma. CRASH-2, a large randomized controlled trial, was the first to show a reduction in mortality and recommend tranexamic acid use in bleeding trauma patients. However, this paper was not without controversy. Its patient recruitment, methodology, and conductance in moderate-to-low income countries cast doubt on its ability to be applied to trauma protocols in countries with mature trauma networks. In addition to traditional vetting in scientific, peer-reviewed journals, CRASH-2 came about at a time when advances in communication technology allowed debate and influence to be leveraged in new forms, specifically through the use of multimedia campaigns, social media, and Internet blogs. This paper presents a comprehensive view of tranexamic acid utilization in trauma from peer-reviewed evidence to novel multimedia influences.

Is Self-organization a Rational Expectation?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luediger, Heinz

Over decades and under varying names the study of biology-inspired algorithms applied to non-living systems has been the subject of a small and somewhat exotic research community. Only the recent coincidence of a growing inability to master the design, development and operation of increasingly intertwined systems and processes, and an accelerated trend towards a naïve if not romanticizing view of nature in the sciences, has led to the adoption of biology-inspired algorithmic research by a wider range of sciences. Adaptive systems, as we apparently observe in nature, are meanwhile viewed as a promising way out of the complexity trap and, propelled by a long list of ‘self’ catchwords, complexity research has become an influential stream in the science community. This paper presents four provocative theses that cast doubt on the strategic potential of complexity research and the viability of large scale deployment of biology-inspired algorithms in an expectation driven world.

Magical ideation is related to questionnaire but not behavioural measures of handedness.

PubMed

Grimshaw, Gina M; Yelle, Serena K; Schoger, Jamie; Bright, Kathleen S

2008-01-01

Magical ideation has repeatedly been shown to be related to handedness, with mixed-handers exhibiting higher levels of magical thinking. However, most previous research has assessed hand preference with a questionnaire measure, leaving open the possibility that the correlation reflects some aspect of questionnaire-taking behaviour and not an underlying neuropsychological relationship. The present study addressed this issue by administering the Magical Ideation Scale (Eckblad & Chapman, 1983), the Waterloo Handedness Questionnaire-Revised (Elias, Bryden, & Bulman-Fleming, 1998), and a manual dot-filling task (Tapley & Bryden, 1985) as a behavioural measure of handedness to an undergraduate student sample. The expected relationship between magical ideation and handedness as assessed by the questionnaire was observed. However, magical ideation was not related to the behavioural measure of handedness. Results cast doubt on a neuropsychological interpretation of the relationship between handedness and magical ideation in sub-clinical populations.

Catalytic site inhibition of insulin-degrading enzyme by a small molecule induces glucose intolerance in mice

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

Deprez-Poulain, Rebecca; Hennuyer, Nathalie; Bosc, Damien

Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is a protease that cleaves insulin and other bioactive peptides such as amyloid-β. Knockout and genetic studies have linked IDE to Alzheimer’s disease and type-2 diabetes. As the major insulin-degrading protease, IDE is a candidate drug target in diabetes. Here we have used kinetic target-guided synthesis to design the first catalytic site inhibitor of IDE suitable for in vivo studies (BDM44768). Crystallographic and small angle X-ray scattering analyses show that it locks IDE in a closed conformation. Among a panel of metalloproteases, BDM44768 selectively inhibits IDE. Acute treatment of mice with BDM44768 increases insulin signalling and surprisinglymore » impairs glucose tolerance in an IDE-dependent manner. These results confirm that IDE is involved in pathways that modulate short-term glucose homeostasis, but casts doubt on the general usefulness of the inhibition of IDE catalytic activity to treat diabetes.« less

Scene Integration Without Awareness: No Conclusive Evidence for Processing Scene Congruency During Continuous Flash Suppression.

PubMed

Moors, Pieter; Boelens, David; van Overwalle, Jaana; Wagemans, Johan

2016-07-01

A recent study showed that scenes with an object-background relationship that is semantically incongruent break interocular suppression faster than scenes with a semantically congruent relationship. These results implied that semantic relations between the objects and the background of a scene could be extracted in the absence of visual awareness of the stimulus. In the current study, we assessed the replicability of this finding and tried to rule out an alternative explanation dependent on low-level differences between the stimuli. Furthermore, we used a Bayesian analysis to quantify the evidence in favor of the presence or absence of a scene-congruency effect. Across three experiments, we found no convincing evidence for a scene-congruency effect or a modulation of scene congruency by scene inversion. These findings question the generalizability of previous observations and cast doubt on whether genuine semantic processing of object-background relationships in scenes can manifest during interocular suppression. © The Author(s) 2016.

Comment on "Behavior of Re and Os during contact between an aqueous solution and oil: Consequences for the application of the Re-Os geochronometer to petroleum" [Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 158 (2015) 1-21

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Jia; Li, Zhen; Wang, Xuan-ce

2016-08-01

In a recent study, Mahdaoui et al. (2015) simulated the contact of oil with Re/Os-bearing aqueous fluids in petroleum reservoirs and concluded that both metals could be rapidly and substantially enriched in the oil fraction. These findings could have significant geological ramifications for the use of rhenium-osmium (Re-Os) geochronology in the age-dating of oil deposits. However, the lack of data reproducibility between parallel experiments and misused parameter of "recovery rate" has cast doubt on the main conclusions of the paper. Re-analyses of the raw data provided sufficient evidence to suggest that in petroleum basins with very low abundances of Re and Os, the extraction of these metals to oil is unlikely to be a geologically instantaneous process as the authors implied in their study. In addition, the possibility of reactor leakage in the contacting experiments cannot be completely ruled out.

Promiscuity drives sexual selection in a socially monogamous bird.

PubMed

Webster, Michael S; Tarvin, Keith A; Tuttle, Elaina M; Pruett-Jones, Stephen

2007-09-01

Many socially monogamous species paradoxically show signs of strong sexual selection, suggesting cryptic sources of sexual competition among males. Darwin argued that sexual selection could operate in monogamous systems if breeding sex ratios are biased or if some males attract highly fecund females. Alternatively, sexual selection might result from promiscuous copulations outside the pair bond, although several recent studies have cast doubt on this possibility, in particular by showing that variance in apparent male reproductive success (number of social young) differs little from variance in actual male reproductive success (number of young sired). Our results from a long-term study of the socially monogamous splendid fairy-wren (Malurus splendens) demonstrate that such comparisons are misleading and do not adequately assess the effects of extra-pair paternity (EPP). By partitioning the opportunity for selection and calculating Bateman gradients, we show that EPP has a strong effect on male annual and lifetime fitness, whereas other proposed mechanisms of sexual selection do not. Thus, EPP drives sexual selection in this, and possibly other, socially monogamous species.

Catalytic site inhibition of insulin-degrading enzyme by a small molecule induces glucose intolerance in mice

DOE PAGES

Deprez-Poulain, Rebecca; Hennuyer, Nathalie; Bosc, Damien; ...

2015-09-23

Insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) is a protease that cleaves insulin and other bioactive peptides such as amyloid-β. Knockout and genetic studies have linked IDE to Alzheimer’s disease and type-2 diabetes. As the major insulin-degrading protease, IDE is a candidate drug target in diabetes. Here we have used kinetic target-guided synthesis to design the first catalytic site inhibitor of IDE suitable for in vivo studies (BDM44768). Crystallographic and small angle X-ray scattering analyses show that it locks IDE in a closed conformation. Among a panel of metalloproteases, BDM44768 selectively inhibits IDE. Acute treatment of mice with BDM44768 increases insulin signalling and surprisinglymore » impairs glucose tolerance in an IDE-dependent manner. These results confirm that IDE is involved in pathways that modulate short-term glucose homeostasis, but casts doubt on the general usefulness of the inhibition of IDE catalytic activity to treat diabetes.« less

How Climate Science Lost the Internet - and How We Can Win it Back Again

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobis, M.

2012-12-01

The systematic formation of a culturally cohesive opposition to climate science is by now obvious. That this opposition makes effective use of the internet is also clear. Unfortunately, it goes beyond the propagation of reasonable doubt and into obfuscation, distortion, and defamation. It's necessary to play catch-up. A historical perspective may be in order here. The cultural roots of doubts about the proposition that humans are materially disrupting the atmosphere and oceans on the global scale are clear enough. The traditional basis for connecting the skies with the eternal has deep cultural roots. Also, the widespread idea that the marketplace is a sufficient decision-making mechanism for most if not all purposes, a very different basis for opposition, has created deep skepticism regarding any problems which do not immediately map onto the marketplace model. As evidence that global climate disruption actually exists becomes more compelling, it is not surprising that some opposition to the messenger has emerged as well as to the message. How and why this opposition became so well-organized and compelling is a story that needs telling. A community has formed of people whose common interest is casting doubt on the climate-relevant science and distrust on the climate science community. The efforts at producing a counterweight have been inadequate and unsuccessful. This presentation will examine the tactics that have allowed this oppositional group its, and in particular those attached to new media, going back to usenet in the 1990s. This is with an eye to identifying which of those tactics we might adopt, which we need to eschew, and how to counter their successes. Despite recent improvements, we remain far from being a compelling counter-force to the forces of confusion. Both new resources and new strategies are needed.

Experimental Bayesian Quantum Phase Estimation on a Silicon Photonic Chip.

PubMed

Paesani, S; Gentile, A A; Santagati, R; Wang, J; Wiebe, N; Tew, D P; O'Brien, J L; Thompson, M G

2017-03-10

Quantum phase estimation is a fundamental subroutine in many quantum algorithms, including Shor's factorization algorithm and quantum simulation. However, so far results have cast doubt on its practicability for near-term, nonfault tolerant, quantum devices. Here we report experimental results demonstrating that this intuition need not be true. We implement a recently proposed adaptive Bayesian approach to quantum phase estimation and use it to simulate molecular energies on a silicon quantum photonic device. The approach is verified to be well suited for prethreshold quantum processors by investigating its superior robustness to noise and decoherence compared to the iterative phase estimation algorithm. This shows a promising route to unlock the power of quantum phase estimation much sooner than previously believed.

A preliminary assessment of the feasibility of deriving liquid and gaseous fuels from grown and waste organics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graham, R. W.; Reynolds, T. W.; Hsu, Y.-Y.

1976-01-01

An estimate is obtained of the yearly supply of organic material for conversion to fuels, the energy potential is evaluated, and the fermentation and pyrolysis conversion processes are discussed. An investigation is conducted of the estimated cost of fuel from organics and the conclusions of an overall evaluation are presented. It is found that climate, land availability and economics of agricultural production and marketing, food demand, fertilizer shortage, and water availability combine to cast doubts on the feasibility of producing grown organic matter for fuel, in competition with food, feed, or fiber. Less controversial is the utilization of agricultural, industrial, and domestic waste as a conversion feedstock. The evaluation of a demonstration size system is recommended.

Estimate of the Chinese astronomy development through the descriptions of nova observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nickiforov, Mihael G.

More than a hundred descriptions of guest stars observations made by Chinese, Korean and Japanese astronomers from 6th till 17th centuries are examined in this work. The comparison of the distribution of star outbursts on galactic latitudes from the Chinese sources with the modern data casts doubt on the reliability of the ancient observations. The text analysis shows that the technique of the descriptions of the places of outbursts of new stars does not change from the first ancient observations till the 16th century. This is a sign of a lack of precise instrumental measurements until the arrival of the Jesuits, in 16th century, and of a lack of Chinese star catalog in the medieval China.

Requiem for the max rule?

PubMed

Ma, Wei Ji; Shen, Shan; Dziugaite, Gintare; van den Berg, Ronald

2015-11-01

In tasks such as visual search and change detection, a key question is how observers integrate noisy measurements from multiple locations to make a decision. Decision rules proposed to model this process have fallen into two categories: Bayes-optimal (ideal observer) rules and ad-hoc rules. Among the latter, the maximum-of-outputs (max) rule has been the most prominent. Reviewing recent work and performing new model comparisons across a range of paradigms, we find that in all cases except for one, the optimal rule describes human data as well as or better than every max rule either previously proposed or newly introduced here. This casts doubt on the utility of the max rule for understanding perceptual decision-making. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The bottom of the universe: Flat earth science in the Age of Encounter.

PubMed

Allegro, James J

2017-03-01

This essay challenges the dominance of the spherical earth model in fifteenth- and early-sixteenth-century Western European thought. It examines parallel strains of Latin and vernacular writing that cast doubt on the existence of the southern hemisphere. Three factors shaped the alternate accounts of the earth as a plane and disk put forward by these sources: (1) the unsettling effects of maritime expansion on scientific thought; (2) the revival of interest in early Christian criticism of the spherical earth; and (3) a rigid empirical stance toward entities too large to observe in their entirety, including the earth. Criticism of the spherical earth model faded in the decades after Magellan's crew returned from circuiting the earth in 1522.

Ashkenazi Jews and Breast Cancer: The Consequences of Linking Ethnic Identity to Genetic Disease

PubMed Central

Brandt-Rauf, Sherry I.; Raveis, Victoria H.; Drummond, Nathan F.; Conte, Jill A.; Rothman, Sheila M.

2006-01-01

We explored the advantages and disadvantages of using ethnic categories in genetic research. With the discovery that certain breast cancer gene mutations appeared to be more prevalent in Ashkenazi Jews, breast cancer researchers moved their focus from high-risk families to ethnicity. The concept of Ashkenazi Jews as genetically unique, a legacy of Tay–Sachs disease research and a particular reading of history, shaped this new approach even as methodological imprecision and new genetic and historical research challenged it. Our findings cast doubt on the accuracy and desirability of linking ethnic groups to genetic disease. Such linkages exaggerate genetic differences among ethnic groups and lead to unequal access to testing and therapy. PMID:17018815

Communication: Virial coefficients and demixing in highly asymmetric binary additive hard-sphere mixtures.

PubMed

López de Haro, Mariano; Tejero, Carlos F; Santos, Andrés

2013-04-28

The problem of demixing in a binary fluid mixture of highly asymmetric additive hard spheres is revisited. A comparison is presented between the results derived previously using truncated virial expansions for three finite size ratios with those that one obtains with the same approach in the extreme case in which one of the components consists of point particles. Since this latter system is known not to exhibit fluid-fluid segregation, the similarity observed for the behavior of the critical constants arising in the truncated series in all instances, while not being conclusive, may cast serious doubts as to the actual existence of a demixing fluid-fluid transition in disparate-sized binary additive hard-sphere mixtures.

LIBOR troubles: Anomalous movements detection based on maximum entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bariviera, Aurelio F.; Martín, María T.; Plastino, Angelo; Vampa, Victoria

2016-05-01

According to the definition of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), contributing banks should give fair estimates of their own borrowing costs in the interbank market. Between 2007 and 2009, several banks made inappropriate submissions of LIBOR, sometimes motivated by profit-seeking from their trading positions. In 2012, several newspapers' articles began to cast doubt on LIBOR integrity, leading surveillance authorities to conduct investigations on banks' behavior. Such procedures resulted in severe fines imposed to involved banks, who recognized their financial inappropriate conduct. In this paper, we uncover such unfair behavior by using a forecasting method based on the Maximum Entropy principle. Our results are robust against changes in parameter settings and could be of great help for market surveillance.

A multiple technique approach to the analysis of urinary calculi.

PubMed

Rodgers, A L; Nassimbeni, L R; Mulder, K J

1982-01-01

10 urinary calculi have been qualitatively and quantitatively analysed using X-ray diffraction, infra-red, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, atomic absorption and density gradient procedures. Constituents and compositional features which often go undetected due to limitations in the particular analytical procedure being used, have been identified and a detailed picture of each stone's composition and structure has been obtained. In all cases at least two components were detected suggesting that the multiple technique approach might cast some doubt as to the existence of "pure" stones. Evidence for a continuous, non-sequential deposition mechanism has been detected. In addition, the usefulness of each technique in the analysis of urinary stones has been assessed and the multiple technique approach has been evaluated as a whole.

Immunization of mice with LRP4 induces myasthenia similar to MuSK-associated myasthenia gravis.

PubMed

Mori, Shuuichi; Motohashi, Norio; Takashima, Rumi; Kishi, Masahiko; Nishimune, Hiroshi; Shigemoto, Kazuhiro

2017-11-01

Since the first report of experimental animal models of myasthenia gravis (MG) with autoantibodies against low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4), there have not been any major reports replicating the pathogenicity of anti-LRP4 antibodies (Abs). Recent clinical studies have cast doubt on the specificity and pathogenicity of anti-LRP4 antibodies for MG, highlighting the need for further research. In this study, we purified antigens corresponding to the extracellular region of human LRP4 stably expressed with chaperones in 293 cells and used these antigens to immunize female A/J mice. Immunization with LRP4 protein caused mice to develop myasthenia having similar electrophysiological and histological features as are observed in MG patients with circulating Abs against muscle-specific kinase (MuSK). Our results clearly demonstrate that active immunization of mice with LRP4 proteins causes myasthenia similar to the MG induced by anti-MuSK Abs. Further experimental and clinical studies are required to prove the pathogenicity of anti-LRP4 Abs in MG patients. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Effect of physical activity on longevity].

PubMed

Wilczek, Mateusz M; Krupienicz, Andrzej

2016-11-25

Multiple population studies have reported a positive correlation between higher levels of physical activity (PA) and longer lifespan. It has been generally accepted that it occurs due to PA having a direct effect on longevity. However, this idea is negated by experiments on animal models and an observational study on a twin cohort published recently by Karvinen et al. This unique study includes a pairwise comparison of monozygotic twins discordant for PA, therefore eliminating any influence of genetic factors on both mortality and tendency to take up exercise. The intriguing lack of differences in lifespan in such pairs implies that PA is not an important life prolonging factor. This discovery casts doubt on the validity of PA recommendations found in numerous medical guidelines. Nevertheless, the mentioned results apply only to the plain PA - longevity relation. They do not consider health benefits of PA, for which solid evidence exists. In particular, PA clearly reduces the risk of obesity-related diseases. This may indirectly yet significantly affect the length and quality of life, even if the direct relationship between PA and lifespan will be proven false in further research. © 2016 MEDPRESS.

The joint effect of maternal malnutrition and cold weather on neonatal mortality in nineteenth-century Venice: an assessment of the hypothermia hypothesis.

PubMed

Derosas, Renzo

2009-11-01

Recent studies stress the key role played by neonatal mortality in the demographic regime of north-eastern Italy. In particular, during the period 1700-1830 this area experienced a dramatic upsurge in winter neonatal deaths, pushing overall neonatal and infant mortality rates to the highest in Italy and most of Europe. Scholars have argued that this trend was caused by a general pauperization leading to widespread maternal malnutrition, low birth weight, and an increased frequency of winter neonatal deaths caused by the higher sensitivity of low-birth-weight infants to the cold. The study presented here tested this hypothesis using a large mid-nineteenth-century longitudinal sample of the Venetian population. Two alternative measures of maternal malnutrition were applied: chronic undernourishment and temporary nutritional stress during late gestation. Only the second condition is significantly associated with higher neonatal mortality when outside temperatures were low. This is consistent with mechanisms of neonatal thermoregulation but casts doubt on the pauperization hypothesis suggested by other studies.

Conditional cooperation and confusion in public-goods experiments

PubMed Central

Burton-Chellew, Maxwell N.; El Mouden, Claire; West, Stuart A.

2016-01-01

Economic experiments are often used to study if humans altruistically value the welfare of others. A canonical result from public-good games is that humans vary in how they value the welfare of others, dividing into fair-minded conditional cooperators, who match the cooperation of others, and selfish noncooperators. However, an alternative explanation for the data are that individuals vary in their understanding of how to maximize income, with misunderstanding leading to the appearance of cooperation. We show that (i) individuals divide into the same behavioral types when playing with computers, whom they cannot be concerned with the welfare of; (ii) behavior across games with computers and humans is correlated and can be explained by variation in understanding of how to maximize income; (iii) misunderstanding correlates with higher levels of cooperation; and (iv) standard control questions do not guarantee understanding. These results cast doubt on certain experimental methods and demonstrate that a common assumption in behavioral economics experiments, that choices reveal motivations, will not necessarily hold. PMID:26787890

Direct and Indirect Influence of Altruistic Behavior in a Social Network.

PubMed

Liu, Pei-Pei; Safin, Vasiliy; Yang, Barry; Luhmann, Christian C

2015-01-01

Prior research has suggested that recipients of generosity behave more generously themselves (a direct social influence). In contrast, there is conflicting evidence about the existence of indirect influence (i.e., whether interacting with a recipient of generosity causes one to behave more generously), casting doubt on the possibility that altruistic behavior can cascade through social networks. The current study investigated how far selfish and generous behavior can be transmitted through social networks and the cognitive mechanisms that underlie such transmission. Participants played a sequence of public goods games comprising a chain network. This network is advantageous because it permits only a single, unambiguous path of influence. Furthermore, we experimentally manipulated the behavior of the first link in the chain to be either generous or selfish. Results revealed the presence of direct social influence, but no evidence for indirect influence. Results also showed that selfish behavior exerted a substantially greater influence than generous behavior. Finally, expectations about future partners' behavior strongly mediated the observed social influence, suggesting an adaptive basis for such influence.

Changing safety net of last resort: downsizing general assistance for employable adults.

PubMed

Anderson, Steven G; Halter, Anthony P; Gryzlak, Brian M

2002-07-01

General assistance (GA) has served as an income support program of last resort for people not eligible for other programs. Because each state has complete discretion to design its program, the GA services model parallels Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in its reliance on decentralized government decision making. Thus, GA programs can provide lessons about services variability and common program features that have arisen in a decentralized income support system. This study examined the characteristics of state GA programs across several program dimensions--eligibility criteria, work requirements, time limits, administrative arrangements, and caseloads. The authors show that GA programs have changed from 1989 to 1998. Although most states retained GA programs in some form, caseloads declined as a result of tightening eligibility requirements for people considered employable. This casts doubt on the viability of GA as a safety net program for economically vulnerable people, including those who do not qualify for or exceed time limits under TANF.

The effects of reimbursement mechanisms on medical technology diffusion in the hospital sector in the Italian NHS.

PubMed

Finocchiaro Castro, Massimo; Guccio, Calogero; Pignataro, Giacomo; Rizzo, Ilde

2014-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate how the differences across the regional reimbursement mechanisms and in particular the use of the DRGs impact on the level in the high technology equipment diffusion. Based on hospital sector data at a regional level we build up indicators to measure the regional diffusion of high technological medical equipment in the period 1997-2007. These indicators are regressed on regional healthcare characteristics to investigate the relationship between the different reimbursement systems offered by Italian regions and the level of high technological medical equipment. Our results suggest that the per-case payment system is generally associated with a lower level of regional technology endowment per million of inhabitants, especially for the complex and expensive medical equipment. Our findings cast some doubts that an effective regulation of reimbursement mechanisms cannot limit the excessive diffusion of medical equipment that is a relevant driver of the increase in expenditure. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age matters: The effect of onset age of video game play on task-switching abilities.

PubMed

Hartanto, Andree; Toh, Wei Xing; Yang, Hwajin

2016-05-01

Although prior research suggests that playing video games can improve cognitive abilities, recent empirical studies cast doubt on such findings (Unsworth et al., 2015). To reconcile these inconsistent findings, we focused on the link between video games and task switching. Furthermore, we conceptualized video-game expertise as the onset age of active video-game play rather than the frequency of recent gameplay, as it captures both how long a person has played video games and whether the individual began playing during periods of high cognitive plasticity. We found that the age of active onset better predicted switch and mixing costs than did frequency of recent gameplay; specifically, players who commenced playing video games at an earlier age reaped greater benefits in terms of task switching than did those who started at a later age. Moreover, improving switch costs required a more extensive period of video-game experience than did mixing costs; this finding suggests that certain cognitive abilities benefit from different amounts of video game experience.

Deaths rise in good economic times: evidence from the OECD.

PubMed

Gerdtham, Ulf-G; Ruhm, Christopher J

2006-12-01

This study uses aggregate data for 23 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries over the 1960-1997 period to examine the relationship between macroeconomic conditions and deaths. The main finding is that total mortality and deaths from several common causes rise when labor markets strengthen. For instance, controlling for year effects, location fixed-effects (FE), country-specific time trends and demographic characteristics, a 1% point decrease in the national unemployment rate is associated with growth of 0.4% in total mortality and the following increases in cause-specific mortality: 0.4% for cardiovascular disease, 1.1% for influenza/pneumonia, 1.8% for liver disease, 2.1% for motor vehicle deaths, and 0.8% for other accidents. These effects are particularly pronounced for countries with weak social insurance systems, as proxied by public social expenditure as a share of GDP. The findings are consistent with evidence provided by other recent research and cast doubt on the hypothesis that economic downturns have negative effects on physical health.

Negatively charged excitons and photoluminescence in asymmetric quantum wells

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

Szlufarska, Izabela; Wojs, Arkadiusz; Quinn, John J.

2001-02-15

We study photoluminescence (PL) of charged excitons (X{sup -}) in narrow asymmetric quantum wells in high magnetic fields B. The binding of all X{sup -} states strongly depends on the separation {delta} of electron and hole layers. The most sensitive is the ''bright'' singlet, whose binding energy decreases quickly with increasing {delta} even at relatively small B. As a result, the value of B at which the singlet-triplet crossing occurs in the X{sup -} spectrum also depends on {delta}, and decreases from 35 T in a symmetric 10 nm GaAs well to 16 T for {delta}=0.5 nm. Since the criticalmore » values of {delta} at which different X{sup -} states unbind are surprisingly small compared to the well width, the observation of strongly bound X{sup -} states in an experimental PL spectrum implies virtually no layer displacement in the sample. This casts doubt on the interpretation of PL spectra of heterojunctions in terms of X{sup -} recombination.« less

Assessment of future changes in water availability and aridity

DOE PAGES

Greve, P.; Seneviratne, S. I.

2015-07-04

Substantial changes in the hydrological cycle are projected for the 21st century, but these projections are subject to major uncertainties. In this context, the “dry gets drier, wet gets wetter” (DDWW) paradigm is often used as a simplifying summary. However, recent studies cast doubt on the validity of the paradigm and also on applying the widely used P-E (precipitation - evapotranspiration) metric over global land surfaces. Here we show in a comprehensive CMIP5-based assessment that projected changes in mean annual P - E are generally not significant, except for high-latitude regions showing wetting conditions until the end of the 21stmore » century. Significant increases in aridity do occur in many subtropical and also adjacent humid regions. However, combining both metrics still shows that approximately 70% of all land area will not experience significant changes. Finally, based on these findings, we conclude that the DDWW paradigm is generally not confirmed for projected changes in most land areas.« less

Conditional cooperation and confusion in public-goods experiments.

PubMed

Burton-Chellew, Maxwell N; El Mouden, Claire; West, Stuart A

2016-02-02

Economic experiments are often used to study if humans altruistically value the welfare of others. A canonical result from public-good games is that humans vary in how they value the welfare of others, dividing into fair-minded conditional cooperators, who match the cooperation of others, and selfish noncooperators. However, an alternative explanation for the data are that individuals vary in their understanding of how to maximize income, with misunderstanding leading to the appearance of cooperation. We show that (i) individuals divide into the same behavioral types when playing with computers, whom they cannot be concerned with the welfare of; (ii) behavior across games with computers and humans is correlated and can be explained by variation in understanding of how to maximize income; (iii) misunderstanding correlates with higher levels of cooperation; and (iv) standard control questions do not guarantee understanding. These results cast doubt on certain experimental methods and demonstrate that a common assumption in behavioral economics experiments, that choices reveal motivations, will not necessarily hold.

The climate change consensus extends beyond climate scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlton, J. S.; Perry-Hill, Rebecca; Huber, Matthew; Prokopy, Linda S.

2015-09-01

The existence of anthropogenic climate change remains a public controversy despite the consensus among climate scientists. The controversy may be fed by the existence of scientists from other disciplines publicly casting doubt on the validity of climate science. The extent to which non-climate scientists are skeptical of climate science has not been studied via direct survey. Here we report on a survey of biophysical scientists across disciplines at universities in the Big 10 Conference. Most respondents (93.6%) believe that mean temperatures have risen and most (91.9%) believe in an anthropogenic contribution to rising temperatures. Respondents strongly believe that climate science is credible (mean credibility score 6.67/7). Those who disagree about climate change disagree over basic facts (e.g., the effects of CO2 on climate) and have different cultural and political values. These results suggest that scientists who are climate change skeptics are outliers and that the majority of scientists surveyed believe in anthropogenic climate change and that climate science is credible and mature.

Understanding the MBA Gender Gap: Women Respond to Gender Norms by Reducing Public Assertiveness but Not Private Effort.

PubMed

Wallen, Aaron S; Morris, Michael W; Devine, Beth A; Lu, Jackson G

2017-08-01

Women's underperformance in MBA programs has been the subject of recent debate and policy interventions, despite a lack of rigorous evidence documenting when and why it occurs. The current studies document a performance gap, specifying its contours and contributing factors. Two behaviors by female students that may factor into the gap are public conformity and private internalization. We predicted that women conform to the norm associating maleness with technical prowess by minimizing their public assertiveness in class discussions and meetings, but that they do not internalize the norm by reducing private effort. Data from multiple cohorts of a top-ranked MBA program reveal female underperformance occurred in technical subjects (e.g., accounting), but not social subjects (e.g., marketing). As predicted, the gender effect ran not through private effort but through public assertiveness, even controlling for gender differences in interests and aptitudes. These findings support some current policy interventions while casting doubt on others.

Methemoglobin reduction in crocodile blood: are high levels of MetHb typical of healthy reptiles?

PubMed

Gruca, M; Grigg, G C

1980-08-01

In 82 wild-caught Crocodylus porosus, levels of NADH-MetHb reductase and GSH seem adequate to maintain hemoglobin in its reduced functional state. Studies of C. porosus erythrocytes in vitro show reduction of metHb in the presence of lactate, glucose and plasma, but not pyruvate. These findings, together with recent data which show low metHb in a variety of reptiles, cast doubt on the accepted view that high levels of MetHb are typical of healthy reptiles. One explanation for the sharp contrast between earlier and more recent data could be technical. We found low metHb in Crocodylus johnstoni, Chelodina longicollis and Sphenomorphus quoyi. However, high and variable vales reminiscent of many of the earlier data were obtained by omitting final centrifugation prior to spectrophotometry. Interestingly, this step is not part of the standard clinical method but is necessary in analyses of blood with nucleated red cells. These observations suggest that high metHb may not be typical of reptiles after all.

Critical review of the United Kingdom's "gold standard" survey of public attitudes to science.

PubMed

Smith, Benjamin K; Jensen, Eric A

2016-02-01

Since 2000, the UK government has funded surveys aimed at understanding the UK public's attitudes toward science, scientists, and science policy. Known as the Public Attitudes to Science series, these surveys and their predecessors have long been used in UK science communication policy, practice, and scholarship as a source of authoritative knowledge about science-related attitudes and behaviors. Given their importance and the significant public funding investment they represent, detailed academic scrutiny of the studies is needed. In this essay, we critically review the most recently published Public Attitudes to Science survey (2014), assessing the robustness of its methods and claims. The review casts doubt on the quality of key elements of the Public Attitudes to Science 2014 survey data and analysis while highlighting the importance of robust quantitative social research methodology. Our analysis comparing the main sample and booster sample for young people demonstrates that quota sampling cannot be assumed equivalent to probability-based sampling techniques. © The Author(s) 2016.

The Aviation Paradox: Why We Can 'Know' Jetliners But Not Reactors.

PubMed

Downer, John

2017-01-01

Publics and policymakers increasingly have to contend with the risks of complex, safety-critical technologies, such as airframes and reactors. As such, 'technological risk' has become an important object of modern governance, with state regulators as core agents, and 'reliability assessment' as the most essential metric. The Science and Technology Studies (STS) literature casts doubt on whether or not we should place our faith in these assessments because predictively calculating the ultra-high reliability required of such systems poses seemingly insurmountable epistemological problems. This paper argues that these misgivings are warranted in the nuclear sphere, despite evidence from the aviation sphere suggesting that such calculations can be accurate. It explains why regulatory calculations that predict the reliability of new airframes cannot work in principle, and then it explains why those calculations work in practice. It then builds on this explanation to argue that the means by which engineers manage reliability in aviation is highly domain-specific, and to suggest how a more nuanced understanding of jetliners could inform debates about nuclear energy.

Zero point motion effect on the electronic properties of diamond, trans-polyacetylene and polyethylene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cannuccia, E.; Marini, A.

2012-09-01

It has been recently shown, using ab-initio methods, that bulk diamond is characterized by a large band-gap renormalization (˜0.6 eV) induced by the electron-phonon interaction. In this work we show that in polymers, compared to bulk materials, the larger amplitude of the atomic vibrations makes the real excitations of the system be composed by entangled electron-phonon states. We prove that these states carry only a fraction of the electronic charge, thus leading, inevitably, to the failure of the electronic picture. The present results cast doubts on the accuracy of purely electronic calculations. They also lead to a critical revision of the state-of-the-art description of carbon-based nanostructures, opening a wealth of potential implications.

No evidence for an increase in circulatory disease mortality in astronauts following space radiation exposures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cucinotta, Francis A.; Hamada, Nobuyuki; Little, Mark P.

2016-08-01

Previous analysis has shown that astronauts have a significantly lower standardized mortality ratio for circulatory disease mortality compared to the U.S. population, which is consistent with the rigorous selection process and healthy lifestyles of astronauts, and modest space radiation exposures from past space missions. However, a recent report by Delp et al. estimated the proportional mortality ratio for ages of 55-64 y of Apollo lunar mission astronauts to claim a high risk of cardiovascular disease due to space radiation compared to the U.S. population or to non-flight astronauts. In this Commentary we discuss important deficiencies in the methods and assumptions on radiation exposures used by Delp et al. that we judge cast serious doubt on their conclusions.

Medicine, lies and deceptions.

PubMed

Benn, P

2001-04-01

This article offers a qualified defence of the view that there is a moral difference between telling lies to one's patients, and deceiving them without lying. However, I take issue with certain arguments offered by Jennifer Jackson in support of the same conclusion. In particular, I challenge her claim that to deny that there is such a moral difference makes sense only within a utilitarian framework, and I cast doubt on the aptness of some of her examples of non-lying deception. But I argue that lies have a greater tendency to damage trust than does non-lying deception, and suggest that since many doctors do believe there is a moral boundary between the two types of deception, encouraging them to violate that boundary may have adverse general effects on their moral sensibilities.

Skylab observations of X-ray loops connecting separate active regions. [solar activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chase, R. C.; Krieger, A. S.; Svestka, Z.; Vaiana, G. S.

1976-01-01

One hundred loops interconnecting 94 separate active solar regions detectable in soft X-rays were identified during the Skylab mission. While close active regions are commonly interconnected with loops, the number of such interconnections decreases steeply for longer distances; the longest interconnecting loop observed in the Skylab data connected regions separated by 37 deg. Several arguments are presented which support the point of view that this is the actual limit of the size of magnetic interconnections between active regions. No sympathetic flares could be found in the interconnected regions. These results cast doubt on the hypothesis that accelerated particles can be guided in interconnecting loops from one active region to another over distances of 100 deg or more and eventually produce sympathetic flares in them.

Mesozoic ash-flow caldera fragments in southeastern Arizona and their relation to porphyry copper deposits.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lipman, P.W.; Sawyer, D.A.

1985-01-01

Jurassic and Upper Cretaceous volcanic and associated granitic rocks in SE Arizona are remnants of large composite silicic volcanic fields, characterized by voluminous ash-flow tuffs and associated calderas. Presence of 10-15 large caldera fragments is inferred primarily from 1) ash-flow deposits over 1 km thick, having features of inter-caldera ponding; 2) 'exotic-block' breccia within a tuff matrix, interpreted as caldera-collapse megabreccia; and 3) local granitic intrusion along arcuate structural boundaries of the thick volcanics. Several major porphyry copper deposits are associated with late granitic intrusions within the calderas or along their margins. Such close spatial and temporal association casts doubt on models that associate porphyry copper deposits exclusively with intermediate composition strato-volcanoes. -L.C.H.

I Think, Therefore Eyeblink

PubMed Central

Weidemann, Gabrielle; Satkunarajah, Michelle; Lovibond, Peter F.

2016-01-01

Can conditioning occur without conscious awareness of the contingency between the stimuli? We trained participants on two separate reaction time tasks that ensured attention to the experimental stimuli. The tasks were then interleaved to create a differential Pavlovian contingency between visual stimuli from one task and an airpuff stimulus from the other. Many participants were unaware of the contingency and failed to show differential eyeblink conditioning, despite attending to a salient stimulus that was contingently and contiguously related to the airpuff stimulus over many trials. Manipulation of awareness by verbal instruction dramatically increased awareness and differential eyeblink responding. These findings cast doubt on dual-system theories, which propose an automatic associative system independent of cognition, and provide strong evidence that cognitive processes associated with awareness play a causal role in learning. PMID:26905277

Amyloid arthropathy revealed by RS3PE syndrome.

PubMed

Magy, N; Michel, F; Auge, B; Toussirot, E; Wendling, D

2000-01-01

Amyloid arthropathy is a form of primary AL amyloidosis with a monoclonal component in the blood and/or urine, and RS3PE syndrome is acute edematous polysynovitis in subjects older than 60 years. A 74-year-old man was diagnosed with both disorders. He was admitted for benign acute polyarthritis of the hands and feet and reported carpal tunnel symptoms predominating on the right. A synovial biopsy at the right wrist disclosed deposits that stained with Congo red even after potassium permanganate treatment (positive Wright's test). Articular AL amyloidosis was diagnosed. The symptoms resolved under glucocorticoid therapy alone, casting some doubt on their relationship with the amyloidosis. Roentgenograms showed geodes, a feature not present in RS3PE. Whether RS3PE may be among the possible presentations of articular amyloidosis is discussed.

Attentional Routes to Conscious Perception

PubMed Central

Chica, Ana B.; Bartolomeo, Paolo

2012-01-01

The relationships between spatial attention and conscious perception are currently the object of intense debate. Recent evidence of double dissociations between attention and consciousness cast doubt on the time-honored concept of attention as a gateway to consciousness. Here we review evidence from behavioral, neurophysiologic, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging experiments, showing that distinct sorts of spatial attention can have different effects on visual conscious perception. While endogenous, or top-down attention, has weak influence on subsequent conscious perception of near-threshold stimuli, exogenous, or bottom-up forms of spatial attention appear instead to be a necessary, although not sufficient, step in the development of reportable visual experiences. Fronto-parietal networks important for spatial attention, with peculiar inter-hemispheric differences, constitute plausible neural substrates for the interactions between exogenous spatial attention and conscious perception. PMID:22279440

The myths of coping with loss in undergraduate psychiatric nursing books.

PubMed

Holman, E Alison; Perisho, Jennifer; Edwards, Ada; Mlakar, Natalie

2010-12-01

Nurses often help patients cope with loss. Recent research has cast doubt on the validity of early theories about loss and grief commonly taught to nurses. We systematically examined the accuracy of information on coping with loss presented in 23 commonly used undergraduate psychiatric nursing books. All 23 books contained at least one unsupported assumption (myth) about loss and grief. In 78% of these books, authors described four or more myths and only one evidence-based finding about coping with loss. On balance most books provided details on the myths about grief and loss with minimal discussion of the current evidence. Authors of psychiatric nursing books continue to disseminate unsupported theories about grief responses without adequately acknowledging evidence challenging core assumptions underlying them. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Gorilla-like anatomy on Australopithecus afarensis mandibles suggests Au. afarensis link to robust australopiths

PubMed Central

Rak, Yoel; Ginzburg, Avishag; Geffen, Eli

2007-01-01

Mandibular ramus morphology on a recently discovered specimen of Australopithecus afarensis closely matches that of gorillas. This finding was unexpected given that chimpanzees are the closest living relatives of humans. Because modern humans, chimpanzees, orangutans, and many other primates share a ramal morphology that differs from that of gorillas, the gorilla anatomy must represent a unique condition, and its appearance in fossil hominins must represent an independently derived morphology. This particular morphology appears also in Australopithecus robustus. The presence of the morphology in both the latter and Au. afarensis and its absence in modern humans cast doubt on the role of Au. afarensis as a modern human ancestor. The ramal anatomy of the earlier Ardipithecus ramidus is virtually that of a chimpanzee, corroborating the proposed phylogenetic scenario. PMID:17426152

Gorilla-like anatomy on Australopithecus afarensis mandibles suggests Au. afarensis link to robust australopiths.

PubMed

Rak, Yoel; Ginzburg, Avishag; Geffen, Eli

2007-04-17

Mandibular ramus morphology on a recently discovered specimen of Australopithecus afarensis closely matches that of gorillas. This finding was unexpected given that chimpanzees are the closest living relatives of humans. Because modern humans, chimpanzees, orangutans, and many other primates share a ramal morphology that differs from that of gorillas, the gorilla anatomy must represent a unique condition, and its appearance in fossil hominins must represent an independently derived morphology. This particular morphology appears also in Australopithecus robustus. The presence of the morphology in both the latter and Au. afarensis and its absence in modern humans cast doubt on the role of Au. afarensis as a modern human ancestor. The ramal anatomy of the earlier Ardipithecus ramidus is virtually that of a chimpanzee, corroborating the proposed phylogenetic scenario.

Rediscovery and reclassification of the dipteran taxon Nothomicrodon Wheeler, an exclusive endoparasitoid of gyne ant larvae.

PubMed

Pérez-Lachaud, Gabriela; Jahyny, Benoit J B; Ståhls, Gunilla; Rotheray, Graham; Delabie, Jacques H C; Lachaud, Jean-Paul

2017-03-31

The myrmecophile larva of the dipteran taxon Nothomicrodon Wheeler is rediscovered, almost a century after its original description and unique report. The systematic position of this dipteran has remained enigmatic due to the absence of reared imagos to confirm indentity. We also failed to rear imagos, but we scrutinized entire nests of the Brazilian arboreal dolichoderine ant Azteca chartifex which, combined with morphological and molecular studies, enabled us to establish beyond doubt that Nothomicrodon belongs to the Phoridae (Insecta: Diptera), not the Syrphidae where it was first placed, and that the species we studied is an endoparasitoid of the larvae of A. chartifex, exclusively attacking sexual female (gyne) larvae. Northomicrodon parasitism can exert high fitness costs to a host colony. Our discovery adds one more case to the growing number of phorid taxa known to parasitize ant larvae and suggests that many others remain to be discovered. Our findings and literature review confirm that the Phoridae is the only taxon known that parasitizes both adults and the immature stages of different castes of ants, thus threatening ants on all fronts.

Rediscovery and reclassification of the dipteran taxon Nothomicrodon Wheeler, an exclusive endoparasitoid of gyne ant larvae

PubMed Central

Pérez-Lachaud, Gabriela; Jahyny, Benoit J. B.; Ståhls, Gunilla; Rotheray, Graham; Delabie, Jacques H. C.; Lachaud, Jean-Paul

2017-01-01

The myrmecophile larva of the dipteran taxon Nothomicrodon Wheeler is rediscovered, almost a century after its original description and unique report. The systematic position of this dipteran has remained enigmatic due to the absence of reared imagos to confirm indentity. We also failed to rear imagos, but we scrutinized entire nests of the Brazilian arboreal dolichoderine ant Azteca chartifex which, combined with morphological and molecular studies, enabled us to establish beyond doubt that Nothomicrodon belongs to the Phoridae (Insecta: Diptera), not the Syrphidae where it was first placed, and that the species we studied is an endoparasitoid of the larvae of A. chartifex, exclusively attacking sexual female (gyne) larvae. Northomicrodon parasitism can exert high fitness costs to a host colony. Our discovery adds one more case to the growing number of phorid taxa known to parasitize ant larvae and suggests that many others remain to be discovered. Our findings and literature review confirm that the Phoridae is the only taxon known that parasitizes both adults and the immature stages of different castes of ants, thus threatening ants on all fronts. PMID:28361946

An experiment in software reliability: Additional analyses using data from automated replications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunham, Janet R.; Lauterbach, Linda A.

1988-01-01

A study undertaken to collect software error data of laboratory quality for use in the development of credible methods for predicting the reliability of software used in life-critical applications is summarized. The software error data reported were acquired through automated repetitive run testing of three independent implementations of a launch interceptor condition module of a radar tracking problem. The results are based on 100 test applications to accumulate a sufficient sample size for error rate estimation. The data collected is used to confirm the results of two Boeing studies reported in NASA-CR-165836 Software Reliability: Repetitive Run Experimentation and Modeling, and NASA-CR-172378 Software Reliability: Additional Investigations into Modeling With Replicated Experiments, respectively. That is, the results confirm the log-linear pattern of software error rates and reject the hypothesis of equal error rates per individual fault. This rejection casts doubt on the assumption that the program's failure rate is a constant multiple of the number of residual bugs; an assumption which underlies some of the current models of software reliability. data raises new questions concerning the phenomenon of interacting faults.

Communicating Climate Change: The Intersection Between Science and Values

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdalati, W.

2013-12-01

While the vast majority of scientists in climate-related fields take as fact anthropogenic global warming, public opinion is far less certain, as are the publicly stated views of many policy-makers. This disparity is often ascribed, at least in part, to effective campaigns to cast doubt on the evidence, which we as scientists naturally feel an obligation to rectify. While denial campaigns and propaganda do play a role in skewing public opinion away from the strong scientific consensus and often feed pre-defined narratives, the reality is more complicated. This disparity is rooted mainly the differing values, priorities, and perspectives of individuals, organizations, and other entities. As scientists, we sometimes view our role as needing to counter the more extreme claims of those trying to cast doubt on the evidence. This stems in part, from our need as scientists to refute misinformation, from our frustration with the success of some of these campaigns, and from our sense of urgency and concern about our changing environment. But this approach produces very limited results, and sometimes leads to our portrayal as being condescending and self-serving. The conversation is most effectively advanced, when we focus not on the striking down the forces of opposition, but rather framing the conversation in the context of values. Similarly, our success and credibility as scientist communicators depends fundamentally on our recognizing that we will not change the values of our audience. The vast majority of those who are uncertain about climate change and the role of humans are open to accurate and honestly-portrayed information that speaks to what is important to them and fairly takes into consideration the legitimacy of opposing concerns. Doing so strengthens our credibility in their eyes and can constructively engage a large fraction of the general public, policy makers, etc. Such engagement is fundamental to meaningful action, and thus allows us to fulfill our unique and critical role in the climate change response. From conversations with political leaders, to conversations with relatives, it is imperative that we keep in mind that effective communication begins with - and ends with - understanding the values of your audience.

Peer-reviewed and unbiased research, rather than ‘sound science’, should be used to evaluate endocrine-disrupting chemicals

PubMed Central

Trasande, Leonardo; Vandenberg, Laura N; Bourguignon, Jean-Pierre; Myers, John Peterson; Slama, Remy; Saal, Frederick vom; Zoeller, Robert Thomas

2017-01-01

Evidence increasingly confirms that synthetic chemicals disrupt the endocrine system and contribute to disease and disability across the lifespan. Despite a United Nations Environment Programme/WHO report affirmed by over 100 countries at the Fourth International Conference on Chemicals Management, ‘manufactured doubt’ continues to be cast as a cloud over rigorous, peer-reviewed and independently funded scientific data. This study describes the sources of doubt and their social costs, and suggested courses of action by policymakers to prevent disease and disability. The problem is largely based on the available data, which are all too limited. Rigorous testing programmes should not simply focus on oestrogen, androgen and thyroid. Tests should have proper statistical power. ‘Good laboratory practice’ (GLP) hardly represents a proper or even gold standard for laboratory studies of endocrine disruption. Studies should be evaluated with regard to the contamination of negative controls, responsiveness to positive controls and dissection techniques. Flaws in many GLP studies have been identified, yet regulatory agencies rely on these flawed studies. Peer-reviewed and unbiased research, rather than ‘sound science’, should be used to evaluate endocrine-disrupting chemicals. PMID:27417427

Editor's note: notice of retraction.

PubMed

Shafer, Steven L

2014-11-01

In 2009, Joachim Boldt published an article in Anesthesia & Analgesia comparing albumin and hydroxyethyl starch priming cardiopulmonary bypass. The study was retracted in December 2010 for lack of IRB approval. A subsequent investigation by Klinikum Ludwigshafen determined that the study was fabricated. Based on the finding by Landesärztekammer Rheinland-Pfalz, the State Medical Association of Rheinland-Pfalz, that the studies were conducted without IRB approval, Anesthesia & Analgesia retracted 22 papers by Dr. Boldt in 2011 for unethical conduct of research. A subsequent investigation by Klinikum Ludwigshafen found that Boldt’s studies "failed to meet required standards," included "false data" in at least 10 studies, and found "clear evidence of procedural irregularities and research misconduct on the part of Dr. Joachim Boldt." In light of these concerns, Justus-Liebig Universität Giessen undertook an investigation of Dr. Boldt’s work from that institution. This investigation cast doubt on the veracity of Boldt J, Heesen M, Müller M, Pabsdorf M, Hempelmann G. The effects of albumin versus hydroxyethyl starch solution on cardiorespiratory and circulatory variables in critically ill patient. Anesth Analg 1996;83: 254–61. Based on evidence of data manipulation reported by Justus-Liebig Universität Giessen to the journal, this paper is hereby retracted.

Academic Resourcefulness, Coping Strategies and Doubting in University Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xuereb, Sharon

2015-01-01

This study hypothesised that academic resourcefulness and coping strategies would predict doubting amongst university undergraduates. Doubting refers to the serious consideration of prematurely withdrawing from university. It was predicted that mature students would report higher levels of academic resourcefulness and adaptive coping strategies,…

Inductive reasoning and doubt in obsessive compulsive disorder.

PubMed

O'Connor, Kieron; Wilson, Samantha; Taillon, Annie; Pélissier, Marie-Claude; Audet, Jean-Sebastien

2018-06-01

Previous studies show that individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) accord more importance than healthy controls (HC) to alternative conclusions, resulting in increased doubt regarding an initial conclusion. The goal of the present study was to replicate and extend this finding. Eighteen participants diagnosed with OCD and 16 HC completed the Reasoning with Inductive Arguments Task (RIAT), which operationalizes doubt as change in confidence towards a conclusion after alternative conclusions are presented. To examine conditions that facilitate doubt, the impact of alternative conclusions that both supported and contradicted the initial conclusion was compared, as well as the effect of neutral and OCD-relevant item content. Both the OCD and HC groups decreased confidence after contradicting conclusions, but only the HC group increased confidence when presented with supporting conclusions. Furthermore, decrease in confidence in the OCD group correlated with OCD symptom severity. The RIAT could be adapted to better take into account of OCD subtypes. Doubt generation may contribute to obsessional doubting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disgust sensitivity and eating disorder symptoms in a non-clinical population.

PubMed

Mayer, Birgit; Muris, Peter; Bos, Arjan E R; Suijkerbuijk, Chantal

2008-12-01

In order to further explore the relationship between disgust sensitivity and eating disorder symptoms, 2 studies were carried out. In the first study, 352 higher education students (166 women, 186 men) completed a set of questionnaires measuring various aspects of disgust sensitivity and eating disorder symptoms. A correlational analysis revealed that there were few significant correlations between disgust scales and eating pathology scores. One exception was the relation between disgust sensitivity and external eating behavior, although this link only emerged in women. To investigate this relationship in more detail, Study 2 confronted women high (n=29) and low (n=30) on external eating behavior with a series of disgusting and neutral pictures. It was hypothesized that women who scored high on external eating would display shorter viewing times of disgusting pictures (i.e., show more avoidance behavior) than women scoring low on external eating. However, this hypothesis was not confirmed by the data. Altogether, the results of these studies suggest that there seems to be no convincing relationship between disgust sensitivity and eating disorder symptomatology, thereby casting doubts on the role of this individual difference factor in the development of eating pathology.

Heme-Induced Biomarkers Associated with Red Meat Promotion of colon Cancer Are Not Modulated by the Intake of Nitrite

PubMed Central

Chenni, Fatima Z; Taché, Sylviane; Naud, Nathalie; Guéraud, Françoise; Hobbs, Ditte A; Kunhle, Gunter G C; Pierre, Fabrice H; Corpet, Denis E

2013-01-01

Red and processed meat consumption is associated with the risk of colorectal cancer. Three hypotheses are proposed to explain this association, via heme/alcenal, heterocyclic amines or N-nitroso compounds. Rats have often been used to study these hypotheses, but the lack of enterosalivary cycle of nitrate in rats casts doubt on the relevance of this animal model to predict nitroso- and heme-associated human colon carcinogenesis. The present study was thus designed to clarify whether a nitrite intake that mimics the enterosalivary cycle can modulate heme-induced nitrosation and fat peroxidation. This study shows that, in contrast with the starting hypothesis, salivary nitrite did not change the effect of hemoglobin on biochemical markers linked to colon carcinogenesis, notably lipid peroxidation and cytotoxic activity in the colon of rat. However, ingested sodium nitrite increased fecal nitroso-compounds level, but their fecal concentration and their nature (iron-nitrosyl) would not be associated with an increased risk of cancer. The rat model could thus be relevant to study the effect of red meat on colon carcinogenesis in spite of the lack of nitrite recycling in rat’s saliva. PMID:23441609

Vibration-reducing gloves: transmissibility at the palm of the hand in three orthogonal directions.

PubMed

McDowell, Thomas W; Dong, Ren G; Welcome, Daniel E; Xu, Xueyan S; Warren, Christopher

2013-01-01

Vibration-reducing (VR) gloves are commonly used as a means to help control exposures to hand-transmitted vibrations generated by powered hand tools. The objective of this study was to characterise the vibration transmissibility spectra and frequency-weighted vibration transmissibility of VR gloves at the palm of the hand in three orthogonal directions. Seven adult males participated in the evaluation of seven glove models using a three-dimensional hand-arm vibration test system. Three levels of hand coupling force were applied in the experiment. This study found that, in general, VR gloves are most effective at reducing vibrations transmitted to the palm along the forearm direction. Gloves that are found to be superior at reducing vibrations in the forearm direction may not be more effective in the other directions when compared with other VR gloves. This casts doubts on the validity of the standardised glove screening test. Practitioner Summary: This study used human subjects to measure three-dimensional vibration transmissibility of vibration-reducing gloves at the palm and identified their vibration attenuation characteristics. This study found the gloves to be most effective at reducing vibrations along the forearm direction. These gloves did not effectively attenuate vibration along the handle axial direction.

Sugar Industry and Coronary Heart Disease Research: A Historical Analysis of Internal Industry Documents.

PubMed

Kearns, Cristin E; Schmidt, Laura A; Glantz, Stanton A

2016-11-01

Early warning signals of the coronary heart disease (CHD) risk of sugar (sucrose) emerged in the 1950s. We examined Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) internal documents, historical reports, and statements relevant to early debates about the dietary causes of CHD and assembled findings chronologically into a narrative case study. The SRF sponsored its first CHD research project in 1965, a literature review published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which singled out fat and cholesterol as the dietary causes of CHD and downplayed evidence that sucrose consumption was also a risk factor. The SRF set the review's objective, contributed articles for inclusion, and received drafts. The SRF's funding and role was not disclosed. Together with other recent analyses of sugar industry documents, our findings suggest the industry sponsored a research program in the 1960s and 1970s that successfully cast doubt about the hazards of sucrose while promoting fat as the dietary culprit in CHD. Policymaking committees should consider giving less weight to food industry-funded studies and include mechanistic and animal studies as well as studies appraising the effect of added sugars on multiple CHD biomarkers and disease development.

No evidence for an increase in circulatory disease mortality in astronauts following space radiation exposures.

PubMed

Cucinotta, Francis A; Hamada, Nobuyuki; Little, Mark P

2016-08-01

Previous analysis has shown that astronauts have a significantly lower standardized mortality ratio for circulatory disease mortality compared to the U.S. population, which is consistent with the rigorous selection process and healthy lifestyles of astronauts, and modest space radiation exposures from past space missions. However, a recent report by Delp et al. estimated the proportional mortality ratio for ages of 55-64 y of Apollo lunar mission astronauts to claim a high risk of cardiovascular disease due to space radiation compared to the U.S. population or to non-flight astronauts. In this Commentary we discuss important deficiencies in the methods and assumptions on radiation exposures used by Delp et al. that we judge cast serious doubt on their conclusions. Copyright © 2016 The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). All rights reserved.

[Internet addiction: a different kind of addiction?].

PubMed

Dejoie, J F

2001-07-01

The concept of Internet addiction, also called Internet addictive disorder or pathological Internet use, entered the medical dictionary in 1995. More and more authors have been preoccupied with it lately, and the majority conclude that this condition, on which some people cast doubt a few years ago, well and truly exists. Several forms of Internet addiction appear to exist, categorised according to the type of misuse it is subjected to: "cybersex", "chat rooms", "net gaming", the pathological search for information or video games being the most frequent. Psychiatric disorders most usually associated with Internet addiction seem to be bipolar disorders. As a consequence, efficient drugs would be those that act as thymo-stabilisers, undoubtedly because they are also effective against those bipolar disorders. Psychotherapeutic treatments as discussion groups on the Internet or group therapies have not yet been evaluated.

The Dublin Declaration on Maternal Health Care and Anti-Abortion Activism

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Abstract The Dublin Declaration on Maternal Healthcare—issued by self-declared pro-life activists in Ireland in 2012—states unequivocally that abortion is never medically necessary, even to save the life of a pregnant woman. This article examines the influence of the Dublin Declaration on abortion politics in Latin America, especially El Salvador and Chile, where it has recently been used in pro-life organizing to cast doubt on the notion that legalizing abortion will reduce maternal mortality. Its framers argue that legalizing abortion will not improve maternal mortality rates, but reproductive rights advocates respond that the Dublin Declaration is junk science designed to preserve the world’s most restrictive abortion laws. Analyzing the strategy and impact of the Dublin Declaration brings to light one of the tactics used in anti-abortion organizing. PMID:28630540

Abiotic Earth - Establishing a Baseline for Earliest Life, Data from the Archean of Western Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindsay, J. F.; Brasier, M. D.; McLoughlin, N.; Green, O. R.; Fogel, M.; McNamara, K. M.; Steele, A.; Mertzman, S. A.

2003-01-01

Stromatolitic structures preserved at two stratigraphic levels within the 3.47-3.43 Ga Warrawoona Group of Western Australia have been interpreted as some of "the least controversial evidence of early life on earth" and "the oldest firmly established biogenic deposits now known from the geologic record". The structures were said to have formed in a shallow sub-tidal to intertidal setting as part of an evaporite succession. In an extensive field program we have re-evaluated exposures of the Strelley Pool Chert from which stromatolites have been described and carried out detailed mapping and sampling of the Strelley Pool West site 13.7 km west of the type locality. Data from our ongoing program cast considerable doubt on the biogenic origins of the stromatolitic structures and on the nature of their depositional setting.

Believe it or not: on the possibility of suspending belief.

PubMed

Hasson, Uri; Simmons, Joseph P; Todorov, Alexander

2005-07-01

We present two experiments that cast doubt on existing evidence suggesting that it is impossible to suspend belief in a comprehended proposition. In Experiment 1, we found that interrupting the encoding of a statement's veracity decreased memory for the statement's falsity when the false version of the statement was uninformative, but not when the false version was informative. This suggests that statements that are informative when false are not represented as if they were true. In Experiment 2, participants made faster lexical decisions to words implied by preceding statements when they were told that the statements were true than when the veracity of the statements was unknown or when the statements were false. The findings suggest that comprehending a statement may not require believing it, and that it may be possible to suspend belief in comprehended propositions.

The Dublin Declaration on Maternal Health Care and Anti-Abortion Activism: Examples from Latin America.

PubMed

Morgan, Lynn M

2017-06-01

The Dublin Declaration on Maternal Healthcare-issued by self-declared pro-life activists in Ireland in 2012-states unequivocally that abortion is never medically necessary, even to save the life of a pregnant woman. This article examines the influence of the Dublin Declaration on abortion politics in Latin America, especially El Salvador and Chile, where it has recently been used in pro-life organizing to cast doubt on the notion that legalizing abortion will reduce maternal mortality. Its framers argue that legalizing abortion will not improve maternal mortality rates, but reproductive rights advocates respond that the Dublin Declaration is junk science designed to preserve the world's most restrictive abortion laws. Analyzing the strategy and impact of the Dublin Declaration brings to light one of the tactics used in anti-abortion organizing.

Essaying the mechanical hypothesis: Descartes, La Forge, and Malebranche on the formation of birthmarks.

PubMed

Wilkin, Rebecca M

2008-01-01

This essay examines the determination by Cartesians to explain the maternal imagination's alleged role in the formation of birthmarks and the changing notion of monstrosity. Cartesians saw the formation of birthmarks as a challenge through which to demonstrate the heuristic capacity of mechanism. Descartes claimed to be able to explain the transmission of a perception from the mother's imagination to the fetus' skin without having recourse to the little pictures postulated by his contemporaries. La Forge offered a detailed account stating that the failure to explain the maternal imagination's impressions would cast doubt on mechanism. Whereas both characterized the birthmark as a deformation or monstrosity in miniature, Malebranche attributed a role to the maternal imagination in fashioning family likenesses. However, he also charged the mother's imagination with the transmission of original sin.

"The angel of the house" in the realm of ART: feminist approach to oocyte and spare embryo donation for research.

PubMed

Alichniewicz, Anna; Michalowska, Monika

2014-02-01

The spectacular progress in assisted reproduction technology that has been witnessed for the past thirty years resulted in emerging new ethical dilemmas as well as the revision of some perennial ones. The paper aims at a feminist approach to oocyte and spare embryo donation for research. First, referring to different concepts of autonomy and informed consent, we discuss whether the decision to donate oocyte/embryo can truly be an autonomous choice of a female patient. Secondly, we argue the commonly adopted language of gift is misleading and that calling for altruism could put female patients at risk of exploitation. Finally, we point out that the presence of gender stereotypes in the procreative area casts doubt whether even a more robust notion of informed consent manages to overcome this risk.

APOBEC3G: a Double Agent in Defense

PubMed Central

Smith, Harold C.

2011-01-01

APOBEC3G (A3G) is an effective cellular host defense factor under experimental conditions in which a functional form of the HIV-encoded protein Vif cannot be expressed. Wild type Vif targets A3G for proteasomal degradation and along with it, any host defense advantage A3G might provide is severely diminished or lost. Recent evidence cast doubt on the potency of A3G in host defense and suggested that it could, under some circumstances, promote the emergence of more virulent HIV strains. In this article, I argue that it is time to recognize that A3G has the potential to act as a double agent. The path forward relies on understanding how cellular and viral regulatory mechanisms enable A3G antiviral function and on developing novel research reagents to explore these pathways. PMID:21239176

Moral vindications.

PubMed

Kumar, Victor

2017-10-01

Psychologists and neuroscientists have recently been unearthing the unconscious processes that give rise to moral intuitions and emotions. According to skeptics like Joshua Greene, what has been found casts doubt on many of our moral beliefs. However, a new approach in moral psychology develops a learning-theoretic framework that has been successfully applied in a number of other domains. This framework suggests that model-based learning shapes intuitions and emotions. Model-based learning explains how moral thought and feeling are attuned to local material and social conditions. Philosophers can draw on these explanations, in some cases, in order to vindicate episodes of moral change. Explanations can support justifications by showing that they are not mere rationalizations. In addition, philosophical justifications are a fertile source for empirical hypotheses about the rational learning mechanisms that shape moral intuitions and emotions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The theoretical root of Karl Jaspers’ General Psychopathology. Part 1: Reconsidering the influence of phenomenology and hermeneutics

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The present paper investigates the methodology involved in Jaspers’ psychopathology and compares it with Husserl’s phenomenology and with Dilthey’s cultural science. Allgemeine Psychopathologie and other methodological works by Jaspers, the works of Husserl and Dilthey that Jaspers cited, and previous research papers on Jaspers are reviewed. Jaspers had conflicting views on understanding, which were comprised of both empathic understanding and rational, ideal-typical understanding. Such a standpoint on understanding is considerably different from Dilthey’s. Additionally, the present paper reconfirms that Jaspers’ ‘phenomenology’ as a form of descriptive psychology for the understanding of empirical psychic states is different from Husserl’s phenomenology. Thus, this paper casts doubt on the common opinion that Jaspers was under the profound influence of Husserl or Dilthey. PMID:24573260

THE WEBER THESIS OF CALVINISM AND CAPITALISM--ITS VARIOUS VERSIONS AND THEIR "FATE" IN SOCIAL SCIENCE.

PubMed

Zafirovski, Milan

2016-01-01

The paper identifies and examines various multiple renditions of the so-called Weber Thesis of an historical association and convergence between ascetic Protestantism, above all Calvinism, and the emergence and development of modern capitalism as an economic spirit and system. Specifically, it detects at least four different versions and formulations or interpretations, thus casting doubt in the common view of the Weber Thesis as a single and monolithic theory or hypothesis. The paper also considers the status of the multiple versions of the Weber Thesis in post-Weberian and contemporary sociology and related disciplines like economics and history. It concludes that the weaker, relaxed renditions of the Weber Thesis have attained a greater success and more endured in contemporary social science than have its stronger, stricter versions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

"Decknamen or pseudochemical language"? Eirenaeus Philalethes and Carl Jung.

PubMed

Newman, W R

1996-01-01

It is impossible to investigate the historiography of alchemy without encountering the ideas of the "father of analytical psychology", Carl Jung. Jung argued that alchemy, viewed as a diachronic, trans-cultural entity, was concerned more with psychological states occurring in the mind of the practitioner than with real chemical processes. In the course of elucidating this idea, Jung draws on a number of alchemical authors from the early modern period. One of these is Eirenaeus Philalethes, the pen name of George Starkey (1628-1665), a native of Bermuda who was educated at Harvard College, and who later immigrated to London. A careful analysis of Starkey's work shows, however, that Jung was entirely wrong in his assessment of this important representative of seventeenth-century alchemy. This finding casts serious doubt on the Jungian interpretation of alchemy as a whole.

Elaborated contextual framing is necessary for action-based attitude acquisition.

PubMed

Laham, Simon M; Kashima, Yoshihisa; Dix, Jennifer; Wheeler, Melissa; Levis, Bianca

2014-01-01

Although arm flexion and extension have been implicated as conditioners of attitudes, recent work casts some doubt on the nature and strength of the coupling of these muscle contractions and stimulus evaluation. We propose that the elaborated contextual framing of flexion and extension actions is necessary for attitude acquisition. Results showed that when flexion and extension were disambiguated via elaborated contextual cues (i.e., framed as collect and discard within a foraging context), neutral stimuli processed under flexion were liked more than neutral stimuli processed under extension. However, when unelaborated framing was used (e.g., mere stimulus zooming effects), stimulus evaluation did not differ as a function of muscle contractions. These results suggest that neither arm contractions per se nor unelaborated framings are sufficient for action-based attitude acquisition, but that elaborated framings are necessary.

Traumatic memories, eye movements, phobia, and panic: a critical note on the proliferation of EMDR.

PubMed

Muris, P; Merckelbach, H

1999-01-01

In the past years, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has become increasingly popular as a treatment method for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The current article critically evaluates three recurring assumptions in EMDR literature: (a) the notion that traumatic memories are fixed and stable and that flashbacks are accurate reproductions of the traumatic incident; (b) the idea that eye movements, or other lateralized rhythmic behaviors have an inhibitory effect on emotional memories; and (c) the assumption that EMDR is not only effective in treating PTSD, but can also be successfully applied to other psychopathological conditions. There is little support for any of these three assumptions. Meanwhile, the expansion of the theoretical underpinnings of EMDR in the absence of a sound empirical basis casts doubts on the massive proliferation of this treatment method.

Religiousness, religious doubt, and death anxiety.

PubMed

Henrie, James; Patrick, Julie Hicks

2014-01-01

Terror Management Theory (TMT) (Greenberg, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 1986) suggests that culturally-provided worldviews (e.g., religion) may protect individuals from experiencing death anxiety, and several studies have supported this position. However, if one's worldview can offer protection, doubts concerning one's worldview could undermine this protection. The current study investigated whether age, gender, religiousness, and religious doubt were associated with death anxiety. Using data from 635 younger, middle-aged, and older adults, a structural equation model with age, gender, religiousness, and religious doubt predicting death anxiety was tested. The model had a good fit (chi2 (76) = 193.467, p < .001; GFI = .961, CFI = .976, TLI = .967, RMSEA = .049) and accounted for 12.3% of the variance in death anxiety. Results were consistent with TMT, as religiousness was inversely associated with death anxiety, while religious doubt was positively associated with death anxiety.

Subjective overachievement: individual differences in self-doubt and concern with performance.

PubMed

Oleson, K C; Poehlmann, K M; Yost, J H; Lynch, M E; Arkin, R M

2000-06-01

We discuss the construct of doubt about one's competence and suggest that doubt can have myriad consequences (e.g., self-handicapping, defensive pessimism). We focus on the effect of self-doubt when it is combined with a concern with performance and assert that this combination leads to the phenomenon of subjective overachievement. In two studies, we present a new 17-item Subjective Overachievement Scale (SOS), which includes two independent subscales measuring individual differences in self-doubt and concern with performance. The first study, consisting of two large samples (Ns = 2,311 and 1,703), provides evidence that the scale has high internal consistency and a clear two-factor structure. Additionally, the subscales have adequate test-retest reliability (Ns = 67 and 115). A second study reveals that the SOS has good convergent and discriminant validity. Both subscales are unrelated to social desirability but exhibit the predicted patterns of associations with other related constructs. The Concern with Performance Subscale is correlated with achievement motivation, whereas the Self-Doubt Subscale is correlated with scales assessing negative affectivity (e.g., self-esteem, social anxiety) and other self-related strategies associated with concerns about one's competence (e.g., self-handicapping, defensive pessimism, impostor phenomenon). The SOS, which combines the two subscales, appears to tap a unique strategy that individuals may use to deal with doubts about their own competence.

Doubt in the psychoanalysis of a paedophile.

PubMed

Campbell, Donald

2014-06-01

In this single case study, I will address the question of how incestuous sexual abuse causes doubt of three distinct types: (1) honest doubt that is essential to the pursuit of knowledge; (2) inherent doubt that can result from a trauma that leaves the victim's mind fragmented and confused; and (3) the sadistic imposition of doubt intended to deceive, disorient and attack unbearable knowledge in the victim or another person familiar with the abuse (in this case, the analyst and the victim's later victims). During the course of my psychoanalysis of a paedophile, it became clear that this third form of doubt played an integral role in the patient's sexual abuse of children, a role I will link to the nature and function of paedophilia and to the experience of working psychoanalytically with a paedophile. Copyright © 2014 Institute of Psychoanalysis.

The role of carotenoids on the risk of lung cancer.

PubMed

Epstein, Kenneth R

2003-02-01

Smoking prevention and cessation remain the primary methods of reducing the incidence of lung cancer. The limited success of efforts towards smoking cessation have led to increasing interest in the role of nutrition in lung cancer prevention. One class of nutrients that has attracted attention as potential chemopreventive agents is the carotenoids, especially beta-carotene, due to their antioxidant properties. In vitro, carotenoids exert antioxidant functions and inhibit carcinogen-induced neoplastic transformation, inhibit plasma membrane lipid oxidation, and cause upregulated expression of connexin 43. These in vitro results suggest that carotenoids have intrinsic cancer chemopreventive action in humans. Many cohort and case-control study data have shown an inverse relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and lung cancer, although several more recent studies have cast doubt on these findings. Different effects of various dietary nutrients on lung cancer risk have been observed. Several prospective intervention trials were undertaken to examine the effect of supplementation on the risk of lung cancer. Some of these studies demonstrated an increased incidence and mortality from lung cancer in those receiving supplementation. Many hypotheses have emerged as to the reasons for these findings. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

The changing impact of family size on adolescents' schooling: assessing the exogenous variation in fertility using twins in Brazil.

PubMed

Marteleto, Letícia J; de Souza, Laetícia R

2012-11-01

Researchers have long been interested in the influence of family size on children's educational outcomes. Simply put, theories have suggested that resources are diluted within families that have more children. Although the empirical literature on developed countries has generally confirmed the theoretical prediction that family size is negatively related to children's education, studies focusing on developing societies have reported heterogeneity in this association. Recent studies addressing the endogeneity between family size and children's education have also cast doubt on the homogeneity of the negative role of family size on children's education. The goal of this study is to examine the causal effect of family size on children's education in Brazil over a 30-year period marked by important social and demographic change, and across extremely different regions within the country. We implement a twin birth instrumental variable approach to the nationally representative 1977-2009 PNAD data. Our results suggest an effect of family size on education that is not uniform throughout a period of significant social, economic, and demographic change. Rather, the causal effect of family size on adolescents' schooling resembles a gradient that ranges from positive to no effect, trending to negative.

The role of eye movements in decision making and the prospect of exposure effects.

PubMed

Bird, Gary D; Lauwereyns, Johan; Crawford, Matthew T

2012-05-01

The aim of the current study was to follow on from previous findings that eye movements can have a causal influence on preference formation. Shimojo et al. (2003) previously found that faces that were presented for a longer duration in a two alternative forced choice task were more likely to be judged as more attractive. This effect only occurred when an eye movement was made towards the faces (with no effect when faces were centrally presented). The current study replicated Shimojo et al.'s (2003) design, whilst controlling for potential inter-stimuli interference in central presentations. As per previous findings, when eye movements were made towards the stimuli, faces that were presented for longer durations were preferred. However, faces that were centrally presented (thus not requiring an eye movement) were also preferred in the current study. The presence of an exposure duration effect for centrally presented faces casts doubt on the necessity of the eye movement in this decision making process and has implications for decision theories that place an emphasis on the role of eye movements in decision making. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trochanteric bursitis: the last great misnomer.

PubMed

Board, Tim N; Hughes, Simon J; Freemont, Anthony J

2014-12-05

Trochanteric bursitis has been used as a general term to describe pain around the greater trochanteric region of the hip. We hypothesised that trochanteric bursitis may not however have an inflammatory component and that accordingly, bursal inflammation has no role in lateral hip pain. This study was designed to test this hypothesis. Patients undergoing primary total hip replacement were enrolled in this prospective, case-controlled, blinded study. Twenty-five patients who met the criteria for diagnosis of trochanteric bursitis (group A) were matched with a control group of 25 patients (group B). Trochanteric bursal samples were harvested from all patients intraoperatively and sent for histological analysis for the presence of inflammation. The intraoperative appearance of the abductor tendon insertion was also noted. None of the samples showed any evidence of acute or chronic inflammatory changes. Intraoperatively, five patients (20%) in group A were noted to have thinning of the gluteus medius tendon but no macroscopic tendon tears were detected in any bursal samples. This study suggests that there is no inflammatory component to so-called trochanteric bursitis, which accordingly casts doubt on both the terminology and the existence of this condition as a separate clinical entity. Clinicians should search for an alternative cause of symptoms in such cases.

Reply to Jaakkola (2014): "Do animals understand invisible displacement? A critical review".

PubMed

Pepperberg, Irene M

2015-05-01

Jaakkola (2014) critiques studies that investigate nonhuman capacities to track objects undergoing invisible displacements. She states that the results of most of these studies are tainted by cuing, that conceptual understanding is lacking, and that, as a consequence, great apes are the only nonhumans to have full Stage 6 object permanence. Any critique, however, must clearly take into account all published information on the techniques being used, including more recent data that counter its negative claims. Furthermore, disagreements as to the interpretation of the underlying mechanisms, although common, need not always cast doubt on the actual findings reported. Here I present material with respect to Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) to counter Jaakkola's critique. First, I take issue with Jaakkola's claims of cuing, based both on data from newer studies and citations from the original material. Second, I discuss her suggestions that associative learning rather than inferential mechanisms underlie demonstrated performance, pointing out some difficulties in drawing clear lines between the 2 interpretations. In sum, I argue that Grey parrots, at least, do indeed succeed on tasks involving invisible displacement, and demonstrate full object permanence. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

No evidence for unethical amnesia for imagined actions: A failed replication and extension.

PubMed

Stanley, Matthew L; Yang, Brenda W; De Brigard, Felipe

2018-03-12

In a recent study, Kouchaki and Gino (2016) suggest that memory for unethical actions is impaired, regardless of whether such actions are real or imagined. However, as we argue in the current study, their claim that people develop "unethical amnesia" confuses two distinct and dissociable memory deficits: one affecting the phenomenology of remembering and another affecting memory accuracy. To further investigate whether unethical amnesia affects memory accuracy, we conducted three studies exploring unethical amnesia for imagined ethical violations. The first study (N = 228) attempts to directly replicate the only study from Kouchaki and Gino (2016) that includes a measure of memory accuracy. The second study (N = 232) attempts again to replicate these accuracy effects from Kouchaki and Gino (2016), while including several additional variables meant to potentially help in finding the effect. The third study (N = 228) is an attempted conceptual replication using the same paradigm as Kouchaki and Gino (2016), but with a new vignette describing a different moral violation. We did not find an unethical amnesia effect involving memory accuracy in any of our three studies. These results cast doubt upon the claim that memory accuracy is impaired for imagined unethical actions. Suggestions for further ways to study memory for moral and immoral actions are discussed.

The Australian electricity market's pre-dispatch process: Some observations on its efficiency using ordered probit model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainudin, Wan Nur Rahini Aznie; Becker, Ralf; Clements, Adam

2015-12-01

Many market participants in Australia Electricity Market had cast doubts on whether the pre-dispatch process in the electricity market is able to give them good and timely quantity and price information. In a study by [11], they observed a significant bias (mainly indicating that the pre-dispatch process tends to underestimate spot price outcomes), a seasonality features of the bias across seasons and/or trading periods and changes in bias across the years in our sample period (1999 to 2007). In a formal setting of an ordered probit model we establish that there are some exogenous variables that are able to explain increased probabilities of over- or under-predictions of the spot price. It transpires that meteorological data, expected pre-dispatch prices and information on past over- and under-predictions contribute significantly to explaining variation in the probabilities for over- and under-predictions. The results allow us to conjecture that some of the bids and re-bids provided by electricity generators are not made in good faith.

Reactivity of human monoclonal IgM with nerve glycosphingolipids.

PubMed Central

Hauttecoeur, B; Schmitt, C; Dubois, C; Danon, F; Brouet, J C

1990-01-01

We examined the reactivity of monoclonal IgM of sera from patients with neuropathy and monoclonal IgM, with or without antibody activity to myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), as well as sera from non-neurologic patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia, with various nerve glycolipids extracts or with purified gangliosides. As expected from previous studies, all (five cases) anti-MAG IgM stained two glycolipids, the chemical characteristics of which corresponded to sulphated glucuronyl-paragloboside (SGPG) and sulphated glucuronyl-lactosaminyl-paragloboside (SGLPG). Five of 12 sera from patients with neuropathy whose IgM was devoid of anti-MAG reactivity stained nerve extracts greatly enriched (98%) with SGPG and SGLPG. Three of these five sera reacted with additional glycolipids and/or gangliosides. Two of 16 sera from patients with macroglobulinaemia without neuropathy reacted strongly with both SGPG and SGLPG. The latter finding as well as the detection of low titre of anti-sphingolipid antibodies in normal sera may cast a doubt on the pathogenetic significance of this antibody activity. Images Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 PMID:1694117

Nuclear power: the invisible killer

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

Holzman, D.

1978-01-01

Some nuclear industries are claiming that the nuclear industry is the safest in the world; yet, according to the author, 20,000 Americans yearly get cancer or suffer serious genetic damage from an average .17 rem of background and medical radiation. The death toll will rise as nuclear power-generated radiation continues to seep into the environment, he contends. Further, he states that radiation standards are inadequate to protect public health: first, because they are based on limited empirical data--often high radiation doses extrapolated down to low doses--and they are designed more to allow the nuclear industry to operate economically than tomore » protect public health. The government has undermined the standards' credibility by suppressing studies that have cast doubts on their adequacy, Mr. Holzman continues. Some of the Sternglass findings on cancer and infant mortality increases due to radiation, as well as several exposure cases, are summarized. Specifically, the Karen Silkwood case involving the Kerr--McGee plutonium plant is described. Radiation in the environment and monitoring programs being practiced are discussed. (MCW)« less

A CASE AGAINST SPINNING PAHS AS THE SOURCE OF THE ANOMALOUS MICROWAVE EMISSION

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

Hensley, Brandon S.; Draine, B. T.; Meisner, Aaron M., E-mail: brandon.s.hensley@jpl.nasa.gov

2016-08-10

We employ an all-sky map of the anomalous microwave emission (AME) produced by component separation of the microwave sky to study correlations between the AME and Galactic dust properties. We find that while the AME is highly correlated with all tracers of dust emission, the best predictor of the AME strength is the dust radiance. Fluctuations in the AME intensity per dust radiance are uncorrelated with fluctuations in the emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), casting doubt on the association between AME and PAHs. The PAH abundance is strongly correlated with the dust optical depth and dust radiance, consistent withmore » PAH destruction in low density regions. We find that the AME intensity increases with increasing radiation field strength, at variance with predictions from the spinning dust hypothesis. Finally, the temperature dependence of the AME per dust radiance disfavors the interpretation of the AME as thermal emission. A reconsideration of other AME carriers, such as ultrasmall silicates, and other emission mechanisms, such as magnetic dipole emission, is warranted.« less

Lack of robustness of life extension associated with several single-gene P element mutations in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Mockett, Robin J; Nobles, Amber C

2013-10-01

The hypothesis tested in this study was that single-gene mutations found previously to extend the life span of Drosophila melanogaster could do so consistently in both long-lived y w and standard w (1118) genetic backgrounds. GAL4 drivers were used to express upstream activation sequence (UAS)-responder transgenes globally or in the nervous system. Transgenes associated with oxidative damage prevention (UAS-hSOD1 and UAS-GCLc) or removal (EP-UAS-Atg8a and UAS-dTOR (FRB) ) failed to increase mean life spans in any expression pattern in either genetic background. Flies containing a UAS-EGFP-bMSRA (C) transgene associated with protein repair were found not to exhibit life extension or detectable enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) activity. The presence of UAS-responder transgenes was confirmed by PCR amplification and sequencing at the 5' and 3' end of each insertion. These results cast doubt on the robustness of life extension in flies carrying single-gene mutations and suggest that the effects of all such mutations should be tested independently in multiple genetic backgrounds and laboratory environments.

Inability of spleen cells from chancre-immune rabbits to confer immunity to challenge with Treponema pallidum.

PubMed Central

Baughn, R E; Musher, D M; Simmons, C B

1977-01-01

Although several lines of evidence suggest that cellular immune mechanisms play a role in controlling infection due to Treponema pallidum, recent studies have shown that induction of acquired cellular resistance by antigenically unrelated organisms fails to protect rabbits against syphilitic infection, thereby casting doubt on this hypothesis. In the present paper we describe attempts to transfer immunity to syphilis by using spleen cells from chancre-immune rabbits. Intravenous infusion of 2 X 10(8) spleen lymphocytes was capable of transferring acquired cellular resistance to Listeria and delayed hypersensitivity to tuberculin. However, in eight separate experiments using outbred or inbred rabbits, 2 X 10(8) spleen cells from syphilis-immune animals failed to confer resistance to T. pallidum whether by intravenous or intradermal challenge. Mixing immune lymphocytes with treponemes immediately before intradermal inoculation also failed to confer resistance. Despite the fact that syphilitic infection stimulates cellular immune mechanisms and induces acquired cellular resistance to antigenically unrelated organisms, cellular immunity may not play an important role in immunity to syphilis. PMID:143456

Microstructural changes in a cementitious membrane due to the application of a DC electric field.

PubMed

Covelo, Alba; Diaz, Belen; Freire, Lorena; Novoa, X Ramon; Perez, M Consuelo

2008-07-01

The use of electromigration techniques to accelerate chloride ions motion is commonly employed to characterise the permeability of cementitious samples to chlorides, a relevant parameter in reinforced concrete corrosion. This paper is devoted to the study of microstructure's changes occurring in mortar samples when submitted to natural diffusion and migration experiments. The application of an electric field reduces testing time in about one order of magnitude with respect to natural diffusion experiments. Nevertheless, the final sample's microstructure differs in both tests. Impedance Spectroscopy is employed for real time monitoring of microstructural changes. During migration experiments the global impedance undergoes important increase in shorter period of time compared to natural diffusion tests. So, the forced motion of ions through the concrete membrane induces significant variations in the porous structure, as confirmed by Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry. After migration experiments, an important increase in the capillary pore size (10-100 nm) was detected. Conversely, no relevant variations are found after natural diffusion tests. Results presented in this work cast doubt on the significance of diffusion coefficient values obtained under accelerated conditions.

Quantum Weak Values and Logic: An Uneasy Couple

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svensson, Bengt E. Y.

2017-03-01

Quantum mechanical weak values of projection operators have been used to answer which-way questions, e. g. to trace which arms in a multiple Mach-Zehnder setup a particle may have traversed from a given initial to a prescribed final state. I show that this procedure might lead to logical inconsistencies in the sense that different methods used to answer composite questions, like "Has the particle traversed the way X or the way Y?", may result in different answers depending on which methods are used to find the answer. I illustrate the problem by considering some examples: the "quantum pigeonhole" framework of Aharonov et al., the three-box problem, and Hardy's paradox. To prepare the ground for my main conclusion on the incompatibility in certain cases of weak values and logic, I study the corresponding situation for strong/projective measurements. In this case, no logical inconsistencies occur provided one is always careful in specifying exactly to which ensemble or sample space one refers. My results cast doubts on the utility of quantum weak values in treating cases like the examples mentioned.

Sex Offenses Against Minors in China: An Empirical Comparison.

PubMed

Hu, Ming; Liang, Bin; Huang, Siwen

2017-08-01

In recent years, due to a number of notorious sex offense cases against minors, a new punitive public attitude emerged in China and pressed for harsher crackdown and punishment against sex offenders. In particular, an "engagement in prostitution with a minor" law (Article 360 of the Criminal Law) was targeted as "unjust" based on the belief that offenders of such crimes often received "lenient" punishment, and many called for its abolition. In this study, based on 440 adjudicated sex offense cases, we examine potential differences across three sex offenses (including rape, child molestation, and engagement in prostitution with a minor) in the demographics of defendants and victims, offending characteristics, and trials and sentences of convicted offenders. Our empirical inquiry pointed to the unique nature of engagement in prostitution with a minor. Offenders of such crimes seemingly carried a different profile, compared with offenders of the other two sex crimes. Moreover, our data casted some doubt on the "lenient" punishment received by offenders of engagement in prostitution with a minor. Policy implications were also drawn based on our findings.

Development of Religious Identity through Doubts among Religious Adolescents in Israel: An Empirical Perspective and Educational Ramifications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisherman, Shraga

2016-01-01

Researchers have been demonstrating interest in doubts regarding religious faith for thirty years. The current study goal was examining differences between three groups of religious male adolescents in Israel, regarding faith identity, doubts in religious faith (past and present), religious behavior, and the connection between them. Three…

Effects of selection for honey bee worker reproduction on foraging traits.

PubMed

Oldroyd, Benjamin P; Beekman, Madeleine

2008-03-04

The "reproductive ground plan" hypothesis (RGPH) proposes that reproductive division of labour in social insects had its antecedents in the ancient gene regulatory networks that evolved to regulate the foraging and reproductive phases of their solitary ancestors. Thus, queens express traits that are characteristic of the reproductive phase of solitary insects, whereas workers express traits characteristic of the foraging phase. The RGPH has also been extended to help understand the regulation of age polyethism within the worker caste and more recently to explain differences in the foraging specialisations of individual honey bee workers. Foragers that specialise in collecting proteinaceous pollen are hypothesised to have higher reproductive potential than individuals that preferentially forage for nectar because genes that were ancestrally associated with the reproductive phase are active. We investigated the links between honey bee worker foraging behaviour and reproductive traits by comparing the foraging preferences of a line of workers that has been selected for high rates of worker reproduction with the preferences of wild-type bees. We show that while selection for reproductive behaviour in workers has not altered foraging preferences, the age at onset of foraging of our selected line has been increased. Our findings therefore support the hypothesis that age polyethism is related to the reproductive ground plan, but they cast doubt on recent suggestions that foraging preferences and reproductive traits are pleiotropically linked.

Reproductive, teratologic, and mutagenic studies with some polydimethylsiloxanes.

PubMed

Kennedy, G L; Keplinger, M L; Calandra, J C

1976-07-01

The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the effects of selected polydimethylsiloxanes on reproduction and fetal development in rats and rabbits and to determine the mutagenic potential of one such material in mice. In two separate three-phase studies in rats and rabbits with a 350 centistoke medical grade fluid, the only significant effect noted was an apparent dose-related incidence of in utero mortality at dose levels of 200 and 1,000 mg/kg sc in rats in one study. No evidence of fetotoxicity was obtained in the second study at the same dose levels. The incidence of talipes varus at a sc dose level of 200 mg/kg in rabbits (8.8%) is at or above that expected for control populations. The nonoccurrence of talipes varus at the higher level of 1,000 mg/kg and the absence of this defect in the companion study casts doubt on the significance of this finding. A 7-cs pump fluid was nonteratogenic in rats at oral doses as high as 1,000 mg/kg and was nonmutagenic in ma1e mice at ip doses of 5 and 10 g/kg. A 10-cs fluid was nonteratogenic in rabbits at a dermal dose level of 200 mg/kg.

Awareness of Implicit Attitudes

PubMed Central

Hahn, Adam; Judd, Charles M.; Hirsh, Holen K.; Blair, Irene V.

2013-01-01

Research on implicit attitudes has raised questions about how well people know their own attitudes. Most research on this question has focused on the correspondence between measures of implicit attitudes and measures of explicit attitudes, with low correspondence interpreted as showing that people have little awareness of their implicit attitudes. We took a different approach and directly asked participants to predict their results on upcoming IAT measures of implicit attitudes toward five different social groups. We found that participants were surprisingly accurate in their predictions. Across four studies, predictions were accurate regardless of whether implicit attitudes were described as true attitudes or culturally learned associations (Studies 1 and 2), regardless of whether predictions were made as specific response patterns (Study 1) or as conceptual responses (Studies 2–4), and regardless of how much experience or explanation participants received before making their predictions (Study 4). Study 3 further suggested that participants’ predictions reflected unique insight into their own implicit responses, beyond intuitions about how people in general might respond. Prediction accuracy occurred despite generally low correspondence between implicit and explicit measures of attitudes, as found in prior research. All together, the research findings cast doubt on the belief that attitudes or evaluations measured by the IAT necessarily reflect unconscious attitudes. PMID:24294868

Proteins as sponges: a statistical journey along protein structure organization principles.

PubMed

Paola, Luisa Di; Paci, Paola; Santoni, Daniele; Ruvo, Micol De; Giuliani, Alessandro

2012-02-27

The analysis of a large database of protein structures by means of topological and shape indexes inspired by complex network and fractal analysis shed light on some organizational principles of proteins. Proteins appear much more similar to "fractal" sponges than to closely packed spheres, casting doubts on the tenability of the hydrophobic core concept. Principal component analysis highlighted three main order parameters shaping the protein universe: (1) "size", with the consequent generation of progressively less dense and more empty structures at an increasing number of residues, (2) "microscopic structuring", linked to the existence of a spectrum going from the prevalence of heterologous (different hydrophobicity) to the prevalence of homologous (similar hydrophobicity) contacts, and (3) "fractal shape", an organizing protein data set along a continuum going from approximately linear to very intermingled structures. Perhaps the time has come for seriously taking into consideration the real relevance of time-honored principles like the hydrophobic core and hydrophobic effect.

Do humans ape? Or do apes human? Imitation and intention in humans (Homo sapiens) and other animals.

PubMed

Horowitz, Alexandra C

2003-09-01

A. Whiten, D. M. Custance, J.-C. Gomez, P. Teixidor, and K. A. Bard (1996) tested chimpanzees' (Pan troglodytes) and human children's (Homo sapiens) skills at imitation with a 2-action test on an "artificial fruit." Chimpanzees imitated to a restricted degree; children were more thoroughly imitative. Such results prompted some to assert that the difference in imitation indicates a difference in the subjects' understanding of the intentions of the demonstrator (M. Tomasello, 1996). In this experiment, 37 adult human subjects were tested with the artificial fruit. Far from being perfect imitators, the adults were less imitative than the children. These results cast doubt on the inference from imitative performance to an ability to understand others' intentions. The results also demonstrate how any test of imitation requires a control group and attention to the level of behavioral analysis. Copyright 2003 APA, all rights reserved

The K2-HERMES Survey. I. Planet-candidate Properties from K2 Campaigns 1–3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wittenmyer, Robert A.; Sharma, Sanjib; Stello, Dennis; Buder, Sven; Kos, Janez; Asplund, Martin; Duong, Ly; Lin, Jane; Lind, Karin; Ness, Melissa; Zwitter, Tomaz; Horner, Jonathan; Clark, Jake; Kane, Stephen R.; Huber, Daniel; Bland-Hawthorn, Joss; Casey, Andrew R.; De Silva, Gayandhi M.; D’Orazi, Valentina; Freeman, Ken; Martell, Sarah; Simpson, Jeffrey D.; Zucker, Daniel B.; Anguiano, Borja; Casagrande, Luca; Esdaile, James; Hon, Marc; Ireland, Michael; Kafle, Prajwal R.; Khanna, Shourya; Marshall, J. P.; Saddon, Mohd Hafiz Mohd; Traven, Gregor; Wright, Duncan

2018-02-01

Accurate and precise radius estimates of transiting exoplanets are critical for understanding their compositions and formation mechanisms. To know the planet, we must know the host star in as much detail as possible. We present first results from the K2-HERMES project, which uses the HERMES multi-object spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope to obtain R ∼ 28000 spectra of up to 360 stars in one exposure. This ongoing project aims to derive self-consistent spectroscopic parameters for about half of K2 target stars. We present complete stellar parameters and isochrone-derived masses and radii for 46 stars hosting 57 K2 candidate planets in Campaigns 1–3. Our revised host-star radii cast severe doubt on three candidate planets: EPIC 201407812.01, EPIC 203070421.01, and EPIC 202843107.01, all of which now have inferred radii well in excess of the largest known inflated Jovian planets.

Testing the robustness of Citizen Science projects: Evaluating the results of pilot project COMBER.

PubMed

Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos; Faulwetter, Sarah; Dailianis, Thanos; Smith, Vincent Stuart; Koulouri, Panagiota; Dounas, Costas; Arvanitidis, Christos

2016-01-01

Citizen Science (CS) as a term implies a great deal of approaches and scopes involving many different fields of science. The number of the relevant projects globally has been increased significantly in the recent years. Large scale ecological questions can be answered only through extended observation networks and CS projects can support this effort. Although the need of such projects is apparent, an important part of scientific community cast doubt on the reliability of CS data sets. The pilot CS project COMBER has been created in order to provide evidence to answer the aforementioned question in the coastal marine biodiversity monitoring. The results of the current analysis show that a carefully designed CS project with clear hypotheses, wide participation and data sets validation, can be a valuable tool for the large scale and long term changes in marine biodiversity pattern change and therefore for relevant management and conservation issues.

The adventures of climate science in the sweet land of idle arguments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winsberg, Eric; Goodwin, William Mark

2016-05-01

In a recent series of papers Roman Frigg, Leonard Smith, and several coauthors have developed a general epistemological argument designed to cast doubt on the capacity of a broad range of mathematical models to generate "decision relevant predictions." The presumptive targets of their argument are at least some of the modeling projects undertaken in contemporary climate science. In this paper, we trace and contrast two very different readings of the scope of their argument. We do this by considering the very different implications for climate science that these interpretations would have. Then, we lay out the structure of their argument-an argument by analogy-with an eye to identifying points at which certain epistemically significant distinctions might limit the force of the analogy. Finally, some of these epistemically significant distinctions are introduced and defended as relevant to a great many of the predictive mathematical modeling projects employed in contemporary climate science.

Grown organic matter as a fuel raw material resource

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roller, W. L.; Keener, H. M.; Kline, R. D.; Mederski, H. J.; Curry, R. B.

1975-01-01

An extensive search was made on biomass production from the standpoint of climatic zones, water, nutrients, costs and energy requirements for many species. No exotic species were uncovered that gave hope for a bonanza of biomass production under culture, location, and management markedly different from those of existing agricultural concepts. A simulation analysis of biomass production was carried out for six species using conventional production methods, including their production costs and energy requirements. These estimates were compared with data on food, fiber, and feed production. The alternative possibility of using residues from food, feed, or lumber was evaluated. It was concluded that great doubt must be cast on the feasibility of producing grown organic matter for fuel, in competition with food, feed, or fiber. The feasibility of collecting residues may be nearer, but the competition for the residues for return to the soil or cellulosic production is formidable.

The French version of the Nottingham Health Profile. A comparison of items weights with those of the source version.

PubMed

Bucquet, D; Condon, S; Ritchie, K

1990-01-01

The efficient and reliable assessment of general community health requires the development of comprehensive and parsimonious measures of proven validity. The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) has been demonstrated to be a reliable indicator of common expressions of discomfort and stress in the general population. The present paper describes its linguistic adaptation into French, the derivation of item weights by Thurstone's method of paired comparisons and the comparison of item weights across various sociodemographic groups. There is more similarity than variation on the valuation of the state of health explored by the NHP between the French and the British population as little inter-cultural or inter-linguistic variations were found. The differences in judgement of severity elicited across sociodemographic groups in the French sample cast some doubts on the relevance of general weights for use in population surveys.

What is a reflex? A guide for understanding disorders of consciousness.

PubMed

Fischer, David B; Truog, Robert D

2015-08-11

Uncertainty in diagnosing disorders of consciousness, and specifically in determining whether consciousness has been lost or retained, poses challenging scientific and ethical questions. Recent neuroimaging-based tests for consciousness have cast doubt on the reliability of behavioral criteria in assessing states of consciousness and generate new questions about the assumptions used in formulating coherent diagnostic criteria. The reflex, a foundational diagnostic tool, offers unique insight into these disorders; behaviors produced by unconscious patients are thought to be purely reflexive, whereas those produced by conscious patients can be volitional. Further investigation, however, reveals that reflexes cannot be reliably distinguished from conscious behaviors on the basis of any generalizable empirical characteristics. Ambiguity between reflexive and conscious behaviors undermines the capacity of the reflex to distinguish between disorders of consciousness and has implications for how these disorders should be conceptualized in future diagnostic criteria. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

Memory suppression trades prolonged fear and sleep-dependent fear plasticity for the avoidance of current fear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuriyama, Kenichi; Honma, Motoyasu; Yoshiike, Takuya; Kim, Yoshiharu

2013-07-01

Sleep deprivation immediately following an aversive event reduces fear by preventing memory consolidation during homeostatic sleep. This suggests that acute insomnia might act prophylactically against the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) even though it is also a possible risk factor for PTSD. We examined total sleep deprivation and memory suppression to evaluate the effects of these interventions on subsequent aversive memory formation and fear conditioning. Active suppression of aversive memory impaired retention of event memory. However, although the remembered fear was more reduced in sleep-deprived than sleep-control subjects, suppressed fear increased, and seemed to abandon the sleep-dependent plasticity of fear. Active memory suppression, which provides a psychological model for Freud's ego defense mechanism, enhances fear and casts doubt on the potential of acute insomnia as a prophylactic measure against PTSD. Our findings bring into question the role of sleep in aversive-memory consolidation in clinical PTSD pathophysiology.

Warm summers during the Younger Dryas cold reversal.

PubMed

Schenk, Frederik; Väliranta, Minna; Muschitiello, Francesco; Tarasov, Lev; Heikkilä, Maija; Björck, Svante; Brandefelt, Jenny; Johansson, Arne V; Näslund, Jens-Ove; Wohlfarth, Barbara

2018-04-24

The Younger Dryas (YD) cold reversal interrupts the warming climate of the deglaciation with global climatic impacts. The sudden cooling is typically linked to an abrupt slowdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in response to meltwater discharges from ice sheets. However, inconsistencies regarding the YD-response of European summer temperatures have cast doubt whether the concept provides a sufficient explanation. Here we present results from a high-resolution global climate simulation together with a new July temperature compilation based on plant indicator species and show that European summers remain warm during the YD. Our climate simulation provides robust physical evidence that atmospheric blocking of cold westerly winds over Fennoscandia is a key mechanism counteracting the cooling impact of an AMOC-slowdown during summer. Despite the persistence of short warm summers, the YD is dominated by a shift to a continental climate with extreme winter to spring cooling and short growing seasons.

No inter-gyre pathway for sea-surface temperature anomalies in the North Atlantic.

PubMed

Foukal, Nicholas P; Lozier, M Susan

2016-04-22

Recent Lagrangian analyses of surface drifters have questioned the existence of a surface current connecting the Gulf Stream (GS) to the subpolar gyre (SPG) and have cast doubt on the mechanism underlying an apparent pathway for sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies between the two regions. Here we use modelled Lagrangian trajectories to determine the fate of surface GS water and satellite SST data to analyse pathways of GS SST anomalies. Our results show that only a small fraction of the surface GS water reaches the SPG, the water that does so mainly travels below the surface mixed layer, and GS SST anomalies do not propagate into the SPG on interannual timescales. Instead, the inter-gyre heat transport as part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation must be accomplished via subsurface pathways. We conclude that the SST in the SPG cannot be predicted by tracking SST anomalies along the GS.

Sexual and romantic jealousy in heterosexual and homosexual adults.

PubMed

Harris, Christine R

2002-01-01

Several theorists have claimed that men are innately more upset by a mate's sexual infidelity and women are more upset by a mate's emotional infidelity because the sexes faced different adaptive problems (for men, cuckoldry; for women, losing a mate's resources). The present work examined this theory of jealousy as a specific innate module in 196 adult men and women of homosexual and heterosexual orientations. As in previous work, heterosexuals' responses to a forced-choice question about hypothetical infidelity yielded a gender difference. However no gender differences were found when participants recalled personal experiences with a mate's actual infidelity. Men and women, regardless of sexual orientation, on average focused more on a mate's emotional infidelity than on a mate's sexual infidelity. Responses to hypothetical infidelity were uncorrelated with reactions to actual infidelity. This finding casts doubt on the validity of the hypothetical measures used in previous research.

Measurement of the diene conjugated form of linoleic acid in plasma by high performance liquid chromatography: a questionable non-invasive assay of free radical activity?

PubMed

Thompson, S; Smith, M T

1985-11-01

It has been previously reported that the main diene-conjugated fatty acid in human plasma is a non-oxygen containing linoleic acid isomer (PL-9, 11-LA'). It has also been proposed that this isomer can be used as a specific marker of free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation in humans. Here we report that the in vitro induction of lipid peroxidation in human and rat blood with either UV irradiation or phenylhydrazine failed to increase the plasma levels of this isomer. The induction of lipid peroxidation in vivo in rats pretreated with either phenylhydrazine or bromotrichloromethane also failed to increase the plasma levels of this isomer. These findings demonstrate that PL-9, 11-LA' cannot be used as an in vivo marker of free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation in rats and casts doubts on its validity as a specific marker in humans.

Coronal heating by stochastic magnetic pumping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sturrock, P. A.; Uchida, Y.

1980-01-01

Recent observational data cast serious doubt on the widely held view that the Sun's corona is heated by traveling waves (acoustic or magnetohydrodynamic). It is proposed that the energy responsible for heating the corona is derived from the free energy of the coronal magnetic field derived from motion of the 'feet' of magnetic field lines in the photosphere. Stochastic motion of the feet of magnetic field lines leads, on the average, to a linear increase of magnetic free energy with time. This rate of energy input is calculated for a simple model of a single thin flux tube. The model appears to agree well with observational data if the magnetic flux originates in small regions of high magnetic field strength. On combining this energy input with estimates of energy loss by radiation and of energy redistribution by thermal conduction, we obtain scaling laws for density and temperature in terms of length and coronal magnetic field strength.

Correlation not Causation: The Relationship between Personality Traits and Political Ideologies

PubMed Central

Verhulst, Brad; Eaves, Lindon J.; Hatemi, Peter K.

2013-01-01

The assumption in the personality and politics literature is that a person's personality motivates them to develop certain political attitudes later in life. This assumption is founded on the simple correlation between the two constructs and the observation that personality traits are genetically influenced and develop in infancy, whereas political preferences develop later in life. Work in psychology, behavioral genetics, and recently political science, however, has demonstrated that political preferences also develop in childhood and are equally influenced by genetic factors. These findings cast doubt on the assumed causal relationship between personality and politics. Here we test the causal relationship between personality traits and political attitudes using a direction of causation structural model on a genetically informative sample. The results suggest that personality traits do not cause people to develop political attitudes; rather, the correlation between the two is a function of an innate common underlying genetic factor. PMID:22400142

Techniques for nothingness: Debate over the comparability of hypnosis and Zen in early-twentieth-century Japan.

PubMed

Wu, Yu-Chuan

2017-12-01

This paper explores a debate that took place in Japan in the early twentieth century over the comparability of hypnosis and Zen. The debate was among the first exchanges between psychology and Buddhism in Japan, and it cast doubt on previous assumptions that a clear boundary existed between the two fields. In the debate, we find that contemporaries readily incorporated ideas from psychology and Buddhism to reconstruct the experiences and concepts of hypnosis and Buddhist nothingness. The resulting new theories and techniques of nothingness were fruits of a fairly fluid boundary between the two fields. The debate, moreover, reveals that psychology tried to address the challenges and possibilities posed by religious introspective meditation and intuitive experiences in a positive way. In the end, however, psychology no longer regarded them as viable experimental or psychotherapeutic tools but merely as particular subjective experiences to be investigated and explained.

Histology of the first fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, M.P.; Sansom, I.J.; Repetski, J.E.

1996-01-01

THE first description of Anatolepis Bockelie & Fortey was from early Ordovician sediments of Ny Friesland, Spitsbergen1,2, but the genus is now known from many localities in North America and Greenland, ranging in age from the Late Cambrian period to the Early Ordovician3-6. Although initially interpreted as an agnathan fish2,3 that predated other representatives7, this has been widely disputed because the available histological data were unconvincing6,8-10 and the scales fell outside the known morphological range of other accepted early vertebrates9-11. Further doubt was cast upon the vertebrate affinity of Anatolepis when specimens from East Greenland were interpreted as the cuticular fragments of aglaspid arthropods6, although this interpretation has also been refuted12. Here we report on the morphology and histology of large collections of Anatolepis, and demonstrate the presence of dentine, a tissue unique to vertebrates, confirming that the taxon is both a vertebrate and the oldest known fish.

Adaptive decision rules for the acquisition of nature reserves.

PubMed

Turner, Will R; Wilcove, David S

2006-04-01

Although reserve-design algorithms have shown promise for increasing the efficiency of conservation planning, recent work casts doubt on the usefulness of some of these approaches in practice. Using three data sets that vary widely in size and complexity, we compared various decision rules for acquiring reserve networks over multiyear periods. We explored three factors that are often important in real-world conservation efforts: uncertain availability of sites for acquisition, degradation of sites, and overall budget constraints. We evaluated the relative strengths and weaknesses of existing optimal and heuristic decision rules and developed a new set of adaptive decision rules that combine the strengths of existing optimal and heuristic approaches. All three of the new adaptive rules performed better than the existing rules we tested under virtually all scenarios of site availability, site degradation, and budget constraints. Moreover, the adaptive rules required no additional data beyond what was readily available and were relatively easy to compute.

Practical significance of rabies antibodies in cats and dogs.

PubMed

Aubert, M F

1992-09-01

Doubt has sometimes been cast upon the protective effect of rabies antibodies in serum. Animals and humans suffering from fatal rabies often produce high antibody titres, while rabies cases are also observed in vaccinated animals. Cellular immunity is also largely involved in protection. Nevertheless, a large number of laboratory experiments and field observations clearly demonstrate that cats and dogs which develop antibodies after vaccination and before challenge have a very high probability of surviving any challenge, no matter how strong the dose and which virus strain was used. Rabies antibody titration can, therefore, afford a strong additional guarantee to the vaccination certificates accompanying domestic carnivores during transportation between countries. Quarantine rules should also be adapted to the epidemiological features in the exporting country, e.g. statistics of vaccination failure in cats and dogs and host-virus adaptation of the rabies strains circulating in these countries.

Selective attention determines emotional responses to novel visual stimuli.

PubMed

Raymond, Jane E; Fenske, Mark J; Tavassoli, Nader T

2003-11-01

Distinct complex brain systems support selective attention and emotion, but connections between them suggest that human behavior should reflect reciprocal interactions of these systems. Although there is ample evidence that emotional stimuli modulate attentional processes, it is not known whether attention influences emotional behavior. Here we show that evaluation of the emotional tone (cheery/dreary) of complex but meaningless visual patterns can be modulated by the prior attentional state (attending vs. ignoring) used to process each pattern in a visual selection task. Previously ignored patterns were evaluated more negatively than either previously attended or novel patterns. Furthermore, this emotional devaluation of distracting stimuli was robust across different emotional contexts and response scales. Finding that negative affective responses are specifically generated for ignored stimuli points to a new functional role for attention and elaborates the link between attention and emotion. This finding also casts doubt on the conventional marketing wisdom that any exposure is good exposure.

Life Expectancy Can Explain the Precocity-Longevity Hypothesis Association of Early Career Success and Early Death.

PubMed

McCann, Stewart J H

2015-01-01

The precocity-longevity hypothesis that those who reach career milestones earlier in life have shorter life spans was tested with the 430 men elected to serve in the House of Representatives for the 71st U.S. Congress in 1929-1930 who were alive throughout 1930. There was no tendency for those first serving at an earlier age to die sooner or those serving first at a later age to die later than expected based on individual life expectancy in 1930. Although age at first serving was correlated with death age, the correlation was not significant when expected death age was controlled. The results cast serious doubt on the contention of the precocity-longevity hypothesis that the developmental aspects of the prerequisites, concomitants, and consequences of early career achievement peaks actively enhance the conditions for an earlier death.

High-performance sailboat hydrofoil optimization using vortex lattice methods, and the effects of free-stream turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meneghello, Gianluca; Beyhaghi, Pooriya; Bewley, Thomas

2016-11-01

The identification of an optimized hydrofoil shape depends on an accurate characterization of both its geometry and the incoming, turbulent, free-stream flow. We analyze this dependence using the computationally inexpensive vortex lattice model implemented in AVL, coupled with the recently developed global, derivative-free optimization algorithm implemented in Δ - DOGS . Particular attention will be given to the effect of the free-stream turbulence level - as modeled by a change in the viscous drag coefficients - on the optimized values of the parameters describing the three dimensional shape of the foil. Because the simplicity of AVL, when contrasted with more complex and computationally expensive LES or RANS models, may cast doubts on its usefulness, its validity and limitations will be discussed by comparison with water tank measurement, and again taking into account the effect of the uncertainty in the free-stream characterization.

Unified Phase Diagram for Iron-Based Superconductors.

PubMed

Gu, Yanhong; Liu, Zhaoyu; Xie, Tao; Zhang, Wenliang; Gong, Dongliang; Hu, Ding; Ma, Xiaoyan; Li, Chunhong; Zhao, Lingxiao; Lin, Lifang; Xu, Zhuang; Tan, Guotai; Chen, Genfu; Meng, Zi Yang; Yang, Yi-Feng; Luo, Huiqian; Li, Shiliang

2017-10-13

High-temperature superconductivity is closely adjacent to a long-range antiferromagnet, which is called a parent compound. In cuprates, all parent compounds are alike and carrier doping leads to superconductivity, so a unified phase diagram can be drawn. However, the properties of parent compounds for iron-based superconductors show significant diversity and both carrier and isovalent dopings can cause superconductivity, which casts doubt on the idea that there exists a unified phase diagram for them. Here we show that the ordered moments in a variety of iron pnictides are inversely proportional to the effective Curie constants of their nematic susceptibility. This unexpected scaling behavior suggests that the magnetic ground states of iron pnictides can be achieved by tuning the strength of nematic fluctuations. Therefore, a unified phase diagram can be established where superconductivity emerges from a hypothetical parent compound with a large ordered moment but weak nematic fluctuations, which suggests that iron-based superconductors are strongly correlated electron systems.

Questioning the Influence of Sunspots on Amazon Hydrology: Even a Broken Clock Tells the Right Time Twice a Day

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, J. C. A.; Gloor, M.; Boom, A.; Neill, D. A.; Cintra, B. B. L.; Clerici, S. J.; Brienen, R. J. W.

2018-02-01

It was suggested in a recent article that sunspots drive decadal variation in Amazon River flow. This conclusion was based on a novel time series decomposition method used to extract a decadal signal from the Amazon River record. We have extended this analysis back in time, using a new hydrological proxy record of tree ring oxygen isotopes (δ18OTR). Consistent with the findings of Antico and Torres, we find a positive correlation between sunspots and the decadal δ18OTR cycle from 1903 to 2012 (r = 0.60, p < 0.001). However, the relationship does not persist into the preceding century and even becomes weakly negative (r = -0.30, p = 0.11, 1799-1902). This result casts considerable doubt over the mechanism by which sunspots are purported to influence Amazon hydrology.

Internet Blogs, Polar Bears, and Climate-Change Denial by Proxy

PubMed Central

Harvey, Jeffrey A; van den Berg, Daphne; Ellers, Jacintha; Kampen, Remko; Crowther, Thomas W; Roessingh, Peter; Verheggen, Bart; Nuijten, Rascha J M; Post, Eric; Lewandowsky, Stephan; Stirling, Ian; Balgopal, Meena; Amstrup, Steven C; Mann, Michael E

2018-01-01

Abstract Increasing surface temperatures, Arctic sea-ice loss, and other evidence of anthropogenic global warming (AGW) are acknowledged by every major scientific organization in the world. However, there is a wide gap between this broad scientific consensus and public opinion. Internet blogs have strongly contributed to this consensus gap by fomenting misunderstandings of AGW causes and consequences. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) have become a “poster species” for AGW, making them a target of those denying AGW evidence. Here, focusing on Arctic sea ice and polar bears, we show that blogs that deny or downplay AGW disregard the overwhelming scientific evidence of Arctic sea-ice loss and polar bear vulnerability. By denying the impacts of AGW on polar bears, bloggers aim to cast doubt on other established ecological consequences of AGW, aggravating the consensus gap. To counter misinformation and reduce this gap, scientists should directly engage the public in the media and blogosphere. PMID:29662248

How to avoid a swift kick in the chameleons

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

Padilla, Antonio; Stefanyszyn, David; Wilson, Toby

2016-03-01

Recently, it was argued that the conformal coupling of the chameleon to matter fields created an issue for early universe cosmology. As standard model degrees of freedom become non-relativistic in the early universe, the chameleon is attracted towards a ''surfing'' solution, so that it arrives at the potential minimum with too large a velocity. This leads to rapid variations in the chameleon's mass and excitation of high energy modes, casting doubts on the classical treatment at Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. Here we present the DBI chameleon, a consistent high energy modification of the chameleon theory that dynamically renders it weakly coupledmore » to matter during the early universe thereby eliminating the adverse effects of the 'kicks'. This is done without any fine tuning of the coupling between the chameleon and matter fields, and retains its screening ability in the solar system. We demonstrate this explicitly with a combination of analytic and numerical results.« less

POX 186: the ultracompact blue compact dwarf galaxy reveals its nature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doublier, V.; Kunth, D.; Courbin, F.; Magain, P.

2000-01-01

High resolution, ground based R and I band observations of the ultra compact dwarf galaxy POX 186 are presented. The data, obtained with the ESO New Technology Telescope (NTT), are analyzed using a new deconvolution algorithm which allows one to resolve the innermost regions of this stellar-like object into three Super-Star Clusters (SSC). Upper limits to both masses (M ~ 105 Msun) and physical sizes (<=60pc) of the SSCs are set. In addition, and maybe most importantly, extended light emission underlying the compact star-forming region is clearly detected in both bands. The R-I color rules out nebular Hα contamination and is consistent with an old stellar population. This casts doubt on the hypothesis that Blue Compact Dwarf Galaxies (BCDG) are young galaxies. based on observations carried out at NTT in La Silla, operated by the European Southern Observatory, during Director's Discretionary Time.

"Willing to Pay?" Tax Compliance in Britain and Italy: An Experimental Analysis

PubMed Central

Zhang, Nan; Andrighetto, Giulia; Ottone, Stefania; Ponzano, Ferruccio; Steinmo, Sven

2016-01-01

As shown by the recent crisis, tax evasion poses a significant problem for countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy. While these societies certainly possess weaker fiscal institutions as compared to other EU members, might broader cultural differences between northern and southern Europe also help to explain citizens’ (un)willingness to pay their taxes? To address this question, we conduct laboratory experiments in the UK and Italy, two countries which straddle this North-South divide. Our design allows us to examine citizens’ willingness to contribute to public goods via taxes while holding institutions constant. We report a surprising result: when faced with identical tax institutions, redistribution rules and audit probabilities, Italian participants are significantly more likely to comply than Britons. Overall, our findings cast doubt upon “culturalist” arguments that would attribute cross-country differences in tax compliance to the lack of morality amongst southern European taxpayers. PMID:26919201

Internet Blogs, Polar Bears, and Climate-Change Denial by Proxy.

PubMed

Harvey, Jeffrey A; van den Berg, Daphne; Ellers, Jacintha; Kampen, Remko; Crowther, Thomas W; Roessingh, Peter; Verheggen, Bart; Nuijten, Rascha J M; Post, Eric; Lewandowsky, Stephan; Stirling, Ian; Balgopal, Meena; Amstrup, Steven C; Mann, Michael E

2018-04-01

Increasing surface temperatures, Arctic sea-ice loss, and other evidence of anthropogenic global warming (AGW) are acknowledged by every major scientific organization in the world. However, there is a wide gap between this broad scientific consensus and public opinion. Internet blogs have strongly contributed to this consensus gap by fomenting misunderstandings of AGW causes and consequences. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) have become a "poster species" for AGW, making them a target of those denying AGW evidence. Here, focusing on Arctic sea ice and polar bears, we show that blogs that deny or downplay AGW disregard the overwhelming scientific evidence of Arctic sea-ice loss and polar bear vulnerability. By denying the impacts of AGW on polar bears, bloggers aim to cast doubt on other established ecological consequences of AGW, aggravating the consensus gap. To counter misinformation and reduce this gap, scientists should directly engage the public in the media and blogosphere.

Correlation not causation: the relationship between personality traits and political ideologies.

PubMed

Verhulst, Brad; Eaves, Lindon J; Hatemi, Peter K

2012-01-01

The assumption in the personality and politics literature is that a person's personality motivates them to develop certain political attitudes later in life. This assumption is founded on the simple correlation between the two constructs and the observation that personality traits are genetically influenced and develop in infancy, whereas political preferences develop later in life. Work in psychology, behavioral genetics, and recently political science, however, has demonstrated that political preferences also develop in childhood and are equally influenced by genetic factors. These findings cast doubt on the assumed causal relationship between personality and politics. Here we test the causal relationship between personality traits and political attitudes using a direction of causation structural model on a genetically informative sample. The results suggest that personality traits do not cause people to develop political attitudes; rather, the correlation between the two is a function of an innate common underlying genetic factor.

Context effects and the (mal)adaptive nature of guilt and shame in children.

PubMed

Ferguson, T J; Stegge, H; Eyre, H L; Vollmer, R; Ashbaker, M

2000-08-01

Symptoms of internalization were examined in relation to children's self-reports of three emotions in situations that were either ambiguous or unambiguous as to the child's responsibility for various standard violations. Children ranging in age from 6 to 13 years were drawn from elementary schools (61 boys, 79 girls, mean age = 8.7) and from a community mental health center (23 boys, 18 girls, mean age = 8.5) to which they had been referred for problems related to internalization or externalization. Shame proneness was consistently linked to internalizing symptoms across contexts. Guilt proneness, in response to ambiguous scenarios, was also associated with internalization, whereas pride responses were unrelated to symptoms. Few age- or gender-related differences were found. The results cast doubt on notions that self-conscious emotions, such as guilt, are necessarily adaptive or maladaptive. Systematic research is needed to understand which features of any emotion contribute to children's psychological adjustment.

"Willing to Pay?" Tax Compliance in Britain and Italy: An Experimental Analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Nan; Andrighetto, Giulia; Ottone, Stefania; Ponzano, Ferruccio; Steinmo, Sven

2016-01-01

As shown by the recent crisis, tax evasion poses a significant problem for countries such as Greece, Spain and Italy. While these societies certainly possess weaker fiscal institutions as compared to other EU members, might broader cultural differences between northern and southern Europe also help to explain citizens' (un)willingness to pay their taxes? To address this question, we conduct laboratory experiments in the UK and Italy, two countries which straddle this North-South divide. Our design allows us to examine citizens' willingness to contribute to public goods via taxes while holding institutions constant. We report a surprising result: when faced with identical tax institutions, redistribution rules and audit probabilities, Italian participants are significantly more likely to comply than Britons. Overall, our findings cast doubt upon "culturalist" arguments that would attribute cross-country differences in tax compliance to the lack of morality amongst southern European taxpayers.

Immunological Cells and Functions in Gaucher Disease

PubMed Central

Pandey, Manoj Kumar; Grabowski, Gregory A.

2013-01-01

The macrophage (MΦ) has been the focus of causality, research, and therapy of Gaucher disease, but recent evidence casts doubt its solitary role in the disease pathogenesis. The excess of glucosylceramide (GC) in such cells accounts for some of the disease manifestations. Evidence of increased expression of C-C and C-X-C chemokines (i.e., CCL2,CXCL1, CXCL8) in Gaucher disease could be critical for monocytes (MOs) transformation to inflammatory subsets of (MΦs) and dendritic cells (DCs) as well as neutrophil (PMNs) recruitment to visceral organs. These immune responses could be essential for activation of T- and B-cell subsets, and the induction of numerous cytokines and chemokines that participate in the initiation and propagation of the molecular pathogenesis of Gaucher disease. The association of Gaucher disease with a variety of cellular and humoral immune responses is reviewed here to provide a potential foundation for expanding the complex pathophysiology of Gaucher disease. PMID:23510064

Lost in the mall: misrepresentations and misunderstandings.

PubMed

Loftus, Elizabeth F

1999-01-01

Readers of Ethics and Behavior have been treated to a misrepresentation of my research on planting false memories, to a misstatement of the actual empirical finidngs, and to a distortion of the history of the development of the idea for this line of research. The partisan essay by Crook and Dean which appears in this issue ("'Lost in a Shopping Mall' -- A Breach of Professional Ethics") is disturbing not only because of its errors, exaggerations, and omissions, but because, in some instances, the quality of the argument makes one wonder whether these were innocent mistakes or a deliberate attempt to distort my work. Some of these errors can be explained by simple lack of scientific competence. However, others are sufficiently bizarre that they cast doubt on the process that led to the acceptance of a manuscript written by an individual who has continually made her animosity toward me very publicly known (e.g., Boerner, 1996; Neimark, 1996).

HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL GENE THERAPY: ASSESSING THE RELEVANCE OF PRE-CLINICAL MODELS

PubMed Central

Larochelle, Andre; Dunbar, Cynthia E.

2013-01-01

The modern laboratory mouse has become a central tool for biomedical research with a notable influence in the field of hematopoiesis. Application of retroviral-based gene transfer approaches to mouse hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) has led to a sophisticated understanding of the hematopoietic hierarchy in this model. However, the assumption that gene transfer methodologies developed in the mouse could be similarly applied to human HSCs for the treatment of human diseases left the field of gene therapy in a decade-long quandary. It is not until more relevant humanized xenograft mouse models and phylogenetically related large animal species were used to optimize gene transfer methodologies that unequivocal clinical successes were achieved. However, the subsequent reporting of severe adverse events in these clinical trials casted doubts on the predictive value of conventional pre-clinical testing, and encouraged the development of new assays for assessing the relative genotoxicity of various vector designs. PMID:24014892

How effective are biodiversity conservation payments in Mexico?

PubMed

Costedoat, Sébastien; Corbera, Esteve; Ezzine-de-Blas, Driss; Honey-Rosés, Jordi; Baylis, Kathy; Castillo-Santiago, Miguel Angel

2015-01-01

We assess the additional forest cover protected by 13 rural communities located in the southern state of Chiapas, Mexico, as a result of the economic incentives received through the country's national program of payments for biodiversity conservation. We use spatially explicit data at the intra-community level to define a credible counterfactual of conservation outcomes. We use covariate-matching specifications associated with spatially explicit variables and difference-in-difference estimators to determine the treatment effect. We estimate that the additional conservation represents between 12 and 14.7 percent of forest area enrolled in the program in comparison to control areas. Despite this high degree of additionality, we also observe lack of compliance in some plots participating in the PES program. This lack of compliance casts doubt on the ability of payments alone to guarantee long-term additionality in context of high deforestation rates, even with an augmented program budget or extension of participation to communities not yet enrolled.

No inter-gyre pathway for sea-surface temperature anomalies in the North Atlantic

PubMed Central

Foukal, Nicholas P.; Lozier, M. Susan

2016-01-01

Recent Lagrangian analyses of surface drifters have questioned the existence of a surface current connecting the Gulf Stream (GS) to the subpolar gyre (SPG) and have cast doubt on the mechanism underlying an apparent pathway for sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies between the two regions. Here we use modelled Lagrangian trajectories to determine the fate of surface GS water and satellite SST data to analyse pathways of GS SST anomalies. Our results show that only a small fraction of the surface GS water reaches the SPG, the water that does so mainly travels below the surface mixed layer, and GS SST anomalies do not propagate into the SPG on interannual timescales. Instead, the inter-gyre heat transport as part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation must be accomplished via subsurface pathways. We conclude that the SST in the SPG cannot be predicted by tracking SST anomalies along the GS. PMID:27103496

Thermodynamic origin of surface melting on ice crystals

PubMed Central

Murata, Ken-ichiro; Asakawa, Harutoshi; Nagashima, Ken; Furukawa, Yoshinori; Sazaki, Gen

2016-01-01

Since the pioneering prediction of surface melting by Michael Faraday, it has been widely accepted that thin water layers, called quasi-liquid layers (QLLs), homogeneously and completely wet ice surfaces. Contrary to this conventional wisdom, here we both theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that QLLs have more than two wetting states and that there is a first-order wetting transition between them. Furthermore, we find that QLLs are born not only under supersaturated conditions, as recently reported, but also at undersaturation, but QLLs are absent at equilibrium. This means that QLLs are a metastable transient state formed through vapor growth and sublimation of ice, casting a serious doubt on the conventional understanding presupposing the spontaneous formation of QLLs in ice–vapor equilibrium. We propose a simple but general physical model that consistently explains these aspects of surface melting and QLLs. Our model shows that a unique interfacial potential solely controls both the wetting and thermodynamic behavior of QLLs. PMID:27791107

Burnout-depression overlap: a review.

PubMed

Bianchi, Renzo; Schonfeld, Irvin Sam; Laurent, Eric

2015-03-01

Whether burnout is a form of depression or a distinct phenomenon is an object of controversy. The aim of the present article was to provide an up-to-date review of the literature dedicated to the question of burnout-depression overlap. A systematic literature search was carried out in PubMed, PsycINFO, and IngentaConnect. A total of 92 studies were identified as informing the issue of burnout-depression overlap. The current state of the art suggests that the distinction between burnout and depression is conceptually fragile. It is notably unclear how the state of burnout (i.e., the end stage of the burnout process) is conceived to differ from clinical depression. Empirically, evidence for the distinctiveness of the burnout phenomenon has been inconsistent, with the most recent studies casting doubt on that distinctiveness. The absence of consensual diagnostic criteria for burnout and burnout research's insufficient consideration of the heterogeneity of depressive disorders constitute major obstacles to the resolution of the raised issue. In conclusion, the epistemic status of the seminal, field-dominating definition of burnout is questioned. It is suggested that systematic clinical observation should be given a central place in future research on burnout-depression overlap. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On hydrodynamic phase field models for binary fluid mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiaogang; Gong, Yuezheng; Li, Jun; Zhao, Jia; Wang, Qi

2018-05-01

Two classes of thermodynamically consistent hydrodynamic phase field models have been developed for binary fluid mixtures of incompressible viscous fluids of possibly different densities and viscosities. One is quasi-incompressible, while the other is incompressible. For the same binary fluid mixture of two incompressible viscous fluid components, which one is more appropriate? To answer this question, we conduct a comparative study in this paper. First, we visit their derivation, conservation and energy dissipation properties and show that the quasi-incompressible model conserves both mass and linear momentum, while the incompressible one does not. We then show that the quasi-incompressible model is sensitive to the density deviation of the fluid components, while the incompressible model is not in a linear stability analysis. Second, we conduct a numerical investigation on coarsening or coalescent dynamics of protuberances using the two models. We find that they can predict quite different transient dynamics depending on the initial conditions and the density difference although they predict essentially the same quasi-steady results in some cases. This study thus cast a doubt on the applicability of the incompressible model to describe dynamics of binary mixtures of two incompressible viscous fluids especially when the two fluid components have a large density deviation.

Impedance cardiography: a comparison of cardiac output vs waveform analysis for assessing left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

PubMed

DeMarzo, Arthur P; Kelly, Russell F; Calvin, James E

2007-01-01

Early detection of asymptomatic left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) is beneficial in managing heart failure. Recent studies have cast doubt on the usefulness of cardiac output as an indicator of LVSD. In impedance cardiography (ICG), the dZ/dt waveform has a systolic wave called the E wave. This study looked at measurements of the amplitude and area of the E wave compared with ICG-derived cardiac output, stroke volume, cardiac index, and stroke index as methods of assessing LVSD. ICG data were obtained from patients (n=26) admitted to a coronary care unit. Clinical LVSD severity was stratified into 4 groups (none, mild, moderate, and severe) based on echocardiography data and standard clinical assessment by a cardiologist blinded to ICG data. Statistical analysis showed that the E wave amplitude and area were better indicators of the level of LVSD than cardiac output, stroke volume, cardiac index, or stroke index. ICG waveform analysis has potential as a simple point-of-care test for detecting LVSD in asymptomatic patients at high risk for developing heart failure and for monitoring LVSD in patients being treated for heart failure.

Maternal antibody reactivity to lymphocytes of offspring with autism.

PubMed

Bressler, Joseph P; Gillin, Pam K; O'Driscoll, Cliona; Kiihl, Samara; Solomon, Megan; Zimmerman, Andrew W

2012-11-01

The study examined whether maternal serum antibodies from mothers of autistic children preferentially bind to lymphocytes of their autistic children compared with unaffected siblings. In a previous study, maternal serum antibodies from mothers mediated cytotoxicity with complement to lymphocytes of their autistic children. Here, maternal serum antibody binding was examined by flow cytometry. We compared levels of mothers' serum binding against peripheral blood monocytes of their autistic children vs unaffected siblings. Because the level of binding to peripheral blood monocytes could be low, binding was examined in specific lymphocyte subpopulations. In 19 samples, the mean level of maternal serum immunoglobulin G binding to CD4 and CD8 T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages was not significantly different from the mean level of binding to unaffected siblings. The percentages of different subpopulations were not significantly different between autistic children and unaffected siblings, although a trend (P < 0.1) emerged, i.e., autistic children displayed a higher percentage of natural killer cells and a lower percentage of B cells. These findings cast doubt on a direct effect of maternal antibodies, but do not preclude potential intrauterine pathogenic immune mechanisms in autism. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simulating irradiation hardening in tungsten under fast neutron irradiation including Re production by transmutation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Chen-Hsi; Gilbert, Mark R.; Marian, Jaime

2018-02-01

Simulations of neutron damage under fusion energy conditions must capture the effects of transmutation, both in terms of accurate chemical inventory buildup as well as the physics of the interactions between transmutation elements and irradiation defect clusters. In this work, we integrate neutronics, primary damage calculations, molecular dynamics results, Re transmutation calculations, and stochastic cluster dynamics simulations to study neutron damage in single-crystal tungsten to mimic divertor materials. To gauge the accuracy and validity of the simulations, we first study the material response under experimental conditions at the JOYO fast reactor in Japan and the High Flux Isotope Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, for which measurements of cluster densities and hardening levels up to 2 dpa exist. We then provide calculations under expected DEMO fusion conditions. Several key mechanisms involving Re atoms and defect clusters are found to govern the accumulation of irradiation damage in each case. We use established correlations to translate damage accumulation into hardening increases and compare our results to the experimental measurements. We find hardening increases in excess of 5000 MPa in all cases, which casts doubts about the integrity of W-based materials under long-term fusion exposure.

Structure and dynamics of a silica melt in neutral confinement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geske, Julian; Drossel, Barbara; Vogel, Michael

2017-04-01

We analyze the effects of spatial confinement on viscous silica using molecular dynamics simulations. For this purpose, we prepare a silica melt in a cylindrical pore, which is produced by pinning appropriate fractions of silicon and oxygen atoms in a bulk system after an equilibration period. In this way, the structure of the confined silica melt remains unaffected, while the confinement has a strong impact on the dynamics. We find that the structural relaxation of viscous silica is slowed down according to a double exponential law when approaching the pore wall. Moreover, we observe that static density correlations exist in the vicinity of the pore wall. Based on these effects, we determine dynamical and structural length scales of the silica melt. Both length scales show a similar increase upon cooling, with values on the order of the next-neighbor distances in the studied temperature range. Interestingly, we find no evidence that the growth of the length scales is affected by a fragile-to-strong transition of the silica melt. This observation casts serious doubts on the relevance of these length scales for the structural relaxation, at least for the studied glass former.

Structure and dynamics of a silica melt in neutral confinement.

PubMed

Geske, Julian; Drossel, Barbara; Vogel, Michael

2017-04-07

We analyze the effects of spatial confinement on viscous silica using molecular dynamics simulations. For this purpose, we prepare a silica melt in a cylindrical pore, which is produced by pinning appropriate fractions of silicon and oxygen atoms in a bulk system after an equilibration period. In this way, the structure of the confined silica melt remains unaffected, while the confinement has a strong impact on the dynamics. We find that the structural relaxation of viscous silica is slowed down according to a double exponential law when approaching the pore wall. Moreover, we observe that static density correlations exist in the vicinity of the pore wall. Based on these effects, we determine dynamical and structural length scales of the silica melt. Both length scales show a similar increase upon cooling, with values on the order of the next-neighbor distances in the studied temperature range. Interestingly, we find no evidence that the growth of the length scales is affected by a fragile-to-strong transition of the silica melt. This observation casts serious doubts on the relevance of these length scales for the structural relaxation, at least for the studied glass former.

The (Null) Effect of Affective Touch on Betrayal Aversion, Altruism, and Risk Taking

PubMed Central

Koppel, Lina; Andersson, David; Morrison, India; Västfjäll, Daniel; Tinghög, Gustav

2017-01-01

Pleasant touch is thought to increase the release of oxytocin. Oxytocin, in turn, has been extensively studied with regards to its effects on trust and prosocial behavior, but results remain inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of touch on economic decision making. Participants (n = 120) were stroked on their left arm using a soft brush (touch condition) or not at all (control condition; varied within subjects), while they performed a series of decision tasks assessing betrayal aversion (the Betrayal Aversion Elicitation Task), altruism (donating money to a charitable organization), and risk taking (the Balloon Analog Risk Task). We found no significant effect of touch on any of the outcome measures, neither within nor between subjects. Furthermore, effects were not moderated by gender or attachment. However, attachment avoidance had a significant effect on altruism in that those who were high in avoidance donated less money. Our findings contribute to the understanding of affective touch—and, by extension, oxytocin—in social behavior, and decision making by showing that touch does not directly influence performance in tasks involving risk and prosocial decisions. Specifically, our work casts further doubt on the validity of oxytocin research in humans. PMID:29311867

The (Null) Effect of Affective Touch on Betrayal Aversion, Altruism, and Risk Taking.

PubMed

Koppel, Lina; Andersson, David; Morrison, India; Västfjäll, Daniel; Tinghög, Gustav

2017-01-01

Pleasant touch is thought to increase the release of oxytocin. Oxytocin, in turn, has been extensively studied with regards to its effects on trust and prosocial behavior, but results remain inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of touch on economic decision making. Participants ( n = 120) were stroked on their left arm using a soft brush (touch condition) or not at all (control condition; varied within subjects), while they performed a series of decision tasks assessing betrayal aversion (the Betrayal Aversion Elicitation Task), altruism (donating money to a charitable organization), and risk taking (the Balloon Analog Risk Task). We found no significant effect of touch on any of the outcome measures, neither within nor between subjects. Furthermore, effects were not moderated by gender or attachment. However, attachment avoidance had a significant effect on altruism in that those who were high in avoidance donated less money. Our findings contribute to the understanding of affective touch-and, by extension, oxytocin-in social behavior, and decision making by showing that touch does not directly influence performance in tasks involving risk and prosocial decisions. Specifically, our work casts further doubt on the validity of oxytocin research in humans.

Divorce and psychological stress.

PubMed

Booth, A; Amato, P

1991-12-01

While research on adjustment to divorce has been extensive, the paucity of studies assessing stress before and after divorce has kept the relation between psychological stress and martial dissolution unclear. Conflicting findings cast some doubt on the utility of using a crisis model to study divorce. Analysis of three-wave panel data from a national sample of persons married in 1980 indicates that the crisis model is appropriate for understanding adjustment to divorce. Comparisons of divorced persons with married persons show a predivorce rise in stress which then returns to levels comparable to those reported by married individuals. No evidence was found supporting the idea that a high level of psychological stress is a general cause of divorce or that dissolution resulted in more or less permanent elevation of psychological stress. Findings support the hypothesis that predivorce resources and outlooks influence the amount of stress experienced in the two years immediately following divorce. Below median family incomes, no post-high school experience, and wife not in the labor force put divorcing individuals at a disadvantage. Individuals reporting few premarital troubles and beliefs in the immorality of divorce also appear to experience heightened stress in the two years following divorce.

Addressing variability in the acoustic startle reflex for accurate gap detection assessment.

PubMed

Longenecker, Ryan J; Kristaponyte, Inga; Nelson, Gregg L; Young, Jesse W; Galazyuk, Alexander V

2018-06-01

The acoustic startle reflex (ASR) is subject to substantial variability. This inherent variability consequently shapes the conclusions drawn from gap-induced prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex (GPIAS) assessments. Recent studies have cast doubt as to the efficacy of this methodology as it pertains to tinnitus assessment, partially, due to variability in and between data sets. The goal of this study was to examine the variance associated with several common data collection variables and data analyses with the aim to improve GPIAS reliability. To study this the GPIAS tests were conducted in adult male and female CBA/CaJ mice. Factors such as inter-trial interval, circadian rhythm, sex differences, and sensory adaptation were each evaluated. We then examined various data analysis factors which influence GPIAS assessment. Gap-induced facilitation, data processing options, and assessments of tinnitus were studied. We found that the startle reflex is highly variable in CBA/CaJ mice, but this can be minimized by certain data collection factors. We also found that careful consideration of temporal fluctuations of the ASR and controlling for facilitation can lead to more accurate GPIAS results. This study provides a guide for reducing variance in the GPIAS methodology - thereby improving the diagnostic power of the test. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Suspected Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity Confirmed in Few Patients After Gluten Challenge in Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trials.

PubMed

Molina-Infante, Javier; Carroccio, Antonio

2017-03-01

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, gluten challenge has been proposed to confirm a diagnosis of nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) in patients without celiac disease who respond to a gluten-free diet. To determine the accuracy of this approach, we analyzed data from 10 double-blind, placebo-controlled, gluten-challenge trials, comprising 1312 adults. The studies varied in the duration of the challenge (range, 1 d to 6 wk), daily doses for the gluten challenge (range, 2-52 g; 3 studies administered <8 g/d), and composition of the placebo (gluten-free products, xylose, whey protein, rice, or corn starch containing fermentable carbohydrates). Most of the studies found gluten challenge to significantly increase symptom scores compared with placebo. However, only 38 of 231 NCGS patients (16%) showed gluten-specific symptoms. Furthermore, 40% of these subjects had a nocebo response (similar or increased symptoms in response to placebo). These findings reveal heterogeneity and potential methodology flaws among studies of gluten challenge, cast doubt on gluten as the culprit food component in most patients with presumptive NCGS, and highlight the importance of the nocebo effect in these types of studies. Copyright © 2017 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

When doubting begins: exploring inductive reasoning in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Pélissier, Marie-Claude; O'Connor, Kieron P; Dupuis, Gilles

2009-03-01

The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that inductive reasoning plays a role in obsessional doubting by comparing an OCD sample with a non-OCD control group in performance of an inductive reasoning task. The 'Reasoning with Inductive Arguments Task' (RIAT) measures inductive performance using arguments drawn from both given vs. self-generated sources and containing neutral vs. OCD-related content. Both an OCD group recruited from clinical referrals and a control group recruited from the general population were compared on performance of the RIAT. People with OCD tended to doubt an initial conclusion much more than controls in the light of subsequent alternative conclusions given by the experimenter. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the self-generated condition. The OCD group doubted more regardless of whether the items were OCD-relevant or neutral. The control group also doubted the initial conclusions but not to the same extent as the OCD group in the 'given' condition and their degree of doubting did not differ between self-generated or given items. People with OCD may create doubt because they are giving too much credit to mental models given from external sources.

Vibration-reducing gloves: transmissibility at the palm of the hand in three orthogonal directions

PubMed Central

McDowell, Thomas W.; Dong, Ren G.; Welcome, Daniel E.; Xu, Xueyan S.; Warren, Christopher

2015-01-01

Vibration-reducing (VR) gloves are commonly used as a means to help control exposures to hand-transmitted vibrations generated by powered hand tools. The objective of this study was to characterise the vibration transmissibility spectra and frequency-weighted vibration transmissibility of VR gloves at the palm of the hand in three orthogonal directions. Seven adult males participated in the evaluation of seven glove models using a three-dimensional hand–arm vibration test system. Three levels of hand coupling force were applied in the experiment. This study found that, in general, VR gloves are most effective at reducing vibrations transmitted to the palm along the forearm direction. Gloves that are found to be superior at reducing vibrations in the forearm direction may not be more effective in the other directions when compared with other VR gloves. This casts doubts on the validity of the standardised glove screening test. Practitioner Summary This study used human subjects to measure three-dimensional vibration transmissibility of vibration-reducing gloves at the palm and identified their vibration attenuation characteristics. This study found the gloves to be most effective at reducing vibrations along the forearm direction. These gloves did not effectively attenuate vibration along the handle axial direction. PMID:24160755

Students' Motivations for Data Handling Choices and Behaviors: Their Explanations of Performance

PubMed Central

Keiler, Leslie; Woolnough, Brian

2003-01-01

Cries for increased accountability through additional assessment are heard throughout the educational arena. However, as demonstrated in this study, to make a valid assessment of teaching and learning effectiveness, educators must determine not only what students do, but also why they do it, as the latter significantly affects the former. This study describes and analyzes 14- to 16-year-old students' explanations for their choices and performances during science data handling tasks. The study draws heavily on case-study methods for the purpose of seeking an in-depth understanding of classroom processes in an English comprehensive school. During semistructured scheduled and impromptu interviews, students were asked to describe, explain, and justify the work they did with data during their science classes. These student explanations fall within six categories, labeled 1) implementing correct procedures, 2) following instructions, 3) earning marks, 4) doing what is easy, 5) acting automatically, and 6) working within limits. Each category is associated with distinct outcomes for learning and assessment, with some motivations resulting in inflated performances while others mean that learning was underrepresented. These findings illuminate the complexity of student academic choices and behaviors as mediated by an array of motivations, casting doubt on the current understanding of student performance. PMID:12822035

Evaluation of the Accuracy of Conventional and Digital Impression Techniques for Implant Restorations.

PubMed

Moura, Renata Vasconcellos; Kojima, Alberto Noriyuki; Saraceni, Cintia Helena Coury; Bassolli, Lucas; Balducci, Ivan; Özcan, Mutlu; Mesquita, Alfredo Mikail Melo

2018-05-01

The increased use of CAD systems can generate doubt about the accuracy of digital impressions for angulated implants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of different impression techniques, two conventional and one digital, for implants with and without angulation. We used a polyurethane cast that simulates the human maxilla according to ASTM F1839, and 6 tapered implants were installed with external hexagonal connections to simulate tooth positions 17, 15, 12, 23, 25, and 27. Implants 17 and 23 were placed with 15° of mesial angulation and distal angulation, respectively. Mini cone abutments were installed on these implants with a metal strap 1 mm in height. Conventional and digital impression procedures were performed on the maxillary master cast, and the implants were separated into 6 groups based on the technique used and measurement type: G1 - control, G2 - digital impression, G3 - conventional impression with an open tray, G4 - conventional impression with a closed tray, G5 - conventional impression with an open tray and a digital impression, and G6 - conventional impression with a closed tray and a digital impression. A statistical analysis was performed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA to compare the groups, and a Kruskal-Wallis test was conducted to analyze the accuracy of the techniques. No significant difference in the accuracy of the techniques was observed between the groups. Therefore, no differences were found among the conventional impression and the combination of conventional and digital impressions, and the angulation of the implants did not affect the accuracy of the techniques. All of the techniques exhibited trueness and had acceptable precision. The variation of the angle of the implants did not affect the accuracy of the techniques. © 2018 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Comparison of marginal accuracy of castings fabricated by conventional casting technique and accelerated casting technique: an in vitro study.

PubMed

Reddy, S Srikanth; Revathi, Kakkirala; Reddy, S Kranthikumar

2013-01-01

Conventional casting technique is time consuming when compared to accelerated casting technique. In this study, marginal accuracy of castings fabricated using accelerated and conventional casting technique was compared. 20 wax patterns were fabricated and the marginal discrepancy between the die and patterns were measured using Optical stereomicroscope. Ten wax patterns were used for Conventional casting and the rest for Accelerated casting. A Nickel-Chromium alloy was used for the casting. The castings were measured for marginal discrepancies and compared. Castings fabricated using Conventional casting technique showed less vertical marginal discrepancy than the castings fabricated by Accelerated casting technique. The values were statistically highly significant. Conventional casting technique produced better marginal accuracy when compared to Accelerated casting. The vertical marginal discrepancy produced by the Accelerated casting technique was well within the maximum clinical tolerance limits. Accelerated casting technique can be used to save lab time to fabricate clinical crowns with acceptable vertical marginal discrepancy.

Psychophysical studies of the performance of an image database retrieval system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papathomas, Thomas V.; Conway, Tiffany E.; Cox, Ingemar J.; Ghosn, Joumana; Miller, Matt L.; Minka, Thomas P.; Yianilos, Peter N.

1998-07-01

We describe psychophysical experiments conducted to study PicHunter, a content-based image retrieval (CBIR) system. Experiment 1 studies the importance of using (a) semantic information, (2) memory of earlier input and (3) relative, rather than absolute, judgements of image similarity. The target testing paradigm is used in which a user must search for an image identical to a target. We find that the best performance comes from a version of PicHunter that uses only semantic cues, with memory and relative similarity judgements. Second best is use of both pictorial and semantic cues, with memory and relative similarity judgements. Most reports of CBIR systems provide only qualitative measures of performance based on how similar retrieved images are to a target. Experiment 2 puts PicHunter into this context with a more rigorous test. We first establish a baseline for our database by measuring the time required to find an image that is similar to a target when the images are presented in random order. Although PicHunter's performance is measurably better than this, the test is weak because even random presentation of images yields reasonably short search times. This casts doubt on the strength of results given in other reports where no baseline is established.

The study of the effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiations on birth weight of newborns to exposed mothers.

PubMed

Mortazavi, S M J; Shirazi, K R; Mortazavi, G

2013-01-01

Life evolved in an environment filled with a wide variety of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. It was previously reported that medical exposures to pregnant women increases the risk of low birth weight. This study intends to investigate the relationship between exposure to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and the risk of low birth weight. One thousand two hundred mothers with their first-term labor (vaginal or cesarean) whose newborns' history had been registered in neonates' screening program in Shiraz were interviewed and surveyed. Data collection was performed by the assessment of mother's history of radiography before and during pregnancy, physical examination of the mother for height and weight and weighing and examining the newborn for any diagnosis of disease and anomalies. There were no statistical significant differences between the mean weight of newborns whose mothers had been exposed to some common sources of ionizing and non-ionizing radiations such as dental or non dental radiographies, mobile phone, cordless phone and cathode ray tube (CRT) and those of non-exposed mothers. The findings of this study cast doubt on previous reports, which indicated that exposure to ionizing radiation during pregnancy increased the risk of low birth weight.

The Changing Impact of Family Size on Adolescents’ Schooling: Assessing the Exogenous Variation in Fertility Using Twins in Brazil

PubMed Central

de Souza, Laetícia R.

2015-01-01

Researchers have long been interested in the influence of family size on children’s educational outcomes. Simply put, theories have suggested that resources are diluted within families that have more children. Although the empirical literature on developed countries has generally confirmed the theoretical prediction that family size is negatively related to children’s education, studies focusing on developing societies have reported heterogeneity in this association. Recent studies addressing the endogeneity between family size and children’s education have also cast doubt on the homogeneity of the negative role of family size on children’s education. The goal of this study is to examine the causal effect of family size on children’s education in Brazil over a 30-year period marked by important social and demographic change, and across extremely different regions within the country. We implement a twin birth instrumental variable approach to the nationally representative 1977–2009 PNAD data. Our results suggest an effect of family size on education that is not uniform throughout a period of significant social, economic, and demographic change. Rather, the causal effect of family size on adolescents’ schooling resembles a gradient that ranges from positive to no effect, trending to negative. PMID:22810834

Effects of meal frequency on weight loss and body composition: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Schoenfeld, Brad Jon; Aragon, Alan Albert; Krieger, James W

2015-02-01

It has been hypothesized that eating small, frequent meals enhances fat loss and helps to achieve better weight maintenance. Several observational studies lend support to this hypothesis, with an inverse relationship noted between the frequency of eating and adiposity. The purpose of this narrative review is to present and discuss a meta-analysis with regression that evaluated experimental research on meal frequency with respect to changes in fat mass and lean mass. A total of 15 studies were identified that investigated meal frequency in accordance with the criteria outlined. Feeding frequency was positively associated with reductions in fat mass and body fat percentage as well as an increase in fat-free mass. However, sensitivity analysis of the data showed that the positive findings were the product of a single study, casting doubt as to whether more frequent meals confer beneficial effects on body composition. In conclusion, although the initial results of this meta-analysis suggest a potential benefit of increased feeding frequencies for enhancing body composition, these findings need to be interpreted with circumspection. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The study of the effects of ionizing and non-ionizing radiations on birth weight of newborns to exposed mothers

PubMed Central

Mortazavi, S. M. J.; Shirazi, K. R.; Mortazavi, G.

2013-01-01

Objectives: Life evolved in an environment filled with a wide variety of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. It was previously reported that medical exposures to pregnant women increases the risk of low birth weight. This study intends to investigate the relationship between exposure to ionizing and non-ionizing radiation and the risk of low birth weight. Materials and Methods: One thousand two hundred mothers with their first-term labor (vaginal or cesarean) whose newborns’ history had been registered in neonates’ screening program in Shiraz were interviewed and surveyed. Data collection was performed by the assessment of mother's history of radiography before and during pregnancy, physical examination of the mother for height and weight and weighing and examining the newborn for any diagnosis of disease and anomalies. Results: There were no statistical significant differences between the mean weight of newborns whose mothers had been exposed to some common sources of ionizing and non-ionizing radiations such as dental or non dental radiographies, mobile phone, cordless phone and cathode ray tube (CRT) and those of non-exposed mothers. Conclusions: The findings of this study cast doubt on previous reports, which indicated that exposure to ionizing radiation during pregnancy increased the risk of low birth weight. PMID:23633865

Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Delayed Hyperphosphatemia in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients During Induction Chemotherapy.

PubMed

Lee, Anthony W; Romanowski, Gale L; Proudfoot, James A; Kuo, Dennis J

2017-01-01

Vitamin D plays a role in maintaining bone health and calcium metabolism, but recent studies cast doubt on vitamin D supplementation's benefits in survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Vitamin D supplementation could increase serum phosphate through increased intestinal absorption of phosphate and suppression of parathyroid hormone, which would lead to decreased renal phosphate excretion. Because of the potential for renal injury during induction chemotherapy for ALL, Vitamin D supplementation's potential for increasing hyperphosphatemia could outweigh its suggested but unproven benefits. To measure the interaction between vitamin D supplementation and phosphate during chemotherapy induction, a retrospective study was done. Demographic data; clinical information about the diagnosis; laboratory data regarding calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D concentrations; and medication histories were reviewed. A retrospective study of 41 children with ALL showed no statistically significant difference in the final phosphate concentrations that were obtained (4.41 mg/dL vs. 4.53 mg/dL, p = 0.635) with regard to their vitamin D supplementation status. Longitudinal effects with vitamin D and phosphate showed a trend toward increasing phosphate concentrations in patients who received supplemental vitamin D (0.035 vs. 0.010 mg/dL per day; p = 0.102). Vitamin D potentially poses a risk of hyperphosphatemia in children undergoing induction chemotherapy for ALL.

The ecological impact of invasive cane toads on tropical snakes: field data do not support laboratory-based predictions.

PubMed

Brown, Gregory P; Phillips, Benjamin L; Shine, Richard

2011-02-01

Predicting which species will be affected by an invasive taxon is critical to developing conservation priorities, but this is a difficult task. A previous study on the impact of invasive cane toads (Bufo marinus) on Australian snakes attempted to predict vulnerability a priori based on the assumptions that any snake species that eats frogs, and is vulnerable to toad toxins, may be at risk from the toad invasion. We used time-series analyses to evaluate the accuracy of that prediction, based on >3600 standardized nocturnal surveys over a 138-month period on 12 species of snakes and lizards on a floodplain in the Australian wet-dry tropics, bracketing the arrival of cane toads at this site. Contrary to prediction, encounter rates with most species were unaffected by toad arrival, and some taxa predicted to be vulnerable to toads increased rather than declined (e.g., death adder Acanthophis praelongus; Children's python Antaresia childreni). Indirect positive effects of toad invasion (perhaps mediated by toad-induced mortality of predatory varanid lizards) and stochastic weather events outweighed effects of toad invasion for most snake species. Our study casts doubt on the ability of a priori desktop studies, or short-term field surveys, to predict or document the ecological impact of invasive species.

Navigating the complexities of qualitative comparative analysis: case numbers, necessity relations, and model ambiguities.

PubMed

Thiem, Alrik

2014-12-01

In recent years, the method of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) has been enjoying increasing levels of popularity in evaluation and directly neighboring fields. Its holistic approach to causal data analysis resonates with researchers whose theories posit complex conjunctions of conditions and events. However, due to QCA's relative immaturity, some of its technicalities and objectives have not yet been well understood. In this article, I seek to raise awareness of six pitfalls of employing QCA with regard to the following three central aspects: case numbers, necessity relations, and model ambiguities. Most importantly, I argue that case numbers are irrelevant to the methodological choice of QCA or any of its variants, that necessity is not as simple a concept as it has been suggested by many methodologists, and that doubt must be cast on the determinacy of virtually all results presented in past QCA research. By means of empirical examples from published articles, I explain the background of these pitfalls and introduce appropriate procedures, partly with reference to current software, that help avoid them. QCA carries great potential for scholars in evaluation and directly neighboring areas interested in the analysis of complex dependencies in configurational data. If users beware of the pitfalls introduced in this article, and if they avoid mechanistic adherence to doubtful "standards of good practice" at this stage of development, then research with QCA will gain in quality, as a result of which a more solid foundation for cumulative knowledge generation and well-informed policy decisions will also be created. © The Author(s) 2014.

Heat treatment of investment cast PH 13-8 Mo stainless steel: Part II. Isothermal aging kinetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robino, C. V.; Cieslak, M. J.; Hochanadel, P. W.; Edwards, G. R.

1994-04-01

The hardening response of investment cast PH 13-8 Mo stainless steel has been evaluated by hardness measurements following aging in the temperature range normally specified for this alloy (510 °C to 593 °C). A new relationship between fraction transformed and hardness was developed, and analysis of the data in terms of the kinetics of precipitation, in a manner similar to that frequently applied to other precipitation-hardenable martensitic steels, yielded low time exponents and a low value for the apparent activation energy. The values of the time exponents were 0.49, 0.37, 0.56, and 0.53 at 510 °C, 538 °C, 566 °C, and 593 °C, respectively, and that for the apparent activation energy was 139 kJ/mole. As has been proposed for other maraging type steels, these estimates suggest that Β-NiAl precipitates along or near dislocations and that growth of the precipitates is dominated by dislocation pipe diffusion. However, these predictions were neither supported nor refuted by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) because of difficulties in imaging the Β-NiAl precipitates at the aging times and temperatures used. Further, analysis of the data using the formalism of Wert and Zener for the growth of precipitates with interfering diffusion fields indicated that the estimates of fraction transformed from hardness data are not fully appropriate for maraging type steels. Consideration of the nature of the Avrami analysis and the electron microscopy results suggests that other phenomena, including dislocation recovery and reversion of martensite to austenite, occur at rates sufficient to convolute the Avrami analysis. It is further suggested that these results cast doubt on the fundamental implications of previous analyses of precipitation kinetics in age-hardening martensitic steels. Although the Avrami analysis was found not to provide a tenable description of the precipitation kinetics, it does provide a reasonable methodology for portrayal of the hardening response of PH 13-8 Mo stainless steel.

Religion and reality: the three doubts of Hillel.

PubMed

Nicholis, W; Kent, I

1975-01-01

The authors present an existential approach to the understanding of reality through an analysis of doubt. Doubt is understood as a healthy questioning of what others take for real, a search for that which will stand up to all criticism. Doubt begins in childhood, when one questions the authenticity of his parent's relationship to him. This doubt evokes anger, which normally leads to rebellion against or identification with the parents. Neither choice leads to personal authenticity or reality. Only the discovery of the true Self can heal this pain. There is a third choice possible, however, which takes account of another aspect of doubt, the one who doubts. When I doubt, I know that I don't know. Doubt then leads to the existential question, Who am I? This doubt is really faith, leading to Self-discovery. On the basis of this analysis, we re-open the old question of religion and reality. In predominantly religious cultures, the existential question, Who am I? has given rise to practical philosophies such as Yoga and Zen, together with their Western counterparts, the mysticisms associated with Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The same analysis of existential doubt as a path to the Self is to be found in Hillel's three questions.

Incidence and etiology of unplanned cast changes for fractures in the pediatric population.

PubMed

DiPaola, Matthew J; Abzug, Joshua M; Pizzutillo, Peter D; Herman, Martin J

2014-09-01

The majority of pediatric fractures are treated in casts due to the child's ability to heal rapidly and remodel. Unplanned cast changes are a time and economic burden with potentially adverse effects on fracture management. The purpose of this study is to document the incidence, etiology, and complications related to unplanned cast changes. A prospective study was conducted over a 6-month period to determine the incidence of unplanned cast changes. All casts applied were nonwaterproof. Data collected include the reason for cast placement, type of cast placed, duration of wear before the unplanned change, reason for the unplanned change, experience level of the original cast applicator, and cast-related complications. A total of 1135 casts were placed with 58% placed by a resident, 38% by a cast technician, 2% by a physician's assistant, and 2% by an attending physician. Sixty casts (5.3%) required an unplanned change including 19 short-arm casts, 18 short-leg casts, 17 long-arm casts, 4 thumb spica casts, and 2 long-leg casts. The average duration from cast application until the unplanned change was 13 days. Twenty-eight (47%) were changed for wetness, 20 (33%) for wear/breakage, 2 (3%) for skin irritation, and 10 (17%) for other reasons including objects in the cast and patient self-removal. Two patients had superficial skin infections requiring oral antibiotics. No fracture reductions were lost secondary to an unplanned cast change. The need for an unplanned cast change did not correlate with the level of experience of the applicator. Most unplanned cast changes were the result of patient nonadherence to instructions and not related to cast application technique. Improved patient and family education regarding cast care may reduce the frequency of unplanned cast changes, thus reducing an economic and time burden on the health care system. Level II--prognostic study.

The quality of life of hematological malignancy patients with major depressive disorder or subsyndromal depression.

PubMed

Rezaei, Omid; Sharifian, Ramezan-Ali; Soleimani, Mehdi; Jahanian, Amirabbas

2012-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to compare the quality of life of hematological malignancy patients with major depressive disorder or subsyndromal depression. Sample consisted of 93 hematological malignancy patients recruited from oncology ward of Valieasr hospital for Imam Khomeini complex hospital at Tehran through purposeful sampling. Participants were divided into three groups through diagnostic interview based on DSM-IV-TR criteria and the Beck Depression Inventory-2 (BDI-II): Major depressive disorder (MDD) (n = 41; 44.1%); subsyndromal depression (SSD) (n = 23; 24.7%), and without depression (WD) (n = 29; 31.2%). Participants completed the short-form health survey (SF-36) as a measure of the quality of life. We carried out an analysis of covariance to examine the collected data. Findings showed that there was not a significant difference between patients with MDD and SSD based on measure of quality of life. But patients with MDD and SSD showed significantly worse quality of life than patients with WD. This finding highlights the clinical importance of subsyndromal depressive symptoms and casts doubt on the clinical utility of separation between MDD and subsyndromal depression in terms of important clinical outcomes.

Identification and discrimination of Spanish front vowels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castellanos, Isabel; Lopez-Bascuas, Luis E.

2004-05-01

The idea that vowels are perceived less categorically than consonants is widely accepted. Ades [Psychol. Rev. 84, 524-530 (1977)] tried to explain this fact on the basis of the Durlach and Braida [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 46, 372-383 (1969)] theory of intensity resolution. Since vowels seem to cover a broader perceptual range, context-coding noise for vowels should be greater than for consonants leading to a less categorical performance on the vocalic segments. However, relatively recent work by Macmillan et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 84, 1262-1280 (1988)] has cast doubt on the assumption of different perceptual ranges for vowels and consonants even though context variance is acknowledged to be greater for the former. A possibility is that context variance increases as number of long-term phonemic categories also increases. To test this hypothesis we focused on Spanish as the target language. Spanish has less vowel categories than English and the implication is that Spanish vowels will be more categorically perceived. Identification and discrimination experiments were conducted on a synthetic /i/-/e/ continuum and the obtained functions were studied to assess whether Spanish vowels are more categorically perceived than English vowels. The results are discussed in the context of different theories of speech perception.

Variation of bar-press duration: where do new responses come from?

PubMed

Roberts, Seth; Gharib, Afshin

2006-06-01

Instrumental learning involves both variation and selection: variation of what the animal does, and selection by reward from among the variation. Four experiments with rats suggested a rule about how variation is controlled by recent events. Experiment 1 used the peak procedure. Measurements of bar-press durations showed a sharp increase in mean duration after the time that food was sometimes given. The increase was triggered by the omission of expected food. Our first explanation of the increase was that it was a frustration effect. Experiment 2 tested this explanation with a procedure in which the first response of a trial usually produced food, ending the trial. In Experiment 2, unlike Experiment 1, omission of expected food did not produce a large increase in bar-press duration, which cast doubt on the frustration explanation. Experiments 3 and 4 tested an alternative explanation: a decrease in expectation of reward increases variation. Both used two signals associated with different probabilities of reward. Bar presses were more variable in duration during the signal with the lower probability of reward, supporting this alternative. These experiments show how variation can be studied with ordinary equipment and responses.

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

Loomis, D.P.; Shy, C.M.; Allen, J.W.

The exfoliated-cell micronucleus (MN) assay was used to assess cytogenetic effects of exposure to radon progeny and cigarette smoke among 99 Colorado plateau uranium workers. Subjects were selected at random from employees in underground and open-pit uranium mines, ore mills, laboratories, and offices participating in a sputum screening program from 1964-88. The prevalence of cells with MN was determined by scoring one sputum specimen for each worker. Data obtained by interview were used to classify exposure to radon progeny and smoking at the time sputum specimens were taken. Underground miners were considered exposed to radon progeny, and others were consideredmore » unexposed. Neither radon progeny exposure nor cigarette smoking had any appreciable effect on the prevalence of cells with MN; crude prevalence ratios were 1.0 (95% CI 0.7-1.4) and 0.9 (95% CE 0.6-1.3), respectively. The effects of radon and smoking were not confounded by each other or by age, and there was no evidence of synergy between exposures. The findings appear to cast doubt on the epidemiological utility of a sputum-based MN assay for studies of other populations exposed to occupational or environmental lung carcinogens.« less

On the Role of Ionospheric Ions in Sawtooth Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lund, E. J.; Nowrouzi, N.; Kistler, L. M.; Cai, X.; Frey, H. U.

2018-01-01

Simulations have suggested that feedback of heavy ions originating in the ionosphere is an important mechanism for driving sawtooth injections. However, this feedback may only be necessary for events driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), whereas in events driven by streaming interaction regions (SIRs), solar wind variability may suffice to drive these injections. Here we present case studies of two sawtooth events for which in situ data are available in both the magnetotail (Cluster) and the nightside auroral region (FAST), as well as global auroral images (IMAGE). One event, on 1 October 2001, was driven by a CME; the other, on 24 October 2002, was driven by an SIR. The available data do not support the hypothesis that heavy ion feedback is necessary to drive either event. This result is consistent with simulations of the SIR-driven event but disagrees with simulation results for a different CME-driven event. We also find that in an overwhelming majority of the sawtooth injections for which Cluster tail data are available, the O+ observed in the tail comes from the cusp rather than the nightside auroral region, which further casts doubt on the hypothesis that ionospheric heavy ion feedback is the cause of sawtooth injections.

Can climate models be tuned to simulate the global mean absolute temperature correctly?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, Q.; Shi, Y.; Gong, W.

2016-12-01

The Inter-government Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has already issued five assessment reports (ARs), which include the simulation of the past climate and the projection of the future climate under various scenarios. The participating models can simulate reasonably well the trend in global mean temperature change, especially of the last 150 years. However, there is a large, constant discrepancy in terms of global mean absolute temperature simulations over this period. This discrepancy remained in the same range between IPCC-AR4 and IPCC-AR5, which amounts to about 3oC between the coldest model and the warmest model. This discrepancy has great implications to the land processes, particularly the processes related to the cryosphere, and casts doubts over if land-atmosphere-ocean interactions are correctly considered in those models. This presentation aims to explore if this discrepancy can be reduced through model tuning. We present an automatic model calibration strategy to tune the parameters of a climate model so the simulated global mean absolute temperature would match the observed data over the last 150 years. An intermediate complexity model known as LOVECLIM is used in the study. This presentation will show the preliminary results.

Antibiotic treatment of bacterial vaginosis in pregnancy: multiple meta-analyses and dilemmas in interpretation.

PubMed

Varma, Rajesh; Gupta, Janesh K

2006-01-01

There is considerable evidence to show an association between genital tract infections, such as bacterial vaginosis (BV), and preterm delivery (PTD). Meta-analyses to date have shown screening and treating BV in pregnancy does not prevent PTD. This casts doubt on a cause and effect relationship between BV and PTD. However, the meta-analyses reported significant clinical, methodological and statistical heterogeneity of the included studies. We therefore undertook a repeat meta-analysis, included recently published trials, and applied strict criteria on data extraction. We meta-analysed low and high-risk pregnancies separately. We found that screening and treating BV in low-risk pregnancies produced a statistically significant reduction in spontaneous PTD (RR 0.73; 95% CI 0.55-0.98). This beneficial effect was not observed in high-risk or combined risk groups. The differences in antibiotic sensitivity between high and low risk groups may suggest differing causal contributions of the infectious process to PTD. The evidence, along with prior knowledge of differing predisposing factors and prognosis between these risk groups, supports the hypothesis that PTD in high and low risk pregnant women are different entities and not linear extremes of the same syndrome.

Teaching Astronomy and Astrophysics online at the Valencian International University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuster-Garcia, E.; Diago, P. D.; Martínez, V. J.

2011-11-01

In the last decade, the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has imply a significant change in the traditional distance learning and specifically in e-learning. The new tools developed are consolidating the online learning modality at the university level all over the world and in all disciplines.In this study, we present the case of the Master of Astronomy and Astrophysics which is running from 2010 in the Valencian International University (http://www.viu.es). Unlike other more consolidated distance universities in Spain, the teaching method which has opted in this case includes an element of presence via webcam. This method could be considered as a kind of blended learning, combining the advantages of traditional e-learning with the humanity of personal and direct contact with the students.The results of participation in the master beyond the initial expectations with 37 students enrolled, of which approximately 80% were Spanish and the other 20% were mostly from Latin American countries. The feedback provided by students in the first months of teaching appreciates favorably the presence component, while casting doubt on the usefulness of certain tools traditionally used in the field of e-learning.

Compositions and their application to the analysis of choice.

PubMed

Jensen, Greg

2014-07-01

Descriptions of steady-state patterns of choice allocation under concurrent schedules of reinforcement have long relied on the "generalized matching law" (Baum, 1974), a log-odds power function. Although a powerful model in some contexts, a series of conflicting empirical results have cast its generality in doubt. The relevance and analytic relevance of matching models can be greatly expanded by considering them in terms of compositions (Aitchison, 1986). A composition encodes a set of ratios (e.g., 5:3:2) as a vector with a constant sum, and this constraint (called closure) restricts the data to a nonstandard sample space. By exploiting this sample space, unbiased estimates of model parameters can be obtained to predict behavior given any number of choice alternatives. Additionally, the compositional analysis of choice provides tools that can accommodate both violations of scale invariance and unequal discriminability of stimuli signaling schedules of reinforcement. In order to demonstrate how choice data can be analyzed using the compositional approach, data from three previously published studies are reanalyzed. Additionally, new data is reported comparing matching behavior given four, six, and eight response alternatives. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

STUDIES ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF FEVER

PubMed Central

Petersdorf, Robert G.; Bennett, Ivan L.

1957-01-01

Intravenous administration of bacterial endotoxins in dogs is followed within 2 hours by the appearance of a fever-producing substance in the blood. This endogenous pyrogen differs from the endotoxins originally administered by its ability to produce fever in tolerant recipients and failure to promote tolerance after repeated daily injections. Endogenous serum pyrogen is destroyed by heating at 90°C. for 30 minutes, and is also inactivated to some degree by incubation at 37°C. for 24 hours. Suppression of fever by aminopyrine does not affect appearance of the endogenous factor. Animals made febrile with dinitrophenol, kaolin, or lysergic acid do not elaborate a fever-promoting substance in the blood. Sterile abscesses, accompanied by elevations in body temperature of the host, are unassociated with detectable amounts of secondary pyrogen in the serum. The absence of endogenous pyrogen in the blood of febrile dogs made leukopenic with nitrogen mustard favors the idea that polymorphonuclear leukocytes injured by endotoxins release the endogenous factor. On the other hand, the finding that the granulocytopenic animals are febrile when no circulating endogenous pyrogen is present, casts doubt upon the essential role of this substance in endotoxin fever. PMID:13449238

Evolution and extinction in the marine realm: some constraints imposed by phytoplankton

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knoll, A. H.

1989-01-01

The organic and mineralized remains of planktonic algae provide a rich record of microplankton evolution extending over nearly half of the preserved geological record. In general, Phanerozoic patterns of phytoplankton radiation and extinction parallel those documented for skeletonized marine invertebrates, both augmenting and constraining thought about evolution in the oceans. Rapidly increasing knowledge of Proterozoic plankton is making possible the recognition of additional episodes of diversification and extinction that antedate the Ediacaran radiation of macroscopic animals. In contrast to earlier phytoplankton history, the late Mesozoic and Cainozoic record is documented in sufficient detail to constrain theories of mass extinction in more than a general way. Broad patterns of diversity change in planktonic algae show similarities across the Cretaceous-Tertiary and Eocene-Oligocene boundaries, but detailed comparisons of origination and extinction rates in calcareous nannoplankton, as well as other algae and skeletonized protozoans, suggest that the two episodes were quite distinct. Common causation appears unlikely, casting doubt on monolithic theories of mass extinction, whether periodic or not. Studies of mass extinction highlight a broader class of insights that paleontologists can contribute to evolutionary biology: the evaluation of evolutionary change in the context of evolving Earth-surface environments.

A comparison of positive and negative alcohol expectancy and value and their multiplicative composite as predictors of post-treatment abstinence survivorship.

PubMed

Jones, B T; McMahon, J

1996-01-01

Within social learning theory, positive alcohol expectancies represent motivation to drink and negative expectancies, motivation to restrain. It is also recognized that a subjective evaluation of expectancies ought to moderate their impact, although the evidence for this in social drinkers is problematic. This paper addresses the speculation that the moderating effect will be more evident in clinical populations. This study shows that (i) both expectancy and value reliably, independently and equally predict clients' abstinence survivorship following discharge from a treatment programme (and that this is almost entirely confined to the negative rather than positive terms). When (ii) expectancy evaluations are processed against expectancy through multiplicative composites (i.e. expectancy x value), their predictive power is only equivalent to either expectancy or value on its own. However (iii) when the multiplicative composite is assessed following the statistical guidelines advocated by Evans (1991) (i.e. within the same model as its constituents, expectancy and value) the increase in outcome variance explained by its inclusion is negligible and casts doubt upon its use in alcohol research. This does not appear to apply to value, however, and its possible role in treatment is discussed.

Strategic response by providers to specialty hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and retail clinics.

PubMed

Burns, Lawton R; David, Guy; Helmchen, Lorens A

2011-04-01

Radical innovation and disruptive technologies are frequently heralded as a solution to delivering higher quality, lower cost health care. According to the literature on disruption, local hospitals and physicians (incumbent providers) may be unable to competitively respond to such "creative destruction" and alter their business models for a host of reasons, thus threatening their future survival. However, strategic management theory and research suggest that, under certain conditions, incumbent providers may be able to weather the discontinuities posed by the disrupters. This article analyzes 3 disruptive innovations in service delivery: single-specialty hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and retail clinics. We first discuss the features of these innovations to assess how disruptive they are. We then draw on the literature on strategic adaptation to suggest how incumbents develop competitive responses to these disruptive innovations that assure their continued survival. These arguments are then evaluated in a field study of several urban markets based on interviews with both incumbents and entrants. The interviews indicate that entrants have failed to disrupt incumbent providers primarily as a result of strategies pursued by the incumbents. The findings cast doubt on the prospects for these disruptive innovations to transform health care.

Nuclear organization in human sperm: preliminary evidence for altered sex chromosome centromere position in infertile males.

PubMed

Finch, K A; Fonseka, K G L; Abogrein, A; Ioannou, D; Handyside, A H; Thornhill, A R; Hickson, N; Griffin, D K

2008-06-01

Many genetic defects with a chromosomal basis affect male reproduction via a range of different mechanisms. Chromosome position is a well-known marker of nuclear organization, and alterations in standard patterns can lead to disease phenotypes such as cancer, laminopathies and epilepsy. It has been demonstrated that normal mammalian sperm adopt a pattern with the centromeres aligning towards the nuclear centre. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that altered chromosome position in the sperm head is associated with male infertility. The average nuclear positions of fluorescence in-situ hybridization signals for three centromeric probes (for chromosomes X, Y and 18) were compared in normoozoospermic men and in men with compromised semen parameters. In controls, the centromeres of chromosomes X, Y and 18 all occupied a central nuclear location. In infertile men the sex chromosomes appeared more likely to be distributed in a pattern not distinguishable from a random model. Our findings cast doubt on the reliability of centromeric probes for aneuploidy screening. The analysis of chromosome position in sperm heads should be further investigated for the screening of infertile men.

Arachidonic acid metabolites in normal and autoimmune mice do not influence lymphocyte-high endothelial venule interactions.

PubMed

Manolios, N; Bakiera, B; Geczy, C L; Schrieber, L

1991-02-01

In peripheral lymphoid organs the number of lymphocytes and the proportion of functional lymphocyte subsets are regulated by multiple factors including the control of lymphocyte migration by selective lymphocyte-high endothelial venule (HEV) interactions. In this study, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels from normal and autoimmune mouse lymph node cells were measured. The contribution of eicosanoids to lymphocyte-HEV interactions in normal (CBA/T6) and autoimmune (MRL/n) mice was examined. There was no association between PGE2 production in normal or autoimmune mice and the age of onset of disease activity in the latter strains. Arachidonic acid metabolites, in particular PGE2 and leukotriene B4 (LTB4), did not have any effects on lymphocyte-HEV binding. Likewise, lymphocytes treated in vivo and/or in vitro with arachidonic acid metabolite inhibitors (acetyl salicylic acid, indomethacin, BW755C) did not alter lymphocyte-HEV binding interactions in both normal and autoimmune mice. No clinical significance could be attributed to lymph node PGE2 production and the age of onset of autoimmune disease. In summary, these findings cast doubt on the role of arachidonic acid metabolites in lymphocyte-HEV binding interactions.

Attentional bias in older adults: effects of generalized anxiety disorder and cognitive behavior therapy.

PubMed

Mohlman, Jan; Price, Rebecca B; Vietri, Jeff

2013-08-01

Attentional biases are known to play a contributing, and perhaps even causal role in the etiology of anxiety and other negative affective states. The prevalence of anxiety disorders in the older cohort is growing, and there are both theoretical and empirical reasons to suspect that age-related factors could moderate attentional bias effects in the context of late-life anxiety. The current study included one of the most widely-used measures of attentional bias, the dot-probe task (Mathews & MacLeod, 1985). Participants were older adults who were either nonanxious or diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder. The patient subsample also completed cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) or an equivalent wait list condition, after which the dot probe was administered a second time. Results showed that clinical anxiety had no particular importance for the deployment of attention, casting doubt on the universality of biased attention in older anxiety patients. Although there were no maladaptive biases detected toward either threat or depression words at pretreatment, there was nevertheless a marginally significant differential reduction in bias toward threat words following CBT. This reduction did not occur among those in the wait list condition. Implications are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of muscarinic antagonists on ZENK expression in the chicken retina.

PubMed

Bitzer, Michaela; Kovacs, Beatrix; Feldkaemper, Marita; Schaeffel, Frank

2006-03-01

Muscarinic antagonists, particularly atropine, can inhibit myopia development in several animal models and also in children. However, the biochemical basis of the inhibition of axial eye growth remains obscure, and there are doubts whether muscarinic receptors are involved at all. Experiments in chickens and monkeys have shown that the synthesis of the transcription factor ZENK, also named Egr-1, in retinal glucagon amacrine cells is strongly associated with inhibition of axial eye growth (assumed to create a STOP signal). We have tested whether the muscarinic antagonists atropine, pirenzepine, oxyphenonium, gallamine, MT-3, himbacine, and 4-DAMP can stimulate ZENK expression so that the drugs' inhibitory effect on myopia development could be explained by an enhanced STOP signal. Because it is known that intravitreal quisqualic acid (QA) eliminates most cholinergic neurons in the retina within 6 or 7 days, in a second set of experiments, we tested whether these antagonists could still stimulate ZENK production, 6 days after QA was applied. Muscarinic antagonists, injected intravitreally at various concentrations, affected ZENK synthesis in various and unpredictable ways. Pirenzepine, oxyphenonium, and MT-3 increased the proportion of glucagon cells that were ZENK-immunoreactive, whereas himbacine decreased that proportion, and gallamine and 4-DAMP had no significant effect. Atropine caused an upregulation of ZENK only if all positive amacrine and bipolar cells were counted and therefore appeared to affect primarily cells other than glucagon amacrines. The pattern of results remained unchanged after ablation of most cholinergic neurons by QA. Our results suggest that at least some muscarinic antagonists do not activate cells that synthesize ZENK when they inhibit axial eye growth. Therefore, in line with other studies they also cast doubt on the assumption that muscarinic transmission is crucial, and they suggest that muscarinic antagonists may inhibit myopia through extraretinal target sites or through non-cholinergic retinal actions.

Dimensional control of die castings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karve, Aniruddha Ajit

The demand for net shape die castings, which require little or no machining, is steadily increasing. Stringent customer requirements are forcing die casters to deliver high quality castings in increasingly short lead times. Dimensional conformance to customer specifications is an inherent part of die casting quality. The dimensional attributes of a die casting are essentially dependent upon many factors--the quality of the die and the degree of control over the process variables being the two major sources of dimensional error in die castings. This study focused on investigating the nature and the causes of dimensional error in die castings. The two major components of dimensional error i.e., dimensional variability and die allowance were studied. The major effort of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively study the effects of casting geometry and process variables on die casting dimensional variability and die allowance. This was accomplished by detailed dimensional data collection at production die casting sites. Robust feature characterization schemes were developed to describe complex casting geometry in quantitative terms. Empirical modeling was utilized to quantify the effects of the casting variables on dimensional variability and die allowance for die casting features. A number of casting geometry and process variables were found to affect dimensional variability in die castings. The dimensional variability was evaluated by comparisons with current published dimensional tolerance standards. The casting geometry was found to play a significant role in influencing the die allowance of the features measured. The predictive models developed for dimensional variability and die allowance were evaluated to test their effectiveness. Finally, the relative impact of all the components of dimensional error in die castings was put into perspective, and general guidelines for effective dimensional control in the die casting plant were laid out. The results of this study will contribute to enhancement of dimensional quality and lead time compression in the die casting industry, thus making it competitive with other net shape manufacturing processes.

Animal models for microbicide safety and efficacy testing.

PubMed

Veazey, Ronald S

2013-07-01

Early studies have cast doubt on the utility of animal models for predicting success or failure of HIV-prevention strategies, but results of multiple human phase 3 microbicide trials, and interrogations into the discrepancies between human and animal model trials, indicate that animal models were, and are, predictive of safety and efficacy of microbicide candidates. Recent studies have shown that topically applied vaginal gels, and oral prophylaxis using single or combination antiretrovirals are indeed effective in preventing sexual HIV transmission in humans, and all of these successes were predicted in animal models. Further, prior discrepancies between animal and human results are finally being deciphered as inadequacies in study design in the model, or quite often, noncompliance in human trials, the latter being increasingly recognized as a major problem in human microbicide trials. Successful microbicide studies in humans have validated results in animal models, and several ongoing studies are further investigating questions of tissue distribution, duration of efficacy, and continued safety with repeated application of these, and other promising microbicide candidates in both murine and nonhuman primate models. Now that we finally have positive correlations with prevention strategies and protection from HIV transmission, we can retrospectively validate animal models for their ability to predict these results, and more importantly, prospectively use these models to select and advance even safer, more effective, and importantly, more durable microbicide candidates into human trials.

Anti-Insulin Immune Responses Are Detectable in Dogs with Spontaneous Diabetes

PubMed Central

Kim, Jong-Hyuk; Furrow, Eva; Ritt, Michelle G.; Utz, Paul J.; Robinson, William H.; Yu, Liping; Eckert, Andrea; Stuebner, Kathleen; O’Brien, Timothy D.; Steinman, Lawrence; Modiano, Jaime F.

2016-01-01

Diabetes mellitus occurs spontaneously in dogs. Although canine diabetes shares many features with human type-1 diabetes, there are differences that have cast doubt on the immunologic origin of the canine disease. In this study, we examined whether peripheral immune responses directed against islet antigens were present in dogs with diabetes. Routine diagnostics were used to confirm diabetic status, and serum samples from dogs with (N = 15) and without (N = 15) diabetes were analyzed for the presence of antibodies against islet antigens (insulin, glutamic acid decarboxylase, insulinoma-associated protein tyrosine phosphatase, and islet beta-cell zinc cation efflux transporter) using standard radioassays. Interferon-γ production from peripheral blood T cells stimulated by porcine insulin and by human insulin was tested using Elispot assays. Anti-insulin antibodies were detectable in a subset of diabetic dogs receiving insulin therapy. Pre-activated T cells and incipient insulin-reactive T cells in response to porcine or human insulin were identified in non-diabetic dogs and in dogs with diabetes. The data show that humoral and cellular anti-insulin immune responses are detectable in dogs with diabetes. This in turn provides support for the potential to ethically use dogs with diabetes to study the therapeutic potential of antigen-specific tolerance. PMID:27031512

Time of flight MR angiography assessment casts doubt on the association between transient global amnesia and intracranial jugular venous reflux.

PubMed

Kang, Yeonah; Kim, Eunhee; Kim, Jae Hyoung; Choi, Byung Se; Jung, Cheolkyu; Bae, Yun Jung; Lee, Kyung Mi; Lee, Dong Hoon

2015-03-01

Evidence of intracranial venous reflux flow due to jugular venous reflux (JVR) on time of flight (TOF) MR angiography (MRA) is thought to be highly associated with transient global amnesia (TGA)-evidence that supports the venous congestion theory of TGA pathophysiology. However, recent studies indicate that intracranial JVR on TOF MRA is occasionally observed in normal elderly. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of intracranial JVR on TOF MRA in patients with TGA and two control groups. Three age- and sex-matched groups of subjects that received MRI and MRA were enrolled. The groups comprised 167 patients with TGA, 167 visitors to the emergency room (ER) and 167 visitors to a health promotion centre (HPC). Intracranial JVR was defined as abnormal venous signals in the inferior petrosal, sigmoid and/or transverse sinuses on TOF MRA. The prevalence of intracranial JVR was assessed across the three groups. Intracranial JVR was seen in seven (4.2 %) TGA patients, eight (4.8 %) ER visitors and three (1.8 %) HPC visitors, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed among the three groups. TGA patients showed a low prevalence of intracranial JVR on TOF MRA, and no statistical differences were found in comparison with control groups.

Atherosclerotic renovascular disease – epidemiology, treatment and current challenges

PubMed Central

Vassallo, Diana

2017-01-01

The neutral results of recent large randomized controlled trials comparing renal revascularization with optimal medical therapy in patients with atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD) have cast doubt on the role of revascularization in the management of unselected patients with this condition. However, these studies have strengthened the evidence base for the role of contemporary intensive medical vascular protection therapy and aggressive risk factor control in improving clinical outcomes in ARVD. Patients presenting with ‘high-risk’ clinical features such as uncontrolled hypertension, rapidly declining renal function or flash pulmonary oedema are underrepresented in these studies; hence these results may not be applicable to all patients with ARVD. In this ‘high-risk’ subgroup, conservative management may not be sufficient in preventing adverse events, and indeed, observational evidence suggests that this specific patient subgroup may gain benefit from timely renal revascularization. Current challenges include the development of novel diagnostic techniques to establish haemodynamic significance of a stenosis, patient risk stratification and prediction of post-revascularization outcomes to ultimately facilitate patient selection for revascularization. In this paper we describe the epidemiology of this condition and discuss treatment recommendations for this condition in light of the results of recent randomized controlled trials while highlighting important clinical unmet needs and challenges faced by clinicians managing this condition. PMID:29056991

Effect of ultrasonic vibration on the retention of adhesively luted intra-radicular posts.

PubMed

Satterthwaite, Julian D; Stokes, Alastair N

2004-09-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of prolonged ultrasonic vibration on tensile force necessary to dislodge two different post types luted with an adhesive resin. Extracted human canine teeth were decoronated and root-filled. Either a ceramic or stainless steel intra-radicular post was luted into each root with resin-based cement. Half the samples in each group were randomly assigned to be subjected to ultrasonic vibration of the post (test group), the remaining samples did not receive vibration (control group). The tensile force required to dislodge each post was then determined in a universal testing machine. The mean force required to dislodge the stainless steel posts in the control group was 510.1N (SD 170.6) and in the 'treatment' group it was 539.5N (SD 163.3). For the ceramic posts in the control group the mean force was 447.8N (SD 165.5) and in the 'treatment' group it was 473.9N (SD 137.8). There was no statistical difference between the groups (p = 0.597). Within the limitations of this in-vitro study, the results cast doubt on the ability of application of ultrasonic vibration to displace/loosen intra-radicular posts luted with a resin-based cement.

Does Far Transfer Exist? Negative Evidence From Chess, Music, and Working Memory Training.

PubMed

Sala, Giovanni; Gobet, Fernand

2017-12-01

Chess masters and expert musicians appear to be, on average, more intelligent than the general population. Some researchers have thus claimed that playing chess or learning music enhances children's cognitive abilities and academic attainment. We here present two meta-analyses assessing the effect of chess and music instruction on children's cognitive and academic skills. A third meta-analysis evaluated the effects of working memory training-a cognitive skill correlated with music and chess expertise-on the same variables. The results show small to moderate effects. However, the effect sizes are inversely related to the quality of the experimental design (e.g., presence of active control groups). This pattern of results casts serious doubts on the effectiveness of chess, music, and working memory training. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings; extend the debate to other types of training such as spatial training, brain training, and video games; and conclude that far transfer of learning rarely occurs.

Undiagnosed Disease, Especially Diabetes, Casts Doubt on some of Reported Health ‘Advantage’ of Recent Mexican Immigrants

PubMed Central

Barcellos, Silvia Helena; Goldman, Dana P.; Smith, James P.

2013-01-01

Newly arrived Mexican immigrants generally report better health in the United States than do native-born Americans, but this health advantage erodes over time. At issue is whether this advantage is illusory – or a product of disease that goes undiagnosed in Mexico but is discovered after immigration. Using the National Health and Nutrition Survey we compare clinical to self-reported diagnosed disease prevalence. We find that diagnosed prevalence is 47 percent lower among recent Mexican immigrants than among natives for both diabetes and hypertension, and that undiagnosed disease explains one third of this recent immigrant advantage for diabetes and one fifth for hypertension. The remaining health advantage might be explained by immigrant selectivity (how migrants differ from those in Mexico who stayed) or assimilation (the process of integration into the U.S.). Since undiagnosed disease can have adverse health consequences, medical practice should emphasize disease detection among new arrivals as part of routine doctor or hospital visits. PMID:23213157

Defining Risk Groups to Yellow Fever Vaccine-Associated Viscerotropic Disease in the Absence of Denominator Data

PubMed Central

Seligman, Stephen J.; Cohen, Joel E.; Itan, Yuval; Casanova, Jean-Laurent; Pezzullo, John C.

2014-01-01

Several risk groups are known for the rare but serious, frequently fatal, viscerotropic reactions following live yellow fever virus vaccine (YEL-AVD). Establishing additional risk groups is hampered by ignorance of the numbers of vaccinees in factor-specific risk groups thus preventing their use as denominators in odds ratios (ORs). Here, we use an equation to calculate ORs using the prevalence of the factor-specific risk group in the population who remain well. The 95% confidence limits and P values can also be calculated. Moreover, if the estimate of the prevalence is imprecise, discrimination analysis can indicate the prevalence at which the confidence interval results in an OR of ∼1 revealing if the prevalence might be higher without yielding a non-significant result. These methods confirm some potential risk groups for YEL-AVD and cast doubt on another. They should prove useful in situations in which factor-specific risk group denominator data are not available. PMID:24394480

Some new results on the Levy, Levy and Solomon microscopic stock market model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zschischang, Elmar; Lux, Thomas

2001-03-01

We report some findings from our simulations of the Levy, Levy and Solomon microscopic stock market model. Our results cast doubts on some of the results published in the original papers (i.e., chaotic stock price movements). We also point out the possibility of sensitive dependence on initial conditions of the emerging wealth distribution among agents. Extensions of the model set-up show that with varying degrees of risk aversion, the less risk averse traders will tend to dominate the market. Similarly, when introducing a new trader group (or even a single trader) with a constant share of stocks in their portfolio, the latter will eventually take over and marginalize the other groups. The better performance of the more sober investors is in accordance with traditional perceptions in financial economics. Hence, the survival of ‘noise traders’ looking at short-term trends and patterns remains as much of a puzzle in this framework as in the traditional Efficient Market Theory.

The missing link between hydrogenosomes and mitochondria.

PubMed

Martin, William

2005-10-01

Mitochondria typically respire oxygen and possess a small DNA genome. But among various groups of oxygen-shunning eukaryotes, typical mitochondria are often lacking, organelles called hydrogenosomes being found instead. Like mitochondria, hydrogenosomes are surrounded by a double-membrane, produce ATP and sometimes even have cristae. In contrast to mitochondria, hydrogenosomes produce molecular hydrogen through fermentations, lack cytochromes and usually lack DNA. Hydrogenosomes do not fit into the conceptual mold cast by the classical endosymbiont hypothesis about the nature of mitochondria. Accordingly, ideas about their evolutionary origins have focussed on the differences between the two organelles instead of their commonalities. Are hydrogenosomes fundamentally different from mitochondria, the result of a different endosymbiosis? Or are our concepts about the mitochondrial archetype simply too narrow? A new report has uncovered DNA in the hydrogenosomes of anaerobic ciliates. The sequences show that these hydrogenosomes are, without a doubt, mitochondria in the evolutionary sense, even though they differ from typical mitochondria in various biochemical properties. The new findings are a benchmark for our understanding of hydrogenosome origins.

Testing the robustness of Citizen Science projects: Evaluating the results of pilot project COMBER

PubMed Central

Faulwetter, Sarah; Dailianis, Thanos; Smith, Vincent Stuart; Koulouri, Panagiota; Dounas, Costas; Arvanitidis, Christos

2016-01-01

Abstract Background Citizen Science (CS) as a term implies a great deal of approaches and scopes involving many different fields of science. The number of the relevant projects globally has been increased significantly in the recent years. Large scale ecological questions can be answered only through extended observation networks and CS projects can support this effort. Although the need of such projects is apparent, an important part of scientific community cast doubt on the reliability of CS data sets. New information The pilot CS project COMBER has been created in order to provide evidence to answer the aforementioned question in the coastal marine biodiversity monitoring. The results of the current analysis show that a carefully designed CS project with clear hypotheses, wide participation and data sets validation, can be a valuable tool for the large scale and long term changes in marine biodiversity pattern change and therefore for relevant management and conservation issues. PMID:28174507

Gravitation experiments at Stanford. [using general relativity theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lipa, J. A.

1980-01-01

The experimental situation in post-Newtonian gravitation is briefly reviewed in order to reexamine the extent to which experiment supports or refutes general relativity. A description is given of the equivalence principle project, the gyroscope experiment, and the search for gravity waves. It is noted that even though some doubt has been cast on the value of the perihelion advance and the gravitational redshift as precise tests of general relativity in the past few years, many competing theories have been ruled out; in particular, the results from the Viking mission significantly reduce the credibility of the Brans-Dicke theory (Brans and Dicke, 1961). The dimensionless constant omega in this theory is now forced to exceed 50, while the value originally proposed was 6 (omega being infinity in general relativity). It is noted that the gyro experiment described is capable of putting much tighter limits on this parameter, and together with the other experiments in progress will help place gravitational theory on a firmer experimental footing.

Broken SU(3) antidecuplet for {Theta}{sup +} and {Xi}{sub 3/2}

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

Pakvasa, Sandip; Suzuki, Mahiko

2004-05-05

If the narrow exotic baryon resonances {Theta}{sup +}(1540) and {Xi}{sub 3/2} are members of the J{sup P} = 1/2{sup +} antidecuplet with N*(1710), the octet-antidecuplet mixing is required not only by the mass spectrum but also by the decay pattern of N*(1710). This casts doubt on validity of the {Theta}{sup +} mass prediction by the chiral soliton model. While all pieces of the existing experimental information point to a small octet-decuplet mixing, the magnitude of mixing required by the mass spectrum is not consistent with the value needed to account for the hadronic decay rates. The discrepancy is not resolvedmore » even after the large experimental uncertainty is taken into consideration. We fail to find an alternative SU(3) assignment even with different spin-parity assignment. When we extend the analysis to mixing with a higher SU(3) multiplet, we find one experimentally testable scenario in the case of mixing with a 27-plet.« less

The placenta shed from goats with classical scrapie is infectious to goat kids and lambs.

PubMed

Schneider, David A; Madsen-Bouterse, Sally A; Zhuang, Dongyue; Truscott, Thomas C; Dassanayake, Rohana P; O'Rourke, Katherine I

2015-08-01

The placenta of domestic sheep plays a key role in horizontal transmission of classical scrapie. Domestic goats are frequently raised with sheep and are susceptible to classical scrapie, yet potential routes of transmission from goats to sheep are not fully defined. Sparse accumulation of disease-associated prion protein in cotyledons casts doubt about the role of the goat's placenta. Thus, relevant to mixed-herd management and scrapie-eradication efforts worldwide, we determined if the goat's placenta contains prions orally infectious to goat kids and lambs. A pooled cotyledon homogenate, prepared from the shed placenta of a goat with naturally acquired classical scrapie disease, was used to orally inoculate scrapie-naïve prion genotype-matched goat kids and scrapie-susceptible lambs raised separately in a scrapie-free environment. Transmission was detected in all four goats and in two of four sheep, which importantly identifies the goat's placenta as a risk for horizontal transmission to sheep and other goats.

Is the ecological belt zonation of the Swiss Alps relevant for moth diversity and turnover?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Jan; Rüdlinger, Cecil M.; McCain, Christy M.

2017-04-01

Mountain ecosystems are traditionally envisioned as elevational belts of homogenous vegetation, separated by intervening ecotones. Recent research has cast doubt on such predictable layering at least in animal communities. We test the link of two a priori defined ecological belt zonations to noctuid moth distributions in the Swiss Alps. Predictions, in particular, were a coincidence of proposed ecotones with increased range endpoint frequencies and with increased species turnover or species richness between equidistant elevational bands. Using >320,000 distributional records for >500 noctuid species, we found no support for these three predictions despite several contrasting analytical approaches. Concurrent with recently published vertebrate data, we conclude that simple ecological belt zonations are unrelated to the moth communities found along mountain slopes. Rather, species are distributed idiosyncratically following their specific niche requirements. Additional rigorous evidence, particularly comparing insect clades spanning a spectrum of host-plant relationships, may be required to support the relevance of the ecological belt concept in structuring mountain ecosystems beyond tree and plant communities.

Eyes are on us, but nobody cares: are eye cues relevant for strong reciprocity?

PubMed Central

Fehr, Ernst; Schneider, Frédéric

2010-01-01

Strong reciprocity is characterized by the willingness to altruistically reward cooperative acts and to altruistically punish norm-violating, defecting behaviours. Recent evidence suggests that subtle reputation cues, such as eyes staring at subjects during their choices, may enhance prosocial behaviour. Thus, in principle, strong reciprocity could also be affected by eye cues. We investigate the impact of eye cues on trustees' altruistic behaviour in a trust game and find zero effect. Neither the subjects who are classified as prosocial nor the subjects who are classified as selfish respond to these cues. In sharp contrast to the irrelevance of subtle reputation cues for strong reciprocity, we find a large effect of explicit, pecuniary reputation incentives on the trustees' prosociality. Trustees who can acquire a good reputation that benefits them in future interactions honour trust much more than trustees who cannot build a good reputation. These results cast doubt on hypotheses suggesting that strong reciprocity is easily malleable by implicit reputation cues not backed by explicit reputation incentives. PMID:20031986

Visualization of DNA in highly processed botanical materials.

PubMed

Lu, Zhengfei; Rubinsky, Maria; Babajanian, Silva; Zhang, Yanjun; Chang, Peter; Swanson, Gary

2018-04-15

DNA-based methods have been gaining recognition as a tool for botanical authentication in herbal medicine; however, their application in processed botanical materials is challenging due to the low quality and quantity of DNA left after extensive manufacturing processes. The low amount of DNA recovered from processed materials, especially extracts, is "invisible" by current technology, which has casted doubt on the presence of amplifiable botanical DNA. A method using adapter-ligation and PCR amplification was successfully applied to visualize the "invisible" DNA in botanical extracts. The size of the "invisible" DNA fragments in botanical extracts was around 20-220 bp compared to fragments of around 600 bp for the more easily visualized DNA in botanical powders. This technique is the first to allow characterization and visualization of small fragments of DNA in processed botanical materials and will provide key information to guide the development of appropriate DNA-based botanical authentication methods in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding topological phase transition in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choe, Duk-Hyun; Sung, Ha-Jun; Chang, K. J.

2016-03-01

Despite considerable interest in layered transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), such as M X2 with M =(Mo ,W ) and X =(S ,Se ,Te ) , the physical origin of their topological nature is still poorly understood. In the conventional view of topological phase transition (TPT), the nontrivial topology of electron bands in TMDs is caused by the band inversion between metal d - and chalcogen p -orbital bands where the former is pulled down below the latter. Here, we show that, in TMDs, the TPT is entirely different from the conventional speculation. In particular, M S2 and M S e2 exhibits the opposite behavior of TPT such that the chalcogen p -orbital band moves down below the metal d -orbital band. More interestingly, in M T e2 , the band inversion occurs between the metal d -orbital bands. Our findings cast doubts on the common view of TPT and provide clear guidelines for understanding the topological nature in new topological materials to be discovered.

Using maintenance rehearsal to explore recognition memory.

PubMed

Humphreys, Michael S; Maguire, Angela M; McFarlane, Kimberley A; Burt, Jennifer S; Bolland, Scott W; Murray, Krista L; Dunn, Ryan

2010-01-01

We examined associative and item recognition using the maintenance rehearsal paradigm. Our intent was to control for mnemonic strategies; to produce a low, graded level of learning; and to provide evidence of the role of attention in long-term memory. An advantage for low-frequency words emerged in both associative and item recognition at very low levels of learning. This early emergence casts doubt on explanations based on the traditional concept of recollection. A comparison of false alarms supports a role for item information or the joint use of cues but not familiarity in producing associative false alarms. We may also have found a way to measure the amount of attention being paid to a to-be-learned item or pair, independently of memory performance on the attended item. This result may be an important step in determining whether coherent theories about the role of attention in long- and short-term memory can be created. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved).

Rio + 5: picking up the pieces.

PubMed

Hinrichsen, D

1997-01-01

The UN General Assembly Special Session held during June 1997 has failed to take forward the objectives set out at the Earth Summit in Rio, casting doubt on the global effort to create a sustainable future. This article presents a balance sheet set out by Don Hinrichsen in the wake of Rio+5. It outlines the progress made by the UN as well as the prevailing issues, which need to be acted upon immediately. It is noted that little progress has been made since the Summit; only the issues of population, forests, and oceans have been given attention, subsequently achieving a significant progress. However, the UN has failed in addressing the issues of poverty, high consumption, management of freshwater, and the continued loss and impoverishment of biological diversity. Little or lack of progress has been made since Rio in implementing recommendations tackling such problems. In the context of the issues regarding land degradation and climate change, assessing progress would be too early for these aspects.

What is Developmental Dyslexia?

PubMed Central

Stein, John

2018-01-01

Until the 1950s, developmental dyslexia was defined as a hereditary visual disability, selectively affecting reading without compromising oral or non-verbal reasoning skills. This changed radically after the development of the phonological theory of dyslexia; this not only ruled out any role for visual processing in its aetiology, but it also cast doubt on the use of discrepancy between reading and reasoning skills as a criterion for diagnosing it. Here I argue that this theory is set at too high a cognitive level to be explanatory; we need to understand the pathophysiological visual and auditory mechanisms that cause children’s phonological problems. I discuss how the ‘magnocellular theory’ attempts to do this in terms of slowed and error prone temporal processing which leads to dyslexics’ defective visual and auditory sequencing when attempting to read. I attempt to deal with the criticisms of this theory and show how it leads to a number of successful ways of helping dyslexic children to overcome their reading difficulties. PMID:29401712

Comment on "Astronomical constraints on the duration of the Early Jurassic Pliensbachian Stage and global climatic fluctuations" [Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 455 (2016) 149-165

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, David G.; Bailey, Robin J.

2018-01-01

Astrochronology employs spectral analysis of stratigraphic data series to substantiate and quantify depositional cyclicity, and thus to establish a probable causal link between cases of rhythmic bedding and periodic orbitally-forced climate change. Vaughan et al. (2011 - not cited by Ruhl et al.) showed that the spectral methods conventionally used in cyclostratigraphy will generate false positive results - they will identify multiple cycles that are not present in the data. Tests with synthetic random datasets are both a simple and an essential way to prove this. Ruhl et al. (2016) used the methods to which these criticisms apply in their analysis of XRF-compositional data series from the Early Jurassic of the Mochras borehole, Wales. We use properly corrected methods to re-examine some of their data, showing that their spectral results are not valid, thus casting doubt on their proposed calibration of Pliensbachian time.

A legal market in organs: the problem of exploitation.

PubMed

Greasley, Kate

2014-01-01

The article considers the objection to a commercial market in living donor organs for transplantation on the ground that such a market would be exploitative of the vendors. It examines a key challenge to that objection, to the effect that denying poor people the option to sell an organ is to withhold from them the best that a bad situation has to offer. The article casts serious doubt on this attempt at justifying an organ market, and its philosophical underpinning. Drawing, in part, from the catalogued consequences of a thriving kidney market in some parts of India, it is argued that the justification relies on conditions which are extremely unlikely to obtain, even in a regulated donor market: that organ selling meaningfully improves the material situation of the organ vendor. Far from being axiomatic, both logic and the extant empirical evidence point towards the unlikelihood of such an upshot. Finally, the article considers a few conventional counter-arguments in favour of a permissive stance on organ sales.

The development of a phosphite-mediated fertilization and weed control system for rice.

PubMed

Manna, Mrinalini; Achary, V Mohan M; Islam, Tahmina; Agrawal, Pawan K; Reddy, Malireddy K

2016-04-25

Fertilizers and herbicides are two vital components of modern agriculture. The imminent danger of phosphate reserve depletion and multiple herbicide tolerance casts doubt on agricultural sustainability in the future. Phosphite, a reduced form of phosphorus, has been proposed as an alternative fertilizer and herbicide that would address the above problems to a considerable extent. To assess the suitability of a phosphite-based fertilization and weed control system for rice, we engineered rice plants with a codon-optimized ptxD gene from Pseudomonas stutzeri. Ectopic expression of this gene led to improved root growth, physiology and overall phenotype in addition to normal yield in transgenic plants in the presence of phosphite. Phosphite functioned as a translocative, non-selective, pre- and post-emergent herbicide. Phosphite use as a dual fertilizer and herbicide may mitigate the overuse of phosphorus fertilizers and reduce eutrophication and the development of herbicide resistance, which in turn will improve the sustainability of agriculture.

How Effective Are Biodiversity Conservation Payments in Mexico?

PubMed Central

Costedoat, Sébastien; Corbera, Esteve; Ezzine-de-Blas, Driss; Honey-Rosés, Jordi; Baylis, Kathy; Castillo-Santiago, Miguel Angel

2015-01-01

We assess the additional forest cover protected by 13 rural communities located in the southern state of Chiapas, Mexico, as a result of the economic incentives received through the country's national program of payments for biodiversity conservation. We use spatially explicit data at the intra-community level to define a credible counterfactual of conservation outcomes. We use covariate-matching specifications associated with spatially explicit variables and difference-in-difference estimators to determine the treatment effect. We estimate that the additional conservation represents between 12 and 14.7 percent of forest area enrolled in the program in comparison to control areas. Despite this high degree of additionality, we also observe lack of compliance in some plots participating in the PES program. This lack of compliance casts doubt on the ability of payments alone to guarantee long-term additionality in context of high deforestation rates, even with an augmented program budget or extension of participation to communities not yet enrolled. PMID:25807118

Emergent cosmology revisited

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

Bag, Satadru; Sahni, Varun; Shtanov, Yuri

We explore the possibility of emergent cosmology using the effective potential formalism. We discover new models of emergent cosmology which satisfy the constraints posed by the cosmic microwave background (CMB). We demonstrate that, within the framework of modified gravity, the emergent scenario can arise in a universe which is spatially open/closed. By contrast, in general relativity (GR) emergent cosmology arises from a spatially closed past-eternal Einstein Static Universe (ESU). In GR the ESU is unstable, which creates fine tuning problems for emergent cosmology. However, modified gravity models including Braneworld models, Loop Quantum Cosmology (LQC) and Asymptotically Free Gravity result inmore » a stable ESU. Consequently, in these models emergent cosmology arises from a larger class of initial conditions including those in which the universe eternally oscillates about the ESU fixed point. We demonstrate that such an oscillating universe is necessarily accompanied by graviton production. For a large region in parameter space graviton production is enhanced through a parametric resonance, casting serious doubts as to whether this emergent scenario can be past-eternal.« less

Defining risk groups to yellow fever vaccine-associated viscerotropic disease in the absence of denominator data.

PubMed

Seligman, Stephen J; Cohen, Joel E; Itan, Yuval; Casanova, Jean-Laurent; Pezzullo, John C

2014-02-01

Several risk groups are known for the rare but serious, frequently fatal, viscerotropic reactions following live yellow fever virus vaccine (YEL-AVD). Establishing additional risk groups is hampered by ignorance of the numbers of vaccinees in factor-specific risk groups thus preventing their use as denominators in odds ratios (ORs). Here, we use an equation to calculate ORs using the prevalence of the factor-specific risk group in the population who remain well. The 95% confidence limits and P values can also be calculated. Moreover, if the estimate of the prevalence is imprecise, discrimination analysis can indicate the prevalence at which the confidence interval results in an OR of ∼1 revealing if the prevalence might be higher without yielding a non-significant result. These methods confirm some potential risk groups for YEL-AVD and cast doubt on another. They should prove useful in situations in which factor-specific risk group denominator data are not available.

Design and Synthesis of Antiblinking and Antibleaching Quantum Dots in Multiple Colors via Wave Function Confinement.

PubMed

Cao, Hujia; Ma, Junliang; Huang, Lin; Qin, Haiyan; Meng, Renyang; Li, Yang; Peng, Xiaogang

2016-12-07

Single-molecular spectroscopy reveals that photoluminescence (PL) of a single quantum dot blinks, randomly switching between bright and dim/dark states under constant photoexcitation, and quantum dots photobleach readily. These facts cast great doubts on potential applications of these promising emitters. After ∼20 years of efforts, synthesis of nonblinking quantum dots is still challenging, with nonblinking quantum dots only available in red-emitting window. Here we report synthesis of nonblinking quantum dots covering most part of the visible window using a new synthetic strategy, i.e., confining the excited-state wave functions of the core/shell quantum dots within the core quantum dot and its inner shells (≤ ∼5 monolayers). For the red-emitting ones, the new synthetic strategy yields nonblinking quantum dots with small sizes (∼8 nm in diameter) and improved nonblinking properties. These new nonblinking quantum dots are found to be antibleaching. Results further imply that the PL blinking and photobleaching of quantum dots are likely related to each other.

Kinship and the evolution of social behaviours in the sea

PubMed Central

Kamel, Stephanie J.; Grosberg, Richard K.

2013-01-01

Until recently, little attention has been paid to the existence of kin structure in the sea, despite the fact that many marine organisms are sessile or sedentary. This lack of attention to kin structure, and its impacts on social evolution, historically stems from the pervasive assumption that the dispersal of gametes and larvae is almost always sufficient to prevent any persistent associations of closely related offspring or adults. However, growing evidence, both theoretical and empirical, casts doubt on the generality of this assumption, not only in species with limited dispersal, but also in species with long dispersive phases. Moreover, many marine organisms either internally brood their progeny or package them in nurseries, both of which provide ample opportunities for kinship to influence the nature and outcomes of social interactions among family members. As the evidence for kin structure within marine populations mounts, it follows that kin selection may play a far greater role in the evolution of both behaviours and life histories of marine organisms than is presently appreciated. PMID:24132095

Kinship and the evolution of social behaviours in the sea.

PubMed

Kamel, Stephanie J; Grosberg, Richard K

2013-01-01

Until recently, little attention has been paid to the existence of kin structure in the sea, despite the fact that many marine organisms are sessile or sedentary. This lack of attention to kin structure, and its impacts on social evolution, historically stems from the pervasive assumption that the dispersal of gametes and larvae is almost always sufficient to prevent any persistent associations of closely related offspring or adults. However, growing evidence, both theoretical and empirical, casts doubt on the generality of this assumption, not only in species with limited dispersal, but also in species with long dispersive phases. Moreover, many marine organisms either internally brood their progeny or package them in nurseries, both of which provide ample opportunities for kinship to influence the nature and outcomes of social interactions among family members. As the evidence for kin structure within marine populations mounts, it follows that kin selection may play a far greater role in the evolution of both behaviours and life histories of marine organisms than is presently appreciated.

Replicating the Z iron opacity experiments on the NIF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perry, T. S.; Heeter, R. F.; Opachich, Y. P.; Ross, P. W.; Kline, J. L.; Flippo, K. A.; Sherrill, M. E.; Dodd, E. S.; DeVolder, B. G.; Cardenas, T.; Archuleta, T. N.; Craxton, R. S.; Zhang, R.; McKenty, P. W.; Garcia, E. M.; Huffman, E. J.; King, J. A.; Ahmed, M. F.; Emig, J. A.; Ayers, S. L.; Barrios, M. A.; May, M. J.; Schneider, M. B.; Liedahl, D. A.; Wilson, B. G.; Urbatsch, T. J.; Iglesias, C. A.; Bailey, J. E.; Rochau, G. A.

2017-06-01

X-ray opacity is a crucial factor of all radiation-hydrodynamics calculations, yet it is one of the least validated of the material properties in the simulation codes. Recent opacity experiments at the Sandia Z-machine have shown up to factors of two discrepancies between theory and experiment, casting doubt on the validity of the opacity models. Therefore, a new experimental opacity platform is being developed on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) not only to verify the Z-machine experimental results but also to extend the experiments to other temperatures and densities. The first experiments will be directed towards measuring the opacity of iron at a temperature of ∼160 eV and an electron density of ∼7 × 1021 cm-3. Preliminary experiments on NIF have demonstrated the ability to create a sufficiently bright point backlighter using an imploding plastic capsule and also a hohlraum that can heat the opacity sample to the desired conditions. The first of these iron opacity experiments is expected to be performed in 2017.

Examining the possibility of magnetic protection of Proxima b's atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Sage, K.; Glocer, A.; Drake, J. J.; Gronoff, G.; Cohen, O.

2017-12-01

It is commonly believed that magnetic field provides protection of the planet's atmosphere from space weather effects. However, escape of the ionosphere along open magnetic field lines at the poles may under certain conditions be quite large and involve the escape of heavy ions like O+. The EUV spectrum of the star, in particular, produces ionization and heating that enhances escape. We calculate the field-aligned ionospheric escape for a reconstructed spectrum from Proxima Centauri. The EUV flux at the orbit of Proxima b is two orders of magnitude higher than at Earth. We model the resulting mass loss rates, assuming an Earth-like atmosphere and magnetic field. we also show uncertainties due to neutral atmospheric temperatures and polar cap size. We show that for high levels of stellar activity, the mass loss timescales for an Earth-like atmosphere are less than the age of the Proxima Centauri system, casting doubt on the idea that a magnetic field can protect a planet from space weather-driven atmospheric loss.

The 1973 Ethiopian-Rift geodimeter survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mohr, P. A.

1974-01-01

Remeasurement of the Adama, Lake Langana, and Arba Minch (Lake Margherita) geodimeter networks in 1973 has enabled Mohr's interpretation concerning possible surface ground deformation in the Ethiopian rift to be considerably developed. Extension appears to have occurred across the Mojjo-Adama horst at a rate of about 1 cm yr/1. The opposing rims of the Adama graben have not moved significantly relative to one another (between 1969 and 1973), but stations on the sliced graben floor show possible movement with a large rift-trend component. In the Wolenchiti quadrilateral, significant movement of station RABBIT is confirmed, but the radical change of vector (that of 1970-1971 to that of 1971-1973) casts doubt on a tectonic cause and seems to indicate that stations on steep hillslopes are liable to be unstable. South of the quadrilateral and east of the Adama graben, alternating rift-trend zones of extension and shortening appear to coexist. In the Lake Langana network, significant movements of the order of 0.5 cm yr/1 are directed perpendicular to the rift floor faulting.

Genomic analysis of the blood attributed to Louis XVI (1754-1793), king of France.

PubMed

Olalde, Iñigo; Sánchez-Quinto, Federico; Datta, Debayan; Marigorta, Urko M; Chiang, Charleston W K; Rodríguez, Juan Antonio; Fernández-Callejo, Marcos; González, Irene; Montfort, Magda; Matas-Lalueza, Laura; Civit, Sergi; Luiselli, Donata; Charlier, Philippe; Pettener, Davide; Ramírez, Oscar; Navarro, Arcadi; Himmelbauer, Heinz; Marquès-Bonet, Tomàs; Lalueza-Fox, Carles

2014-04-24

A pyrographically decorated gourd, dated to the French Revolution period, has been alleged to contain a handkerchief dipped into the blood of the French king Louis XVI (1754-1793) after his beheading but recent analyses of living males from two Bourbon branches cast doubts on its authenticity. We sequenced the complete genome of the DNA contained in the gourd at low coverage (~2.5×) with coding sequences enriched at a higher ~7.3× coverage. We found that the ancestry of the gourd's genome does not seem compatible with Louis XVI's known ancestry. From a functional perspective, we did not find an excess of alleles contributing to height despite being described as the tallest person in Court. In addition, the eye colour prediction supported brown eyes, while Louis XVI had blue eyes. This is the first draft genome generated from a person who lived in a recent historical period; however, our results suggest that this sample may not correspond to the alleged king.

The development of a phosphite-mediated fertilization and weed control system for rice

PubMed Central

Manna, Mrinalini; Achary, V. Mohan M.; Islam, Tahmina; Agrawal, Pawan K.; Reddy, Malireddy K.

2016-01-01

Fertilizers and herbicides are two vital components of modern agriculture. The imminent danger of phosphate reserve depletion and multiple herbicide tolerance casts doubt on agricultural sustainability in the future. Phosphite, a reduced form of phosphorus, has been proposed as an alternative fertilizer and herbicide that would address the above problems to a considerable extent. To assess the suitability of a phosphite-based fertilization and weed control system for rice, we engineered rice plants with a codon-optimized ptxD gene from Pseudomonas stutzeri. Ectopic expression of this gene led to improved root growth, physiology and overall phenotype in addition to normal yield in transgenic plants in the presence of phosphite. Phosphite functioned as a translocative, non-selective, pre- and post-emergent herbicide. Phosphite use as a dual fertilizer and herbicide may mitigate the overuse of phosphorus fertilizers and reduce eutrophication and the development of herbicide resistance, which in turn will improve the sustainability of agriculture. PMID:27109389

A trivariate model of participation, fertility and wages: the Italian case.

PubMed

Di Tommaso, M L

1999-09-01

Italy has unusually low fertility by Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development standards, accompanied by unusually low female participation in paid work. This paper addresses the issue of the empirical relationship between fertility, female participation in the labor market and wages with these Italian "peculiarities" as a backcloth. A trivariate model of participation, fertility and wages has been constructed and estimated using three pooled cross-sections of Italian micro data, allowing for the identification of cohort effects. This model follows a "purist" approach: the participation and fertility decisions, as well as the wage equation, are modeled as completely joint. The cohort effects turn out to be significant: the point estimates do not appear to confirm actual trends, which are negative for fertility and positive for participation. The female wage is the most important variable influencing the propensity to have children and the propensity to participate in the labor market, casting doubt on suggestions that observed trends are the products of shifts in women's "tastes".

Nuclear cask testing films misleading and misused

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

Audin, L.

In 1977 and 1978, Sandia National Laboratories, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and operated for the US Department of Energy (DOE), filmed a series of crash and fire tests performed on three casks designed to transport irradiated nuclear fuel assemblies. While the tests were performed to assess the applicability of scale and computer modeling techniques to actual accidents, films of them were quickly pressed into service by the DOE and nuclear utilities as proof'' to the public of the safety of the casks. In the public debate over the safety of irradiated nuclear fuel transportation, the films have served asmore » the mainstay for the nuclear industry. Although the scripts of all the films were reviewed by USDOE officials before production, they contain numerous misleading concepts and images, and omit significant facts. The shorter versions eliminated qualifying statements contained in the longer version, and created false impressions. This paper discusses factors which cast doubt on the veracity of the films and the results of the tests.« less

Nuclear cask testing films misleading and misused

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

Audin, L.

In 1977 and 1978, Sandia National Laboratories, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and operated for the US Department of Energy (DOE), filmed a series of crash and fire tests performed on three casks designed to transport irradiated nuclear fuel assemblies. While the tests were performed to assess the applicability of scale and computer modeling techniques to actual accidents, films of them were quickly pressed into service by the DOE and nuclear utilities as ``proof`` to the public of the safety of the casks. In the public debate over the safety of irradiated nuclear fuel transportation, the films have served asmore » the mainstay for the nuclear industry. Although the scripts of all the films were reviewed by USDOE officials before production, they contain numerous misleading concepts and images, and omit significant facts. The shorter versions eliminated qualifying statements contained in the longer version, and created false impressions. This paper discusses factors which cast doubt on the veracity of the films and the results of the tests.« less

Unforgiving Confucian Culture: A Breeding Ground for High Academic Achievement, Test Anxiety and Self-Doubt?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stankov, Lazar

2010-01-01

This paper reviews findings from several studies that contribute to our understanding of cross-cultural differences in academic achievement, anxiety and self-doubt. The focus is on comparisons between Confucian Asian and European regions. Recent studies indicate that high academic achievement of students from Confucian Asian countries is…

The GABA Hypothesis in Essential Tremor: Lights and Shadows.

PubMed

Gironell, Alexandre

2014-01-01

The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) hypothesis in essential tremor (ET) implies a disturbance of the GABAergic system, especially involving the cerebellum. This review examines the evidence of the GABA hypothesis. The review is based on published data about GABA dysfunction in ET, taking into account studies on cerebrospinal fluid, pathology, electrophysiology, genetics, neuroimaging, experimental animal models, and human drug therapies. Findings from several studies support the GABA hypothesis in ET. The hypothesis follows four steps: 1) cerebellar neurodegeneration with Purkinje cell loss; 2) a decrease in GABA system activity in deep cerebellar neurons; 3) disinhibition in output deep cerebellar neurons with pacemaker activity; and 4) an increase in rhythmic activity of the thalamus and thalamo-cortical circuit, contributing to the generation of tremor. Doubts have been cast on this hypothesis, however, by the fact that it is based on relatively few works, controversial post-mortem findings, and negative genetic studies on the GABA system. Furthermore, GABAergic drug efficacy is low and some GABAergic drugs do not have antitremoric efficacy. The GABA hypothesis continues to be the most robust pathophysiological hypothesis to explain ET. There is light in all GABA hypothesis steps, but a number of shadows cannot be overlooked. We need more studies to clarify the neurodegenerative nature of the disease, to confirm the decrease of GABA activity in the cerebellum, and to test more therapies that enhance the GABA transmission specifically in the cerebellum area.

No doubt about it: when doubtful role models undermine men's and women's math performance under threat.

PubMed

Marx, David M; Monroe, Allyce H; Cole, Chris E; Gilbert, Patricia N

2013-01-01

Past work has shown that female role models are effective buffers against stereotype threat. The present research examines the boundary conditions of this role model effect. Specifically, we argue that female role models should avoid expressing doubt about their math abilities; otherwise they may cease to buffer women from stereotype threat. For men, a non-doubtful male role model should be seen as threatening, thus harming performance. A doubtful male role model, however, should be seen as non-threatening, thus allowing men to perform up to their ability in math. To test this reasoning, men and women were exposed to either an outgroup or ingroup role model who either expressed doubt or did not. Participants then took a math exam under stereotype threat conditions. As expected, doubtful ingroup role models hurt women, but helped men's performance. Outgroup role models' expressed doubt had no differential effect on performance. We also show that expressions of doubt take on a different meaning when expressed by a female rather than a male role model.

Renal denervation after Symplicity HTN-3: an update.

PubMed

Persu, Alexandre; Jin, Yu; Fadl Elmula, Fadl Elmula Mohamed; Jacobs, Lotte; Renkin, Jean; Kjeldsen, Sverre

2014-08-01

After three years of excessive confidence, overoptimistic expectations and performance of 15 to 20,000 renal denervation procedures in Europe, the failure of a single well-designed US trial--Symplicity HTN-3--to meet its primary efficacy endpoint has cast doubt on renal denervation as a whole. The use of a sound methodology, including randomisation and blinded endpoint assessment was enough to see the typical 25-30 mmHg systolic blood pressure decrease observed after renal denervation melt down to less than 3 mmHg, the rest being likely explained by Hawthorne and placebo effects, attenuation of white coat effect, regression to the mean and other physician and patient-related biases. The modest blood pressure benefit directly assignable to renal denervation should be balanced with unresolved safety issues, such as potentially increased risk of renal artery stenosis after the procedure (more than ten cases reported up to now, most of them in 2014), unclear long-term impact on renal function and lack of morbidity-mortality data. Accordingly, there is no doubt that renal denervation is not ready for clinical use. Still, renal denervation is supported by a strong rationale and is occasionally followed by major blood pressure responses in at-risk patients who may otherwise have remained uncontrolled. Upcoming research programmes should focus on identification of those few patients with truly resistant hypertension who may derive a substantial benefit from the technique, within the context of well-designed randomised trials and independent registries. While electrical stimulation of baroreceptors and other interventional treatments of hypertension are already "knocking at the door", the premature and uncontrolled dissemination of renal denervation should remain an example of what should not be done, and trigger radical changes in evaluation processes of new devices by national and European health authorities.

Riser Feeding Evaluation Method for Metal Castings Using Numerical Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Nadiah

One of the design aspects that continues to create a challenge for casting designers is the optimum design of casting feeders (risers). As liquid metal solidifies, the metal shrinks and forms cavities inside the casting. In order to avoid shrinkage cavities, risers are added to the casting shape to supply additional molten metal when shrinkage occurs during solidification. The shrinkage cavities in the casting are compensated by controlling the cooling rate to promote directional solidification. This control can be achieved by designing the casting such that the cooling begins at the sections that are farthest away from the risers and ends at the risers. Therefore, the risers will solidify last and feed the casting with the molten metal. As a result, the shrinkage cavities formed during solidification are in the risers which are later removed from the casting. Since casting designers have to usually go through iterative processes of validating the casting designs which are very costly due to expensive simulation processes or manual trials and errors on actual casting processes, this study investigates more efficient methods that will help casting designers utilize their casting experiences systematically to develop good initial casting designs. The objective is to reduce the casting design method iterations; therefore, reducing the cost involved in that design processes. The aim of this research aims at finding a method that can help casting designers design effective risers used in sand casting process of aluminum-silicon alloys by utilizing the analysis of solidification simulation. The analysis focuses on studying the significance of pressure distribution of the liquid metal at the early stage of casting solidification, when heat transfer and convective fluid flow are taken into account in the solidification simulation. The mathematical model of casting solidification was solved using the finite volume method (FVM). This study focuses to improve our understanding of the feeding behavior in aluminum-silicon alloys and the effective feeding by considering the pressure gradient distribution of the molten metal at casting dendrite coherency point. For this study, we will identify the relationship between feeding efficiency, shrinkage behavior and how the change in riser size affects the pressure gradient in the casting. This understanding will be used to help in the design of effective risers.

Soft cast versus rigid cast for treatment of distal radius buckle fractures in children.

PubMed

Witney-Lagen, Caroline; Smith, Christine; Walsh, Graham

2013-04-01

Buckle fractures are extremely common and their optimum management is still under debate. This study aimed to ascertain whether buckle fractures of the distal radius can be safely and effectively treated in soft cast with only a single orthopaedic outpatient clinic appointment. A total of 232 children with buckle fractures of the distal radius were included in the study. 111 children with 112 distal radius fractures were treated in full rigid cast and 121 children with 123 fractures were treated with soft cast. The rigid cast children attended outpatient clinic for removal of cast at 3 weeks. Soft casts were removed by parents unwinding the cast at home after 3 weeks. Follow-up was conducted prospectively by telephone questionnaire at an average of 6 weeks post-injury. Outcome data were available for 117 children treated in soft cast and for 102 children treated in rigid cast. The most common mechanism of injury was a fall sustained from standing or running, followed by falls from bikes and then trampoline accidents. Overall, both groups recovered well. Overall satisfaction with the outcome of treatment was 97.4% in soft cast and 95.2% in rigid cast. Casts were reported as comfortable by 95.7% in soft cast and 93.3% in rigid cast. Cast changes were required for 6.8% of soft casts and 11.5% of rigid casts. The most frequent cause for changing rigid casts was getting the cast wet. None of the improved scores seen in the soft cast group were statistically significant. No re-fractures were seen in either group. Nearly all (94.9%) children in soft cast did bathe, shower or swim in their cast. Parents of both groups preferred treatment with soft cast (p < 0.001). Reasons given for preferring the soft cast included the ability to get the cast wet, avoidance of the plaster saw and not having to take time off work to attend a follow-up visit for cast removal. Buckle fractures of the distal radius can be safely and effectively treated in soft cast with only a single orthopaedic outpatient clinic appointment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cognitive dissonance resolution is related to episodic memory.

PubMed

Salti, Moti; El Karoui, Imen; Maillet, Mathurin; Naccache, Lionel

2014-01-01

The notion that our past choices affect our future behavior is certainly one of the most influential concepts of social psychology since its first experimental report in the 50 s, and its initial theorization by Festinger within the "cognitive dissonance" framework. Using the free choice paradigm (FCP), it was shown that choosing between two similarly rated items made subjects reevaluate the chosen items as more attractive and the rejected items as less attractive. However, in 2010 a major work by Chen and Risen revealed a severe statistical flaw casting doubt on most previous studies. Izuma and colleagues (2010) supplemented the traditional FCP with original control conditions and concluded that the effect observed could not be solely attributed to this methodological flaw. In the present work we aimed at establishing the existence of genuine choice-induced preference change and characterizing this effect. To do so, we replicated Izuma et al.' study and added a new important control condition which was absent from the original study. Moreover, we added a memory test in order to measure the possible relation between episodic memory of choices and observed behavioral effects. In two experiments we provide experimental evidence supporting genuine choice-induced preference change obtained with FCP. We also contribute to the understanding of the phenomenon by showing that choice-induced preference change effects are strongly correlated with episodic memory.

Cognitive Dissonance Resolution Is Related to Episodic Memory

PubMed Central

Maillet, Mathurin; Naccache, Lionel

2014-01-01

The notion that our past choices affect our future behavior is certainly one of the most influential concepts of social psychology since its first experimental report in the 50 s, and its initial theorization by Festinger within the “cognitive dissonance” framework. Using the free choice paradigm (FCP), it was shown that choosing between two similarly rated items made subjects reevaluate the chosen items as more attractive and the rejected items as less attractive. However, in 2010 a major work by Chen and Risen revealed a severe statistical flaw casting doubt on most previous studies. Izuma and colleagues (2010) supplemented the traditional FCP with original control conditions and concluded that the effect observed could not be solely attributed to this methodological flaw. In the present work we aimed at establishing the existence of genuine choice-induced preference change and characterizing this effect. To do so, we replicated Izuma et al.’ study and added a new important control condition which was absent from the original study. Moreover, we added a memory test in order to measure the possible relation between episodic memory of choices and observed behavioral effects. In two experiments we provide experimental evidence supporting genuine choice-induced preference change obtained with FCP. We also contribute to the understanding of the phenomenon by showing that choice-induced preference change effects are strongly correlated with episodic memory. PMID:25264950

The ability of winter grazing to reduce wildfire size, intensity ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A recent study by Davies et al. sought to test whether winter grazing could reduce wildfire size, fire behavior metrics, and fire-induced plant mortality in shrub-grasslands. The authors concluded that ungrazed rangelands may experience more fire-induced mortality of native perennial bunchgrasses. The authors also presented several statements regarding the benefits of winter grazing on post-fire plant community responses. However, this commentary will show that the study by Davies et al. has underlying methodological flaws, lacks data necessary to support their conclusions, and does not provide an accurate discussion on the effect of grazing on rangeland ecosystems. Importantly, Davies et al. presented no data on the post-fire mortality of the perennial bunchgrasses or on the changes in plant community composition following their experimental fires. Rather, Davies et al. inferred these conclusions based off their observed fire behavior metrics of maximum temperature and a term described as the “heat load”. However, neither metric is appropriate for elucidating the heat flux impacts on plants. This lack of post-fire data, several methodological flaws, and the use of inadequate metrics describing heat cast doubts on the authors’ ability to support their stated conclusions. This article is a commentary highlights the scientific shortcomings in a forthcoming paper by Davies et al. in the International Journal of Wildland Fire. The study has methodological flaw

Recent human evolution has shaped geographical differences in susceptibility to disease

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Searching for associations between genetic variants and complex diseases has been a very active area of research for over two decades. More than 51,000 potential associations have been studied and published, a figure that keeps increasing, especially with the recent explosion of array-based Genome-Wide Association Studies. Even if the number of true associations described so far is high, many of the putative risk variants detected so far have failed to be consistently replicated and are widely considered false positives. Here, we focus on the world-wide patterns of replicability of published association studies. Results We report three main findings. First, contrary to previous results, genes associated to complex diseases present lower degrees of genetic differentiation among human populations than average genome-wide levels. Second, also contrary to previous results, the differences in replicability of disease associated-loci between Europeans and East Asians are highly correlated with genetic differentiation between these populations. Finally, highly replicated genes present increased levels of high-frequency derived alleles in European and Asian populations when compared to African populations. Conclusions Our findings highlight the heterogeneous nature of the genetic etiology of complex disease, confirm the importance of the recent evolutionary history of our species in current patterns of disease susceptibility and could cast doubts on the status as false positives of some associations that have failed to replicate across populations. PMID:21261943

Menopause and Methodological Doubt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spence, Sheila

2005-01-01

Menopause and methodological doubt begins by making a tongue-in-cheek comparison between Descartes' methodological doubt and the self-doubt that can arise around menopause. A hermeneutic approach is taken in which Cartesian dualism and its implications for the way women are viewed in society are examined, both through the experiences of women…

Housing First Impact on Costs and Associated Cost Offsets: A Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Ly, Angela; Latimer, Eric

2015-01-01

Objective: Housing First (HF) programs for people who are chronically or episodically homeless, combining rapid access to permanent housing with community-based, integrated treatment, rehabilitation and support services, are rapidly expanding in North America and Europe. Overall costs of services use by homeless people can be considerable, suggesting the potential for significant cost offsets with HF programs. Our purpose was to provide an updated literature review, from 2007 to the present, focusing specifically on the cost offsets of HF programs. Method: A systematic review was performed on MEDLINE and PsycINFO as well as Google and the Homeless Hub for grey literature. Study characteristics and key findings were extracted from identified studies. Where available, impact on service cost associated with HF (increase or decrease) and net impact on overall costs, taking into account the cost of HF intervention, were noted. Results: Twelve published studies (4 randomized studies and 8 quasi-experimental) and 22 unpublished studies were retained. Shelter and emergency department costs decreased with HF, while impacts on hospitalization and justice costs are more ambiguous. Studies using a pre–post design reported a net decrease in overall costs with HF. In contrast, experimental studies reported a net increase in overall costs with HF. Conclusions: While our review casts doubt on whether HF programs can be expected to pay for themselves, the certainty of significant cost offsets, combined with their benefits for participants, means that they represent a more efficient allocation of resources than traditional services. PMID:26720505

Emulsion based cast booster - a priming system

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

Gupta, R.N.; Mishra, A.K.

2005-07-01

This paper explores the potential of emulsion based cast booster to be used as primer to initiate bulk delivered emulsion explosives used in mines. An attempt has been made for comparative study between conventional cast booster and emulsion based cast booster in terms of the initiation process developed and their capability to develop and maintain the stable detonation process in the column explosives. The study has been conducted using a continuous velocity of detonation (VOD) measuring instrument. During this study three blasts have been monitored. In each blast two holes have been selected for study, the first hole being initiatedmore » with conventional cast booster while the other one with emulsion based cast booster. The findings of the study advocates that emulsion based cast booster is capable of efficient priming of bulk delivered column explosive with stable detonation process in the column. Further, the booster had advantages over the conventional PETN/TNT based cast booster. 5 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab., 1 photo.« less

Teaching Literature: Some Honest Doubts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutledge, Donald G.

1968-01-01

The possibility that many English teachers take their subject too seriously should be considered. The assumption that literature can to any degree either improve or adversely affect students is doubtful, but the exclusive study of "great literature" in our secondary schools may invite basic reflections too early: a year's steady diet of "King…

Modelling the Cast Component Weight in Hot Chamber Die Casting using Combined Taguchi and Buckingham's π Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Rupinder

2018-02-01

Hot chamber (HC) die casting process is one of the most widely used commercial processes for the casting of low temperature metals and alloys. This process gives near-net shape product with high dimensional accuracy. However in actual field environment the best settings of input parameters is often conflicting as the shape and size of the casting changes and one have to trade off among various output parameters like hardness, dimensional accuracy, casting defects, microstructure etc. So for online inspection of the cast components properties (without affecting the production line) the weight measurement has been established as one of the cost effective method (as the difference in weight of sound and unsound casting reflects the possible casting defects) in field environment. In the present work at first stage the effect of three input process parameters (namely: pressure at 2nd phase in HC die casting; metal pouring temperature and die opening time) has been studied for optimizing the cast component weight `W' as output parameter in form of macro model based upon Taguchi L9 OA. After this Buckingham's π approach has been applied on Taguchi based macro model for the development of micro model. This study highlights the Taguchi-Buckingham based combined approach as a case study (for conversion of macro model into micro model) by identification of optimum levels of input parameters (based on Taguchi approach) and development of mathematical model (based on Buckingham's π approach). Finally developed mathematical model can be used for predicting W in HC die casting process with more flexibility. The results of study highlights second degree polynomial equation for predicting cast component weight in HC die casting and suggest that pressure at 2nd stage is one of the most contributing factors for controlling the casting defect/weight of casting.

A longitudinal investigation of the relation between nonsuicidal self-injury and spirituality/religiosity.

PubMed

Good, Marie; Hamza, Chloe; Willoughby, Teena

2017-04-01

Despite increased research on factors that predict engagement in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), one factor that has been neglected is spirituality/religiosity. While some researchers suggest that spiritual/religious beliefs and practice may protect against aversive mental health outcomes, it also is possible that certain aspects of spirituality/religiosity - specifically doubt and questioning - may be distressing. In this study, we examined whether multiple dimensions of spirituality/religiosity, including the often-overlooked experience of doubt/questioning, were associated with engagement in NSSI among university students over time. Participants included 1,132 (70.5% female) first-year undergraduate students (Mean age=19.06, SD=1.05) from a Canadian university who were surveyed first in their freshman year, and again one year later. Auto-regressive cross-lagged analyses revealed a bidirectional relation between doubt/questioning and NSSI, where higher doubt/questioning predicted increased NSSI over time (after controlling for baseline depressive symptoms), and vice versa. There were no longitudinal associations between general spirituality/religiosity (i.e., general beliefs/practice) and NSSI. Our findings suggest questioning and doubt may be distressing for some individuals, and predict increased risk for NSSI as a form of coping. Further, higher NSSI may predict increases in questioning/doubt over time. However, the hypothesis that general spirituality/religiosity may protect against NSSI, was not supported. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-Doubt: One Moral of the Story

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verducci, Susan

2014-01-01

This essay focuses on the value of self-doubt in moral inquiry and in moral education. Using John Patrick Shanley's play, "Doubt: A parable," as illustration, it shows how self-doubt initiates and extends moral inquiry, highlights one's epistemic fallibility and connects the inquirer to the virtue of humility. The essay draws…

Reforming Schools: The Collective Doubting Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schechter, Chen; Ganon-Shilon, Sherry

2015-01-01

Purpose: The ongoing challenge to sustain educational reforms requires a learning process through which doubt is induced as a means of fostering productive school change. The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of doubt as well as the doubting process and its importance to the school community, particularly with regard to educational…

STRengthening Analytical Thinking for Observational Studies: the STRATOS initiative

PubMed Central

Sauerbrei, Willi; Abrahamowicz, Michal; Altman, Douglas G; le Cessie, Saskia; Carpenter, James

2014-01-01

The validity and practical utility of observational medical research depends critically on good study design, excellent data quality, appropriate statistical methods and accurate interpretation of results. Statistical methodology has seen substantial development in recent times. Unfortunately, many of these methodological developments are ignored in practice. Consequently, design and analysis of observational studies often exhibit serious weaknesses. The lack of guidance on vital practical issues discourages many applied researchers from using more sophisticated and possibly more appropriate methods when analyzing observational studies. Furthermore, many analyses are conducted by researchers with a relatively weak statistical background and limited experience in using statistical methodology and software. Consequently, even ‘standard’ analyses reported in the medical literature are often flawed, casting doubt on their results and conclusions. An efficient way to help researchers to keep up with recent methodological developments is to develop guidance documents that are spread to the research community at large. These observations led to the initiation of the strengthening analytical thinking for observational studies (STRATOS) initiative, a large collaboration of experts in many different areas of biostatistical research. The objective of STRATOS is to provide accessible and accurate guidance in the design and analysis of observational studies. The guidance is intended for applied statisticians and other data analysts with varying levels of statistical education, experience and interests. In this article, we introduce the STRATOS initiative and its main aims, present the need for guidance documents and outline the planned approach and progress so far. We encourage other biostatisticians to become involved. PMID:25074480

Love Yourself as a Person, Doubt Yourself as a Therapist?

PubMed

Nissen-Lie, Helene A; Rønnestad, Michael Helge; Høglend, Per A; Havik, Odd E; Solbakken, Ole Andrè; Stiles, Tore C; Monsen, Jon T

2017-01-01

There are reasons to suggest that the therapist effect lies at the intersection between psychotherapists' professional and personal functioning. The current study investigated if and how the interplay between therapists' (n = 70) professional self-reports (e.g., of their difficulties in practice in the form of 'professional self-doubt' and coping strategies when faced with difficulties) and presumably more global, personal self-concepts, not restricted to the professional treatment setting (i.e., the level of self-affiliation measured by the Structural Analysis of Social Behaviour (SASB) Intrex, Benjamin, ), relate to patient (n = 255) outcome in public outpatient care. Multilevel growth curve analyses were performed on patient interpersonal and symptomatic distress rated at pre-, post- and three times during follow-up to examine whether change in patient outcome was influenced by the interaction between their therapists' level of 'professional self-doubt' and self-affiliation as well as between their therapists' use of coping when faced with difficulties, and the interaction between type of coping strategies and self-affiliation. A significant interaction between therapist 'professional self-doubt' (PSD) and self-affiliation on change in interpersonal distress was observed. Therapists who reported higher PSD seemed to evoke more change if they also had a self-affiliative introject. Therapists' use of coping strategies also affected therapeutic outcome, but therapists' self-affiliation was not a moderator in the interplay between therapist coping and patient outcome. A tentative take-home message from this study could be: 'Love yourself as a person, doubt yourself as a therapist'. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The findings of this study suggest that the nature of therapists' self-concepts as a person and as a therapist influences their patients' change in psychotherapy. These self-concept states are presumably communicated through the therapists' in-session behaviour. The study noted that a combination of self-doubt as a therapist with a high degree of self-affiliation as a person is particularly fruitful, while the combination of little professional self-doubt and much positive self-affiliation is not. This finding, reflected in the study title, 'Love yourself as a person, doubt yourself as a therapist', indicates that exaggerated self-confidence does not create a healthy therapeutic attitude. Therapist way of coping with difficulties in practice seems to influence patient outcome. Constructive coping characterized by dealing actively with a clinical problem, in terms of exercising reflexive control, seeking consultation and problem-solving together with the patient seems to help patients while coping by avoiding the problem, withdrawing from therapeutic engagement or acting out one's frustrations in the therapeutic relationship is associated with less patient change. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psychoemotional Features of a Doubtful Disorder: Functional Dyspepsia

PubMed Central

Dragos, D; Ionescu, O; Micut, R; Ojog, DG; Tanasescu, MD

2012-01-01

Objective. To delineate the psychological profile of individuals prone to FD-like symptoms (FDLS). Method. A triple questionnaire of 614 items (including psychological and medical ones) was given to 10192 respondents, the results were analyzed by means of Cronbach alpha, and Chi square test, together with an ad-hoc designed method that implied ranking and outliers detecting. Results and conclusions. FDLS appears to be an accompanying feature of many (if not most) human emotions and are more frequent in anxious, timid, pessimistic, discontent, irascible, tense, success-doubting, unexpected-dreading individuals, bothered by persistent thoughts and tormented by the professional requirements and the lack of time. A higher degree of specificity might have: chiefly fear of failure, susceptibility, and tension, secondarily emotivity, fear of unpredictable events, sense of insufficient time, preoccupation with authority factors, and tendency to endure unacceptable situations, and also faulty patience and lack of punctuality. Rumination appears to be the psychological tendency most strongly associated with FD. Nocturnal epigastric pain seems to indicate a submissive nature but a rather responsibilities-free childhood, while early satiety is associated with inclination to work and responsibility and preoccupation with self-image. The superposition of FD symptoms with biliary and esophageal symptoms cast a doubt over the distinctness and even the materiality of the various functional digestive disorders. Abbreviations: ChiSq = chi-square; CrA = Cronbach alpha; OdRa = odds ratio; OdRaCL = OdRa confidence limits; E = exponential (for the sake of legibility we have used the exponential notation throughout this article; i.e. 4E-28 = 4×10-28); ErrProb = probability of error; SS = statistically significant; SD = standard deviation; a / m = the calculations were done by taking into account the average/ maximal score; P / M = psychological / medical category; PaMm / PmMa / PmMm / PaMa = the calculations were done by taking into account the average score for the PsyCt and the maximal score for the MedCt / the maximal score for PsyCt and the average score for the MedCt / and the maximal score for both / and the average score for both; R = the calculations were done for the FD_res category. FD = functional dyspepsia; FD_res / FD_ext = restricted / extended variant of the group of FD items; FDCt = FD category; FDLS = FD-like symptoms; MedCt / MedIt = medical category / item; PsyCt / PsyIt = psychological category / item; PMID:23144666

Religious Doubts and Mental Health in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: The Association with Religious Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kezdy, Aniko; Martos, Tamas; Boland, Vivian; Horvath-Szabo, Katalin

2011-01-01

Religious doubts seem to be a part of identity and faith development in adolescence and young adulthood. Such doubts, however, are often linked with psychological distress, though the results in the field are not consistent. It seems important therefore to explore further the relationship between religious doubts and mental health. This study…

Doubt, Despair and Hope in Western Thought: Unamuno and the Promise of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Peter

2015-01-01

This article examines the importance of doubt in Western philosophy, with particular attention to the work of Søren Kierkegaard and Miguel de Unamuno. Kierkegaard's pseudonymous author Johannes Climacus ventures down the pathway of doubt, finds it perplexing and difficult and discovers that he is unable to return to his pre-doubting self. In…

Development of a New Membrane Casting Apparatus for Studying Macrovoid Defects in Low-G

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Hanyong; Hwang, Sun-Tak; Krantz, William B.; Greenberg, Alan R.; Khare, Vivek; Zartman, Jeremiah; Todd, Paul W.

2002-01-01

A new membrane-casting apparatus is developed for studying macrovoid defects in polymeric membranes made by the wet- and dry-casting process in low-gravity. Macrovoids are large (10-50 micron), open cavities interspersed among the smaller pores in the substructure under the gelled skin surface layer of the cast membrane. Although their occurrence is considered endemic to the wet- and dry-casting process since they can lead to compaction or skin rupture in the membrane process, recent studies suggest several useful applications such as transdermal and osmotic drug delivery systems, miniature bioreactors, etc. However, lack of knowledge about the macrovoid formation mechanism is an obstacle to further development of applications using them. An on-going debate is the role of the surface-tension-driven solutocapillary convection during macrovoid formation. The rapid growth of macrovoids within 1-5 seconds and the high polymer concentration in and near macrovoids make it difficult to explain the mechanism of macrovoid growth by diffusion alone, which is the widely accepted hypothesis proposed by Reuvers et al. The hypothesis advanced by our research group can explain this rapid growth via a mechanism that involves diffusion from the casting solution in the meta-stable region to the macrovoid enhanced by solutocapillary convection induced by the steep nonsolvent concentration gradient in the vicinity of the macrovoid. Since macrovoid growth is hypothesized to be the interplay of a solutocapillary-induced driving force counteracted by viscous drag and buoyancy, eliminate the latter provides a means for testing this hypothesis. Moreover, free convection mass transfer in the nonsolvent immersion bath used to cause phase-separation in membrane casting complicates developing a model for both the wet-casting process and macrovoid growth. The low-g environment minimizes gravitationally induced free convection thereby permitting a tractable solution to the ternary diffusion equations that characterize membrane formation. NASA's Parabolic Flight Research Aircraft provides a small window of low-g (approximately 25 s) that can be used to study macrovoid development in both wet- and dry-cast membranes if an appropriate casting apparatus is used. This casting apparatus should be able to cast the membrane in both low- and high-g in a manner so that essential one-dimensional mass transfer conditions are achieved to insure lateral uniformity in the membrane. The apparatus used in previous research on membrane casting in low-gravity was operated with the plunger driven mechanism. The spring-loaded plunger pushes the bottom block containing the polymer casting solution well directly under the absorbent chamber located in the upper stationary block. However, membranes made via this casting apparatus often displayed lateral nonuniformities that precluded obtaining quantitative information on the macrovoid growth process. Thus, it was necessary to determine the reason for these structural irregularities observed in the low-g casting apparatus. Both experimental as well as computer simulation studies of the low-g casting apparatus established that the impulsive action of the plunger caused the undesired structural nonuniformities. The simulation results showed that the width-to-depth aspect ratio of the shallow well that contains the casting solution in this apparatus was not an important factor in minimizing this problem. Even for a 40:1 (width : depth) aspect ratio, any convection induced by the horizontal motion of the interface of the casting solution will be damped out within 6.25x10(exp 4) seconds. However, the experimental studies revealed that the impulsive motion of the plunger caused a 'sloshing' of the casting solution that had to be eliminated. Therefore, the plungerdriven mechanism was changed to a cam-driven mechanism that did not cause any impulsive motion of the casting solution. Other refinements to this new membrane-casting apparatus include provision for removing the membranes from the casting wells in a less destructive manner. This was accomplished by using a slit geometry for the casting well that permitted disassembly for removal of the cast membrane. The materials used in the construction of this casting apparatus were chosen to insure wetting at the side walls and to maintain precise control of the thickness of the polymer solution in the casting well. An additional provision in this new casting apparatus is the ability to carry out both wet- as well as dry-casting. As such, this apparatus permitted the first studies of the wet-casting of polymeric membranes in low-g. Both wet- and dry-casting experiments on NASA's KC-135 research aircraft employing this new membrane-casting apparatus are scheduled in July 2002. The morphology of the resulting membranes will be characterized using an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). The results of these low-g studies will be reported later.

Analysis of four dental alloys following torch/centrifugal and induction/ vacuum-pressure casting procedures.

PubMed

Thompson, Geoffrey A; Luo, Qing; Hefti, Arthur

2013-12-01

Previous studies have shown casting methodology to influence the as-cast properties of dental casting alloys. It is important to consider clinically important mechanical properties so that the influence of casting can be clarified. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how torch/centrifugal and inductively cast and vacuum-pressure casting machines may affect the castability, microhardness, chemical composition, and microstructure of 2 high noble, 1 noble, and 1 base metal dental casting alloys. Two commonly used methods for casting were selected for comparison: torch/centrifugal casting and inductively heated/ vacuum-pressure casting. One hundred and twenty castability patterns were fabricated and divided into 8 groups. Four groups were torch/centrifugally cast in Olympia (O), Jelenko O (JO), Genesis II (G), and Liberty (L) alloys. Similarly, 4 groups were cast in O, JO, G, and L by an inductively induction/vacuum-pressure casting machine. Each specimen was evaluated for casting completeness to determine a castability value, while porosity was determined by standard x-ray techniques. Each group was metallographically prepared for further evaluation that included chemical composition, Vickers microhardness, and grain analysis of microstructure. Two-way ANOVA was used to determine significant differences among the main effects. Statistically significant effects were examined further with the Tukey HSD procedure for multiple comparisons. Data obtained from the castability experiments were non-normal and the variances were unequal. They were analyzed statistically with the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test. Significant results were further investigated statistically with the Steel-Dwass method for multiple comparisons (α=.05). The alloy type had a significant effect on surface microhardness (P<.001). In contrast, the technique used for casting did not affect the microhardness of the test specimen (P=.465). Similarly, the interaction between the alloy and casting technique was not significant (P=.119). A high level of castability (98.5% on average) was achieved overall. The frequency of casting failures as a function of alloy type and casting method was determined. Failure was defined as a castability index score of <100%. Three of 28 possible comparisons between alloy and casting combinations were statistically significant. The results suggested that casting technique affects the castability index of alloys. Radiographic analysis detected large porosities in regions near the edge of the castability pattern and infrequently adjacent to noncast segments. All castings acquired traces of elements found in the casting crucibles. The grain size for each dental casting alloy was generally finer for specimens produced by the induction/vacuum-pressure method. The difference was substantial for JO and L. This study demonstrated a relation between casting techniques and some physical properties of metal ceramic casting alloys. Copyright © 2013 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Submentalizing or Mentalizing in a Level 1 Perspective-Taking Task: A Cloak and Goggles Test

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

It has been proposed that humans possess an automatic system to represent mental states (‘implicit mentalizing’). The existence of an implicit mentalizing system has generated considerable debate however, centered on the ability of various experimental paradigms to demonstrate unambiguously such mentalizing. Evidence for implicit mentalizing has previously been provided by the ‘dot perspective task,’ where participants are slower to verify the number of dots they can see when an avatar can see a different number of dots. However, recent evidence challenged a mentalizing interpretation of this effect by showing it was unaltered when the avatar was replaced with an inanimate arrow stimulus. Here we present an extension of the dot perspective task using an invisibility cloaking device to render the dots invisible on certain trials. This paradigm is capable of providing unambiguous evidence of automatic mentalizing, but no such evidence was found. Two further well-powered experiments used opaque and transparent goggles to manipulate visibility but found no evidence of automatic mentalizing, nor of individual differences in empathy or perspective-taking predicting performance, contradicting previous studies using the same design. The results cast doubt on the existence of an implicit mentalizing system, suggesting that previous effects were due to domain-general processes. PMID:27893269

The rise and fall of the world's first fat tax.

PubMed

Bødker, Malene; Pisinger, Charlotta; Toft, Ulla; Jørgensen, Torben

2015-06-01

In 2011, Denmark introduced the world's first tax on saturated fat, but only 15 months later the fat tax was abolished. The aim of this article is to investigate the political processes surrounding the implementation and rapid abolition of the fat tax. Our findings suggest that industry and trade associations were heavily involved in the political process of formulating the fat tax. Industry representatives used certain tactics to oppose the fat tax: threatening lawsuits, predicting welfare losses, casting doubt on evidence, diverting focus and requesting postponement. After the fat tax was implemented, the food industry continued their opposition through intensified lobbyism and juridical actions at EU level. However, other factors seem to have contributed to the fall of the fat tax. The tax received criticism for being poorly designed and gradually lost popularity among health professionals, politicians and the public. In the end, the fat tax was abolished for financial reasons. This study demonstrates how politicians considered the fat tax as a funding source rather than a public health initiative, which resulted in significant shortcomings. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the massive influence by industry stakeholders was not balanced with inputs from public health professionals, who should assume a more proactive role in policy-making. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection of human parvovirus B19 DNA in 22% of 1815 cutaneous biopsies of a wide variety of dermatological conditions suggests viral persistence after primary infection and casts doubts on its pathogenic significance.

PubMed

Santonja, C; Santos-Briz, A; Palmedo, G; Kutzner, H; Requena, L

2017-10-01

Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) has been associated with a number of dermatological and systemic conditions, including myocarditis and autoimmune syndromes. To determine the frequency of B19V DNA detection in a large dermatopathology practice, and to characterize the histopathological patterns involved. We selected for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of B19V a total of 1815 skin biopsies pertaining to entities allegedly related to B19V, as well as cases suspected clinically of representing paraviral exanthemas. Immunohistochemical detection of B19V viral protein 2 (VP2) was performed in 92 PCR-positive cases. B19V DNA was found by PCR in 402 out of 1825 biopsy specimens (22%). VP2 protein was identified by immunohistochemistry in only three instances of papular purpuric 'gloves-and-socks' syndrome. As the virus has the capacity to persist in different tissues (including the skin) for long periods, it could represent merely an innocent bystander, so no pathogenetic significance can be inferred from the PCR positivity for B19V in the vast majority of dermatological conditions studied. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

Neural correlates of cognitive dissonance and choice-induced preference change

PubMed Central

Izuma, Keise; Matsumoto, Madoka; Murayama, Kou; Samejima, Kazuyuki; Sadato, Norihiro; Matsumoto, Kenji

2010-01-01

According to many modern economic theories, actions simply reflect an individual's preferences, whereas a psychological phenomenon called “cognitive dissonance” claims that actions can also create preference. Cognitive dissonance theory states that after making a difficult choice between two equally preferred items, the act of rejecting a favorite item induces an uncomfortable feeling (cognitive dissonance), which in turn motivates individuals to change their preferences to match their prior decision (i.e., reducing preference for rejected items). Recently, however, Chen and Risen [Chen K, Risen J (2010) J Pers Soc Psychol 99:573–594] pointed out a serious methodological problem, which casts a doubt on the very existence of this choice-induced preference change as studied over the past 50 y. Here, using a proper control condition and two measures of preferences (self-report and brain activity), we found that the mere act of making a choice can change self-report preference as well as its neural representation (i.e., striatum activity), thus providing strong evidence for choice-induced preference change. Furthermore, our data indicate that the anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tracked the degree of cognitive dissonance on a trial-by-trial basis. Our findings provide important insights into the neural basis of how actions can alter an individual's preferences. PMID:21135218

Plasma membrane calcium ATPases: From generic Ca(2+) sump pumps to versatile systems for fine-tuning cellular Ca(2.).

PubMed

Strehler, Emanuel E

2015-04-24

The plasma membrane calcium ATPases (PMCAs) are ATP-driven primary ion pumps found in all eukaryotic cells. They are the major high-affinity calcium extrusion system for expulsion of Ca(2+) ions from the cytosol and help restore the low resting levels of intracellular [Ca(2+)] following the temporary elevation of Ca(2+) generated during Ca(2+) signaling. Due to their essential role in the maintenance of cellular Ca(2+) homeostasis they were initially thought to be "sump pumps" for Ca(2+) removal needed by all cells to avoid eventual calcium overload. The discovery of multiple PMCA isoforms and alternatively spliced variants cast doubt on this simplistic assumption, and revealed instead that PMCAs are integral components of highly regulated multi-protein complexes fulfilling specific roles in calcium-dependent signaling originating at the plasma membrane. Biochemical, genetic, and physiological studies in gene-manipulated and mutant animals demonstrate the important role played by specific PMCAs in distinct diseases including those affecting the peripheral and central nervous system, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. Human PMCA gene mutations and allelic variants associated with specific disorders continue to be discovered and underline the crucial role of different PMCAs in particular cells, tissues and organs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural correlates of cognitive dissonance and choice-induced preference change.

PubMed

Izuma, Keise; Matsumoto, Madoka; Murayama, Kou; Samejima, Kazuyuki; Sadato, Norihiro; Matsumoto, Kenji

2010-12-21

According to many modern economic theories, actions simply reflect an individual's preferences, whereas a psychological phenomenon called "cognitive dissonance" claims that actions can also create preference. Cognitive dissonance theory states that after making a difficult choice between two equally preferred items, the act of rejecting a favorite item induces an uncomfortable feeling (cognitive dissonance), which in turn motivates individuals to change their preferences to match their prior decision (i.e., reducing preference for rejected items). Recently, however, Chen and Risen [Chen K, Risen J (2010) J Pers Soc Psychol 99:573-594] pointed out a serious methodological problem, which casts a doubt on the very existence of this choice-induced preference change as studied over the past 50 y. Here, using a proper control condition and two measures of preferences (self-report and brain activity), we found that the mere act of making a choice can change self-report preference as well as its neural representation (i.e., striatum activity), thus providing strong evidence for choice-induced preference change. Furthermore, our data indicate that the anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tracked the degree of cognitive dissonance on a trial-by-trial basis. Our findings provide important insights into the neural basis of how actions can alter an individual's preferences.

Parallel heat transport in integrable and chaotic magnetic fields

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

Del-Castillo-Negrete, Diego B; Chacon, Luis

2012-01-01

The study of transport in magnetized plasmas is a problem of fundamental interest in controlled fusion, space plasmas, and astrophysics research. Three issues make this problem particularly chal- lenging: (i) The extreme anisotropy between the parallel (i.e., along the magnetic field), , and the perpendicular, , conductivities ( / may exceed 1010 in fusion plasmas); (ii) Magnetic field lines chaos which in general complicates (and may preclude) the construction of magnetic field line coordinates; and (iii) Nonlocal parallel transport in the limit of small collisionality. Motivated by these issues, we present a Lagrangian Green s function method to solve themore » local and non-local parallel transport equation applicable to integrable and chaotic magnetic fields in arbitrary geom- etry. The method avoids by construction the numerical pollution issues of grid-based algorithms. The potential of the approach is demonstrated with nontrivial applications to integrable (magnetic island chain), weakly chaotic (devil s staircase), and fully chaotic magnetic field configurations. For the latter, numerical solutions of the parallel heat transport equation show that the effective radial transport, with local and non-local closures, is non-diffusive, thus casting doubts on the appropriateness of the applicability of quasilinear diffusion descriptions. General conditions for the existence of non-diffusive, multivalued flux-gradient relations in the temperature evolution are derived.« less

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

McCollum, L.B.; Buchanan, J.P.; McCollum, M.B.

The Antler orogeny is a textbook example of a Paleozoic mountain building and crustal shortening event in western North America. A relatively complex geologic history of the type Antler at Battle Mountain, Nevada, is interpreted as distinct thrust plates of Lower Cambrian Scott Canyon Formation, Upper Cambrian Harmony Sandstone, and Ordovician Valmy Formation, overlain unconformably by the Middle Pennsylvanian Battle Formation. Mississippian crustal deformation and emplacement of the Roberts Mountain thrust have previously been thought to characterize the Antler orogen. Detailed sedimentology studies of the Scott Canyon and Harmony, and the relationship with the overlying Battle Formation at the typemore » section of the Antler orogeny, cast doubt on the previously accepted geologic history. The Scott Canyon is an interbedded sequence of pillow basalts, Late Devonian radiolarian cherts, and mudstone debris flows with numerous limestone olistoliths, many containing undescribed archaeocyathid fauna. The contact of the Harmony with the Battle Formation appears channeled, but otherwise conformable, and the Battle has been interpreted as an alluvial fan facies. The paleoenvironmental interpretation of these sediments is that the Scott Canyon was deposited upon a Late Devonian active continental margin setting, with prograding fan deposits of the Harmony Sandstone, overlain by Middle Pennsylvanian fanglomerates of the Battle Formation. This conformable sequence appears to preclude any major uplift within the type Antler orogen.« less

Effects of immunosuppression on circulating adeno-associated virus capsid-specific T cells in humans.

PubMed

Parzych, Elizabeth M; Li, Hua; Yin, Xiangfan; Liu, Qin; Wu, Te-Lang; Podsakoff, Gregory M; High, Katherine A; Levine, Matthew H; Ertl, Hildegund C J

2013-04-01

In humans adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene transfer is followed by expansion of AAV capsid-specific T cells, evidence of cell damage, and loss of transgene product expression, implicating immunological rejection of vector-transduced cells, which may be prevented by immunosuppressive drugs. We undertook this study to assess the effect of immunosuppression (IS) used for organ transplantation on immune responses to AAV capsid antigens. Recipients of liver or kidney transplants were tested before and 4 weeks after induction of IS in comparison with matched samples from healthy human adults and an additional cohort with comorbid conditions similar to those of the transplant patients. Our data show that transplant patients and comorbid control subjects have markedly higher frequencies of circulating AAV capsid-specific T cells compared with healthy adults. On average, IS resulted in a reduction of AAV-specific CD4⁺ T cells, whereas numbers of circulating CD8⁺ effector and central memory T cells tended to increase. Independent of the type of transplant or the IS regimens, the trend of AAV capsid-specific T cell responses after drug treatment varied; in some patients responses were unaffected whereas others showed decreases or even pronounced increases, casting doubt on the usefulness of prophylactic IS for AAV vector recipients.

Effects of Immunosuppression on Circulating Adeno-Associated Virus Capsid-Specific T cells in Humans

PubMed Central

Parzych, Elizabeth M.; Li, Hua; Yin, Xiangfan; Liu, Qin; Wu, Te-Lang; Podsakoff, Gregory M.; High, Katherine A.; Levine, Matthew H.

2013-01-01

Abstract In humans adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene transfer is followed by expansion of AAV capsid-specific T cells, evidence of cell damage, and loss of transgene product expression, implicating immunological rejection of vector-transduced cells, which may be prevented by immunosuppressive drugs. We undertook this study to assess the effect of immunosuppression (IS) used for organ transplantation on immune responses to AAV capsid antigens. Recipients of liver or kidney transplants were tested before and 4 weeks after induction of IS in comparison with matched samples from healthy human adults and an additional cohort with comorbid conditions similar to those of the transplant patients. Our data show that transplant patients and comorbid control subjects have markedly higher frequencies of circulating AAV capsid-specific T cells compared with healthy adults. On average, IS resulted in a reduction of AAV-specific CD4+ T cells, whereas numbers of circulating CD8+ effector and central memory T cells tended to increase. Independent of the type of transplant or the IS regimens, the trend of AAV capsid-specific T cell responses after drug treatment varied; in some patients responses were unaffected whereas others showed decreases or even pronounced increases, casting doubt on the usefulness of prophylactic IS for AAV vector recipients. PMID:23461589

Antioxidant capacity of parsley cells (Petroselinum crispum L.) in relation to iron-induced ferritin levels and static magnetic field.

PubMed

Rajabbeigi, Elham; Ghanati, Faezeh; Abdolmaleki, Parviz; Payez, Atefeh

2013-12-01

This study was aimed to evaluate antioxidant response of parsley cells to 21 ppm iron and static magnetic field (SMF; 30 mT). The activity of catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and the contents of malonyldialdehyde, iron and ferritin were measured at 6 and 12 h after treatments. Exposure to SMF increased the activity of CAT in treated cells, while combination of iron and SMF treatments as well as iron supply alone decreased CAT activity, compared to that of control cells. Combination of SMF with iron treatment reduced iron content of the cells and ameliorated mal effect of iron on CAT activity. All treatments reduced APX activity; however, the content of total ascorbate increased in response to iron and SMF+iron. The results showed that among the components of antioxidant system of parsley cells, enhanced activity of CAT in SMF-treated cells and increase of ascorbate in SMF+Fe-treated ones were responsible for the maintenance of membranes integrity. Ferritin contents of SMF- and SMF+Fe-treated cells also decreased significantly 12 h after treatments, compared to those of the control cells. These results cast doubt on the proposed functions of ferritin as a putative reactive oxygen species detoxifying molecule.

Appeal of playing online First Person Shooter Games.

PubMed

Jansz, Jeroen; Tanis, Martin

2007-02-01

First Person Shooter Games (FPSG) such as Counter Strike are often the subject of public concern. Surprisingly, there is no published research available about playing these games. We conducted an exploratory Internet survey (n 5 751) in order to gather information about who the players of online first person shooters are, and why they spend time on playing this particular kind of video game. The results of our survey on the one hand confirmed the stereotype of the gamer as it is often presented in popular media: the players of online FPS were indeed almost exclusively young men (mean age about 18 years) who spend a lot of their leisure time on gaming (about 2.6 h per day). We also found that the most committed gamers, that is, the ones who were members of a (semi)professional clan, scored highest on motives with respect to competition, and challenge in comparison with members of amateur clans and online gamers who had not joined a clan. On the other hand, our results cast doubt on the accuracy of the stereotype. This study showed clearly that online FPSG are not played in isolation. More than 80% of our respondents were member of a clan. Also, the regression analysis showed that the social interaction motive was the strongest predictor of the time actually spend on gaming.

Lower bounds on entropy for polymer chains on a square and a cubic lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gujrati, P. D.

1982-07-01

Rigorous lower bounds on the entropy per particle as a function of the fraction g of the gauche bonds of a system of semiflexible polymer chains is obtained in the thermodynamic limit. Only square and cubic lattices are considered. For the case of a single chain having l monomers, the bound is obtained for all g⩽g=2/3. For the case of p>1 chains, each having l monomers, where l is a multiple of 4, the bound is obtained for all g⩽g'=13/90. In both cases, it is shown that the entropy is always nonzero for all 0< g

On fast reconnection in pair plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zocco, A.; Chacon, L.; Simakov, A.; Lukin, V.

2008-11-01

The relevance of two-fluid effects to fast magnetic reconnection in standard electron-proton plasmas is well-known. The currently accepted view is that such fast reconnection is enabled by fast dispersive waves, which originate in the ion-electron mass difference. However, electron-positron (pair) plasmas do not feature such mass difference, and thus do not support fast dispersive waves. Nevertheless, recent kinetic and fluid pair-plasmas simulations have demonstrated that fast magnetic reconnection is indeed possible, thus casting doubt on the accepted view. In this study, we develop an analytical fluid model for 2D reconnection in non-relativistic, large-guide-field, low-β pair plasmas, including inertia, resistivity, and parallel viscosity.^4 We conclude that fast reconnection is possible in the collisionless (viscosity-dominated) regime, but not in the collisional (resistivity-dominated) one. J. Birn et al., J. Geophys. Res. 106 (A3), pp. 3715--3719 (2001) M. A. Shay et al., Geophys. Res. Lett. 26, 2163 (1999); B. N. Rogers et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 195004 (2001) See e.g. S. Zenitani and M. Hoshino, Astrophys. J. 562, L63 (2001); N. Bessho and A. Bhattacharjee, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 245001 (2005); W. Daughton and H. Karimabadi, Phys. Plasmas 14, 72303 (2007). L. Chac'on, A. N. Simakov, V. S. Lukin, A. Zocco, Phys. Rev. Lett., 025003 (2008)

Caste, Class and the Love-Marriage: Social Change in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corwin, Lauren A.

1977-01-01

The present study of a small town in rural West Bengal, India, reveals a number of "love-marriages" involving individuals from castes of distinctly different ranks in the local caste hierarchy. Despite the prevailing rule of caste endogamy, inter-caste couples appear to face little difficulty. (Author)

Release of ToxCastDB and ExpoCastDB databases

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has released two databases - the Toxicity Forecaster database (ToxCastDB) and a database of chemical exposure studies (ExpoCastDB) - that scientists and the public can use to access chemical toxicity and exposure data. ToxCastDB users can search and download data from over 50...

Positive pressure ventilation in the management of acute and chronic cardiac failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Nadar, Sunil; Prasad, Neeraj; Taylor, Rod S; Lip, Gregory Y H

2005-03-18

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a common condition and is associated with excess morbidity and mortality, in spite of the many advances in its treatment. Chronic stable heart failure is also associated with an increased incidence of sleep-related breathing disorders, such as central sleep apnoea (CSA) and Cheyne Stokes respiration (CSR). Continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) has been shown to alleviate the symptoms of CHF, improve left ventricular function and oxygenation. To a certain extent, CPAP also abolishes sleep-related breathing disorders in patients with chronic heart failure. In patients with acute pulmonary oedema, the use of positive pressure ventilation improves cardiac haemodynamic indices, as well as symptoms and oxygenation, and is associated with a lower need for intubation. However, some studies have cast doubts about its safety and suggest a higher rate of myocardial infarction associated with its use. In our opinion, non-invasive positive pressure ventilation and CPAP offers an adjunctive mode of therapy in patients with acute pulmonary oedema and chronic heart failure, who may not be suitable for intubation and in those not responsive to conventional therapies. Non-invasive ventilation also helps to improve oxygenation in those patients with exhaustion and respiratory acidosis. Many trials are still ongoing and the results of these studies would throw more light on the present role of non-invasive ventilation in the management of CHF.

DNA barcoding reveals that the common cupped oyster in Taiwan is the Portuguese oyster Crassostrea angulata (Ostreoida; Ostreidae), not C. gigas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsiao, Sheng-Tai; Chuang, Shin-Chang; Chen, Kao-Sung; Ho, Ping-Ho; Wu, Chi-Lun; Chen, Chaolun Allen

2016-09-01

The Pacific cupped oyster, Crassostrea gigas, is one of the major aquacultural shellfish species that has been introduced to Europe and America from its native source in the West Pacific. In Taiwan, the cultivated cupped oysters along the west coast have been identified as C. gigas for over centuries; however, several molecular phylogenetic studies have cast doubt upon the existence of this species in Taiwan and adjacent waters. Indeed, our analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences from 313 Crassostrea collected from 12 locations along Taiwanese and southern Chinese coastlines confirm that all samples were the Portuguese oyster, C. angulata, rather than C. gigas. Multiple lines of evidence, including haplotypic and nucleotide diversity of the COI gene, demographic history, and population genetics, suggest that Taiwanese C. angulata is unique, probably experienced a sudden population expansion after the Last Glacial Maxima around 20,000 years ago, and has a significantly limited genetic connectivity across the Taiwan Strait. Our study applies an extended sampling and DNA barcoding to confirm the absence of C. gigas in natural and cultivated populations in Taiwan and southern China, where we only found C. angulata. We highlight the importance of conserving the gene pool of the C. angulata population in Taiwan, particularly considering the current threats by large-scale environmental disturbances such as marine pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change.

Ego Depletion Does Not Interfere With Working Memory Performance.

PubMed

Singh, Ranjit K; Göritz, Anja S

2018-01-01

Ego depletion happens if exerting self-control reduces a person's capacity to subsequently control themselves. Previous research has suggested that ego depletion not only interferes with subsequent self-control but also with working memory. However, recent meta-analytical evidence casts doubt onto this. The present study tackles the question if ego depletion does interfere with working memory performance. We induced ego depletion in two ways: using an e-crossing task and using a Stroop task. We then measured working memory performance using the letter-number sequencing task. There was no evidence of ego depletion interfering with working memory performance. Several aspects of our study render this null finding highly robust. We had a large and heterogeneous sample of N = 1,385, which provided sufficient power. We deployed established depletion tasks from two task families (e-crossing task and Stroop), thus making it less likely that the null finding is due to a specific depletion paradigm. We derived several performance scores from the working memory task and ran different analyses to maximize the chances of finding an effect. Lastly, we controlled for two potential moderators, the implicit theories about willpower and dispositional self-control capacity, to ensure that a possible effect on working memory is not obscured by an interaction effect. In sum, this experiment strengthens the position that ego depletion works but does not affect working memory performance.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy and self-reported delinquency by offspring.

PubMed

Ellis, Lee; Widmayer, Alan; Das, Shyamal

2012-12-01

Several studies have reported significant positive correlations between smoking during pregnancy by mothers and the involvement of their offspring in criminal/delinquent behaviour later in life, but these findings have been described as modest and the criminality based on official conviction statistics. We sought to verify this relationship and probe for more details on the basis of self-reported offending among college students. Independently completed questionnaires were collected from 6332 students and their mothers. The students provided information about their delinquent acts, if any, according to eight categories. Their mothers provided retrospective reports of their smoking habits, if any, during pregnancy. Mothers who recalled having smoked during pregnancy were significantly more likely than non-smoking mothers to have offspring who self-reported engaging in some types of delinquency. This relationship was more evident for female offspring than for male offspring and was most pronounced for illegal drug use by the offspring. There was, however, no relationship between offspring offending and estimated number of cigarettes smoked by mothers, month of pregnancy when smoked or consistency of smoking throughout pregnancy. Overall, our study confirms that maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with offspring involvement in delinquency, but the lack of critical timing or dose-response relationships between maternal smoking and later offspring delinquency cast doubt on the possibility that the associations are due to teratogenic effects of tobacco smoke. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ego Depletion Does Not Interfere With Working Memory Performance

PubMed Central

Singh, Ranjit K.; Göritz, Anja S.

2018-01-01

Ego depletion happens if exerting self-control reduces a person’s capacity to subsequently control themselves. Previous research has suggested that ego depletion not only interferes with subsequent self-control but also with working memory. However, recent meta-analytical evidence casts doubt onto this. The present study tackles the question if ego depletion does interfere with working memory performance. We induced ego depletion in two ways: using an e-crossing task and using a Stroop task. We then measured working memory performance using the letter-number sequencing task. There was no evidence of ego depletion interfering with working memory performance. Several aspects of our study render this null finding highly robust. We had a large and heterogeneous sample of N = 1,385, which provided sufficient power. We deployed established depletion tasks from two task families (e-crossing task and Stroop), thus making it less likely that the null finding is due to a specific depletion paradigm. We derived several performance scores from the working memory task and ran different analyses to maximize the chances of finding an effect. Lastly, we controlled for two potential moderators, the implicit theories about willpower and dispositional self-control capacity, to ensure that a possible effect on working memory is not obscured by an interaction effect. In sum, this experiment strengthens the position that ego depletion works but does not affect working memory performance. PMID:29706923

DNA barcoding reveals that the common cupped oyster in Taiwan is the Portuguese oyster Crassostrea angulata (Ostreoida; Ostreidae), not C. gigas

PubMed Central

Hsiao, Sheng-Tai; Chuang, Shin-Chang; Chen, Kao-Sung; Ho, Ping-Ho; Wu, Chi-Lun; Chen, Chaolun Allen

2016-01-01

The Pacific cupped oyster, Crassostrea gigas, is one of the major aquacultural shellfish species that has been introduced to Europe and America from its native source in the West Pacific. In Taiwan, the cultivated cupped oysters along the west coast have been identified as C. gigas for over centuries; however, several molecular phylogenetic studies have cast doubt upon the existence of this species in Taiwan and adjacent waters. Indeed, our analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences from 313 Crassostrea collected from 12 locations along Taiwanese and southern Chinese coastlines confirm that all samples were the Portuguese oyster, C. angulata, rather than C. gigas. Multiple lines of evidence, including haplotypic and nucleotide diversity of the COI gene, demographic history, and population genetics, suggest that Taiwanese C. angulata is unique, probably experienced a sudden population expansion after the Last Glacial Maxima around 20,000 years ago, and has a significantly limited genetic connectivity across the Taiwan Strait. Our study applies an extended sampling and DNA barcoding to confirm the absence of C. gigas in natural and cultivated populations in Taiwan and southern China, where we only found C. angulata. We highlight the importance of conserving the gene pool of the C. angulata population in Taiwan, particularly considering the current threats by large-scale environmental disturbances such as marine pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change. PMID:27666088

DNA barcoding reveals that the common cupped oyster in Taiwan is the Portuguese oyster Crassostrea angulata (Ostreoida; Ostreidae), not C. gigas.

PubMed

Hsiao, Sheng-Tai; Chuang, Shin-Chang; Chen, Kao-Sung; Ho, Ping-Ho; Wu, Chi-Lun; Chen, Chaolun Allen

2016-09-26

The Pacific cupped oyster, Crassostrea gigas, is one of the major aquacultural shellfish species that has been introduced to Europe and America from its native source in the West Pacific. In Taiwan, the cultivated cupped oysters along the west coast have been identified as C. gigas for over centuries; however, several molecular phylogenetic studies have cast doubt upon the existence of this species in Taiwan and adjacent waters. Indeed, our analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences from 313 Crassostrea collected from 12 locations along Taiwanese and southern Chinese coastlines confirm that all samples were the Portuguese oyster, C. angulata, rather than C. gigas. Multiple lines of evidence, including haplotypic and nucleotide diversity of the COI gene, demographic history, and population genetics, suggest that Taiwanese C. angulata is unique, probably experienced a sudden population expansion after the Last Glacial Maxima around 20,000 years ago, and has a significantly limited genetic connectivity across the Taiwan Strait. Our study applies an extended sampling and DNA barcoding to confirm the absence of C. gigas in natural and cultivated populations in Taiwan and southern China, where we only found C. angulata. We highlight the importance of conserving the gene pool of the C. angulata population in Taiwan, particularly considering the current threats by large-scale environmental disturbances such as marine pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change.

Reproduction alters oxidative status when it is traded-off against longevity.

PubMed

Beaulieu, Michaël; Geiger, Rina E; Reim, Elisabeth; Zielke, Luisa; Fischer, Klaus

2015-07-01

Oxidative stress has been proposed to mediate one of the most important aspects of life-history evolution: the trade-off between reproduction and self-maintenance. However, empirical studies have cast doubt on the generality of this intriguing notion. Here, we hypothesize that reproduction alters oxidative status only when a trade-off between reproduction and self-maintenance occurs. Accordingly, in female Bicyclus anynana butterflies, we found that reproduction affected oxidative markers only under challenging thermal conditions that made the trade-off between reproduction and longevity emerge. Interestingly, under such conditions, butterflies favored longevity over reproduction, suggesting that self-maintenance mechanisms were activated. Accordingly, butterflies reproducing under challenging thermal conditions exhibited enhanced antioxidant defenses and stable oxidative damage. Altogether, our results indicate that a trade-off between reproduction and self-maintenance is indeed a necessary condition for reproduction to alter oxidative status, and that the effects of such a trade-off on oxidative status depend on whether priority is given to self-maintenance or reproduction. Assessing the existence of the trade-off between self-maintenance and reproduction, and whether self-maintenance is prioritized relative to reproduction is therefore crucial for understanding variation in oxidative status in reproducing animals, which may clarify the general implication of oxidative stress in the resolution of life-history trade-offs. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Effect of Casting Material on the Cast Pressure After Sequential Cast Splitting.

PubMed

Roberts, Aaron; Shaw, K Aaron; Boomsma, Shawn E; Cameron, Craig D

2017-01-01

Circumferential casting is a vital component of nonoperative fracture management. These casts are commonly valved to release pressure and decrease the risk of complications from swelling. However, little information exists regarding the effect of different casting supplies on the pressure within the cast. Seventy-five long-arm casts were performed on human volunteers, divided between 5 experimental groups with 15 casts in each groups. Testing groups consisted of 2 groups with a plaster short-arm cast overwrapped with fiberglass to a long arm with either cotton or synthetic cast padding. The 3 remaining groups included fiberglass long-arm casts with cotton, synthetic, or waterproof cast padding. A pediatric blood pressure cuff bladder was placed within the cast and inflated to 100 mm Hg. After inflation, the cast was sequentially released with pressure reading preformed after each stage. Order of release consisted of cast bivalve, cast padding release, and cotton stockinet release. After release, the cast was overwrapped with a loose elastic bandage. Difference in pressure readings were compared based upon the cast material. Pressures within the cast were found to decrease with sequential release of cast. The cast type had no effect of change in pressure. Post hoc testing demonstrated that the type of cast padding significantly affected the cast pressures with waterproof padding demonstrating the highest pressure readings at all time-points in the study, followed by synthetic padding. Cotton padding had the lowest pressure readings at all time-points. Type of cast padding significantly influences the amount of pressure within a long-arm cast, even after bivalving the cast and cutting the cast padding. Cotton cast padding allows for the greatest change in pressure. Cotton padding demonstrates the greatest change in pressure within a long-arm cast after undergoing bivalve. Synthetic and waterproof cast padding should not be used in the setting of an acute fracture to accommodate swelling.

Clinical Trials Update: CAPRICORN, COPERNICUS, MIRACLE, STAF, RITZ-2, RECOVER and RENAISSANCE and cachexia and cholesterol in heart failure. Highlights of the Scientific Sessions of the American College of Cardiology, 2001.

PubMed

Louis, A; Cleland, J G; Crabbe, S; Ford, S; Thackray, S; Houghton, T; Clark, A

2001-06-01

This is a synopsis of presentations made at the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in 2001 summarising recent research developments relating to heart failure. Clinical studies of particular interest to physicians with an interest in heart failure and its prevention are reviewed. The COPERNICUS trial lends further support to the use of the beta-blocker, carvedilol, in severe heart failure and the CAPRICORN trial to its use in patients with post-infarction left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The MIRACLE study reinforces the evidence from three smaller trials that cardiac resynchronisation therapy is an effective treatment for the relief of symptoms in patients with severe heart failure and cardiac dyssynchrony. The STAF trial casts further doubt on the wisdom of cardioversion as a routine strategy for the management of chronic atrial fibrillation. The RITZ-2 trial suggests that an intravenous, non-selective endothelin antagonist is effective in improving haemodynamics and symptoms and possibly in reducing morbidity in severe heart failure. Observational studies in heart failure suggest that a moderate excess of body fat and elevated blood cholesterol may be desirable in patients with heart failure, challenging the current non-evidenced-based vogue for cholesterol lowering therapy in heart failure. The RENAISSANCE and RECOVER outcome studies of etanercept, a tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor analogue that blocks the effect of TNF, were stopped because of lack of evidence of benefit shortly after the ACC.

Marijuana smoking: effects of varying puff volume and breathhold duration.

PubMed

Azorlosa, J L; Greenwald, M K; Stitzer, M L

1995-02-01

Two studies were conducted to quantify biological and behavioral effects resulting from exposure to controlled doses of marijuana smoke. In one study, puff volume (30, 60 and 90 ml) and in a second study, breathhold duration (0, 10 and 20 sec) were systematically varied while holding constant other smoking topography parameters (number of puffs = 10, interpuff interval = 60 sec and inhalation volume = 25% of vital capacity). Each study also varied levels of delta 9-tetrahydro-cannabinol marijuana cigarette content (1.75% and 3.55%). Regular marijuana users served as subjects (n = 7 in each experiment). Subjects smoked 10 puffs in each of six sessions; a seventh, nonsmoking session (all measures recorded at the same times as in active smoking sessions) served as a control. Variations in puff volume produced significant dose-related changes in postsmoking plasma delta 9-tetrahydro-cannabinol levels, carbon monoxide boost and subjective effects (e.g., "high"). In contrast, breathholding for 10 or 20 sec versus 0 sec increased plasma delta 9-tetrahydro-cannabinol levels but not CO boost or subjective effects. Task performance measures were not reliably influenced by marijuana smoke exposure within the dosing ranges examined. These findings confirm the utility of the controlled smoking technology, support the notion that cumulative puff volume systematically influences biological exposure and subjective effects, but cast doubt on the common belief that prolonged breathholding of marijuana smoke enhances classical subjective effects associated with its reinforcing value in humans.

Cross-Validation of the Computerized Adaptive Screening Test (CAST).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pliske, Rebecca M.; And Others

The Computerized Adaptive Screening Test (CAST) was developed to provide an estimate at recruiting stations of prospects' Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) scores. The CAST was designed to replace the paper-and-pencil Enlistment Screening Test (EST). The initial validation study of CAST indicated that CAST predicts AFQT at least as accurately…

Marginal Accuracy of Castings Fabricated with Ringless Casting Investment System and Metal Ring Casting Investment System: A Comparative Study.

PubMed

Kalavathi, M; Sachin, Bhuvana; Prasanna, B G; Shreeharsha, T V; Praveen, B; Ragher, Mallikarjuna

2016-02-01

The thermal expansion of the investment can be restricted by the metal casting ring because the thermal expansion of the ring is less than that of the investment. The ringless casting procedure is in use in clinical dentistry, though there is little scientific data to support its use in fixed partial dentures. In this study, marginal discrepancy of castings produced with the ringless casting technique and the conventional technique using the metal rings were compared. A total of 30 wax patterns were fabricated directly on a metal die. Optical stereomicroscope was used to measure the marginal discrepancy between the metal die and wax patterns. A total of 15 castings were invested using Bellavest T phosphate-bonded investment with the ringless technique and 15 were invested with the same investment with a metal ring; 30 castings were produced using a nickel-chromium ceramo-metal alloy. The internal surface of the castings was not modified and seated with finger pressure. The vertical marginal discrepancy was measured using an optical stereomicroscope at a magnification of 100x. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using students t-test (paired t-test and unpaired t-test). The castings of the ringless technique provided less vertical marginal discrepancy (240.56 ± 45.81 μ) than the castings produced with the conventional metal ring technique (281.98± 53.05 μ). The difference was statistically significant. The ringless casting technique had produced better marginal accuracy compared with conventional casting technique. Ringless casting system can be used routinely for clinical purpose.

38 CFR 3.102 - Reasonable doubt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of disability, or any other point, such doubt will be resolved in favor of the claimant. By reasonable doubt is meant one which exists because of an approximate balance of positive and negative...

Marginal accuracy of nickel chromium copings fabricated by conventional and accelerated casting procedures, produced with ringless and metal ring investment procedures: A comparative in vitro study.

PubMed

Alex, Deepa; Shetty, Y Bharath; Miranda, Glynis Anita; Prabhu, M Bharath; Karkera, Reshma

2015-01-01

Conventional investing and casting techniques are time-consuming and usually requires 2-4 h for completion. Accelerated nonstandard, casting techniques have been reported to achieve similar quality results in significantly less time, namely, in 30-40 min. During casting, it is essential to achieve compensation for the shrinkage of solidifying alloy by investment expansion. The metal casting ring restricts the thermal expansion of investment because the thermal expansion of the ring is lesser than that of the investment. The use of casting ring was challenged with the introduction of the ringless technique. A total of 40 test samples of nickel chromium (Ni-Cr) cast copings were obtained from the patterns fabricated using inlay casting wax. The 20 wax patterns were invested using metal ring and 20 wax patterns were invested using the ringless investment system. Of both the groups, 10 samples underwent conventional casting, and the other 10 underwent accelerated casting. The patterns were casted using the induction casting technique. All the test samples of cast copings were evaluated for vertical marginal gaps at four points on the die employing a stereo optical microscope. The vertical marginal discrepancy data obtained were tabulated. Mean and standard deviations were obtained. Vertical discrepancies were analyzed using analysis of variance and Tukey honestly significantly different. The data obtained were found to be very highly significant (P < 0.001). Mean vertical gap was the maximum for Group II (53.64 μm) followed by Group IV (47.62 μm), Group I (44.83 μm) and Group III (35.35 μm). The Ni-Cr cast copings fabricated with the conventional casting using ringless investment system showed significantly better marginal fit than that of cast copings fabricated from conventional and accelerated casting with metal ring investment and accelerated casting using ringless investment since those copings had shown the least vertical marginal discrepancies among the four methods evaluated in this study.

Caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities in HIV/AIDS-related knowledge gap: a case of Nepal.

PubMed

Atteraya, Madhu; Kimm, HeeJin; Song, In Han

2015-05-01

Caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities are major obstacles to achieving health equity. The authors investigated whether there is any association between caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities and HIV-related knowledge within caste and ethnic populations. They used the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally represented cross-sectional study data set. The study sample consisted of 11,273 women between 15 and 49 years of age. Univariate and logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between caste- and ethnicity-based inequalities and HIV-related knowledge. The study sample was divided into high Hindu caste (47.9 percent), "untouchable" caste (18.4 percent), and indigenous populations (33.7 percent). Within the study sample, the high-caste population was found to have the greatest knowledge of the means by which HIV is prevented and transmitted. After controlling for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, untouchables were the least knowledgeable. The odds ratio for incomplete knowledge about transmission among indigenous populations was 1.27 times higher than that for high Hindu castes, but there was no significant difference in knowledge of preventive measures. The findings suggest the existence of a prevailing HIV knowledge gap. This in turn suggests that appropriate steps need to be implemented to convey complete knowledge to underprivileged populations.

CIRCULAR POLARIZATION OF PULSAR WIND NEBULAE AND THE COSMIC-RAY POSITRON EXCESS

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

Linden, Tim, E-mail: trlinden@uchicago.edu

2015-02-01

Recent observations by the PAMELA and AMS-02 telescopes have uncovered an anomalous rise in the positron fraction at energies above 10 GeV. One possible explanation for this excess is the production of primary electron/positron pairs through electromagnetic cascades in pulsar magnetospheres. This process results in a high multiplicity of electron/positron pairs within the wind-termination shock of pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe). A consequence of this scenario is that no circular polarization should be observed within PWNe, since the contributions from electrons and positrons exactly cancel. Here we note that current radio instruments are capable of setting meaningful limits on the circular polarizationmore » of synchrotron radiation in PWNe, which observationally test the model for pulsar production of the local positron excess. The observation of a PWN with detectable circular polarization would cast strong doubt on pulsar interpretations of the positron excess, while observations setting strong limits on the circular polarization of PWNe would lend credence to these models. Finally, we indicate which PWNe are likely to provide the best targets for observational tests of the AMS-02 excess.« less

Myth or relict: Does ancient DNA detect the enigmatic Upland seal?

PubMed

Salis, Alexander T; Easton, Luke J; Robertson, Bruce C; Gemmell, Neil; Smith, Ian W G; Weisler, Marshall I; Waters, Jonathan M; Rawlence, Nicolas J

2016-04-01

The biological status of the so-called 'Upland seal' has remained contentious ever since historical records described a distinct seal from the uplands of New Zealand's (NZ) remote sub-Antarctic islands. Subsequent genetic surveys of the NZ fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri) detected two highly-divergent mtDNA clades, hypothesized to represent a post-sealing hybrid swarm between 'mainland' (Australia-NZ; A. forsteri) and sub-Antarctic (putative 'Upland'; A. snaresensis) lineages. We present ancient-DNA analyses of prehistoric mainland NZ and sub-Antarctic fur seals, revealing that both of these genetic lineages were already widely distributed across the region at the time of human arrival. These findings indicate that anthropogenic factors did not contribute to the admixture of these lineages, and cast doubt on the validity of the Upland seal. Human-mediated impacts on Arctocephalus genetic diversity are instead highlighted by a dramatic temporal haplotype frequency-shift due to genetic drift in heavily bottlenecked populations following the cessation of industrial-scale harvesting. These extinction-recolonisation dynamics add to a growing picture of human-mediated change in NZ's coastal and marine ecosystems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High Energy Astrophysics Tests of Lorentz Invariance and Quantum Gravity Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecker, Floyd W.

2012-01-01

High energy astrophysics observations provide the best possibilities to detect a very small violation of Lorentz invariance such as may be related to the structure of space-time near the Planck scale of approx.10(exp -35) m. I will discuss the possible signatures of Lorentz invariance violation (LIV) that can be manifested by observing of the spectra, polarization, and timing of gamma-rays from active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts. Other sensitive tests are provided by observations of the spectra of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays and neutrinos. Using the latest data from the Pierre Auger Observatory one can already derive an upper limit of 4.5 x 10(exp -23) on the fraction of LIV at a Lorentz factor of approx. 2 x 10(exp 11). This result has fundamental implications for quantum gravity models. I will also discuss the possibilities of using more sensitive space-based detection techniques to improve searches for LIV in the future. I will also discuss how the LIV formalism casts doubt on the OPERA superluminal neutrino claim.

Variation in Women's Preferences Regarding Male Facial Masculinity Is Better Explained by Genetic Differences Than by Previously Identified Context-Dependent Effects.

PubMed

Zietsch, Brendan P; Lee, Anthony J; Sherlock, James M; Jern, Patrick

2015-09-01

Women's preferences for masculine versus feminine male faces are highly variable. According to a dominant theory in evolutionary psychology, this variability results from adaptations that optimize preferences by calibrating them to certain contextual factors, including women's self-perceived attractiveness, short- versus long-term relationship orientation, pathogen disgust sensitivity, and stage of the menstrual cycle. The theory does not account for the possible contribution of genetic variation on women's facial masculinity preference. Using a large sample (N = 2,160) of identical and nonidentical female Finnish twins and their siblings, we showed that the proportion of variation in women's preferences regarding male facial masculinity that was attributable to genetic variation (38%) dwarfed the variation due to the combined effect of contextual factors (< 1%). These findings cast doubt on the importance of these context-dependent effects and may suggest a need for refocusing in the field toward understanding the wide genetic variation in these preferences and how this variation relates to the evolution of sexual dimorphism in faces. © The Author(s) 2015.

Replicating the Z iron opacity experiments on the NIF

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

Perry, T. S.; Heeter, R. F.; Opachich, Y. P.

Here, X-ray opacity is a crucial factor of all radiation-hydrodynamics calculations, yet it is one of the least validated of the material properties in the simulation codes. Recent opacity experiments at the Sandia Z-machine have shown up to factors of two discrepancies between theory and experiment, casting doubt on the validity of the opacity models. Therefore, a new experimental opacity platform is being developed on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) not only to verify the Z-machine experimental results but also to extend the experiments to other temperatures and densities. The first experiments will be directed towards measuring the opacity ofmore » iron at a temperature of ~160 eV and an electron density of ~7 x 10 21 cm -3. Preliminary experiments on NIF have demonstrated the ability to create a sufficiently bright point backlighter using an imploding plastic capsule and also a hohlraum that can heat the opacity sample to the desired conditions. The first of these iron opacity experiments is expected to be performed in 2017.« less

Living males of the ‘ancient asexual’ Darwinulidae (Ostracoda: Crustacea)

PubMed Central

Smith, Robin J; Kamiya, Takahiro; Horne, David J

2006-01-01

Three living male darwinulid ostracods of a new species of the genus Vestalenula have been found in Yakushima, Japan. This is the first report of living darwinulid males for over 100 years and their morphology casts doubt on the two previous records from the late 1800s. The presence of male darwinulids also calls into question the hypothesis that the family Darwinulidae is an exclusively ancient asexual group, reproducing without sex for over 200 million years (Myr). Male carapaces are of similar size and shape to A-1 juvenile females of the same species, suggesting that males may have been dismissed as A-1 juveniles in other living and fossil species. The antennae and fifth limbs are sexually dimorphic: the male antennae have six segments compared with five in the female and a series of putative chemical receptors originating at the extra segment boundary, while the male fifth limbs have well-developed grasping hooks, as in males of many ostracod groups. The lack of Zenker's Organ and of complex internal structures within the hemipenis contradicts previous hypotheses of the phylogenetic position of darwinulids. PMID:16777754

General and specific attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder factors of children 4 to 6 years of age: An exploratory structural equation modeling approach to assessing symptom multidimensionality.

PubMed

Arias, Víctor B; Ponce, Fernando P; Martínez-Molina, Agustín; Arias, Benito; Núñez, Daniel

2016-01-01

We tested first-order factor and bifactor models of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to adequately summarize the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, (DSM-IV-TR) symptoms observed in a Spanish sample of preschoolers and kindergarteners. Six ESEM and CFA models were estimated based on teacher evaluations of the behavior of 638 children 4 to 6 years of age. An ESEM bifactor model with a central dimension plus 3 specific factors (inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity) showed the best fit and interpretability. Strict invariance between the sexes was observed. The bifactor model provided a solution to previously encountered inconsistencies in the factorial models of ADHD in young children. However, the low reliability of the specific factors casts doubt on the utility of the subscales for ADHD measurement. More research is necessary to clarify the nature of G and S factors of ADHD. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved.

Phonological, visual, and semantic coding strategies and children's short-term picture memory span.

PubMed

Henry, Lucy A; Messer, David; Luger-Klein, Scarlett; Crane, Laura

2012-01-01

Three experiments addressed controversies in the previous literature on the development of phonological and other forms of short-term memory coding in children, using assessments of picture memory span that ruled out potentially confounding effects of verbal input and output. Picture materials were varied in terms of phonological similarity, visual similarity, semantic similarity, and word length. Older children (6/8-year-olds), but not younger children (4/5-year-olds), demonstrated robust and consistent phonological similarity and word length effects, indicating that they were using phonological coding strategies. This confirmed findings initially reported by Conrad (1971), but subsequently questioned by other authors. However, in contrast to some previous research, little evidence was found for a distinct visual coding stage at 4 years, casting doubt on assumptions that this is a developmental stage that consistently precedes phonological coding. There was some evidence for a dual visual and phonological coding stage prior to exclusive use of phonological coding at around 5-6 years. Evidence for semantic similarity effects was limited, suggesting that semantic coding is not a key method by which young children recall lists of pictures.

For Argument's Sake: the shadow side of argumentation and debate in the science classroom (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berbeco, M.; McCaffrey, M.

2013-12-01

Though the science on climate change is clear, those dismissive of current findings and future projections continue to influence the public sphere. This is never more problematic than in an educational setting, where a concern for fairness has driven the push for unscientific material to be used to balance the science. The introduction of the Next Generation Science Standards in many states across the country, which emphasizes the use of argumentation as a theme for engaging students in critical thinking, and the appeal of having students 'debate' politically controversial concepts such as climate change could unintentionally undermine the science by casting doubt and manufacturing 'controversy' where scientifically there is none. How can scientists help support teachers to use appropriate material for educating about climate change? Where is the line between supporting good science and activism? How can teachers separate the science from the politics without undermining its value in informing policy decisions? In this presentation, we will address how teachers can manage these challenges to engage students about politically and socially controversial topics while maintaining a clear, current and robust scientific basis for instruction.

Prevalence of transcription promoters within archaeal operons and coding sequences

PubMed Central

Koide, Tie; Reiss, David J; Bare, J Christopher; Pang, Wyming Lee; Facciotti, Marc T; Schmid, Amy K; Pan, Min; Marzolf, Bruz; Van, Phu T; Lo, Fang-Yin; Pratap, Abhishek; Deutsch, Eric W; Peterson, Amelia; Martin, Dan; Baliga, Nitin S

2009-01-01

Despite the knowledge of complex prokaryotic-transcription mechanisms, generalized rules, such as the simplified organization of genes into operons with well-defined promoters and terminators, have had a significant role in systems analysis of regulatory logic in both bacteria and archaea. Here, we have investigated the prevalence of alternate regulatory mechanisms through genome-wide characterization of transcript structures of ∼64% of all genes, including putative non-coding RNAs in Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1. Our integrative analysis of transcriptome dynamics and protein–DNA interaction data sets showed widespread environment-dependent modulation of operon architectures, transcription initiation and termination inside coding sequences, and extensive overlap in 3′ ends of transcripts for many convergently transcribed genes. A significant fraction of these alternate transcriptional events correlate to binding locations of 11 transcription factors and regulators (TFs) inside operons and annotated genes—events usually considered spurious or non-functional. Using experimental validation, we illustrate the prevalence of overlapping genomic signals in archaeal transcription, casting doubt on the general perception of rigid boundaries between coding sequences and regulatory elements. PMID:19536208

Prevalence of transcription promoters within archaeal operons and coding sequences.

PubMed

Koide, Tie; Reiss, David J; Bare, J Christopher; Pang, Wyming Lee; Facciotti, Marc T; Schmid, Amy K; Pan, Min; Marzolf, Bruz; Van, Phu T; Lo, Fang-Yin; Pratap, Abhishek; Deutsch, Eric W; Peterson, Amelia; Martin, Dan; Baliga, Nitin S

2009-01-01

Despite the knowledge of complex prokaryotic-transcription mechanisms, generalized rules, such as the simplified organization of genes into operons with well-defined promoters and terminators, have had a significant role in systems analysis of regulatory logic in both bacteria and archaea. Here, we have investigated the prevalence of alternate regulatory mechanisms through genome-wide characterization of transcript structures of approximately 64% of all genes, including putative non-coding RNAs in Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1. Our integrative analysis of transcriptome dynamics and protein-DNA interaction data sets showed widespread environment-dependent modulation of operon architectures, transcription initiation and termination inside coding sequences, and extensive overlap in 3' ends of transcripts for many convergently transcribed genes. A significant fraction of these alternate transcriptional events correlate to binding locations of 11 transcription factors and regulators (TFs) inside operons and annotated genes-events usually considered spurious or non-functional. Using experimental validation, we illustrate the prevalence of overlapping genomic signals in archaeal transcription, casting doubt on the general perception of rigid boundaries between coding sequences and regulatory elements.

Sex differences in navigation strategy and efficiency.

PubMed

Boone, Alexander P; Gong, Xinyi; Hegarty, Mary

2018-05-22

Research on human navigation has indicated that males and females differ in self-reported navigation strategy as well as objective measures of navigation efficiency. In two experiments, we investigated sex differences in navigation strategy and efficiency using an objective measure of strategy, the dual-solution paradigm (DSP; Marchette, Bakker, & Shelton, 2011). Although navigation by shortcuts and learned routes were the primary strategies used in both experiments, as in previous research on the DSP, individuals also utilized route reversals and sometimes found the goal location as a result of wandering. Importantly, sex differences were found in measures of both route selection and navigation efficiency. In particular, males were more likely to take shortcuts and reached their goal location faster than females, while females were more likely to follow learned routes and wander. Self-report measures of strategy were only weakly correlated with objective measures of strategy, casting doubt on their usefulness. This research indicates that the sex difference in navigation efficiency is large, and only partially related to an individual's navigation strategy as measured by the dual-solution paradigm.

Multiple compliant processes: A reply to Haslam and Reicher on the engaged followership explanation of 'obedience' in Milgram's experiments.

PubMed

Hollander, Matthew M; Turowetz, Jason

2018-04-01

Haslam and Reicher (2018, Br. J. Soc. Psychol., 57, 292-300) offer a thoughtful rejoinder to our critique (Hollander & Turowetz, 2017, Br. J. Soc. Psychol, 56, 655-674) of their theory of engaged followership, currently the most important explanation of 'obedient' behaviour in the Milgram paradigm. Our immersion in Milgram's archived audio recordings has led us to new findings about participants' perspectives, as well as to dissatisfaction with the theory in its present version. Following a brief discussion of our findings, which cast the theory in doubt, we respond to Haslam and Reicher's argument that these data may in fact be consistent with it. Our response identifies three limitations of engaged followership emerging from this debate. Despite the strengths of the theory and these authors' impressive re-analysis of our findings, important reasons remain for scepticism that engaged followership operated in Milgram's experiments in the way, and to the extent, that they claim. Rather, 'obedience' appears amenable to multiple empirically grounded explanations, only one of which is engaged followership. © 2018 The British Psychological Society.

Comparison of forcing functions in magnetohydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKay, Mairi E.; Linkmann, Moritz; Clark, Daniel; Chalupa, Adam A.; Berera, Arjun

2017-11-01

Results are presented of direct numerical simulations of incompressible, homogeneous magnetohydrodynamic turbulence without a mean magnetic field, subject to different mechanical forcing functions commonly used in the literature. Specifically, the forces are negative damping (which uses the large-scale velocity field as a forcing function), a nonhelical random force, and a nonhelical static sinusoidal force (analogous to helical ABC forcing). The time evolution of the three ideal invariants (energy, magnetic helicity, and cross helicity), the time-averaged energy spectra, the energy ratios, and the dissipation ratios are examined. All three forcing functions produce qualitatively similar steady states with regard to the time evolution of the energy and magnetic helicity. However, differences in the cross-helicity evolution are observed, particularly in the case of the static sinusoidal method of energy injection. Indeed, an ensemble of sinusoidally forced simulations with identical parameters shows significant variations in the cross helicity over long time periods, casting some doubt on the validity of the principle of ergodicity in systems in which the injection of helicity cannot be controlled. Cross helicity can unexpectedly enter the system through the forcing function and must be carefully monitored.

Rodent carcinogens: Setting priorities

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

Gold, L.S.; Slone, T.H.; Stern, B.R.

1992-10-09

The human diet contains an enormous background of natural chemicals, such as plant pesticides and the products of cooking, that have not been a focus of carcinogenicity testing. A broadened perspective that includes these natural chemicals is necessary. A comparison of possible hazards for 80 daily exposures to rodent carcinogens from a variety of sources is presented, using an index (HERP) that relates human exposure to carcinogenic potency in rodents. A similar ordering would be expected with the use of standard risk assessment methodology for the same human exposure values. Results indicate that, when viewed against the large background ofmore » naturally occurring carcinogens in typical portions of common foods, the residues of synthetic pesticides or environmental pollutants rank low. A similar result is obtained in a separate comparison of 32 average daily exposures to natural pesticides and synthetic pesticides residues in the diet. Although the findings do not indicate that these natural dietary carcinogens are important in human cancer, they cast doubt on the relative importance for human cancer of low-dose exposures to synthetic chemicals.« less

RETRACTED: A fluorescent molecularly-imprinted polymer gate with temperature and pH as inputs for detection of alpha-fetoprotein.

PubMed

Karfa, Paramita; Roy, Ekta; Patra, Santanu; Kumar, Deepak; Madhuri, Rashmi; Sharma, Prashant K

2016-04-15

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor following concerns raised by a reader. The article reuses an electron micrograph from a previous publication while claiming that these are different particles. Fig. 1C/D were reused from Fig. 2B published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 73, 15 November 2015, Pages 234–244, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bios.2015.06.005. This problem with the data presented casts doubt on all the data, and accordingly also the conclusions based on that data, in this publication. As such this article represents a severe abuse of the scientific publishing system. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter and apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Idols of the psychologist: Johannes Linschoten and the demise of phenomenological psychology in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van Hezewijk, René; Stam, Henderikus J

2008-08-01

Before and after World War II, a loose movement within Dutch psychology solidified as a nascent phenomenological psychology. Dutch phenomenological psychologists attempted to generate an understanding of psychology that was based on Husserlian interpretations of phenomenological philosophy. This movement came to a halt in the 1960s, even though it had been exported to North America and elsewhere as "phenomenological psychology." Frequently referred to as the "Utrecht school," most of the activity of the group was centered at Utrecht University. In this article, the authors examine the role played by Johannes Linschoten in both aspects of the development of a phenomenological psychology: its rise in North America and Europe, and its institutional demise. By the time of his early death in 1964, Linschoten had cast considerable doubt on the possibilities of a purely phenomenological psychology. Nonetheless, his own empirical work, especially his 1956 dissertation published in German, can be seen to be a form of empiricism inspired by phenomenology but that clearly distanced itself from the more elitist and esoteric aspects of Dutch phenomenological psychology.

Replicating the Z iron opacity experiments on the NIF

DOE PAGES

Perry, T. S.; Heeter, R. F.; Opachich, Y. P.; ...

2017-05-12

Here, X-ray opacity is a crucial factor of all radiation-hydrodynamics calculations, yet it is one of the least validated of the material properties in the simulation codes. Recent opacity experiments at the Sandia Z-machine have shown up to factors of two discrepancies between theory and experiment, casting doubt on the validity of the opacity models. Therefore, a new experimental opacity platform is being developed on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) not only to verify the Z-machine experimental results but also to extend the experiments to other temperatures and densities. The first experiments will be directed towards measuring the opacity ofmore » iron at a temperature of ~160 eV and an electron density of ~7 x 10 21 cm -3. Preliminary experiments on NIF have demonstrated the ability to create a sufficiently bright point backlighter using an imploding plastic capsule and also a hohlraum that can heat the opacity sample to the desired conditions. The first of these iron opacity experiments is expected to be performed in 2017.« less

The neural basis of conditional reasoning with arbitrary content.

PubMed

Noveck, Ira A; Goel, Vinod; Smith, Kathleen W

2004-01-01

Behavioral predictions about reasoning have usually contrasted two accounts, Mental Logic and Mental Models. Neuroimaging techniques have been providing new measures that transcend this debate. We tested a hypothesis from Goel and Dolan (2003) that predicts neural activity predominantly in a left parietal-frontal system when participants reason with arbitrary (non-meaningful) materials. In an event-related fMRI investigation, we employed propositional syllogisms, the majority of which involved conditional reasoning. While investigating conditional reasoning generally, we ultimately focused on the neural activity linked to the two valid conditional forms--Modus Ponens (If p then q; p//q) and Modus Tollens (If p then q; not-q//not-p). Consistent with Goel and Dolan (2003), we found a left lateralized parietal frontal network for both inference forms with increasing activation when reasoning becomes more challenging by way of Modus Tollens. These findings show that the previous findings with more complex Aristotlean syllogisms are robust and cast doubt upon accounts of reasoning that accord primary inferential processes uniquely to either the right hemisphere or to language areas.

State Law Approaches to Facility Regulation of Abortion and Other Office Interventions

PubMed Central

Daniel, Sara; Cloud, Lindsay K.

2018-01-01

Objectives. To compare the prevalence and characteristics of facility laws governing abortion provision specifically (targeted regulation of abortion providers [TRAP] laws); office-based surgeries, procedures, sedation or anesthesia (office interventions) generally (OBS laws); and other procedures specifically. Methods. We conducted cross-sectional legal assessments of state facility laws for office interventions in effect as of August 1, 2016. We coded characteristics for each law and compared characteristics across categories of laws. Results. TRAP laws (n = 55; in 34 states) were more prevalent than OBS laws (n = 25; in 25 states) or laws targeting other procedures (n = 1; in 1 state). TRAP laws often regulated facilities that would not be regulated under OBS laws (e.g., all TRAP laws, but only 2 OBS laws, applied regardless of sedation or anesthesia used). TRAP laws imposed more numerous and more stringent requirements than OBS laws. Conclusions. Many states regulate abortion-providing facilities differently, and more stringently, than facilities providing other office interventions. The Supreme Court’s 2016 decision in Whole Woman’s Health v Hellerstedt casts doubt on the legitimacy of that differential treatment. PMID:29470114

Use of a new novel humidification system with high frequency percussive ventilation in a patient with inhalation injury.

PubMed

Jones, Samuel W; Short, Kathy A; Joseph, Mark; Sommer, Courtney; Cairns, Bruce A

2010-01-01

Historically, it has been difficult to provide adequate humidification delivery with the high frequency percussive ventilator (HFPV) used in many burn centers. It is possible burn centers have avoided using HFPV because of the risk of mucus plugging, dried secretions, and cast formation. Experiences with HFPV provided doubt that the HFPV ventilator circuit could supply adequate humidification to patients receiving this mode of ventilation. Independent gas-flow delivery through the ventilator circuit inherent in HFPV provided a challenge in maintaining adequate humidification delivery to the patient. This report describes a dramatic reduction in dried, inspissated secretions by using a novel new humidification device with HFPV. The new device called the Hydrate Omni (Hydrate, Inc., Midlothian, VA) uses a small ceramic disk to provide fine water particles delivered by a pump to the HFPV circuit. This new device may alleviate previous concerns related to the delivery of adequate humidification with the HFPV. This case report was approved by the University of North Carolina School of Medicine Institutional Review Board.

Management commitments and primary care: another lesson from Costa Rica for the world?

PubMed

Soors, Werner; De Paepe, Pierre; Unger, Jean-Pierre

2014-01-01

Maintained dedication to primary care has fostered a public health delivery system with exceptional outcomes in Costa Rica. For more than a decade, management commitments have been part of Costa Rican health reform. We assessed the effect of the Costa Rican management commitments on access and quality of care and on compliance with their intended objectives. We constructed seven hypotheses on opinions of primary care providers. Through a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach, we tested these hypotheses and interpreted the research findings. Management commitments consume an excessive proportion of consultation time, inflate recordkeeping, reduce comprehensiveness in primary care consultations, and induce a disproportionate consumption of hospital emergency services. Their formulation relies on norms in need of optimization, their control on unreliable sources. They also affect professionalism. In Costa Rica, management commitments negatively affect access and quality of care and pose a threat to the public service delivery system. The failures of this pay-for-performance-like initiative in an otherwise well-performing health system cast doubts on the appropriateness of pay-for-performance for health systems strengthening in less advanced environments.

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

Eric S. Peterson; Jessica Trudeau; Bill Cleary

An active-surface membrane technology was used to separate a die lube manufacturing wastewater stream consisting of various oils, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and silicones. The ultrafiltration membranes reduced organics from initial oil and grease contents by 20–25X, carbon oxygen demand (COD) by 1.5 to 2X, and total organic carbon (TOC) by 0.6, while the biological oxygen demand (BOD) remained constant. The active-surface membranes were not fouled as badly as non-active-surface systems and the active-surface membrane flux levels were consistently higher and more stable than those of the non-active-surface membranes tested. Field testing demonstrated that the rotary microfilter can concentrate the diemore » lube, i.e. remove the glycerin component, and produce a die lube suitable for recycling. The recycling system operated for six weeks with only seven cleaning cycles and no mechanical or electrical failures. Test data and quality records indicate that the die casting scrap was reduced from 8.4 to 7.8%. There is no doubt that this test yielded tremendous results. This separation process presents significant opportunities that can be evaluated further.« less

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

Peterson, E. S.; Trudeau, J.; Cleary, B.

An active-surface membrane technology was used to separate a die lube manufacturing wastewater stream consisting of various oils, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and silicones. The ultrafiltration membranes reduced organics from initial oil and grease contents by 20-25X, carbon oxygen demand (COD) by 1.5 to 2X, and total organic carbon (TOC) by 0.6, while the biological oxygen demand (BOD) remained constant. The active-surface membranes were not fouled as badly as non-active-surface systems and the active-surface membrane flux levels were consistently higher and more stable than those of the non-active-surface membranes tested. Field testing demonstrated that the rotary microfilter can concentrate the diemore » lube, i.e. remove the glycerin component, and produce a die lube suitable for recycling. The recycling system operated for six weeks with only seven cleaning cycles and no mechanical or electrical failures. Test data and quality records indicate that the die casting scrap was reduced from 8.4 to 7.8%. There is no doubt that this test yielded tremendous results. This separation process presents significant opportunities that can be evaluated further.« less

Chromospheric explosions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doschek, G. A.; theory. (3) Resolved: Most chromospheric h; theory. (3) Resolved: Most chromospheric h

1986-01-01

Three issues relative to chromospheric explosions were debated. (1) Resolved: The blue-shifted components of x-ray spectral lines are signatures of chromospheric evaporation. It was concluded that the plasma rising with the corona is indeed the primary source of thermal plasma observed in the corona during flares. (2) Resolved: The excess line broading of UV and X-ray lines is accounted for by a convective velocity distribution in evaporation. It is concluded that the hypothesis that convective evaporation produces the observed X-ray line widths in flares is no more than a hypothesis. It is not supported by any self-consistent physical theory. (3) Resolved: Most chromospheric heating is driven by electron beams. Although it is possible to cast doubt on many lines of evidence for electron beams in the chromosphere, a balanced view that debaters on both sides of the question might agree to is that electron beams probably heat the low corona and upper chromosphere, but their direct impact on evaporating the chromosphere is energetically unimportant when compared to conduction. This represents a major departure from the thick-target flare models that were popular before the Workshop.

Circulating immune complexes as markers of response to chemotherapy in malignant teratomas and gestational trophoblastic tumours.

PubMed Central

Begent, R. H.; Chester, K. A.; Walker, L. C.; Tucker, D. F.

1982-01-01

Concentrations of circulating immune complexes (CIC) were measured serially during chemotherapy of 22 patients with gestational trophoblastic tumours (GTT) and 11 patients with malignant teratoma (MT) by the polyethylene glycol precipitation and CIq solid-phase assays. Results were correlated with tumour response as measured by serum concentrations of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and alpha-foetoprotein (AFP). CIC concentrations correlated with disease status in the early stages of treatment in 4/22 patients with GTT and 5/11 with MT. CIC assays were less sensitive than hCG and AFP as a monitor of disease, and also less specific, in that 8 patients with GTT and 5 with MT developed raised CIC concentrations during chemotherapy in spite of sustained complete remission. Measurements of CIC concentrations by present methods are neither sufficiently sensitive nor specific to be of clinical value as a tumour marker in GTT and MT, and this casts doubt on their potential value in other malignancies. Attention should be directed to identification of the components of CIC, some of which may be more cancer-specific. PMID:6174138

Electric polarization control of magnetoresistance in complex oxide heterojunctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swartz, Adrian G.; Inoue, Hisashi; Hwang, Harold Y.

2016-10-01

Lorentzian magnetoresistance (L-MR) has been widely observed in three-terminal ferromagnet-nonmagnet (FM-NM) tunnel junctions. One possible explanation for this behavior is ensemble dephasing (Hanle effect) of a spin accumulation, potentially offering a powerful approach for characterizing the spin lifetime of emerging spintronics materials. However, discrepancies between the extracted spin parameters with known materials properties has cast doubt on this interpretation for most implementations. Here, we have developed a method to control band alignments in perovskite oxide heterostructures through the use of epitaxial interface dipoles, providing a highly effective method for manipulating the Schottky barrier height and contact resistance. Using these atomically engineered heterojunctions, we are able to tune key parameters relevant to various spin accumulation models, providing an experimental platform which can test their applicability. We find that the observed L-MR is inconsistent with an interpretation of spin accumulation in either the NM material or in interface states. Rather, we consider a mechanism analogous to Coulomb blockade in quantum dots, where spin-dependent tunneling through an ensemble of interfacial defect states is controlled by local and external magnetic fields.

Propagation of erroneous data for the modulus of elasticity of periodontal ligament and gutta percha in FEM/FEA papers: a story of broken links.

PubMed

Ruse, N Dorin

2008-12-01

This brief review essay was triggered by the discovery of two errors that have been perpetuated in the dental literature for the last quarter century and is intended to alert the research community. An extensive search of the published literature, using PubMed and Web of Science search engines, electronic journal resources, and several trips to the library for manual retrievals of articles were used to retrieve hundreds of articles reporting on finite element modeling - finite element analysis (FEM/FEA) involving periodontal ligament (PDL) and gutta percha (GP). The literature search revealed that erroneous values for the modulus of elasticity of PDL and GP were introduced in 1980 and in 1983, respectively. The identified errors range between two to three orders of magnitude and have been used in hundreds of FEM/FEA papers. The finding casts serious doubts regarding the validity of the results published in hundreds of papers and highlights the importance of checking the references cited and citing, or at least confirming, primary sources rather than citing citations.

Comparative study on stiffness properties of WOODCAST and conventional casting materials.

PubMed

Pirhonen, Eija; Pärssinen, Antti; Pelto, Mika

2013-08-01

Plaster-of-Paris and synthetic materials (e.g. fibreglass) have been in clinical use as casting materials for decades. An innovative casting material, WOODCAST, brings interesting alternatives to the traditional materials. The aim of this study was to compare the stiffness properties of the WOODCAST material to traditional casting materials. In immobilization by casting, materials with variable stiffness properties are required. Ring stiffness of cylindrical samples correlates well with cast rigidity. For load-bearing structures, the use of the WOODCAST Splint is recommended as equally high stiffness was obtained with the WOODCAST Splint as was with fibreglass. The WOODCAST 2 mm product is optimal for structures where some elasticity is required, and WOODCAST Ribbon can be used in any WOODCAST structure where further reinforcement is needed. The results show that WOODCAST material can be used in replacing traditional casting materials used in extremity immobilization. The mechanical properties of casting material play an important role in safe and effective fracture immobilization. Stiffness properties of the WOODCAST casting material and conventional materials - fibreglass and plaster-of-Paris - were analysed in this study. The WOODCAST Splint appears to compare favorably with traditional materials such as Scotchcast.

Evaluation of marginal gap of Ni-Cr copings made with conventional and accelerated casting techniques.

PubMed

Tannamala, Pavan Kumar; Azhagarasan, Nagarasampatti Sivaprakasam; Shankar, K Chitra

2013-01-01

Conventional casting techniques following the manufacturers' recommendations are time consuming. Accelerated casting techniques have been reported, but their accuracy with base metal alloys has not been adequately studied. We measured the vertical marginal gap of nickel-chromium copings made by conventional and accelerated casting techniques and determined the clinical acceptability of the cast copings in this study. Experimental design, in vitro study, lab settings. Ten copings each were cast by conventional and accelerated casting techniques. All copings were identical, only their mold preparation schedules differed. Microscopic measurements were recorded at ×80 magnification on the perpendicular to the axial wall at four predetermined sites. The marginal gap values were evaluated by paired t test. The mean marginal gap by conventional technique (34.02 μm) is approximately 10 μm lesser than that of accelerated casting technique (44.62 μm). As the P value is less than 0.0001, there is highly significant difference between the two techniques with regard to vertical marginal gap. The accelerated casting technique is time saving and the marginal gap measured was within the clinically acceptable limits and could be an alternative to time-consuming conventional techniques.

What's in a Trial? On the Importance of Distinguishing Between Experimental Lab Studies and Randomized Controlled Trials: The Case of Cognitive Bias Modification and Alcohol Use Disorders.

PubMed

Wiers, Reinout W; Boffo, Marilisa; Field, Matt

2018-05-01

Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) redefined clinical trials to include any study involving behavioral or biomedical interventions. In line with a general framework from experimental medicine, we argue that it is crucial to distinguish between experimental laboratory studies aimed at revealing psychological mechanisms underlying behavior and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in clinical samples aimed at testing the efficacy of an intervention. As an illustration, we reviewed the current state of the evidence on the efficacy of cognitive bias modification (CBM) interventions in alcohol use disorders. A recent meta-analysis "cast serious doubts on the clinical utility of CBM interventions for addiction." That analysis combined experimental laboratory studies and RCTs. We demonstrated that, when studies are differentiated regarding study type (experimental laboratory study or RCT), mode of delivery (controlled experiment or Internet), and population (healthy volunteers or patients), the following effects are found: (a) short-lived effects of CBM on drinking behavior in experimental laboratory studies in students, but only when the bias is successfully manipulated; (b) small but robust effects of CBM on treatment outcome when administered as an adjunct to established treatments in clinical settings in RCTs with alcohol-dependent patients; and (c) nonspecific effects (reduced drinking irrespective of condition) in RCTs of CBM administered online to problem drinkers. We discuss how CBM might be improved when it is better integrated into regular treatment, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, and we conclude that disregarding the difference between experimental laboratory studies and RCTs can lead to invalid conclusions.

Do Cold Feet Warn of Trouble Ahead? Premarital Uncertainty and Four-Year Marital Outcomes

PubMed Central

Lavner, Justin A.; Karney, Benjamin R.; Bradbury, Thomas N.

2012-01-01

Are the doubts that people feel prior to marriage signs of impending difficulties or normative experiences that can be safely ignored? To test these opposing views, we asked 464 recently-married spouses whether they had ever been uncertain about getting married and then compared four-year divorce rates and marital satisfaction trajectories among those partners with and without premarital doubts. Doubts were reported by at least one partner in two-thirds of couples. Women with premarital doubts had significantly higher four-year divorce rates, even when controlling for concurrent marital satisfaction, the difficulty of their engagement, history of parental divorce, premarital cohabitation, and neuroticism. Among intact couples, men’s and women’s doubts predicted less satisfied marital trajectories. Premarital doubts appear to be common but not benign, suggesting that valid precursors of marital distress are evident during couples’ engagements. PMID:22946462

Do Parents Blame or Doubt Their Child More when Sexually Abused by Adolescents versus Adults?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Wendy A.; Cross, Theodore P.; Jones, Lisa M.

2012-01-01

Although the importance of parental support for child sexual abuse victims is well documented, the nature of parental support for victims sexually abused by adolescents is less understood. In this exploratory study, we examine whether parents differ in their levels of blame or doubt for their child when sexually abused by adolescents versus…

An Analysis of Industrial Technology Curriculum and Its Significance to the Casting Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauser, Roger Emmett

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent industrial technology programs are training technologists in light of the needs of the casting industry. To determine the type of curriculum needed to prepare individuals for entry into the casting industry, and to study industrial technology programs as they relate to metal casting,…

Diagnostic role of (99)Tc(m)-MDP SPECT/CT combined SPECT/MRI Multi modality imaging for early and atypical bone metastases.

PubMed

Chen, Xiao-Liang; Li, Qian; Cao, Lin; Jiang, Shi-Xi

2014-01-01

The bone metastasis appeared early before the bone imaging for most of the above patients. (99)Tc(m)-MDP ((99)Tc(m) marked methylene diphosphonate) bone imaging could diagnosis the bone metastasis with highly sensitivity, but with lower specificity. The aim of this study is to explore the diagnostic value of (99)Tc(m)-MDP SPECT/CT combined SPECT/MRI Multi modality imaging for the early period atypical bone metastases. 15 to 30 mCi (99)Tc(m)-MDP was intravenously injected to the 34 malignant patients diagnosed as doubtful early bone metastases. SPECT, CT and SPECT/CT images were captured and analyzed consequently. For the patients diagnosed as early period atypical bone metastases by SPECT/CT, combining the SPECT/CT and MRI together as the SPECT/MRI integrated image. The obtained SPECT/MRI image was analyzed and compared with the pathogenic results of patients. The results indicated that 34 early period doubtful metastatic focus, including 34 SPECT positive focus, 17 focus without special changes by using CT method, 11 bone metastases focus by using SPECT/CT method, 23 doubtful bone metastases focus, 8 doubtful bone metastases focus, 14 doubtful bone metastases focus and 2 focus without clear image. Totally, SPECT/CT combined with SPECT/MRI method diagnosed 30 bone metastatic focus and 4 doubtfully metastatic focus. In conclusion, (99)Tc(m)-MDP SPECT/CT combined SPECT/MRI Multi modality imaging shows a higher diagnostic value for the early period bone metastases, which also enhances the diagnostic accuracy rate.

Comparative Evaluation of Conventional and Accelerated Castings on Marginal Fit and Surface Roughness.

PubMed

Jadhav, Vivek Dattatray; Motwani, Bhagwan K; Shinde, Jitendra; Adhapure, Prasad

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the marginal fit and surface roughness of complete cast crowns made by a conventional and an accelerated casting technique. This study was divided into three parts. In Part I, the marginal fit of full metal crowns made by both casting techniques in the vertical direction was checked, in Part II, the fit of sectional metal crowns in the horizontal direction made by both casting techniques was checked, and in Part III, the surface roughness of disc-shaped metal plate specimens made by both casting techniques was checked. A conventional technique was compared with an accelerated technique. In Part I of the study, the marginal fit of the full metal crowns as well as in Part II, the horizontal fit of sectional metal crowns made by both casting techniques was determined, and in Part III, the surface roughness of castings made with the same techniques was compared. The results of the t -test and independent sample test do not indicate statistically significant differences in the marginal discrepancy detected between the two casting techniques. For the marginal discrepancy and surface roughness, crowns fabricated with the accelerated technique were significantly different from those fabricated with the conventional technique. Accelerated casting technique showed quite satisfactory results, but the conventional technique was superior in terms of marginal fit and surface roughness.

Criticism in the Romantic Relationships of Individuals With Social Anxiety.

PubMed

Porter, Eliora; Chambless, Dianne L; Keefe, John R

2017-07-01

Social anxiety is associated with difficulties in intimate relationships. Because fear of negative evaluation is a cardinal feature of social anxiety disorder, perceived criticism and upset due to criticism from partners may play a significant role in socially anxious individuals' intimate relationships. In the present study, we examine associations between social anxiety and perceived, observed, and expressed criticism in interactions with romantic partners. In Study 1, we collected self-report data from 343 undergraduates and their romantic partners on social anxiety symptoms, perceived and expressed criticism, and upset due to criticism. One year later couples reported whether they were still in this relationship. Results showed that social anxiety was associated with being more critical of one's partner, and among women, being more upset by criticism from a partner. Social anxiety was not related to perceived criticism, nor did criticism variables predict relationship status at Time 2. In Study 2, undergraduate couples with a partner high (n = 26) or low (n = 26) in social anxiety completed a 10-minute, video-recorded problem-solving task. Both partners rated their perceived and expressed criticism and upset due to criticism following the interaction, and observers coded interactions for criticism. Results indicated that social anxiety was not significantly related to any of the criticism variables, but post hoc analyses cast doubts upon the external validity of the problem-solving task. Results are discussed in light of known difficulties with intimacy among individuals with social anxiety. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Theoretical studies of the extraterrestrial chemistry of biogenic elements and compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Defrees, D. J.

1991-01-01

Organic compounds, molecules related to those in living systems, are found in many different extraterrestrial environments. The study of organic astrochemistry is important to exobiology both because it demonstrates the ubiquity of processes which led to life on Earth and because the dust clouds where molecules are found are analogs of the solar nebula from which the Earth formed. In the long chain of events leading from the Big Bang, and a universe composed of atomic hydrogen and helium, to the emergence of life on Earth, molecular interstellar clouds are an early link, the most primitive objects which display any significant organic chemistry. One such cloud was the direct precursor to the solar system and to all objects which it contains. Theoretical methods are ideally suited to studying interstellar cloud chemistry. They have been applied to determine spectroscopic constants of candidate interstellar molecules, mechanisms of ion-molecule reactions, and composition of dust grains. Accurate predictions of rotational constants and dipole moments of long-chain carbon molecules HC13N, HC15N, and C5O have been made to aid in determining the size limit of gas-phase interstellar molecules. Models of gas-phase interstellar chemistry use reaction rate constants measured at room temperature and extrapolated to interstellar temperatures. The temperature dependence of NH3(+)+H2 yields NH4(+)+H is anomalous, however, with a minimum rate at about 100K, casting doubt on the extrapolation procedures. The temperature dependence has now been explained.

Numerical simulation of the solidification microstructure of a 17-4PH stainless steel investment casting and its experimental verification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, You Yun; Tsai, DeChang; Hwang, Weng Sing

2008-06-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a technique of numerically simulating the microstructure of 17-4PH (precipitation hardening) stainless steel during investment casting. A cellular automation (CA) algorithm was adopted to simulate the nucleation and grain growth. First a calibration casting was made, and then by comparing the microstructures of the calibration casting with those simulated using different kinetic growth coefficients (a2, a3) in CA, the most appropriate set of values for a2 and a3 would be obtained. Then, this set of values was applied to the microstructure simulation of a separate casting, where the casting was actually made. Through this approach, this study has arrived at a set of growth kinetic coefficients from the calibration casting: a2 is 2.9 × 10-5, a3 is 1.49 × 10-7, which is then used to predict the microstructure of the other test casting. Consequently, a good correlation has been found between the microstructure of actual 17-4PH casting and the simulation result.

Genetic affinities among the lower castes and tribal groups of India: inference from Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA.

PubMed

Thanseem, Ismail; Thangaraj, Kumarasamy; Chaubey, Gyaneshwer; Singh, Vijay Kumar; Bhaskar, Lakkakula V K S; Reddy, B Mohan; Reddy, Alla G; Singh, Lalji

2006-08-07

India is a country with enormous social and cultural diversity due to its positioning on the crossroads of many historic and pre-historic human migrations. The hierarchical caste system in the Hindu society dominates the social structure of the Indian populations. The origin of the caste system in India is a matter of debate with many linguists and anthropologists suggesting that it began with the arrival of Indo-European speakers from Central Asia about 3500 years ago. Previous genetic studies based on Indian populations failed to achieve a consensus in this regard. We analysed the Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA of three tribal populations of southern India, compared the results with available data from the Indian subcontinent and tried to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Indian caste and tribal populations. No significant difference was observed in the mitochondrial DNA between Indian tribal and caste populations, except for the presence of a higher frequency of west Eurasian-specific haplogroups in the higher castes, mostly in the north western part of India. On the other hand, the study of the Indian Y lineages revealed distinct distribution patterns among caste and tribal populations. The paternal lineages of Indian lower castes showed significantly closer affinity to the tribal populations than to the upper castes. The frequencies of deep-rooted Y haplogroups such as M89, M52, and M95 were higher in the lower castes and tribes, compared to the upper castes. The present study suggests that the vast majority (> 98%) of the Indian maternal gene pool, consisting of Indio-European and Dravidian speakers, is genetically more or less uniform. Invasions after the late Pleistocene settlement might have been mostly male-mediated. However, Y-SNP data provides compelling genetic evidence for a tribal origin of the lower caste populations in the subcontinent. Lower caste groups might have originated with the hierarchical divisions that arose within the tribal groups with the spread of Neolithic agriculturalists, much earlier than the arrival of Aryan speakers. The Indo-Europeans established themselves as upper castes among this already developed caste-like class structure within the tribes.

Genetic affinities among the lower castes and tribal groups of India: inference from Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA

PubMed Central

Thanseem, Ismail; Thangaraj, Kumarasamy; Chaubey, Gyaneshwer; Singh, Vijay Kumar; Bhaskar, Lakkakula VKS; Reddy, B Mohan; Reddy, Alla G; Singh, Lalji

2006-01-01

Background India is a country with enormous social and cultural diversity due to its positioning on the crossroads of many historic and pre-historic human migrations. The hierarchical caste system in the Hindu society dominates the social structure of the Indian populations. The origin of the caste system in India is a matter of debate with many linguists and anthropologists suggesting that it began with the arrival of Indo-European speakers from Central Asia about 3500 years ago. Previous genetic studies based on Indian populations failed to achieve a consensus in this regard. We analysed the Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA of three tribal populations of southern India, compared the results with available data from the Indian subcontinent and tried to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Indian caste and tribal populations. Results No significant difference was observed in the mitochondrial DNA between Indian tribal and caste populations, except for the presence of a higher frequency of west Eurasian-specific haplogroups in the higher castes, mostly in the north western part of India. On the other hand, the study of the Indian Y lineages revealed distinct distribution patterns among caste and tribal populations. The paternal lineages of Indian lower castes showed significantly closer affinity to the tribal populations than to the upper castes. The frequencies of deep-rooted Y haplogroups such as M89, M52, and M95 were higher in the lower castes and tribes, compared to the upper castes. Conclusion The present study suggests that the vast majority (>98%) of the Indian maternal gene pool, consisting of Indio-European and Dravidian speakers, is genetically more or less uniform. Invasions after the late Pleistocene settlement might have been mostly male-mediated. However, Y-SNP data provides compelling genetic evidence for a tribal origin of the lower caste populations in the subcontinent. Lower caste groups might have originated with the hierarchical divisions that arose within the tribal groups with the spread of Neolithic agriculturalists, much earlier than the arrival of Aryan speakers. The Indo-Europeans established themselves as upper castes among this already developed caste-like class structure within the tribes. PMID:16893451

Marginal accuracy of nickel chromium copings fabricated by conventional and accelerated casting procedures, produced with ringless and metal ring investment procedures: A comparative in vitro study

PubMed Central

Alex, Deepa; Shetty, Y. Bharath; Miranda, Glynis Anita; Prabhu, M. Bharath; Karkera, Reshma

2015-01-01

Background: Conventional investing and casting techniques are time-consuming and usually requires 2–4 h for completion. Accelerated nonstandard, casting techniques have been reported to achieve similar quality results in significantly less time, namely, in 30–40 min. During casting, it is essential to achieve compensation for the shrinkage of solidifying alloy by investment expansion. The metal casting ring restricts the thermal expansion of investment because the thermal expansion of the ring is lesser than that of the investment. The use of casting ring was challenged with the introduction of the ringless technique. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 test samples of nickel chromium (Ni-Cr) cast copings were obtained from the patterns fabricated using inlay casting wax. The 20 wax patterns were invested using metal ring and 20 wax patterns were invested using the ringless investment system. Of both the groups, 10 samples underwent conventional casting, and the other 10 underwent accelerated casting. The patterns were casted using the induction casting technique. All the test samples of cast copings were evaluated for vertical marginal gaps at four points on the die employing a stereo optical microscope. Results: The vertical marginal discrepancy data obtained were tabulated. Mean and standard deviations were obtained. Vertical discrepancies were analyzed using analysis of variance and Tukey honestly significantly different. The data obtained were found to be very highly significant (P < 0.001). Mean vertical gap was the maximum for Group II (53.64 μm) followed by Group IV (47.62 μm), Group I (44.83 μm) and Group III (35.35 μm). Conclusion: The Ni-Cr cast copings fabricated with the conventional casting using ringless investment system showed significantly better marginal fit than that of cast copings fabricated from conventional and accelerated casting with metal ring investment and accelerated casting using ringless investment since those copings had shown the least vertical marginal discrepancies among the four methods evaluated in this study. PMID:26929488

Effect of Heating Time on Hardness Properties of Laser Clad Gray Cast Iron Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norhafzan, B.; Aqida, S. N.; Mifthal, F.; Zulhishamuddin, A. R.; Ismail, I.

2018-03-01

This paper presents effect of heating time on cladded gray cast iron. In this study, the effect of heating time on cladded gray cast iron and melted gray cast iron were analysed. The gray cast iron sample were added with mixed Mo-Cr powder using laser cladding technique. The mixed Mo and Cr powder was pre-placed on gray cast iron surface. Modified layer were sectioned using diamond blade cutter and polish using SiC abrasive paper before heated. Sample was heated in furnace for 15, 30 and 45 minutes at 650 °C and cool down in room temperature. Metallographic study was conduct using inverted microscope while surface hardness properties were tested using Wilson hardness test with Vickers scale. Results for metallographic study showed graphite flakes within matrix of pearlite. The surface hardness for modified layer decreased when increased heating time process. These findings are significant to structure stability of laser cladded gray cast iron with different heating times.

Effect of mold designs on molten metal behaviour in high-pressure die casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, M. D.; Rahman, M. R. A.; Khan, A. A.; Mohamad, M. R.; Suffian, M. S. Z. M.; Yunos, Y. S.; Wong, L. K.; Mohtar, M. Z.

2017-04-01

This paper presents a research study conducted in a local automotive component manufacturer that produces aluminium alloy steering housing local and global markets. This study is to investigate the effect of design modification of mold in die casting as to improve the production rate. Design modification is carried out on the casting shot of the mold. Computer flow simulation was carried out to study the flow of molten metal in the mold with respect to the mold design modification. The design parameters of injection speed, die temperature and clamping force has been included in the study. The result of the simulation showed that modifications of casting shot give significant impact towards the molten flow behaviour in casting process. The capabilities and limitations of die casting process simulation to conduct defect analysis had been optimized. This research will enhance the efficiency of the mass production of the industry of die casting with the understanding of defect analysis, which lies on the modification of the mold design, a way early in its stages of production.

A Comparative Evaluation of the Effect of Double Casting Technique Using Functionally Generated Path and Conventional Single Casting with Respect to Functional Articulation, Patient Satisfaction and Chair Side Time, in Single Unit Molar Teeth: An In Vivo Study.

PubMed

Memon, Sarfaraz

2014-12-01

A stable centric occlusal position that shows no evidence of occlusal disease should not be altered. Confirmative restorative dentistry deals with making restorations that are in harmony with existing jaw relations. Conventional techniques for construction have been unsuccessful in producing a prosthesis that can be inserted without minor intraoral occlusal adjustment. This study was conducted to evaluate the benefits of the double casting technique with FGP over the conventional casting technique. Ten patients with root canal treated maxillary molar were selected for the fabrication of metal crown. Two techniques, one involving the conventional fabrication and other using functionally generated path with double casting were used to fabricate the prosthesis. A comparison based on various parameters which was done between the two techniques. The change in the height of castings for the double casting group was less compared to the conventional group and was highly statistically significant (P < 0.001). The time taken for occlusal correction was significantly lower in double casting group than the conventional group (P < 0.001). The patient satisfaction (before occlusal correction) indicated better satisfaction for double casting group compared to conventional (P < 0.01). The functionally generated path with double casting technique resulted in castings which had better dimensional accuracy, less occlusal correction and better patient satisfaction compared to the conventional castings.

STRengthening analytical thinking for observational studies: the STRATOS initiative.

PubMed

Sauerbrei, Willi; Abrahamowicz, Michal; Altman, Douglas G; le Cessie, Saskia; Carpenter, James

2014-12-30

The validity and practical utility of observational medical research depends critically on good study design, excellent data quality, appropriate statistical methods and accurate interpretation of results. Statistical methodology has seen substantial development in recent times. Unfortunately, many of these methodological developments are ignored in practice. Consequently, design and analysis of observational studies often exhibit serious weaknesses. The lack of guidance on vital practical issues discourages many applied researchers from using more sophisticated and possibly more appropriate methods when analyzing observational studies. Furthermore, many analyses are conducted by researchers with a relatively weak statistical background and limited experience in using statistical methodology and software. Consequently, even 'standard' analyses reported in the medical literature are often flawed, casting doubt on their results and conclusions. An efficient way to help researchers to keep up with recent methodological developments is to develop guidance documents that are spread to the research community at large. These observations led to the initiation of the strengthening analytical thinking for observational studies (STRATOS) initiative, a large collaboration of experts in many different areas of biostatistical research. The objective of STRATOS is to provide accessible and accurate guidance in the design and analysis of observational studies. The guidance is intended for applied statisticians and other data analysts with varying levels of statistical education, experience and interests. In this article, we introduce the STRATOS initiative and its main aims, present the need for guidance documents and outline the planned approach and progress so far. We encourage other biostatisticians to become involved. © 2014 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The transcriptomic and evolutionary signature of social interactions regulating honey bee caste development.

PubMed

Vojvodic, Svjetlana; Johnson, Brian R; Harpur, Brock A; Kent, Clement F; Zayed, Amro; Anderson, Kirk E; Linksvayer, Timothy A

2015-11-01

The caste fate of developing female honey bee larvae is strictly socially regulated by adult nurse workers. As a result of this social regulation, nurse-expressed genes as well as larval-expressed genes may affect caste expression and evolution. We used a novel transcriptomic approach to identify genes with putative direct and indirect effects on honey bee caste development, and we subsequently studied the relative rates of molecular evolution at these caste-associated genes. We experimentally induced the production of new queens by removing the current colony queen, and we used RNA sequencing to study the gene expression profiles of both developing larvae and their caregiving nurses before and after queen removal. By comparing the gene expression profiles of queen-destined versus worker-destined larvae as well as nurses observed feeding these two types of larvae, we identified larval and nurse genes associated with caste development. Of 950 differentially expressed genes associated with caste, 82% were expressed in larvae with putative direct effects on larval caste, and 18% were expressed in nurses with putative indirect effects on caste. Estimated selection coefficients suggest that both nurse and larval genes putatively associated with caste are rapidly evolving, especially those genes associated with worker development. Altogether, our results suggest that indirect effect genes play important roles in both the expression and evolution of socially influenced traits such as caste.

Quiet breathing in hindlimb casted mice.

PubMed

Receno, Candace N; Roffo, Katelynn E; Mickey, Marisa C; DeRuisseau, Keith C; DeRuisseau, Lara R

2018-06-07

The hindlimb casting model was developed to study skeletal muscle reloading following a period of unloading. It is unknown if ventilation parameters of mice are affected by the casting model. We tested the hypothesis that hindlimb casted mice have similar ventilatory patterns compared to mice with the casts removed. Male CD-1 mice underwent 14 days of hindlimb immobilization via plaster casting. Breathing parameters were obtained utilizing unrestrained barometric plethysmography (UBP). Breathing traces were analyzed with Ponemah software for breathing frequency, tidal volume (TV), and minute ventilation (MV). Frequency, TV and MV did not show any differences in quiet breathing patterns during or post-casting in mice. Thus, the hindlimb casting model does not complicate breathing during and after casting and should not interfere with the unloading and reloading of skeletal muscle. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of dental technician disparities on the 3-dimensional accuracy of definitive casts.

PubMed

Emir, Faruk; Piskin, Bulent; Sipahi, Cumhur

2017-03-01

Studies that evaluated the effect of dental technician disparities on the accuracy of presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts are lacking. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the accuracy of presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts fabricated by different dental technicians by using a 3-dimensional computer-aided measurement method. An arch-shaped metal master model consisting of 5 abutments resembling prepared mandibular incisors, canines, and first molars and with a 6-degree total angle of convergence was designed and fabricated by computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology. Complete arch impressions were made (N=110) from the master model, using polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) and delivered to 11 dental technicians. Each technician fabricated 10 definitive casts with dental stone, and the obtained casts were numbered. All casts were sectioned, and removable dies were obtained. The master model and the presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts were digitized with an extraoral scanner, and the virtual master model and virtual presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts were obtained. All definitive casts were compared with the master model by using computer-aided measurements, and the 3-dimensional accuracy of the definitive casts was determined with best fit alignment and represented in color-coded maps. Differences were analyzed using univariate analyses of variance, and the Tukey honest significant differences post hoc tests were used for multiple comparisons (α=.05). The accuracy of presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts was significantly affected by dental technician disparities (P<.001). The largest dimensional changes were detected in the anterior abutments of both of the definitive casts. The changes mostly occurred in the mesiodistal dimension (P<.001). Within the limitations of this in vitro study, the accuracy of presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts is susceptible to dental technician differences. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Study into Shell Mold Casting of Nominal 60-Nitinol Alloy

DTIC Science & Technology

The present study was initiated to determine the feasibility of shell mold casting nominal 60- Nitinol into suitable EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal...surface finish and definition and property response of cast alloy. Based upon the results, 60- Nitinol appears quite suited to shell molding and a...concern lies in the casting porosity associated with the relatively large liquid-to-solid shrinkage of nominal 60- Nitinol .

38 CFR 3.102 - Reasonable doubt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Reasonable doubt. 3.102 Section 3.102 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ADJUDICATION Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Administrative § 3.102 Reasonable doubt. It is the...

38 CFR 3.102 - Reasonable doubt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Reasonable doubt. 3.102 Section 3.102 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ADJUDICATION Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Administrative § 3.102 Reasonable doubt. It is the...

38 CFR 3.102 - Reasonable doubt.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Reasonable doubt. 3.102 Section 3.102 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS ADJUDICATION Pension, Compensation, and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Administrative § 3.102 Reasonable doubt. It is the...

The Wave Logic of Consciousness: A Hypothesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlov, Yuri F.

1982-01-01

A physical model is proposed for volitional decision making. It is postulated that consciousness reduces doubt states of the brain into labels by a quantum-mechanical measurement act of free choice. Elementary doubt states illustrate analogical encodement of information having “insufficient resolution” from a classical viewpoint. Measures of certitude (inner conviction) and doubt are formulated. “Adequate propositions” for nonclassical statements, e.g., Hamlet's soliloquy, are constructed. A role is proposed for the superposition principle in imagination and creativity. Experimental predictions are offered for positive and negative interference of doubts. Necessary criteria are made explicit for doubting sense information. Wholeness of perception is illustrated using irreducible, unitary representations of n-valued logics. The interpreted formalism includes nonclassical features of doubt, e.g., scalor representations for imprecise propositions and state changes due to self-reflection. The “liar paradox” is resolved. An internal origin is suggested for spinor dichotomies, e.g., “true-false” and “good-bad,” analogous to particle production.

Evaluation of the marginal fit of metal copings fabricated on three different marginal designs using conventional and accelerated casting techniques: an in vitro study.

PubMed

Vaidya, Sharad; Parkash, Hari; Bhargava, Akshay; Gupta, Sharad

2014-01-01

Abundant resources and techniques have been used for complete coverage crown fabrication. Conventional investing and casting procedures for phosphate-bonded investments require a 2- to 4-h procedure before completion. Accelerated casting techniques have been used, but may not result in castings with matching marginal accuracy. The study measured the marginal gap and determined the clinical acceptability of single cast copings invested in a phosphate-bonded investment with the use of conventional and accelerated methods. One hundred and twenty cast coping samples were fabricated using conventional and accelerated methods, with three finish lines: Chamfer, shoulder and shoulder with bevel. Sixty copings were prepared with each technique. Each coping was examined with a stereomicroscope at four predetermined sites and measurements of marginal gaps were documented for each. A master chart was prepared for all the data and was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version. Evidence of marginal gap was then evaluated by t-test. Analysis of variance and Post-hoc analysis were used to compare two groups as well as to make comparisons between three subgroups . Measurements recorded showed no statistically significant difference between conventional and accelerated groups. Among the three marginal designs studied, shoulder with bevel showed the best marginal fit with conventional as well as accelerated casting techniques. Accelerated casting technique could be a vital alternative to the time-consuming conventional casting technique. The marginal fit between the two casting techniques showed no statistical difference.

Comparative Evaluation of Conventional and Accelerated Castings on Marginal Fit and Surface Roughness

PubMed Central

Jadhav, Vivek Dattatray; Motwani, Bhagwan K.; Shinde, Jitendra; Adhapure, Prasad

2017-01-01

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the marginal fit and surface roughness of complete cast crowns made by a conventional and an accelerated casting technique. Settings and Design: This study was divided into three parts. In Part I, the marginal fit of full metal crowns made by both casting techniques in the vertical direction was checked, in Part II, the fit of sectional metal crowns in the horizontal direction made by both casting techniques was checked, and in Part III, the surface roughness of disc-shaped metal plate specimens made by both casting techniques was checked. Materials and Methods: A conventional technique was compared with an accelerated technique. In Part I of the study, the marginal fit of the full metal crowns as well as in Part II, the horizontal fit of sectional metal crowns made by both casting techniques was determined, and in Part III, the surface roughness of castings made with the same techniques was compared. Statistical Analysis Used: The results of the t-test and independent sample test do not indicate statistically significant differences in the marginal discrepancy detected between the two casting techniques. Results: For the marginal discrepancy and surface roughness, crowns fabricated with the accelerated technique were significantly different from those fabricated with the conventional technique. Conclusions: Accelerated casting technique showed quite satisfactory results, but the conventional technique was superior in terms of marginal fit and surface roughness. PMID:29042726

Consanguineous marriages and matrimonial distance: a study among three South Indian caste groups.

PubMed

Reddy, P G

1988-12-01

Reddy studies consanguineous marriages and matrimonial distance in 3 castes of Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh, South India. The castes include the well-to-do agricultural caste, the Desuri Kapu; the 2nd, artisan caste in the middle of the hierarchy, the Devanga; and the third caste at the bottom of the social ladder, the Mala. During field work conducted in 1978-1979, prominent elders of the villages were approached; information on the consanguinity of marriage and matrimonial distance was gathered through intensive interviews of both men and women from all the households of the 3 castes. Among the total of 979 marriages, 28.9% occurred within the village, the proportion of intra-village marriages being significantly higher in Nellore taluk than in Sullurpet. The 3 castes overall show little difference in the incidence of intra-village marriages, but there is some within caste regional variation in the incidence of intra-village marriages, the Devanga showing a significantly higher incidence in Nellore than in Sullurpet. Intra-village marriages are more common among consanguineous couples (41.5%) than among non-consanguineous (18.3%), a highly significant excess in each of the caste groups. In short, Reddy concludes that intra-village marriages are more common among consanguineous couples than non-consanguineous, and mean matrimonial distance is also lower.

Does the family cap influence birthrates? Two new studies say "no".

PubMed

Donovan, P

1998-02-01

Some have argued that imposing a cap upon welfare benefits would reduce birthrates among welfare recipients. However, recent studies in New Jersey and Arkansas determined that denying an increase in cash assistance to women who have another child while on welfare has no effect upon births in the states. When New Jersey became the first state, 4 years ago, to impose a family cap, then-governor James Florio declared the cap a success after just 2 months. An analysis by researchers at Rutgers University released in September 1997 disagrees. While birthrates among welfare recipients declined between August 1992 and July 1995, the decline was no different from that observed in a control group which continued to receive a benefit increase if they had another child. Among both groups, and consistent with birthrates in the general New Jersey population, birthrates fell from 11% in 1992-93 to 6% in 1994-95. These results did not change when researchers controlled for the age and race of the almost 8500 women studied. Abortion rates in the state declined both among women subject to the cap and among the control group. Although researchers studying the impact of the family cap in Arkansas could not determine its effect upon abortion rates because Arkansas fails to pay for abortions under Medicaid, no statistically significant difference was observed between the birthrates of women subject to the cap and a control group. The findings of these 2 studies cast doubt upon the notion that an increase in monthly benefits after the birth of a new baby is an incentive for welfare recipients to have more children.

Flogging tired horses: Who wants whipping and who would walk away if whipping horses were withheld?

PubMed

McGreevy, Paul D; Griffiths, Mark D; Ascione, Frank R; Wilson, Bethany

2018-01-01

Recent studies have cast doubt on the effectiveness of whipping horses during races and this has led to questions concerning its continuing justification. Furthermore, it has been argued that whipping tired horses in racing is the most televised form of violence to animals. The present study used de-identified data from a recent independent Australian poll (n = 1,533) to characterise the 26% of respondents (113 females and 271 males) who support the whipping of racehorses and the 10% of racing enthusiasts in the sample (44 females and 63 males) who would stop watching races and betting on them if whipping were banned. Logistic regression models examining associations between age, gender, and income level of respondents demonstrated that those who support racehorse whipping are significantly more likely to be male. Among racing enthusiasts who would stop watching races and betting on them if whipping were banned, those in the lowest income bracket were over-represented. The more frequently respondents attended races or gambled on them, the more likely they were to agree that horses should be hit with a whip during the normal course of a race. These findings align with previous studies of violence among men and women but may also be attributed to male support of traditional gambling practices. Globally, racing organisations may consider the findings of the present study helpful in their deliberations on the merits of continuing the practice of whipping tired horses in the name of sport. The study might also provide important data for stakeholders who demand that it continues.

Alcohol Warning Label Awareness and Attention: A Multi-method Study.

PubMed

Pham, Cuong; Rundle-Thiele, Sharyn; Parkinson, Joy; Li, Shanshi

2018-01-01

Evaluation of alcohol warning labels requires careful consideration ensuring that research captures more than awareness given that labels may not be prominent enough to attract attention. This study investigates attention of current in market alcohol warning labels and examines whether attention can be enhanced through theoretically informed design. Attention scores obtained through self-report methods are compared to objective measures (eye-tracking). A multi-method experimental design was used delivering four conditions, namely control, colour, size and colour and size. The first study (n = 559) involved a self-report survey to measure attention. The second study (n = 87) utilized eye-tracking to measure fixation count and duration and time to first fixation. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was utilized. Eye-tracking identified that 60% of participants looked at the current in market alcohol warning label while 81% looked at the optimized design (larger and red). In line with observed attention self-reported attention increased for the optimized design. The current study casts doubt on dominant practices (largely self-report), which have been used to evaluate alcohol warning labels. Awareness cannot be used to assess warning label effectiveness in isolation in cases where attention does not occur 100% of the time. Mixed methods permit objective data collection methodologies to be triangulated with surveys to assess warning label effectiveness. Attention should be incorporated as a measure in warning label effectiveness evaluations. Colour and size changes to the existing Australian warning labels aided by theoretically informed design increased attention. © The Author 2017. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Flogging tired horses: Who wants whipping and who would walk away if whipping horses were withheld?

PubMed Central

Griffiths, Mark D.; Ascione, Frank R.; Wilson, Bethany

2018-01-01

Recent studies have cast doubt on the effectiveness of whipping horses during races and this has led to questions concerning its continuing justification. Furthermore, it has been argued that whipping tired horses in racing is the most televised form of violence to animals. The present study used de-identified data from a recent independent Australian poll (n = 1,533) to characterise the 26% of respondents (113 females and 271 males) who support the whipping of racehorses and the 10% of racing enthusiasts in the sample (44 females and 63 males) who would stop watching races and betting on them if whipping were banned. Logistic regression models examining associations between age, gender, and income level of respondents demonstrated that those who support racehorse whipping are significantly more likely to be male. Among racing enthusiasts who would stop watching races and betting on them if whipping were banned, those in the lowest income bracket were over-represented. The more frequently respondents attended races or gambled on them, the more likely they were to agree that horses should be hit with a whip during the normal course of a race. These findings align with previous studies of violence among men and women but may also be attributed to male support of traditional gambling practices. Globally, racing organisations may consider the findings of the present study helpful in their deliberations on the merits of continuing the practice of whipping tired horses in the name of sport. The study might also provide important data for stakeholders who demand that it continues. PMID:29466458

A comparison between the dimensions of positive transtibial residual limb molds prepared by air pressure casting and weight-bearing casting methods.

PubMed

Hajiaghaei, Behnam; Ebrahimi, Ismail; Kamyab, Mojtaba; Saeedi, Hassan; Jalali, Maryam

2016-01-01

Creating a socket with proper fit is an important factor to ensure the comfort and control of prosthetic devices. Several techniques are commonly used to cast transtibial stumps but their effect on stump shape deformation is not well understood. This study compares the dimensions, circumferences and volumes of the positive casts and also the socket comfort between two casting methods. Our hypothesis was that the casts prepared by air pressure method have less volume and are more comfortable than those prepared by weight bearing method. Fifteen transtibial unilateral amputees participated in the study. Two weight bearing and air pressure casting methods were utilized for their residual limbs. The diameters and circumferences of various areas of the residual limbs and positive casts were compared. The volumes of two types of casts were measured by a volumeter and compared. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to measure the sockets fit comfort. Circumferences at 10 and 15 cm below the patella on the casts were significantly smaller in air pressure casting method compared to the weight bearing method (p=0.00 and 0.01 respectively). The volume of the cast in air pressure method was lower than that of the weight bearing method (p=0.006). The amputees found the fit of the sockets prepared by air pressure method more comfortable than the weight bearing sockets (p=0.015). The air pressure casting reduced the circumferences of the distal portion of residual limbs which has more soft tissue and because of its snug fit it provided more comfort for amputees, according to the VAS measurements.

Strain Rate Dependency of Bronze Metal Matrix Composite Mechanical Properties as a Function of Casting Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Lloyd; Joyce, Peter; Radice, Joshua; Gregorian, Dro; Gobble, Michael

2012-07-01

Strain rate dependency of mechanical properties of tungsten carbide (WC)-filled bronze castings fabricated by centrifugal and sedimentation-casting techniques are examined, in this study. Both casting techniques are an attempt to produce a functionally graded material with high wear resistance at a chosen surface. Potential applications of such materials include shaft bushings, electrical contact surfaces, and brake rotors. Knowledge of strain rate-dependent mechanical properties is recommended for predicting component response due to dynamic loading or impact events. A brief overview of the casting techniques for the materials considered in this study is followed by an explanation of the test matrix and testing techniques. Hardness testing, density measurement, and determination of the volume fraction of WC particles are performed throughout the castings using both image analysis and optical microscopy. The effects of particle filling on mechanical properties are first evaluated through a microhardness survey of the castings. The volume fraction of WC particles is validated using a thorough density survey and a rule-of-mixtures model. Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) testing of various volume fraction specimens is conducted to determine strain dependence of mechanical properties and to compare the process-property relationships between the two casting techniques. The baseline performances of C95400 bronze are provided for comparison. The results show that the addition of WC particles improves microhardness significantly for the centrifugally cast specimens, and, to a lesser extent, in the sedimentation-cast specimens, largely because the WC particles are more concentrated as a result of the centrifugal-casting process. Both metal matrix composites (MMCs) demonstrate strain rate dependency, with sedimentation casting having a greater, but variable, effects on material response. This difference is attributed to legacy effects from the casting process, namely, porosity and localized WC particle grouping.

Noise Reduction to Reduce Patient Anxiety During Cast Removal: Can We Decrease Patient Anxiety With Cast Removal by Wearing Noise Reduction Headphones During Cast Saw Use?

PubMed

Mahan, Susan T; Harris, Marie S; Lierhaus, Anneliese M; Miller, Patricia E; DiFazio, Rachel L

Noise reduction headphones decrease the sound during cast removal. Their effectiveness in decreasing anxiety has not been studied. Compare pediatric patients' anxiety levels during cast removal with and without utilization of noise reduction headphones combined with use of a personal electronic device. Quality improvement project. Patients randomly assigned to noise reduction headphone group or standard care group during cast removal. Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability Scale and heart rate were evaluated prior to, during, and after cast removal. Data were compared across groups. Fifty patients were included; 25 per group. No difference detected between the 2 groups in Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability Scale score prior to (p = .05) or after cast removal (p = .30). During cast removal, the headphone group had lower FLACC Scale scores (p = .03). Baseline heart rate was lower in the headphone group prior to (p = .02) and after (p = .005) cast removal with no difference during cast removal (p = .24). Utilizing noise reduction headphones and a personal electronic device during the cast removal process decreases patient anxiety.

[Variables effecting casting accuracy of quick heating casting investments].

PubMed

Takahashi, H; Nakamura, H; Iwasaki, N; Morita, N; Habu, N; Nishimura, F

1994-06-01

Recently, several new products of investments for "quick heating" have been put on the Japanese market. The total casting procedure time for this quick heating method involves only one hour; 30-minutes waiting after the start of mixing before placing the mold directly into the 700 degrees C furnace and 30-minutes heating in the furnace. The purpose of this study was to evaluate two variables effecting casting accuracy using these new investments. The effect of thickness of the casting liner inside the casting ring and the effect of waiting time before placing the mold into the 700 degrees C furnace were evaluated. A stainless-steel die with a convergence angle of 8 degrees was employed. Marginal discrepancies of the crown between the wax patterns and castings were measured. The size of the cast crown became larger when the thickness of the ring liner was thick and when the waiting time before placing the mold into the furnace was long. These results suggest that these new investments have the advantage of providing sound castings using short-time casting procedures. However, it is necessary to pay careful attention to the casting conditions for obtaining reproducible castings.

A Critical Evaluation of the Updated Evidence for Casting for Equinus Deformity in Children with Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Tustin, Kylee; Patel, Anita

2017-01-01

Equinus deformity is common in ambulant children with cerebral palsy (CP). Although lower leg casting is frequently used, the physiological basis for casting and effects beyond range of motion (ROM) gains are unclear. This review critically evaluates the updated evidence for casting in the management of ankle equinus in children with CP. Comprehensive searches were conducted using electronic databases AMED, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, PEDro and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, publication years 2005-2014, in order to identify literature published since an earlier comprehensive systematic review. Only studies evaluating lower leg casting for conservative management of equinus deformity in children with CP were considered. Two independent raters critically appraised studies against the hierarchy of levels of evidence and rigour of study conduct questions proposed by the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine's methodology for systematic review. Four relevant systematic reviews were identified, although these largely concerned earlier literature. Five original studies were included, all demonstrating improvement in dorsiflexion ROM. Combined treatment with botulinum toxin and casting offered greater and/or more sustained ROM gains than botulinum toxin alone in three studies. Effects on gait parameters and motor function were inconsistent. Participation outcomes were not evaluated. Methodological limitations make firm conclusions difficult. Recent years have offered little progress in the state of evidence for casting in the management of equinus deformity. Casting appears to offer at least short-term improvement in ankle dorsiflexion, although the proposition that this improves function or avoids surgery is not well substantiated. Future research needs to ensure more robust study design and broader evaluation across domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to determine the functional and long-term effect of casting for equinus deformity. Greater knowledge is required of the effect of casting on muscle structure and function in spastic CP. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Learning to Live with Doubt: Kierkegaard, Freire, and Critical Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Peter

2017-01-01

What role does doubt play in education? This article addresses this question, initially via an examination of Søren Kierkegaard's "Philosophical Fragments". Kierkegaard, through his pseudonym Johannes Climacus, draws attention to the potentially debilitating and destructive effects of doubt on both teachers and learners. The work of…

On Measuring Quantitative Interpretations of Reasonable Doubt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dhami, Mandeep K.

2008-01-01

Beyond reasonable doubt represents a probability value that acts as the criterion for conviction in criminal trials. I introduce the membership function (MF) method as a new tool for measuring quantitative interpretations of reasonable doubt. Experiment 1 demonstrated that three different methods (i.e., direct rating, decision theory based, and…

Delay, doubt, and decision: how delaying a choice reduces the appeal of (descriptively) normative options.

PubMed

van de Ven, Niels; Gilovich, Thomas; Zeelenberg, Marcel

2010-04-01

To help explain a regularity in democratic elections, we examined whether choosing to delay making a choice between a focal option and an alternative tends to make people subsequently less likely to choose what they would otherwise have chosen. The results of two experiments demonstrated that participants who were induced to delay making a decision were indeed less likely to choose the descriptively normative option. An additional experiment that primed a sense of doubt in participants provided support for a self-perception account of this result. Electing to delay making a choice is interpreted as an indication of doubt--doubt that tends to be attributed to the most prominent option. Delay-induced doubt about the normative option makes it less likely to be selected.

Casting And Solidification Technology (CAST): Directional solidification phenomena in a metal model at reduced gravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccay, M. H.

1988-01-01

The Casting and Solidification Technology (CAST) experiment will study the phenomena that occur during directional solidification of an alloy, e.g., constitutional supercooling, freckling, and dendrite coarsening. The reduced gravity environment of space will permit the individual phenomena to be examined with minimum complication from buoyancy driven flows.

Casting for infantile scoliosis: the pitfall of increased peak inspiratory pressure.

PubMed

Dhawale, Arjun A; Shah, Suken A; Reichard, Samantha; Holmes, Laurens; Brislin, Robert; Rogers, Kenneth; Mackenzie, William G

2013-01-01

Serial cast correction is a popular treatment option for progressive infantile scoliosis. Body casting can lead to chest and abdominal expansion restriction and result in decreased chest wall compliance. There are no studies evaluating the effects of casting on ventilation in infantile scoliosis. This study examines changes in peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) during serial casting for infantile scoliosis. We retrospectively reviewed data obtained from 37 serial Cotrel elongation, derotation, and flexion cast corrections in patients with infantile scoliosis. Patient demographics, radiographic measurements, and anesthesia data were recorded. Anesthesia technique was standardized: children were intubated with rigid endotracheal tubes (ETTs); tidal volume was held constant at 8 to 10 cm(3)/kg using volume control ventilation; and PIP was recorded at baseline, after cast application before window cutout, and after window cutout before extubation. Any complications were documented. We assessed the PIP changes with a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). The mean age at first casting was 21.8 months (range, 12 to 42 mo) and mean follow-up since first casting was 22.4 months (range, 13 to 40 mo) with mean major Cobb angle of 53±15 degrees. The mean PIP was 15.5±4.9 cm H(2)O before casting, 31.9±7.9 cm H(2)O after cast application, and 20.4±5.6 cm H2O after making windows. There was a 106% increase after casting and 32% increase after window cutout from the baseline PIP levels. There was a significant difference in PIP on repeated measures ANOVA (P<0.0001). Intraoperatively, there was difficulty in maintaining ventilation during 2 procedures and 1 hypotensive episode. One patient developed hypoxemia after casting and another had delayed difficulty in breathing. Casting resulted in an increased PIP due to transient restrictive pulmonary process; after windows were cut out, the PIP reduced but not to baseline. In patients with underlying pulmonary disease, the casting process may induce respiratory complications, and a proper period of observation after casting is necessary. Case series, level 4.

Reproducibility of the index of orthognathic functional treatment need scores derived from plaster study casts and their three-dimensional digital equivalents: a pilot study.

PubMed

McCrory, Emma; McGuinness, Niall Jp; Ulhaq, Aman

2018-06-01

To determine the reproducibility of Index of Orthognathic Functional Treatment Need (IOFTN) scores derived from plaster casts and their three-dimensional (3D) digital equivalents. Pilot study, prospective analytical. UK hospital orthodontic department. Thirty casts and their digital equivalents, representing the pre-treatment malocclusions of patients requiring orthodontic-orthognathic surgical treatment, were scored by four clinicians using IOFTN. Casts were scanned using a 3Shape digital scanner and 3D models produced using OrthoAnalyzer TM (3Shape Ltd, Copenhagen, Denmark). Examiners independently determined the IOFTN scores for the casts and digital models, to test their inter- and intra-operator reliability using weighted Kappa scores. Intra-operator agreement with IOFTN major categories (1-5: treatment need) was very good for plaster casts (0.83-0.98) and good-very good for digital models (0.78-0.83). Inter-operator agreement was moderate-very good for casts (0.58-0.82) and good-very good for digital models (0.65-0.92). Intra-operator agreement with IOFTN sub-categories (1-14: feature of malocclusion) was good-very good for casts (0.70-0.97) and digital models (0.80-0.94). Inter-operator agreement was moderate-good for casts (0.53-0.77); and moderate-very good for the digital models (0.58-0.90). Digital models are an acceptable alternative to plaster casts for examining the malocclusion of patients requiring combined orthodontic-orthognathic surgical treatment and determining treatment need.

Genetic profile based upon 15 microsatellites of four caste groups of the eastern Indian state, Bihar.

PubMed

Ashma, R; Kashyap, V K

2003-01-01

The formation of caste groups among the Hindu community and the practice of endogamy exert a great impact on the genetic structure and diversity of the Indian population. Allele frequency data of 15 microsatellite loci clearly portray the genetic diversity and relatedness among four socio-culturally advanced caste groups: Brahmin, Bhumihar, Rajput and Kayasth of Caucasoid ethnicity of Bihar. The study seeks to understand the impact of the man-made caste system on the genetic profile of the four major caste groups of Bihar. Computation of average heterozygosity, most frequent allele, allele diversity and coefficient of gene differentiation (Gst), along with genetic distance (DA)and principal coordinate analysis were performed to assess intra-population and inter-population diversity. The average Gst value for all the loci was 0.012 +/- 0.0033, and the level of average heterozygosity was approximately 75.5%, indicating genetic similarity and intra-population diversity. Genetic distance (DA) values and the phylogenetic tree along with other higher caste groups of India indicate the relative distance between them. The present study clearly depicts the genetic profile of these caste groups, their inherent closeness in the past, and the impact of the imposed caste system that later restricted the gene flow. The study highlights the status of Bhumihar and Kayasth in the Hindu caste system. The former was found clustering with the Brahmin group (as expected, since Bhumihar is known to be a subclass of Brahmin), whereas the distance between the Brahmin and Kayasth caste groups was found to be large. North-eastern Indian Mongoloids form a separate cluster.

Comparative study of two commercially pure titanium casting methods

PubMed Central

RODRIGUES, Renata Cristina Silveira; FARIA, Adriana Claudia Lapria; ORSI, Iara Augusta; de MATTOS, Maria da Gloria Chiarello; MACEDO, Ana Paula; RIBEIRO, Ricardo Faria

2010-01-01

The interest in using titanium to fabricate removable partial denture (RPD) frameworks has increased, but there are few studies evaluating the effects of casting methods on clasp behavior. Objective This study compared the occurrence of porosities and the retentive force of commercially pure titanium (CP Ti) and cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) removable partial denture circumferential clasps cast by induction/centrifugation and plasma/vacuum-pressure. Material and Methods 72 frameworks were cast from CP Ti (n=36) and Co-Cr alloy (n=36; control group). For each material, 18 frameworks were casted by electromagnetic induction and injected by centrifugation, whereas the other 18 were casted by plasma and injected by vacuum-pressure. For each casting method, three subgroups (n=6) were formed: 0.25 mm, 0.50 mm, and 0.75 mm undercuts. The specimens were radiographed and subjected to an insertion/removal test simulating 5 years of framework use. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's to compare materials and cast methods (α=0.05). Results Three of 18 specimens of the induction/centrifugation group and 9 of 18 specimens of plasma/vacuum-pressure cast presented porosities, but only 1 and 7 specimens, respectively, were rejected for simulation test. For Co-Cr alloy, no defects were found. Comparing the casting methods, statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were observed only for the Co-Cr alloy with 0.25 mm and 0.50 mm undercuts. Significant differences were found for the 0.25 mm and 0.75 mm undercuts dependent on the material used. For the 0.50 mm undercut, significant differences were found when the materials were induction casted. Conclusion Although both casting methods produced satisfactory CP Ti RPD frameworks, the occurrence of porosities was greater in the plasma/vacuum-pressure than in the induction/centrifugation method, the latter resulting in higher clasp rigidity, generating higher retention force values. PMID:21085805

Metal casts showing the three-dimensional structure of the human inner ear were converted into jewelry.

PubMed

Heywood, Peter

2015-06-01

This article describes a straightforward method for making metal casts of the human inner ear developed in 1937 by M. Wharton Young of Howard University College of Medicine. These casts were used to study anatomy, but there do not appear to be any published photographs of the casts. Inner ear casts converted into jewelry provide the only known images of this work. Later, Young studied the inner ear in living rhesus monkeys by injecting mercury into their membranous labyrinths. Young's investigations indicated a blind-ending perilymphatic sac that was not in continuity with the subarachnoid space.