Comparison of parents with and without disabilities raising teens: Information from the nhis and two national surveys.

Objectives: To contrast families headed by parents with disabilities raising children ages 11-17 years with families headed by parents without disabilities. Study Design: There were 3 sources of data: (a) the National Health Institute Survey (National Center for Health Statistics, 2000), (b) a previous national survey (L. T. T. Barker & V. Maralani, 1997), (c) a new national survey of parents with disabilities (n = 273) and their teens (ages 11-17 years; n = 246) and a control group of parents without disabilities (n = 48) and their teens (n = 37). Main Measure: Participants completed a survey designed for this study. Results: Parents with disabilities were generally quite similar to parents without disabilities, with some notable differences, particularly in employment and income. Deaf parents exhibited certain differences from parents with other disabilities. Conclusion: Survey responses provided a snapshot of parents with disabilities and their families from community samples, including aspects in which disabled and nondisabled participants were similar. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Estimation and reduction of CO2 emissions from crude oil distillation units

Distillation systems are energy-intensive processes, and consequently contribute significantly to the greenhouse gases emissions (e.g. carbon dioxide (CO₂). A simple model for the estimation of CO₂ emissions associated with operation of heat-integrated distillation systems as encountered in refineries is introduced. In conjunction with a shortcut distillation model, this model has been used to optimize the process conditions of an existing crude oil atmospheric tower unit aiming at minimization of CO₂ emissions. Simulation results indicate that the total CO₂ emissions of the existing crude oil unit can be cut down by 22%, just by changing the process conditions accordingly, and that the gain in this respect can be doubled by integrating a gas turbine. In addition, emissions reduction is accompanied by substantial profit increase due to utility saving and/or export.     

When are dysphoric individuals distressing to others and vice versa? Effects of friendship, similarity, and interaction task.

Examined several factors hypothesized to affect how dysphoric and nondysphoric individuals react to each other. 92 pairs of female college students participated in the study. Ss interacted with either a friend or stranger who had a similar or dissimilar dysphoria status in 3 tasks: a casual conversation, disclosure of a personal problem to the partner, and response to the partner's disclosure of a personal problem. Ss' moods, evaluations of their partners, and verbal behaviors were assessed. Dysphoric Ss exhibited characteristic negative mood and verbal content but did not elicit negative reactions from their partners. Negative reactions were most evident in dysphoric Ss' responses to dissimilar (nondysphoric) strangers, underscoring the need for greater attention to dysphoric individuals' perspective on their social interactions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Detection of single bacterial pathogens with semiconductor quantum dots

Semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have been used in a simple fluorometric assay to detect single cells of the pathogenic Escherichia coli O157:H7 serotype. Composed of CdSe/ZnS core/shell QDs conjugated to streptavidin, this system exhibits 2 orders of magnitude more sensitivity than a similar assay using a common organic dye. Selectivity for this pathogenic bacterial strain over a common lab strain (E. coli DH5alpha), which is gained from the use of specific biotinylated antibodies, is also demonstrated for QD labeling. Under continuous excitation, these QDs retain high fluorescence intensities for hours, whereas a typical organic dye bleaches within seconds, allowing for more rapid and accurate identification of E. coli O157:H7 in single-cell fluorescence-based assays. This indirect QD labeling method, based on antibody-antigen and streptavidin-biotin interactions, is flexible enough to expand to other systems and has great potential for use in simultaneous multicolor detection schemes.     

Physical demands analysis of occupational tasks in neighborhood pubs

This paper describes a case study of a neighborhood pub in British Columbia, Canada. This case study is an examination of three common pub occupations-bartending, waitressing and cooking (n = 17). The aims of this study are to determine the biomechanical loads of job tasks identified as physically demanding for the three occupations analyzed, to assess the potential risk of musculoskeletal injury in these job tasks, and to recommend injury prevention measures. Risk of musculoskeletal injury was assessed with four validated methods (RULA, NIOSH lifting equation, Shoaf pulling model, 3D Static Strength prediction program). Tasks commonly and frequently performed were observed to pose some risk to the working populations and require investigation and changes soon as indicated by the upper extremity and low-back assessment procedures used. Mean combined compression at the lumbrosacral disc in common tasks have been demonstrated to exceed the action limit described by NIOSH. Ligament strain was observed to reach as high as 18% at the lumbosacral joint.     

Reliability of the Revised Psychopathy Checklist in substance abuse patients.

Examined the 1-mo test–retest reliability of the revised Psychopathy Checklist (PCL—R) in 88 methadone-maintained male patients (average age nearly 40 yrs) as well as the effects of increased information (interview, clinical chart review, partial and complete criminal records) on PCL—R scores and on 2 diagnostic derivations of the PCL—R. PCL—R scores and diagnostic proportions were not found to differ significantly between baseline and 1 mo. However, increased amounts of rater information resulted in significantly higher PCL—R scores and more positive diagnoses. Test–retest reliabilities of PCL—R scores were found to be excellent, and the reliabilities of each of its 2 factors were also quite good. Diagnostic reliabilities were also good, based on the interview alone, but appeared to improve with increasing information available to the rater. The findings suggest that the PCL—R continues to show promise as a research tool. However, because clinical and criminal records may be difficult to obtain for nonprison populations and settings, there may be limitations in the use of the PCL—R to diagnose psychopathy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Real-time craving and mood assessments before and after smoking.

This study explored some quandaries concerning craving and mood as motivators to smoke. Craving and negative mood have long been associated with day-to-day smoking as two of the primary motivational forces behind the maintenance of the behavior, as well as significant barriers in smokers' attempts to quit. Craving remains a clinically relevant phenomenon, with most smokers describing craving as a troublesome problem when quitting. Smokers' self-reports of negative mood, as an antecedent for smoking, are so robustly reported that many models of nicotine dependence have incorporated a critical role for negative mood in maintaining smoking behavior. However, several naturalistic studies that collected mood ratings with hand held computers from smokers in real time, just before smoking a cigarette, have provided scant evidence that negative mood plays a major role in motivation to smoke. No study to date has examined craving and mood data as a consequence of smoking, that is, collecting the same data immediately after smoking. This study used personal digital assistants (PDAs) to collect craving and mood data immediately before smoking, immediately after smoking, and at random times of day. Nontreatment seeking smokers (N = 72) carried a PDA for an average of 10 days while they recorded their smoking behavior. Results showed that craving and negative mood ratings were lowest immediately after smoking compared with immediately before smoking and at random times of day. These findings suggest that smokers may be at least partially motivated to smoke to lower their craving and improve their mood states.     

Plant-derived polyphenols attenuate lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide and tumour necrosis factor production in murine microglia and macrophages

Lipopolysaccharides released during bacterial infections induce the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and lead to complications such as neuronal damage in the CNS and septic shock in the periphery. While the initial infection is treated by antibiotics, anti-inflammatory agents would be advantageous add-on medications. In order to identify such compounds, we have compared 29 commercially available polyphenol-containing plant extracts and pure compounds for their ability to prevent LPS-induced up-regulation of NO production. Among the botanical extracts, bearberry and grape seed were the most active preparations, exhibiting IC(50) values of around 20 mug/mL. Among the pure compounds, IC(50) values for apigenin, diosmetin and silybin were 15, 19 and 12 muM, in N-11 murine microglia, and 7, 16 and 25 muM, in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages, respectively. In addition, these flavonoids were also able to down-regulate LPS-induced tumour necrosis factor production. Structure-activity relationships of the flavonoids demonstrated three distinct principles: (i) flavonoid-aglycons are more potent than the corresponding glycosides, (ii) flavonoids with a 4'-OH substitution in the B-ring are more potent than those with a 3'-OH-4'-methoxy substitution, (iii) flavonoids of the flavone type (with a C2=C3 double bond) are more potent than those of the flavanone type (with a at C2-C3 single bond).     

Two Specific Sulfatide Species Are Dysregulated during Renal Development in a Mouse Model of Alport Syndrome

Alport syndrome is caused by mutations in collagen IV that alter the morphology of renal glomerular basement membrane. Mutations result in proteinuria, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and renal failure but the pathogenic mechanisms are not fully understood. Using imaging mass spectrometry, we aimed to determine whether the spatial and/or temporal patterns of renal lipids are perturbed during the development of Alport syndrome in the mouse model. Our results show that most sulfatides are present at similar levels in both the wild-type (WT) and the Alport kidneys, with the exception of two specific sulfatide species, SulfoHex-Cer(d18:2/24:0) and SulfoHex-Cer(d18:2/16:0). In the Alport but not in WT kidneys, the levels of these species mirror the previously described abnormal laminin expression in Alport syndrome. The presence of these sulfatides in renal tubules but not in glomeruli suggests that this specific aberrant lipid pattern may be related to the development of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in Alport disease.