Showing papers by "State University of New York System published in 2007"

Ubiquity and dominance of oxygenated species in organic aerosols in anthropogenically-influenced Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes

Abstract: Organic aerosol (OA) data acquired by the Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) in 37 field campaigns were deconvolved into hydrocarbon-like OA (HOA) and several types of oxygenated OA (OOA) components. HOA has been linked to primary combustion emissions (mainly from fossil fuel) and other primary sources such as meat cooking. OOA is ubiquitous in various atmospheric environments, on average accounting for 64%, 83% and 95% of the total OA in urban, urban downwind, and rural/remote sites, respectively. A case study analysis of a rural site shows that the OOA concentration is much greater than the advected HOA, indicating that HOA oxidation is not an important source of OOA, and that OOA increases are mainly due to SOA. Most global models lack an explicit representation of SOA which may lead to significant biases in the magnitude, spatial and temporal distributions of OA, and in aerosol hygroscopic properties.

The English Lexicon Project.

Abstract: The English Lexicon Project is a multiuniversity effort to provide a standardized behavioral and descriptive data set for 40,481 words and 40,481 nonwords. It is available via the Internet at elexicon.wustl.edu. Data from 816 participants across six universities were collected in a lexical decision task (approximately 3400 responses per participant), and data from 444 participants were collected in a speeded naming task (approximately 2500 responses per participant). The present paper describes the motivation for this project, the methods used to collect the data, and the search engine that affords access to the behavioral measures and descriptive lexical statistics for these stimuli.

Chemical and microphysical characterization of ambient aerosols with the aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer

Abstract: The application of mass spectrometric techniques to the realtime measurement and characterization of aerosols represents a significant advance in the field of atmospheric science. This review focuses on the aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS), an instrument designed and developed at Aerodyne Research, Inc. (ARI) that is the most widely used thermal vaporization AMS. The AMS uses aerodynamic lens inlet technology together with thermal vaporization and electron-impact mass spectrometry to measure the real-time non-refractory (NR) chemical speciation and mass loading as a function of particle size of fine aerosol particles with aerodynamic diameters between similar to 50 and 1,000 nm. The original AMS utilizes a quadrupole mass spectrometer (Q) with electron impact (EI) ionization and produces ensemble average data of particle properties. Later versions employ time-of-flight (ToF) mass spectrometers and can produce full mass spectral data for single particles. This manuscript presents a detailed discussion of the strengths and limitations of the AMS measurement approach and reviews how the measurements are used to characterize particle properties. Results from selected laboratory experiments and field measurement campaigns are also presented to highlight the different applications of this instrument. Recent instrumental developments, such as the incorporation of softer ionization techniques (vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photo-ionization, Li(+) ion, and electron attachment) and high-resolution ToF mass spectrometers, that yield more detailed information about the organic aerosol component are also described. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Robust dimensions of anxiety sensitivity: Development and initial validation of the anxiety sensitivity index-3

Abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that anxiety sensitivity (fear of arousal-related sensations) plays an important role in many clinical conditions, particularly anxiety disorders. Research has increasingly focused on how the basic dimensions of anxiety sensitivity are related to various forms of psychopathology. Such work has been hampered because the original measure--the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI)--was not designed to be multidimensional. Subsequently developed multidimensional measures have unstable factor structures or measure only a subset of the most widely replicated factors. Therefore, the authors developed, via factor analysis of responses from U.S. and Canadian nonclinical participants (n=2,361), an 18-item measure, the ASI-3, which assesses the 3 factors best replicated in previous research: Physical, Cognitive, and Social Concerns. Factorial validity of the ASI-3 was supported by confirmatory factor analyses of 6 replication samples, including nonclinical samples from the United States and Canada, France, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Spain (n=4,494) and a clinical sample from the United States and Canada (n=390). The ASI-3 displayed generally good performance on other indices of reliability and validity, along with evidence of improved psychometric properties over the original ASI.

Models, mechanisms and clinical evidence for cancer dormancy.

Abstract: Patients with cancer can develop recurrent metastatic disease with latency periods that range from years even to decades. This pause can be explained by cancer dormancy, a stage in cancer progression in which residual disease is present but remains asymptomatic. Cancer dormancy is poorly understood, resulting in major shortcomings in our understanding of the full complexity of the disease. Here, I review experimental and clinical evidence that supports the existence of various mechanisms of cancer dormancy including angiogenic dormancy, cellular dormancy (G0-G1 arrest) and immunosurveillance. The advances in this field provide an emerging picture of how cancer dormancy can ensue and how it could be therapeutically targeted.

Survey of nonlinear attitude estimation methods

Abstract: This paper provides a survey of modern nonlinear filtering methods for attitude estimation. Early applications relied mostly on the extended Kalman filter for attitude estimation. Since these applications, several new approaches have been developed that have proven to be superior to the extended Kalman filter. Several of these approaches maintain the basic structure of the extended Kalman filter, but employ various modifications in order to provide better convergence or improve other performance characteristics. Examples of such approaches include: filter QUEST, extended QUEST and the backwards-smoothing extended Kalman filter. Filters that propagate and update a discrete set of sigma points rather than using linearized equations for the mean and covariance are also reviewed. A twostep approach is discussed with a first-step state that linearizes the measurement model and an iterative second step to recover the desired attitude states. These approaches are all based on the Gaussian assumption that the probability density function is adequately specified by its mean and covariance. Other approaches that do not require this assumption are reviewed, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. Email: johnc@eng.buffalo.edu. Associate Fellow AIAA. Aerospace Engineer, Guidance, Navigation and Control Systems Engineering Branch. Email: Landis.Markley@nasa.gov. Fellow AIAA. Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering. Email: cheng3@eng.buffalo.edu. Member AIAA.

The psychological implications of concealing a stigma: a cognitive-affective-behavioral model.

Abstract: Many assume that individuals with a hidden stigma escape the difficulties faced by individuals with a visible stigma. However, recent research has shown that individuals with a concealable stigma also face considerable stressors and psychological challenges. The ambiguity of social situations combined with the threat of potential discovery makes possessing a concealable stigma a difficult predicament for many individuals. The increasing amount of research on concealable stigmas necessitates a cohesive model for integrating relevant findings. This article offers a cognitive-affective-behavioral process model for understanding the psychological implications of concealing a stigma. It ends with discussion of potential points of intervention in the model as well as potential future routes for investigation of the model.

Organically modified silica nanoparticles co-encapsulating photosensitizing drug and aggregation-enhanced two-photon absorbing fluorescent dye aggregates for two-photon photodynamic therapy.

Abstract: We report energy-transferring organically modified silica nanoparticles for two-photon photodynamic therapy. These nanoparticles co-encapsulate two-photon fluorescent dye nanoaggregates as an energy up-converting donor and a photosensitizing PDT drug as an acceptor. They combine two features: (i) aggregation-enhanced two-photon absorption and emission properties of a novel two-photon dye and (ii) nanoscopic fluorescence resonance energy transfer between this nanoaggregate and a photosensitizer, 2-devinyl-2-(1-hexyloxyethyl)pyropheophorbide. Stable aqueous dispersions of the co-encapsulating nanoparticles (diameter ≤ 30 nm) have been prepared in the nonpolar interior of micelles by coprecipitating an organically modified silica sol with the photosensitizer and an excess amount of the two-photon dye which forms fluorescent aggregates by phase separation from the particle matrix. Using a multidisciplinary nanophotonic approach, we show: (i) indirect excitation of the photosensitizer through efficient two-p...

Development and validation of the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS).

Abstract: The authors describe a new self-report instrument, the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms (IDAS), which was designed to assess specific symptom dimensions of major depression and related anxiety disorders. They created the IDAS by conducting principal factor analyses in 3 large samples (college students, psychiatric patients, community adults); the authors also examined the robustness of its psychometric properties in 5 additional samples (high school students, college students, young adults, postpartum women, psychiatric patients) who were not involved in the scale development process. The IDAS contains 10 specific symptom scales: Suicidality, Lassitude, Insomnia, Appetite Loss, Appetite Gain, Ill Temper, Well-Being, Panic, Social Anxiety, and Traumatic Intrusions. It also includes 2 broader scales: General Depression (which contains items overlapping with several other IDAS scales) and Dysphoria (which does not). The scales (a) are internally consistent, (b) capture the target dimensions well, and (c) define a single underlying factor. They show strong short-term stability and display excellent convergent validity and good discriminant validity in relation to other self-report and interview-based measures of depression and anxiety.

Wireless multimedia sensor networks: A survey

Abstract: In recent years, the growing interest in the wireless sensor network (WSN) has resulted in thousands of peer-reviewed publications. Most of this research is concerned with scalar sensor networks that measure physical phenomena, such as temperature, pressure, humidity, or location of objects that can be conveyed through low-bandwidth and delay-tolerant data streams. Recently, the focus is shifting toward research aimed at revisiting the sensor network paradigm to enable delivery of multimedia content, such as audio and video streams and still images, as well as scalar data. This effort will result in distributed, networked systems, referred to in this paper as wireless multimedia sensor networks (WMSNs). This article discusses the state of the art and the major research challenges in architectures, algorithms, and protocols for wireless multimedia sensor networks. Existing solutions at the physical, link, network, transport, and application layers of the communication protocol stack are investigated. Finally, fundamental open research issues are discussed, and future research trends in this area are outlined.

Magnetic field and tissue dependencies of human brain longitudinal 1H2O relaxation in vivo.

Abstract: Brain water proton (1H2O) longitudinal relaxation time constants (T1) were obtained from three healthy individuals at magnetic field strengths (B0) of 0.2 Tesla (T), 1.0T, 1.5T, 4.0T, and 7.0T. A 5-mm midventricular axial slice was sampled using a modified Look-Locker technique with 1.5 mm in-plane resolution, and 32 time points post-adiabatic inversion. The results confirmed that for most brain tissues, T1 values increased by more than a factor of 3 between 0.2T and 7T, and over this range were well fitted by T1 (s)=0.583(B0)0.382, T1(s)=0.857(B0)0.376, and T1(s)=1.35(B0)0.340 for white matter (WM), internal GM, and blood 1H2O, respectively. The ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) 1H2O T1 value did not change with B0, and its average value (standard deviation (SD)) across subjects and magnetic fields was 4.3 (+/-0.2) s. The tissue 1/T1 values at each field were well correlated with the macromolecular mass fraction, and to a lesser extent tissue iron content. The field-dependent increases in 1H2O T1 values more than offset the well-known decrease in typical MRI contrast reagent (CR) relaxivity, and simulations predict that this leads to lower CR concentration detection thresholds with increased magnetic field.

Interspecies Interactions within Oral Microbial Communities

Abstract: Summary: While reductionism has greatly advanced microbiology in the past 400 years, assembly of smaller pieces just could not explain the whole! Modern microbiologists are learning “system thinking” and “holism.” Such an approach is changing our understanding of microbial physiology and our ability to diagnose/treat microbial infections. This review uses oral microbial communities as a focal point to describe this new trend. With the common name “dental plaque,” oral microbial communities are some of the most complex microbial floras in the human body, consisting of more than 700 different bacterial species. For a very long time, oral microbiologists endeavored to use reductionism to identify the key genes or key pathogens responsible for oral microbial pathogenesis. The limitations of reductionism forced scientists to begin adopting new strategies using emerging concepts such as interspecies interaction, microbial community, biofilms, polymicrobial disease, etc. These new research directions indicate that the whole is much more than the simple sum of its parts, since the interactions between different parts resulted in many new physiological functions which cannot be observed with individual components. This review describes some of these interesting interspecies-interaction scenarios.

Complex Hemodynamics at the Apex of an Arterial Bifurcation Induces Vascular Remodeling Resembling Cerebral Aneurysm Initiation

Abstract: Background and Purpose— Arterial bifurcation apices are common sites for cerebral aneurysms, raising the possibility that the unique hemodynamic conditions associated with flow dividers predispose the apical vessel wall to aneurysm formation. This study sought to identify the specific hemodynamic insults that lead to maladaptive vascular remodeling associated with aneurysm development and to identify early remodeling events at the tissue and cellular levels. Methods— We surgically created new branch points in the carotid vasculature of 6 female adult dogs. In vivo angiographic imaging and computational fluid dynamics simulations revealed the detailed hemodynamic microenvironment for each bifurcation, which were then spatially correlated with histologic features showing specific tissue responses. Results— We observed 2 distinct patterns of vessel wall remodeling: (1) hyperplasia that formed an intimal pad at the bifurcation apex and (2) destructive remodeling in the adjacent region of flow acceleration that resembled the initiation of an intracranial aneurysm, characterized by disruption of the internal elastic lamina, loss of medial smooth muscle cells, reduced proliferation of smooth muscle cells, and loss of fibronectin. Conclusions— Strong localization of aneurysm-type remodeling to the region of accelerating flow suggests that a combination of high wall shear stress and a high gradient in wall shear stress represents a “dangerous” hemodynamic condition that predisposes the apical vessel wall to aneurysm formation.

Psychometric Properties of the State-Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety (STICSA): Comparison to the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Abstract: The State-Trait Inventory for Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety (STICSA; M. J. Ree, C. MacLeod, D. French, & V. Locke, 2000) was designed to assess cognitive and somatic symptoms of anxiety as they pertain to one's mood in the moment (state) and in general (trait). This study extended the previous psychometric findings to a clinical sample and validated the STICSA against a well-published measure of anxiety, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; C. D. Spielberger, 1983). Patients (N=567) at an anxiety disorders clinic were administered a battery of questionnaires. The results of confirmatory factor analyses (Bentler-Bonnett nonnormed fit index, comparative fit index, and Bollen fit index>.90; root-mean-square error of approximation /=.64), the STICSA was more strongly correlated with another measure of anxiety (rs>/=.67) and was less strongly correlated with a measure of depression (rs

Effects of a Preschool Mathematics Curriculum: Summative Research on the Building Blocks Project

Abstract: This study evaluated the efficacy of a preschool mathematics program based on a comprehensive model of developing research-based software and print curricula. Building Blocks, funded by the National Science Foundation, is a curriculum development project focused on creating research-based, technology-enhanced mathematics materials for pre-K through grade 2. In this article, we describe the underlying principles, development, and initial summative evaluation of the first set of resulting materials as they were used in classrooms with children at risk for later school failure. Experimental and comparison classrooms included two principal types of public preschool programs serving low-income families: state funded and Head Start prekindergarten programs. The experimental treatment group score increased significantly more than the comparison group score; achievement gains of the experimental group approached the sought-after 2-sigma effect of individual tutoring. This study contributes to research showing that focused early mathematical interventions help young children develop a foundation of informal mathematics knowledge, especially for children at risk for later school failure.

Impact of Proximity to Light Rail Rapid Transit on Station-area Property Values in Buffalo, New York:

Abstract: This study assesses the impact of proximity to light rail transit stations on residential property values in Buffalo, New York, where light rail has been in service for 20 years, but population is ...

Who needs environmental monitoring

Abstract: Environmental monitoring is often criticized as being unscientific, too expensive, and wasteful. While some monitoring studies do suffer from these problems, there are also many highly successful long-term monitoring programs that have provided important scientific advances and crucial information for environmental policy. Here, we discuss the characteristics of effective monitoring programs, and contend that monitoring should be considered a fundamental component of environmental science and policy. We urge scientists who develop monitoring programs to plan in advance to ensure high data quality, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness, and we urge government agencies and other funding institutions to make greater commitments to increasing the amount and long-term stability of funding for environmental monitoring programs.

Racial Differences in Self-Reports of Sleep Duration in a Population-Based Study

Abstract: Study Objectives: Racial and ethnic differences in sleep duration are not well understood. Research shows that short (≤6 hours) and long (≥9 hours) sleepers have higher mortality risks than mid-range sleepers. We investigated whether sleep duration varies by racial and ethnic characteristics and if some of these associations may be explained by residential context. Design: Cross-sectional National Health Interview Survey. Setting: Non-institutionalized adults living in the United States in 1990. Participants: 32,749 people aged 18 years or older. Measurement and Results: We estimate a multinomial logistic regression that predicts short, mid-range, and long sleep duration; including co-variates for race/ethnicity, among other demographic, health, and neighborhood characteristics. Black respondents had an increased risk of being short and long sleepers (OR=1.41,95% Cl=1.27-1.57 and OR=1.62,95% Cl=1.40-1.88, respectively) relative to white respondents. Hispanics (excluding Mexican Americans) and non-Hispanic "Others" were also associated with increased risk of short sleeping (OR=1.26, 95% Cl= 1.07-1.49 and OR=1.35, 95% Cl= 1.11-1.64, respectively). Living in an inner city was associated with increased risk of short sleeping and reduced risk of long sleeping, compared to non-urban areas. Some of the higher risk of short sleeping among blacks can be explained by higher prevalence of blacks living in the inner city. Conclusions: Blacks and other racial minorities are more likely to have sleep durations that are associated with increased mortality. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that unhealthy sleep patterns among minorities may contribute to health differentials.

Family-Based Obesity Treatment, Then and Now: Twenty-Five Years of Pediatric Obesity Treatment

Abstract: Family-based behavioral pediatric obesity treatment programs were developed over 25 years ago, and both short- and long-term results support their efficacy (Epstein, Myers, Raynor, & Saelens, 1998; Epstein, Valoski, Wing, & McCurley, 1990, 1994; Jelalian & Saelens, 1999). Obesity runs in families (Whitaker, Wright, Pepe, Seidel, & Dietz, 1997), and it has been hypothesized that targeting eating and activity change in the child and parent, along with teaching parents behavioral skills to facilitate child behavior change, could mobilize family resources to improve the efficacy of childhood obesity treatments. Simultaneously treating the parent and child benefits both, and creates positive relationships between child and parent weight change (Wrotniak, Epstein, Paluch, & Roemmich, 2004, 2005). The efficacy of family-based treatments has been replicated many times since the late 1970s (Epstein, 2003), but there has been no attempt to evaluate changes in efficacy over time. Several variables have changed over that period that may influence the effectiveness of family-based treatments. These include changes in the characteristics of youth who are being treated for pediatric obesity, changes in the environment and family structure that may require conceptual changes in components of family-based treatment, and changes in the analysis and reporting of clinical trials. There has been an increase in the incidence and prevalence of pediatric obesity over the last 20 years (Ogden, Flegal, Carroll, & Johnson, 2002; Troiano, Flegal, Kuczmarski, Campbell, & Johnson, 1995). The body mass index (BMI) distribution is positively skewed; the average overweight child today is more overweight than the average overweight child in the 1970s and 1980s. More overweight youth may show greater decreases in percentage overweight. It is also possible that the more overweight the child is, the more the environment has influenced the child and the poorer the child’s eating and exercise habits may be. Thus, treatment effectiveness may suffer. There is general agreement that the increase in obesity is due in part to changes in the environment (Hill, Wyatt, Reed, & Peters, 2003) that can lead to decreased energy expenditure and increased food intake (French, Story, & Jeffery, 2001). Almost all homes have at least one television, and there has been an increase in the percentage of homes with multiple televisions (Neilsen Media Research 2000, 2000) and in the percentage of children with televisions in their bedrooms (Dennison, Erb, & Jenkins, 2002). Television watching has been associated with obesity in youth (Crespo et al., 2001; Gortmaker et al., 1996). Eating is often paired with television watching in youth (Matheson, Killen, Wang, Varady, & Robinson, 2004; Saelens et al., 2002), and television watching is related to energy intake (Epstein, Roemmich, Paluch, & Raynor, 2005b; Taras et al., 1989). Television watching may shift time away from physical activity (Durant, Baranowski, Johnson, & Thompson, 1994; Epstein, Roemmich, Paluch, & Raynor, 2005a; Taras, Sallis, Patterson, Nader, & Nelson, 1989), reducing energy expenditure. Youth make the choice to be active or sedentary, and developments in behavioral choice theory provide a theoretical framework for interventions to reduce sedentary behaviors (Epstein & Roemmich, 2001; Epstein & Saelens, 2000). Two recent studies in our research program have focused on behavioral economic approaches to modify sedentary behavior as part of a comprehensive treatment for pediatric obesity (Epstein, Paluch, Gordy, & Dorn, 2000; Epstein, Paluch, Kilanowski, & Raynor, 2004). Changes in the environment also influence energy intake (French et al., 2001). There has been an increase in added fats and oils to the food supply (Kantor, 1999). Cheese and pizza consumption (Putnam & Gerrior, 1999) and soda consumption (Tippett & Cleveland, 1999) have increased while milk intake has decreased (Tippett & Cleveland, 1999). In combination with the increase in the number of working mothers and single-parent families (Bowers, 2000), there has been an increase in meals in restaurants (National Restaurant Association, 1998) and energy consumed from eating out (Biing-Hwan, Guthrie, & Frazao, 1999). As people eat out, they experience greater portion sizes (Rolls, 2003), which increases consumption. Behavioral economics also provides ideas for new approaches to reducing energy intake in obese youth. On the basis of research showing that obese youth and adults (Legerski & Epstein, 2006; Saelens & Epstein, 1996) are more motivated to eat than are their leaner peers, in one of our recent studies we attempted to identify nonfood alternatives to compete with the reinforcing value of food (Epstein, Roemmich, Stein, Paluch, & Kilanowski, 2005). There have been changes in the family since the 1950s. The divorce rate more than doubled from 1950 to 1970 (15/1,000 to 40/1,000 per year) and remained stable from 1970 to 1988 (Shiono & Quinn, 1994). The number of families in which both parents work has increased (Anderson & Butcher, 2006), which has resulted in greater income but made it more challenging for parents to allocate enough time for children in family-based behavioral treatment interventions that focus on teaching behavioral principles and modification of the environment. Changes in family life may increase parents’ distress, which also may affect treatment effectiveness (Zeller, Saelens, Roehrig, Kirk, & Daniels, 2004). We tested an intervention that taught problem-solving skills that may be useful in coping with changes in family life that have evolved over time (Epstein, Paluch, Gordy, Saelens, & Ernst, 2000). There are methodological reasons for reexamining studies completed in the 1970s and early 1980s. Older studies used height and weight charts for children (Jelliffe, 1966). When children became older than 18, their overweight status was evaluated with the use of adult height and weight charts (Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1959, 1983), which were derived using different methods from a different sample than the youth charts. BMI charts were introduced in 1991 (Must, Dallal, & Dietz, 1991) and have been updated (Kuczmarski et al., 2002). BMI charts use the same methods for parents and children, and the BMI curves represent smooth functions between child and young adult age ranges. It is possible that results obtained using older standards, or even different versions of BMI charts, would show different efficacy when current standards are applied. There have been changes in the reporting of randomized clinical trials in obesity during the last 25 years. Studies completed over 2 decades ago generally reported data for study completers, along with the rate of attrition. It is now common to consider intention to treat, whereby everyone who is randomized and begins the study is accounted for. There have also been changes in the analytical approaches to longitudinal data. Mixed-effects regression models can be used to analyze differences in the patterns of between-groups change over time, as well as predictors of the pattern of change over time (Bryk & Raudenbush, 1987; Goldstein, 1995). Mixed-effects regression models use all the data that are available, as these models do not delete participants with missing data and can analyze data obtained at different time points across studies. Mixed-effects regression models take into account serial correlation between repeated observations and changes in the variability over time, which is relevant because increases in variability for weight control over time are commonly observed in obesity treatment studies. The aims of this study included assessment of changes over time for treatments implemented 25 years ago or current family-based treatments across eight studies (Epstein, Paluch, Gordy, & Dorn, 2000; Epstein, Paluch, Gordy, Saelens, & Ernst, 2000; Epstein, Paluch, Kilanowski, & Raynor, 2004; Epstein, Wing, Koeske, Andrasik, & Ossip, 1981; Epstein, Wing, Koeske, & Valoski, 1984, 1985, 1986; Epstein, Wing, Valoski, & Gooding, 1987) using the same dependent measures (Kuczmarski et al., 2002) and the identification of participant characteristics related to treatment success. The family-based behavioral treatment program for overweight youth is well standardized, with a common core used across all the studies, facilitating the comparison of treatment effects over time. The research program represents a systematic approach to the design of family-based treatments that has focused on different aspects of treatment, including the influence of the family and parent weight, comparison of lifestyle and programmed aerobic activity, the influence of problem solving on treatment outcome, and the influence of methods to reduce sedentary behaviors such as watching television and playing computer games (Epstein, 2003). In addition to evaluating the period during which the study was implemented, we reevaluated long-term (10-year) results for the earlier studies using z-BMI standards and contemporary analytic methods. To identify clinical significance, we also assessed differences in the dichotomous outcomes of achieving BMI values below the overweight (95th BMI percentile) and at risk for overweight (85th BMI percentile) values, as well as reductions greater than 0.5 or 1.0 standard deviation units. This article is unique in the ability to (a) compare a standardized treatment for effectiveness over a long period that overlapped periods of environmental changes that have been hypothesized to increase the prevalence of obesity and to (b) use a large data set to assess how participant characteristics may be related to treatment outcome.

Initiation of Wnt signaling: control of Wnt coreceptor Lrp6 phosphorylation/activation via frizzled, dishevelled and axin functions

Abstract: Canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signaling has central roles in development and diseases, and is initiated by the action of the frizzled (Fz) receptor, its coreceptor LDL receptor-related protein 6 (Lrp6), and the cytoplasmic dishevelled (Dvl) protein. The functional relationships among Fz, Lrp6 and Dvl have long been enigmatic. We demonstrated previously that Wnt-induced Lrp6 phosphorylation via glycogen synthase kinase 3 (Gsk3) initiates Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. Here we show that both Fz and Dvl functions are critical for Wnt-induced Lrp6 phosphorylation through Fz-Lrp6 interaction. We also show that axin, a key scaffolding protein in the Wnt pathway, is required for Lrp6 phosphorylation via its ability to recruit Gsk3, and inhibition of Gsk3 at the plasma membrane blocks Wnt/beta-catenin signaling. Our results suggest a model that upon Wnt-induced Fz-Lrp6 complex formation, Fz recruitment of Dvl in turn recruits the axin-Gsk3 complex, thereby promoting Lrp6 phosphorylation to initiate beta-catenin signaling. We discuss the dual roles of the axin-Gsk3 complex and signal amplification by Lrp6-axin interaction during Wnt/beta-catenin signaling.

Lifestyle interventions in the treatment of childhood overweight: a meta-analytic review of randomized controlled trials

Abstract: Identifying and evaluating efficacious treatments for pediatric weight loss is of critical importance. This quantitative review represents the first meta-analysis of the efficacy of randomized controlled trials comparing lifestyle interventions to control conditions. MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched up to August 2005. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials involving lifestyle interventions for pediatric overweight that had as a comparison either a no-treatment or information/education-only control. The primary outcome of interest was change in weight status. Fourteen trials were eligible, resulting in 19 effect sizes. Information on study design, participant characteristics, interventions, and results were extracted using a standardized coding protocol. For trials with no-treatment controls, the mean effect size was 0.75 at end of treatment and 0.60 at follow-up. For trials with information/education only controls, the mean effect size was 0.48 at end of treatment and 0.91 at follow-up. No significant moderator effects were identified. Overall, lifestyle interventions for the treatment of pediatric overweight are efficacious in the short-term with some evidence for persistence of effects. Future research is required to identify moderators and mediators of outcome and to determine the optimal length and intensity of treatment required to produce enduring changes in weight status.

Food Reinforcement and Eating: A Multilevel Analysis

Abstract: Eating represents a choice among many alternative behaviors. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of how food reinforcement and behavioral choice theory are related to eating and to show how this theoretical approach may help organize research on eating from molecular genetics through treatment and prevention of obesity. Special emphasis is placed on how food reinforcement and behavioral choice theory are relevant to understanding excess energy intake and obesity and how they provide a framework for examining factors that may influence eating and are outside of those that may regulate energy homeostasis. Methods to measure food reinforcement are reviewed, along with factors that influence the reinforcing value of eating. Contributions of neuroscience and genetics to the study of food reinforcement are illustrated by using the example of dopamine. Implications of food reinforcement for obesity and positive energy balance are explored, with suggestions for novel approaches to obesity treatment based on the synthesis of behavioral and pharmacological approaches to food reinforcement.

The Roles of Quality and Intermediary Constructs in Determining Festival Attendees' Behavioral Intention

Abstract: This study is an examination of the relationships between visitors' perceived service quality, perceived service value, satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Respondents were visitors who attended the Cajun Catfish Festival in Conroe, Texas and were systematically selected. Findings revealed that: (a) a structural model operationalizing perceived service quality as a set of attributes predicted visitors' intention to visit the festival better than an alternative model that measured quality by using a visitor's judgment about a service's overall excellence or superiority; (b) among the constructs analyzed, perceived service value appeared to be the best predictor of behavioral intentions; and (c) of the four dimensions of service quality of a festival, generic features and comfort amenities had the most influence on determining perceived service quality.

Laser Cooling and Trapping of Neutral Atoms

Abstract: This article presents a review of some of the principal techniques of laser cooling and trapping that have been developed during the past 20 years. Its approach is primarily experimental, but its quantitative descriptions are consistent in notation with most of the theoretical literature. Keywords: laser cooling; atom trapping; optical lattice; Bose–Einstein condensation

Seven Principles of Goal Activation: A Systematic Approach to Distinguishing Goal Priming From Priming of Non-Goal Constructs

Abstract: Countless studies have recently purported to demonstrate effects of goal priming; however, it is difficult to muster unambiguous support for the claims of these studies because of the lack of clear criteria for determining whether goals, as opposed to alternative varieties of mental representations, have indeed been activated. Therefore, the authors offer theoretical guidelines that may help distinguish between semantic, procedural, and goal priming. Seven principles that are hallmarks of self-regulatory processes are proposed: Goal-priming effects (a) involve value, (b) involve postattainment decrements in motivation, (c) involve gradients as a function of distance to the goal, (d) are proportional to the product of expectancy and value, (e) involve inhibition of conflicting goals, (f) involve self-control, and (g) are moderated by equifinality and multifinality. How these principles might help distinguish between automatic activation of goals and priming effects that do not involve goals is discussed.