Rutgers University

About: Rutgers University is a education organization based out in New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 68736 authors who have published 159418 publications receiving 6713860 citations. The organization is also known as: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey & Rutgers.

Sodium Reduction and Weight Loss in the Treatment of Hypertension in Older Persons: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Nonpharmacologic Interventions in the Elderly (TONE)

Abstract: Context.—Nonpharmacologic interventions are frequently recommended for treatment of hypertension in the elderly, but there is a paucity of evidence from randomized controlled trials in support of this recommendation.Objective.—To determine whether weight loss or reduced sodium intake is effective in the treatment of older persons with hypertension.Design.—Randomized controlled trial.Participants.—A total of 875 men and women aged 60 to 80 years with systolic blood pressure lower than 145 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure lower than 85 mm Hg while receiving treatment with a single antihypertensive medication.Setting.—Four academic health centers.Intervention.—The 585 obese participants were randomized to reduced sodium intake, weight loss, both, or usual care, and the 390 nonobese participants were randomized to reduced sodium intake or usual care. Withdrawal of antihypertensive medication was attempted after 3 months of intervention.Main Outcome Measure.—Diagnosis of high blood pressure at 1 or more follow-up visits, or treatment with antihypertensive medication, or a cardiovascular event during follow-up (range, 15-36 months; median, 29 months).Results.—The combined outcome measure was less frequent among those assigned vs not assigned to reduced sodium intake (relative hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.81; P<.001) and, in obese participants, among those assigned vs not assigned to weight loss (relative hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.57-0.87; P<.001). Relative to usual care, hazard ratios among the obese participants were 0.60 (95% CI, 0.45-0.80; P<.001) for reduced sodium intake alone, 0.64 (95% CI, 0.49-0.85; P=.002) for weight loss alone, and 0.47 (95% CI, 0.35-0.64; P<.001) for reduced sodium intake and weight loss combined. The frequency of cardiovascular events during follow-up was similar in each of the 6 treatment groups.Conclusion.—Reduced sodium intake and weight loss constitute a feasible, effective, and safe nonpharmacologic therapy of hypertension in older persons.

The high-conductance state of neocortical neurons in vivo.

Abstract: Intracellular recordings in vivo have shown that neocortical neurons are subjected to an intense synaptic bombardment in intact networks and are in a 'high-conductance' state. In vitro studies have shed light on the complex interplay between the active properties of dendrites and how they convey discrete synaptic inputs to the soma. Computational models have attempted to tie these results together and predicted that high-conductance states profoundly alter the integrative properties of cortical neurons, providing them with a number of computational advantages. Here, we summarize results from these different approaches, with the aim of understanding the integrative properties of neocortical neurons in the intact brain.

First-principles study of spontaneous polarization in multiferroic Bi Fe O 3

Abstract: The ground-state structural and electronic properties of ferroelectric $\mathrm{Bi}\mathrm{Fe}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ are calculated using density functional theory within the local spin-density approximation (LSDA) and the $\mathrm{LSDA}+U$ method. The crystal structure is computed to be rhombohedral with space group $R3c$, and the electronic structure is found to be insulating and antiferromagnetic, both in excellent agreement with available experiments. A large ferroelectric polarization of $90--100\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{C}∕{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ is predicted, consistent with the large atomic displacements in the ferroelectric phase and with recent experimental reports, but differing by an order of magnitude from early experiments. One possible explanation is that the latter may have suffered from large leakage currents. However, both past and contemporary measurements are shown to be consistent with the modern theory of polarization, suggesting that the range of reported polarizations may instead correspond to distinct switching paths in structural space. Modern measurements on well-characterized bulk samples are required to confirm this interpretation.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Cognitive Heuristics in Political Decision Making

Abstract: This article challenges the often un- tested assumption that cognitive "heuristics" improve the decision- making abilities of everyday voters. The potential benefits and costs of five common political heuristics are discussed. A new dynamic process- tracing methodology is employed to directly observe the use of these five heuristics by voters in a mock presi- dential election campaign. We find that cognitive heuristics are at times employed by almost all voters and that they are particularly likely to be used when the choice situation facing voters is complex. A hypothesized

Car-Parrinello Molecular-Dynamics with Vanderbilt Ultrasoft Pseudopotentials

Abstract: We show how the ultrasoft pseudopotentials which have recently been proposed by Vanderbilt can be implemented efficiently in the context of Car-Parrinello molecular-dynamics simulations We address the differences with respect to the conventional norm-conserving schemes, identify certain problems which arise, and indicate how these problems can be overcome This scheme extends the possibility of performing first-principles molecular dynamics to systems including first-row elements and transition metals