"It just doesn''t matter, it just doesn''t matter, it just doesn''t matter,..."

Changes in indices for the principle metabolic pathways of bodily adaptation in gestoses were studied as were potentialities of correction thereof with ozonohemotherapy. Revealed in particular was an indirect influence of OHT on glycolysis and gluconeogenesis together with a stimulatory action on the activity of the key enzyme of the pentosephosphatic pathway. Disturbances in the course of processes of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in the organism of the gestoses patients warrant further study to work out options for a specific correction of intracellular metabolism in the given pathology and to prevent complications.     

Quantitation of grey matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid from spin-echo magnetic resonance images using an artificial neural network technique

An operator independent technique has been developed to quantitate the volume of white matter (WM), grey matter (GM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using spin-echo magnetic resonance images. Using skull stripped spin-echo images, CSF was removed using an automated thresholding technique. The bimodal histogram of the remaining images was used to train a perceptron and a single hidden layer neural network to output the percentage of GM and WM in the image. The output values were compared with those of a semiautomated technique employing a least square fitting technique [graduated nonconvexity algorithm (GNC)] applied to the bimodal histogram. This semiautomated technique allowed for intervention by the radiologist. Fourteen normal volunteers with eight contiguous slices each were analyzed. The individual percentages of WM, GM, and CSF of 40 slices from five subjects not used in the training set as well as the total percentages of GM, WM, and CSF in each individual were predicted using the two artificial network architectures. GM, WM, and CSF percentages were predicted within 7% for individual slices while total percentages of WM, GM, and CSF were computed accurately with an absolute error of less than 5% when compared to the semiautomated technique involving a trained neuroradiologist.     

In the matter of juries, democracy, science, truth, senators, and bugs.

An investigation by the Internal Security Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee of a research inquiry at the University of Chicago involving the recording of jury deliberations is reported in detail. "In this instance freedom of enquiry… clashed… with the value society holds at least as dear as freedom of inquiry—the right to privacy." The incident illustrated "… some of the current hostility to social scientists." "It is vastly important, both for democracy and for behavioral science, that ways be found whereby our behavior and our institutions can be studied with greatest profit and least harm to the sanctities we live by." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

White matter atrophy, ventricular dilation, and intellectual functioning following traumatic brain injury.

Examined the role in traumatic brain injury (TBI) of injury severity measured by the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), white matter atrophy identified by various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) morphometric techniques, and postinjury intellectual functioning measured with the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (WAIS—R). MR images of 31 female and 33 male TBI patients were used to calculate corpus callosum (CC) areas, ventricular volumes (estimates of white matter loss), and parenchymal volumes. Results indicated that the men were on the average more severely injured, as indicated by significantly lower GCS scores. CC size correlated significantly with the ventricle-to-brain ratio (VBR), but no significant correlations were found between CC size and WAIS—R scores. Significant correlations were found for men only between VBR and Performance IQ and between VBR and the Digit Symbol subtest of the WAIS—R. Implications for the roles of white matter atrophy and intellectual functioning in TBI are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does parental job insecurity matter? Money anxiety, money motives, and work motivation.

A structural model focusing on the spillover effect of parental perceived job insecurity on money anxiety was developed and tested. The crossover effect of parents' money anxiety on their children's money anxiety, money motives, and motivation to work was also examined. Data were collected from a sample of undergraduates and their parents. Results of structural equation modeling analyses supported a spillover effect of paternal perceived job insecurity on paternal money anxiety. However, maternal perceived job insecurity was not significantly associated with maternal money anxiety. Results also supported a crossover effect of parental money anxiety on youths' money anxiety. Youths' money anxiety was significantly related to youths' negative money motives. In turn, youths' negative money motives were associated with their intrinsic motivation to work. Implications of the findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does it matter, the shape of the bladder?

Organic-phase biosensors open new opportunities for assays of challenging pharmaceutical products. Such opportunities are illustrated for the rapid determination of phenol and peroxide antiseptics in different anti-infective formulations. The tyrosinase and peroxidase enzyme electrodes offer reliable quantification of these antibacterial agents following sample dissolution in the organic solvent. The dynamic properties of these enzyme electrodes are exploited for rapid and reproducible flow-injection assays of the pharmaceutical products (relative standard deviation = 1.6-1.9%). Such developments should facilitate rapid quality control testing in the pharmaceutical industry and should be applicable to other therapeutic agents and products. Applicability to cosmetic products containing hydrogen peroxide is also demonstrated.     

Does shape matter? Theoretical comment on Jones, Pearce, Davies, Good, and McGregor (2007).

An influential view in the field of spatial cognition is that an obligatory geometric module constrains spatial learning and memory. In this issue, P. M. Jones, J. M. Pearce, V. J. Davies, M. A. Good, and A. McGregor (2007; see record 2007-18058-012) showed that learning based on the geometry, or shape, of the environment requires the hippocampus. To place this work in context, the author of the present article considers the evidence for and against a geometric module for rat spatial learning, outlines the influence of geometry on neurons that encode spatial information, and attempts to relate spatial behavior to neuronal representations of direction and location. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gray matter and white matter perfusion imaging in patients with severe carotid artery lesions

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the influence of body composition, sex, seasonality, ethnicity, and geographic location on the components of energy expenditure in children. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to examine the determinants of total energy expenditure (TEE), resting energy expenditure (REE), and activity-related energy expenditure (AEE) in children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data from 232 children (4-10 y of age) from 4 ethnic groups (white American, African American, Guatemalan Mestizo, and Native American Mohawk) were examined. RESULTS: In 104 white children studied in Vermont and Alabama, TEE was significantly higher in spring than in fall, higher in boys than in girls, and higher in children in Vermont (all effects: approximately 0.42 MJ/d, P < 0.05). The significant effect of sex was explained through REE; the influences of season and location were explained through AEE. In all children, there was no effect of sex but a significant effect of ethnicity (P < 0.01) on TEE: a significant effect of sex (P < 0.01) and no effect of ethnicity (P = 0.16) on REE; and no effect of sex and a significant effect of ethnicity on AEE. The significant effects of ethnicity were due to lower values in Guatemalan children. TEE correlated most strongly with weight (r = 0.81) and fat-free mass (r = 0.79-0.81); REE with weight (r = 0.85) and fat-free mass (r = 0.80-0.87); and AEE with maximal oxygen consumption (r = 0.54), fat-free mass (r = 0.50), and fat mass (r = 0.49). CONCLUSIONS: 1) Season and location influenced TEE in children through their effects on AEE, 2) a higher REE in boys was consistent across all groups examined, 3) Guatemalan children had lower TEE due to a lower AEE, 4) body weight may be the best predictor of TEE, and 5) maximal oxygen consumption was the strongest marker of AEE.     

Size does matter

Hospital mergers, like Godzilla's comeback movie, promise that bulk means marketplace brawn. Yet as the dust settles, the payoff isn't always so clear. Promised efficiencies from merging duplicated programs--even shutting down entire hospitals--often fail to materialize. In fact, cutting the deal may turn out to be the easy part.