Showing papers by "University of Connecticut published in 1996"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report the antioxidant activities of 22 common vegetables, one green tea, and one black tea measured using the automated oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay with three different reactive species: (1) peroxyl radical generator, (2) hydroxyl radicals generator and (3) Cu2+, a transition metal.
Abstract: Previously, some fruits were shown to contain high antioxidant activities. In this paper, we report the antioxidant activities of 22 common vegetables, one green tea, and one black tea measured using the automated oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay with three different reactive species: a peroxyl radical generator, a hydroxyl radical generator, and Cu2+, a transition metal. Based on the fresh weight of the vegetable, garlic had the highest antioxidant activity (μmol of Trolox equiv/g) against peroxyl radicals (19.4) followed by kale (17.7), spinach (12.6), Brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli flowers, beets, red bell pepper, onion, corn, eggplant (9.8−3.9), cauliflower, potato, sweet potato, cabbage, leaf lettuce, string bean, carrot, yellow squash, iceberg lettuce, celery, and cucumber (3.8−0.5); kale had the highest antioxidant activity against hydroxyl radicals followed by Brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, beets, spinach, broccoli flowers, and the others. The green and black teas had muc...
1,309 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a spatial and mechanistic model is developed for the dynamics of transition oak-northern hardwoods forests in northeastern North America to extrapolate from measurable fine-scale and short-term interactions among individual trees to large scale and long-term dynamics of forest communities.
Abstract: A spatial and mechanistic model is developed for the dynamics of transition oak—northern hardwoods forests in northeastern North America. The purpose of the model is to extrapolate from measurable fine—scale and short—term interactions among individual trees to large—scale and long—term dynamics of forest communities. Field methods, statistical estimators, and model structure were designed simultaneously to ensure that parameters could be estimated from data collected in the field. This paper documents eight aspects of a three—year study to calibrate, test, and analyze the model for the nine dominant and subdominant tree species in transition oak—northern hardwoods forests: 1) Design and structure of the model. The model makes population dynamic forecasts by predicting the fate of every individual tree throughout its life. Species—specific functions predict each tree's dispersal, establishment, growth, mortality, and fecundity. Trees occupy unique spatial positions, and individual performance is affected by the local availability of resources. Competition is mechanistic; resources available to each tree are reduced by neighbors. Although the model was developed to include light, water, and nitrogen, the version described here includes only competition for light (shading and light—dependent performance) because the field data provide little evidence of competition for nitrogen and water over the range of sites examined. 2) Estimates of the model's parameters for each species. The estimates reveal a variety of "strategic trade—offs" among the species. For example, species that grow quickly under high light tend to cast relatively little shade, have low survivorship under low light, and have high dispersal. In contrast, species that grow slowly under high light tend to cast relatively dark shade, and to have high survivorship under low light and low dispersal. These trade—offs define one of two dominant "axes" of strategic variation. 3) Community level predictions of the model. The model predicts succession from early dominance by species such as Quercus rubra and Prunus serotina, to late dominance by Fagus grandifolia and Tsuga canadensis, with Betula alleganiensis present as a gap phase species in old—growth stands. The model also predicts that old—growth communities will have intraspecifically clumped and interspecifically segregated spatial distributions. 4) An error analysis that identifies community level predictions that are robust given the level of sampling uncertainty in the study. This analysis translates the statistical uncertainty associated with each parameter estimate into statistical uncertainty in the model's predictions. The robust predictions include those mentioned in aspect (3) above. 5) Sensitivity of the model to changes in initial conditions and to changes in the three parameters not included in the error analysis. For example, the model predicts that initial abundances continue to affect community composition well into succession (> 300 yr for some species). 6) Tests of the system— and community—level predictions of the model against independent data gleaned from other studies. These tests support the predictions found to be robust in the error analysis, including those predictions mentioned in aspect (3) above. 7) Modeling experiments that determine which aspects of individual performance and inter—neighbor competition are responsible for each of the robust predictions identified in aspect (4) above and tested in aspect (6) above. This analysis reveals a wide variety of causal relationships, with most parameters contributing to at least one community level phenomenon. 8) An explanation of the diversity of individual level causes identified in aspect (7). The two "axes" describing most of the strategic variation among the species (see [2]), provide a simple explanation of community level pattern in terms of individual level processes.
1,134 citations
TL;DR: Evidence is presented as to how the carotenoids are organized within both portions of the photosynthetic unit (the light harvesting antenna and the reaction centre) and how they discharge both their functions.
Abstract: Carotenoids are usually considered to perform two major functions in photosynthesis. They serve as accessory light harvesting pigments, extending the range of wavelengths over which light can drive photosynthesis, and they act to protect the chlorophyllous pigments from the harmful photodestructive reaction which occurs in the presence of oxygen. Drawing upon recent work with photosynthetic bacteria, evidence is presented as to how the carotenoids are organized within both portions of the photosynthetic unit (the light harvesting antenna and the reaction centre) and how they discharge both their functions. The accessory pigment role is a singlet-singlet energy transfer from the carotenoid to the bacteriochlorophyll, while the protective role is a triplet-triplet energy transfer from the bacteriochlorophyll to the carotenoid.
1,064 citations
TL;DR: The prevalence and adaptive significance of finding benefits from major medical problems are summarized, the place of benefit-finding in stress and coping theories is located, and how it may be shaped by specific psychological dispositions such as optimism and hope and by broader personality traits such as Extraversion and Openness to Experience are examined.
Abstract: The discovery of benefits from living with adversity has been implicated in psychological well-being in numerous investigations, is pivotal to several prominent theories of cognitive adaptation to threat, and can be predicted by personality differences. This article summarizes the prevalence and adaptive significance of finding benefits from major medical problems, locates the place of benefit-finding in stress and coping theories, and examines how it may be shaped by specific psychological dispositions such as optimism and hope and by broader personality traits such as Extraversion and Openness to Experience. The distinction between beliefs about benefits from adversity (benefit-finding) and the use of such knowledge as a deliberate strategy of coping with the problem (benefit-reminding) is underscored and illustrated by daily process research on coping with chronic pain.
968 citations
TL;DR: The cerebral organization of word identification processes in reading was examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a strategy of multiple subtractions was employed in order to validate relationships between structure and function.
Abstract: The cerebral organization of word identification processes in reading was examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Changes in fMRI signal intensities were measured in 38 subjects (19 males and 19 females) during visual (line judgement), orthographic (letter case judgement), phonological (nonword rhyme judgement) and semantic (semantic category judgement) tasks. A strategy of multiple subtractions was employed in order to validate relationships between structure and function. Orthographic processing made maximum demands on extrastriate sites, phonological processing on a number of frontal and temporal sites, and lexical-semantic processing was most strongly associated with middle and superior temporal sites. Significant sex differences in the cerebral organization of reading-related processes were also observed.
623 citations
TL;DR: Gender, age, and weight were identified as independent predictors of force for all muscle actions on both the dominant and nondominant sides and may allow clinicians who follow the described testing protocol to estimate the severity of force-generating impairments in patients aged 50 to 79 years.
Abstract: Background and Purpose. The extent of a patient's impairment can be established by comparing measurements of that patient's performance with normative values obtained from apparently unimpaired individuals. Only a few studies have described normative values for muscle strength measured by hand-held dynamometry. The purpose of this study of older adults, therefore, was to obtain normative values of maximum voluntary isometric force using hand-held dynamometers. Subjects. One hundred fifty-six asymptomatic adults (77 men, 70 women) participated in this study. The subjects' mean age was 64.4 years (SD=8.3, range=50–79). The male subjects' mean age was 64.5 years (SD=8.4, range=50–79), and the female subjects' mean age was 64.3 years (SD=8.2, range=50–79). Methods. Gender, age, dominant side, height, weight, and activity level were recorded. Eight upper-extremity movements (shoulder flexion, extension, abduction, and medial and lateral rotation; elbow flexion and extension; and wrist extension) and five lower-extremity movements (hip flexion and abduction, knee flexion and extension, and ankle dorsiflexion) were resisted by one of three experienced testers using a strain-gauge hand-held dynamometer. Results. Gender, age, and weight were identified as independent predictors of force for all muscle actions on both the dominant and nondominant sides. These variables were used, therefore, to create regression equations and normative values for the force of each muscle action. Conclusion and Discussion. The reference values provided may allow clinicians who follow the described testing protocol to estimate the severity of force-generating impairments in patients aged 50 to 79 years.
599 citations
TL;DR: A graph-theoretic formulation of multiple-model estimation is given which leads to a systematic treatment of model-set adaptation and opens up new avenues for the study and design of the MM estimation algorithms.
Abstract: Existing multiple-model (MM) estimation algorithms have a fixed structure, i.e. they use a fixed set of models. An important fact that has been overlooked for a long time is how the performance of these algorithms depends on the set of models used. Limitations of the fixed structure algorithms are addressed first. In particular, it is shown theoretically that the use of too many models is performance-wise as bad as that of too few models, apart from the increase in computation. This paper then presents theoretical results pertaining to the two ways of overcoming these limitations: select/construct a better set of models and/or use a variable set of models. This is in contrast to the existing efforts of developing better implementable fixed structure estimators. Both the optimal MM estimator and practical suboptimal algorithms with variable structure are presented. A graph-theoretic formulation of multiple-model estimation is also given which leads to a systematic treatment of model-set adaptation and opens up new avenues for the study and design of the MM estimation algorithms. The new approach is illustrated in an example of a nonstationary noise identification problem.
579 citations
TL;DR: Large clinicalpathologic studies will be necessary to determine whether TF is a useful marker for the “switch to the angiogenic phenotype” in human breast disease and/or correlates with the thromboembolic complications of breast cancer.
Abstract: Expression of tissue factor (TF) in the endothelium has been observed only rarely in human disease and has been thought to be elaborated on the surface of vascular endothelial cells (VECs) in vitro as an artifact of tissue culture. Using monoclonal antibodies and a novel probe for functional TF, we have localized TF to the VECs (and tumor cells) within the tumors of seven patients with invasive breast cancer but not in the VECs (or tumor cells) of benign tumors from ten patients with fibrocystic disease of the breast. The potent procoagulant TF was shown to be a marker of the initiation of angiogenesis in human breast cancer. Further evidence that the TF was the demonstration of a similar distribution of cross–linked fibrin only in the VECs of the malignant tumors. We interpret these data as further support for the concept that tumor cells can activate nearby VECs and regulate blood vessel growth in vivo. Large clinicalpathologic studies will be necessary to determine whether TF is a useful marker for the “switch to the angiogenic phenotype” in human breast disease and/or correlates with the thromboembolic complications of breast cancer.
550 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used data envelopment analysis (DEA) to compare the technical efficiency of 201 large banks from 1984 to 1990 and found that technical inefficiency averaged just over 5 percent, much lower than found in existing estimates.
Abstract: Significant difficulties in commercial banking in the late 1980s raise questions about bank performance and efficiency. With the use of data envelopment analysis (DEA), we consider the relative technical efficiency of 201 large banks from 1984 to 1990. Bank technical inefficiency averages just over 5 percent, much lower than found in existing estimates. Larger and more profitable banks have higher levels of technical efficiency. At the same time, however, larger banks are more likely to operate under decreasing returns to scale.
549 citations
TL;DR: The aim is to determine the effect on balance and strength of 3 months of intensive balance and/or weight training followed by 6 months of low intensity Tai Chi training for maintenance of gains.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect on balance and strength of 3 months of intensive balance and/or weight training followed by 6 months of low intensity Tai Chi training for maintenance of gains.
DESIGN: Randomized control intervention. Four groups in 2 × 2 design: Control, Balance, Strength, Balance + Strength, using blinded testers.
SETTING: Exercise and balance laboratory at University of Connecticut Health Center.
PARTICIPANTS: Subjects were 110 healthy community dwellers (mean age 80) who were free of dementia, neurological disease, and serious cardiovascular or musculoskeletal conditions.
INTERVENTIONS: Short-term training (3 months) occurred 3 times/week (45 minutes Balance and Strength, 90 minutes Balance + Strength). Balance training included equilibrium control exercises on firm and foam surfaces and center-of-pressure biofeedback. Strengthening consisted of lower extremity weight-lifting. All subjects then received long-term group Tai Chi instruction (6 months, 1 hour, 1 time/week).
MEASUREMENTS: Losses of balance during Sensory Organization Testing (LOB), single stance time (SST), voluntary limits of stability (FBOS), summed isokinetic torque of eight lower extremity movements (ISOK), and usual gait velocity (GVU).
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Balance training meaningfully improved all balance measures by restoring performance to a level analogous to an individual 3 to 10 years younger: LOB = −;2.0 ± 0.3 (adjusted paired differences, P < .005 ANOVA); SST = 7.0 ± 1.2 sec; and FBOS = 9.0 ± 2.0% of foot length (P < .05). Strengthening increased ISOK by 1.1 ± 0.1 Nm kg−1 (P < .005) There was no interaction between balance and strength training. Significant gains persisted after 6 months of Tai Chi, although there was some decrement.
542 citations
TL;DR: The data indicate that the divalent strontium salt S12911 enhances bone cell replication and bone formation in vitro, an effect that may contribute to the previously reported effects of S12912 on trabecular bone mass in vivo.
TL;DR: There was a significant bi‐directional within‐person association between pain attention and sleep quality that was not explained by changes in pain intensity, and a night of poorer sleep was followed by a significantly more painful day.
Abstract: Fifty women with fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) recorded their sleep quality, pain intensity, and attention to pain for 30 days, using palm-top computers programmed as electronic interviewers. They described their previous night's sleep quality within one-half hour of awakening each day, and at randomly selected times in the morning, afternoon, and evening rated their present pain in 14 regions and attention to pain during the last 30 min. We analyzed the 30-day aggregates cross-sectionally at the across-persons level and the pooled data set of 1500 person-days at the within-persons level after adjusting for between-persons variation and autocorrelation. Poorer sleepers tended to report significantly more pain. A night of poorer sleep was followed by a significantly more painful day, and a more painful day was followed by a night of poorer sleep. Pain attention and sleep were unrelated at the across-persons level of analysis. But there was a significant bi-directional within-person association between pain attention and sleep quality that was not explained by changes in pain intensity.
TL;DR: The main result of this work is that with conditionally independent sensor data and under a communication rate constraint, transmission should occur if and only if the local likelihood ratio value observed by the sensor does not fall in a certain single interval.
Abstract: We consider a new scheme for distributed detection based on a "censoring" or "send/no-send" idea The sensors are assumed to "censor" their observations so that each sensor sends to the fusion center only "informative" observations, and leaves those deemed "uninformative" untransmitted The main result of this work is that with conditionally independent sensor data and under a communication rate constraint, in order to minimize the probability of error, transmission should occur if and only if the local likelihood ratio value observed by the sensor does not fall in a certain single interval Similar results are derived from Neymarr-Pearson and distance-measure viewpoints We also discuss simplifications for the most interesting case that the fusion center threshold is high and the communication constraint is severe We compare censoring with the more common binary-transmission framework and observe its considerable decrease in communication needs Finally, we explore the use of feedback to achieve optimal performance with very little communication
TL;DR: The possibility of concomitant babesial infection should be considered when moderate to severe Lyme disease has been diagnosed and the number of symptoms and duration of illness in patients with concurrent Lyme disease and babesiosis are greater than in Patients with either infection alone.
Abstract: Objective. —To determine whether patients coinfected with Lyme disease and babesiosis in sites where both diseases are zoonotic experience a greater number of symptoms for a longer period of time than those with either infection alone. Design. —Community-based yearly serosurvey and clinic-based cohort study. Setting. —Island community in Rhode Island and 2 Connecticut medical clinics from 1990 to 1994. Study Participants. —Long-term residents of the island community and patients seeking treatment at the clinics. Main Outcome Measures. —Seroreactivity to the agents of Lyme disease and babesiosis and number and duration of symptoms. Results. —Of 1156 serosurvey subjects, 97 (8.4%) were seroreactive against Lyme disease spirochete antigen, of whom 14(14%) also were seroreactive against babesial antigen. Of 240 patients diagnosed with Lyme disease, 26 (11%) were coinfected with babesiosis. Coinfected patients experienced fatigue ( P =.002), headache ( P P P =.03), anorexia ( P =.04), emotional lability ( P =.02), nausea ( P =.004), conjunctivitis ( P =.04), and splenomegaly ( P =.01) more frequently than those with Lyme disease alone. Thirteen (50%) of 26 coinfected patients were symptomatic for 3 months or longer compared with 7 (4%) of the 184 patients with Lyme disease alone from whom follow-up data were available ( P P =.06). Conclusions. —Approximately 10% of patients with Lyme disease in southern New England are coinfected with babesiosis in sites where both diseases are zoonotic. The number of symptoms and duration of illness in patients with concurrent Lyme disease and babesiosis are greater than in patients with either infection alone. In areas where both Lyme disease and babesiosis have been reported, the possibility of concomitant babesial infection should be considered when moderate to severe Lyme disease has been diagnosed. ( JAMA . 1996;275:1657-1660)
TL;DR: In this paper, the physical structure of benthic habitats was reduced by direct removal of biogenic (e.g., sponges, hydrozoans, bryozoans, amphipod tubes, holothurians, shell aggregates) and sedimentary (i.e., sand waves, depressions).
Abstract: Fishing gear alters seafloor habitats, but the extent of these alterations, and their effects, have not been quantified extensively in the northwest Atlantic. Understanding the extent of these impacts, and their effects on populations of living marine resources, is needed to properly manage current and future levels of fishing effort and fishing power. For example, the entire U.S. side of the Gulf of Maine was impacted annually by mobile fishing gear between 1984 and 1990, based on calculations of area swept by trawl and dredge gear. Georges Bank was imparted three to nearly four times annually during the same period. Studies at three sites in the Gulf of Maine (off Swans Island, Jeffreys Bank, and Stellwagen Bank) showed that mobile fishing gear altered the physical structure (=complexity) of benthic habitats. Complexity was reduced by direct removal of biogenic (e.g., sponges, hydrozoans, bryozoans, amphipod tubes, holothurians, shell aggregates) and‐ sedimentary (e.g., sand waves, depressions)...
TL;DR: In statistical mechanics terms, this work has devised a method to analyze spontaneous symmetry breaking for an arbitrary (not necessarily larger) number of particles.
Abstract: We study the interference of two Bose-Einstein condensates within an elementary model. The detection of the atoms is modeled by adapting the standard theory of photon detection. Even though the condensates are taken to be in number states with no phases whatsoever, our stochastic simulations of atom detection produce interference patterns as would also be predicted on the basis of the phases of the macroscopic wave functions describing the condensates. In statistical mechanics terms, we have devised a method to analyze spontaneous symmetry breaking for an arbitrary (not necessarily larger) number of particles.
TL;DR: Many of the predicted relations between parents' child-rearing style and their adolescent children's behavior in the 4 domains assessed are found, including personality, adjustment, academic achievement, and substance use.
Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to examine Baumrind's T3 conceptual framework using a multiple informant design and an older adolescent population. With 178 college students and their families as participants, the present study found many of the predicted relations between parents' child-rearing style (Authoritative, Democratic, Nondirective, Nonauthoritarian-Directive, Authoritarian-Directive, and Unengaged) and their adolescent children's behavior in the 4 domains assessed: personality, adjustment, academic achievement, and substance use. The differences between parenting types on the criterion measures were not as large as reported in Baumrind's study, and significant effects were predominantly due to the poor scores from children with Unengaged and Authoritarian-Directive parents. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the Authoritative parenting type, the utility of using a typology, and areas for future research.
TL;DR: In this article, steady-state and transient optical characterization of phenylenevinylene polymers and extract a picture of the photoexcitations and dynamics which may apply more generally to non-degenerate ground-state conjugated polymers.
TL;DR: The average decline in physical function associated with age was found to be greater than previous cross-sectional studies have suggested, and the rate of decline increased with increasing age.
Abstract: Change in self-reported physical function was examined using baseline and 5 years of follow-up data between 1982 and 1991 from the four Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly studies. In East Boston, Massachusetts (n = 3,809), Iowa and Washington Counties, Iowa (n = 3,673), New Haven, Connecticut (n = 2,812), and North Carolina (n = 4,163), noninstitutionalized persons aged 65 years and older were asked a series of questions to assess their physical function : a modified Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, three items from the Rosow-Breslau Functional Health Scale, and questions on physical performance, adapted from Nagi, as well as information on demographic, social, and health characteristics. Longitudinal statistical analyses (random effects and Markov transition models) were used to evaluate improvement, stability, and deterioration in functional ability at both an individual and a population level over multiple years of data. The average decline in physical function associated with age was found to be greater than previous cross-sectional studies have suggested, and the rate of decline increased with increasing age. Considerable individual variation was evident. Although many people experienced declines, a smaller but substantial portion experienced recovery. Women reported a greater rate of decline in physical function and were less likely to recover from disability.
TL;DR: Electron microscopy shows that, in all three subdivisions of the ipsilateral IC, corticocollicular fibers form small boutons with features generally associated with excitatory transmission; i.e., they contain round synaptic vesicles and form asymmetric synapses with thin dendritic shafts and spines.
Abstract: To ascertain whether the auditory neocortex also innervates the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (CNIC) and not only its dorsal (DCIC) and external (ECIC) cortices, the anterograde tracers Phaseolus uulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHA-L) and biotinylated dextran (BD) were injected into the primary auditory neocortex of albino rats (Tell, and labeled corticocollicular fibers were studied via light and electron microscopy. Axons from discrete regions of Tel form two rostrocaudally oriented laminar plexuses of terminal fibers in the ipsilateral inferior colliculus (IC) and one in the contralateral IC. The first ipsilateral plexus, located in the medial half of the IC, has a dorsomedial to ventrolateral orientation, parallel to the isofrequency planes of the IC; is continuous through the CNIC and DCIC; and extends into the rostral ECIC. The second plexus is located in the deep layers of the lateral ECIC. These two plexuses meet caudally and ventrally, at the border between the CNIC and the lateral ECIC. The plexus in the contralateral IC is less dense and shorter than the two ipsilateral plexuses and is symmetric to the medial plexus. The thickness of the three plexuses is correlated with the size of the injection site, and their mediolateral and dorsoventral positions change as the injection site in Tel is displaced rostrocaudally, with more caudal injections resulting in more dorsolateral medial plexuses and more dorsomedial lateral plexuses. Furthermore, the ventromedial border of the IC receives nontopographic, convergent projections from wide regions of rostral portions of Tel. The distribution of these corticocollicular plexuses mimics the topography of previously described intracollicular fibers. Electron microscopy shows that, in all three subdivisions of the ipsilateral IC, corticocollicular fibers form small boutons with features generally associated with excitatory transmission; i.e., they contain round synaptic vesicles and form asymmetric synapses with thin dendritic shafts and spines. These results demonstrate that the auditory corticocollicular projections innervate more extensive regions of the IC than were previously observed. Although peripheral regions receive the densest projection, the entire IC appears to be the target of corticofugal input. D 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
TL;DR: The PH gene is closely linked to markers in distal Xq28, so that affected females are obligatory mosaics for the mutation, and individuals with PH are at high risk for epilepsy, though they have no other neurological or external stigmata.
TL;DR: The apparent common occurrence of modified non-phosphorylated Entner-Doudoroff pathways among saccharolytic archaea and the absence of the conventional Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas mode of glycolysis indicate that the ED pathway is the older route of carbohydrate dissimilation, but gluconeogenesis via the "reversed" EMP route has been found in archaea.
TL;DR: As gait speed was found to correlate significantly with gender, separate reference values are presented for men and women and multiple regression analysis selected gender, body weight, and hip flexion strength as the best set of predictors of both speeds.
Abstract: Speed is established as an important aspect of gait. This research was performed to establish reference values for comfortable and maximal gait speed and to describe the relationship of selected variables with speed. Apparently healthy men (N = 77) and women (N = 79), age 50–79 years, participated. Their gait speeds were determined using a stopwatch. The static strength of five lower extremity muscle actions was measured with a hand-held dynamometer. As gait speed was found to correlate significantly with gender, separate reference values are presented for men and women. Muscle strength correlated more highly with maximal gait speed than with comfortable gait speed. Correlations of maximal speed with strength (except ankle dorsiflexion) were all significant at p < .001. Multiple regression analysis selected gender, body weight, and hip flexion strength as the best set of predictors of both speeds. The speed data presented here may be useful for patient comparisons. The correlations provide limited support...
TL;DR: It was observed that when listeners performed tasks under the dichotic conditions, activation within the posterior (parietal) attention system and at primary processing sites in the superior temporal and inferior frontal regions was increased.
TL;DR: The results identifies for the first time tyrosine kinase‐phospholipase D as potential signaling pathway for ischemic preconditioning, and implicates the involvement of multiple protein kinases in myocardial adaptation to ischemia.
TL;DR: The prognosis is excellent for those with early Lyme disease who are treated promptly with conventional courses of antimicrobial agents, and about 90 percent of children with Lyme disease present with erythema migrans, which is an early stage of the disease.
Abstract: Background Although the incidence of Lyme disease is highest in children, there are few prospective data on the clinical manifestations and outcomes in children. Methods We conducted a prospective, longitudinal, community-based cohort study of children with newly diagnosed Lyme disease in an area of Connecticut in which the disease is highly endemic. We obtained clinical and demographic information and performed serial antibody tests and follow-up evaluations. Results Over a period of 20 months, 201 consecutive patients were enrolled; their median age was 7 years (range, 1 to 21). The initial clinical manifestations of Lyme disease were a single erythema migrans lesion in 66 percent, multiple erythema migrans lesions in 23 percent, arthritis in 6 percent, facial-nerve palsy in 3 percent, aseptic meningitis in 2 percent, and carditis in 0.5 percent. At presentation, 37 percent of the patients with a single erythema migrans lesion and 89 percent of those with multiple erythema migrans lesions had antibodies...
TL;DR: The regional binding of 123I-labeled [123I]AM251 in the brain was consistent with the published distribution of cannabinoid receptors in rat brain, in that the order was hippocampus, striatum > cerebellum > brain stem.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed the factors leading to twisting crystallographic orientation in banded polymer spherulites, both from the standpoint of qualitative morphology and of more quantitative measurement and calculation.
Abstract: Circumstances leading to twisting crystallographic orientation in banded polymer spherulites are analyzed, both from the standpoint of qualitative morphology and of more quantitative measurement and calculation. Particular attention is paid to linear polyethylene, for which the most extensive information is available, and to α-poly(vinylidene fluoride), which behaves in a closely similar manner. In polymers that exhibit vigorous twisting (band spacings extending down to 10 μm or less), chiral factors of two distinct kinds can be recognized. One is enantiomorphism, and the other is chain tilt (molecular stems in chain-folded crystals not being codirectional with lamellar normals). Quantitative evidence strongly suggests that the latter produces twisting orientation by generating surface forces in lamellae. It is also responsible for formation of dislocations that are isochiral, although these generally contribute relatively little to twisting. Banding in various classes of polymer is reviewed, and it is em...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors propose a method to assess students' comprehension of reading assignments on an ongoing basis, which leads to much more satisfying interaction with students and challenges both the students and us.
Abstract: think and speak on their feet, a valuable skill that comes naturally to few, but is of benefit to everyone. Since you can assess their comprehension of the reading assignments on an ongoing basis, you can freely assign written assignments of greater interest to you and the students-because a full series of written tests on the material is less important. In courses beyond the introductory level, for example, neither of us have final exams. Instead, students do more independent research, like an extra short paper or a more in-depth term paper. The ongoing feedback from class participation also lets professors know more quickly and effectively than weekly quizzes if students are comprehending the material. Because you help them through the material, you can assign more sophisticated readings. Finally, we have found that this method leads to much more satisfying interaction with students. It challenges both the students and us. Class is less predictable, less scripted, more spontaneous; and students have, by virtue of their responses, often caused us to view an issue taught many times before in a new light. They have taught us in turn. The method also requires the instructor to learn all student names; this personalizes classroom interactions and helps to create a greater sense of community and common
TL;DR: This study assessed the importance of physical performance in maintaining independence in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and the relationship between physical capacity and functional status to design exercise interventions to maintain independent living.
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Understanding the relationship between physical capacity and functional status is required to design exercise interventions to maintain independent living. This study assessed the importance of physical performance in maintaining independence in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL).
DESIGN: A pre-planned meta-analysis of cross-sectional data from six sites of the Frailty and Injury: Cooperative Studies of Intervention Trials (FICSIT). Linear regression was used to estimate the relationship between physical performance and IADL.
PARTICIPANTS: 2190 community-dwelling older subjects.
MEASUREMENTS: IADL was the dependent variable; gait velocity, balance function, grip strength and chair rise time were the predictor variables. Age, gender, education, falls self-efficacy, and cognitive status were covariates.
RESULTS: Gait velocity, balance function, and grip strength were independently related to IADL deficits, after correcting for covariates. The linear slopes were relatively steep. For gait, a decrease of 0.1 m s−1 was associated with 0.10 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.04) increase in IADL deficits, which is equivalent to 1 ADL deficit in 10 subjects. The linear slopes for hand grip and balance were similar or steeper. In the sites where chair stand time was measured, an increase of 1 second in the time to rise was associated with a 0.14 (0.04, 0.24) increase in IADL deficits. The relationships found in the meta-analytic analysis were consistent across sites which enrolled subjects with widely varying levels of physical performance.
CONCLUSION: Simple measures of physical performance were strongly associated with IADL independence after correcting for many previously identified predictors of functional status. The data from this meta-analysis support testing interventions designed to improve physical performance to determine whether improved performance can maintain or improve independence in IADLs. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:1332–1341, 1996.