Mental health recovery and economic recovery after the tsunami: high-frequency longitudinal evidence from Sri Lankan small business owners.

A sample of 561 Sri Lanka microenterprise owners affected to various extents by the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami were surveyed five times at quarterly intervals between March 2005 and April 2006. Mental health recovery was measured through questions on return to normalcy and change in life outlook. Business profits were used to measure livelihoods recovery.

Neural drive to human genioglossus in obstructive sleep apnoea.

One postulated mechanism for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is insufficient drive to the upper-airway musculature during sleep, with increased (compensatory) drive during wakefulness. This generates more electromyographic activity in upper airway muscles including genioglossus. To understand drives to upper airway muscles, we recorded single motor unit activity from genioglossus in male groups of control (n = 7, 7 +/- 2 events h(-1)) and severe OSA (n = 9, 54 +/- 4 events h(-1)) subjects.

Caffeine effects on ERPs and performance in an auditory Go/NoGo task.

Objective: Previous research has shown that caffeine produces a general increase in arousal. The present study examined caffeine-induced arousal effects on performance and auditory ERPs. We sought components showing amplitude changes without topography changes, as would be expected of a pure arousal amplification of source activity.

In vivo dosimeters for HDR brachytherapy: a comparison of a diamond detector, MOSFET, TLD, and scintillation detector.

The large dose gradients in brachytherapy necessitate a detector with a small active volume for accurate dosimetry. The dosimetric performance of a novel scintillation detector (BrachyFOD) is evaluated and compared to three commercially available detectors, a diamond detector, a MOSFET, and LiF TLDs. An 192Ir HDR brachytherapy source is used to measure the depth dependence, angular dependence, and temperature dependence of the detectors.

Mental health and poverty in developing countries: revisiting the relationship.

The relationship between poverty and mental health has received considerable attention in the recent literature. However, the associations presented in existing studies typically rely on limited samples of individuals and on proxy indicators for poverty such as education, the lack of tap water, or being unemployed. We revisit the relationship between poverty and mental health using data from nationally representative household surveys in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Indonesia and Mexico, along with special surveys from India and Tonga.

The attachment of catalase and poly-l-lysine to plasma immersion ion implantation-treated polyethylene.

Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) treatment of polyethylene increased the functional attachment of catalase and increased the retention of enzyme activity in comparison to untreated controls. The attached protein was not removed by SDS or NaOH, while that on the untreated surfaces was easily removed. Poly-l-lysine was found to attach in a similar way to the treated surface and could not be removed by NaOH, while it did not attach to the untreated surface.

Optimal coupling of light from a cylindrical scintillator into an optical fiber.

Radiation dose measurements based on scintillator detection are conveniently made by coupling the light from the scintillator into an optical fiber. The low light levels involved typically require sensitive photodetectors, so it is advantageous to increase the available signal by optimizing the optical coupling efficiency between the scintillator and optical fiber. We model this process using geometric optics and finite-element ray tracing to determine the features that maximize the amount of light coupled to an optical fiber from a cylindrical scintillator.

Flat-topped broadband rugate filters.

A method of creating rugate interference filters that have flat-topped reflectance across an extended spectral region is presented. The method applies known relations from the classical coupled wave theory to develop a set of equations that gives the spatial frequency distribution of rugate cycles to achieve constant reflectance across a given spectral region. Two examples of the application of this method are discussed: a highly reflective coating for eye protection against harmful laser radiation incident from normal to 45 degrees , and a spectral beam splitter for efficient solar power conversion.

Further analysis of trials with azacitidine in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome: studies 8421, 8921, and 9221 by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B.

Purpose: Within the last two decades, a new understanding of the biology of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) has developed. With this understanding, new classification systems, such as the WHO diagnostic criteria, and the International Prognostic Scoring System and response criteria guidelines reported by the International Working Group (IWG) have been developed. We report the combined results of three previously reported clinical trials (n = 309) with azacitidine using the WHO classification system for MDS and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and IWG criteria for response.

Nanosecond responses of proteins to ultra-high temperature pulses.

Observations of fast unfolding events in proteins are typically restricted to <100 degrees C. We use a novel apparatus to heat and cool enzymes within tens of nanoseconds to temperatures well in excess of the boiling point. The nanosecond temperature spikes are too fast to allow water to boil but can affect protein function.

Venous responses during exercise in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss: alpha-adrenergic control and the antihypotensive function of the renin-angiotensin system.

The role of the alpha-adrenergic system in the control of cardiac preload (central venous blood pressure; P(ven)) and venous capacitance during exercise was investigated in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In addition, the antihypotensive effect of the renin-angiotesin system (RAS) was investigated during exercise after alpha-adrenoceptor blockade. Fish were subjected to a 20-min exercise challenge at 0.

Brief airway occlusion produces prolonged reflex inhibition of inspiratory muscles in obstructive sleep apnea.

Study Objectives: The human inspiratory muscles respond to a brief occlusion of the upper airway during inspiration with a profound short-latency reflex inhibition. This inhibition contrasts with the excitatory stretch reflex of limb muscles and may protect the airway from aspiration. It was postulated that this reflex would be altered in subjects with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who have repetitive upper airway occlusion.

Phosphine dissociation and diffusion on Si(001) observed at the atomic scale.

A detailed atomic-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory study of the adsorption, dissociation, and surface diffusion of phosphine (PH(3)) on Si(001) is presented. Adsorbate coverages from approximately 0.01 monolayer to saturation are investigated, and adsorption is performed at room temperature and 120 K.

The independence of memory traces of attended and unattended stimuli.

In a dichotic paradigm, duration-deviant mismatch negativity (MMN) largely reflects standard stimuli presented to the same ear as the deviant, suggesting an independent representation for each ear. We sought to assess this representation independence. Twenty-two participants, presented left (all 2000 Hz, 70-dB sound pressure level [SPL]) and right (all 800 Hz, 85-dB SPL) ear sounds, attended to 1 ear per block.

Diaphragm length and neural drive after lung volume reduction surgery.

Rationale: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have shorter inspiratory muscles and higher motor unit firing rates during quiet breathing than do age-matched healthy subjects. Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease improves lung function, exercise capacity, and quality of life.

Objectives: We studied the effect of LVRS on length and motor unit firing rates of diaphragm and scalene muscles.

What is the microscopic tumor extent beyond clinically delineated gross tumor boundary in nonmelanoma skin cancers?

Purpose: To quantify the microscopic tumor extension beyond clinically delineated gross tumor boundary in nonmelanoma skin cancers.

Methods And Materials: A prospective, single arm, study. Preoperatively, a radiation oncologist outlined the boundary of a gross lesion, and drew 5-mm incremental marks in four directions from the delineated border.

Tissue levels and biomarkers of organic contaminants in feral and caged chub (Leuciscus cephalus) from rivers in the West Midlands, UK.

The Birmingham conurbation (West Midlands, UK) has traditionally been a major centre of UK industry and population and consequently has a legacy of pollution, which is reflected in the water quality of local rivers. Three of these rivers, exhibiting good, intermediate and poor overall water quality, were the subject of a study in which the effects of contamination on hepatic biomarkers and tissue contaminant loads in feral and caged chub (Leuciscus cephalus) were investigated. Muscle polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides (PCBs and OCPs), as well as bile pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene-like metabolite levels, were variable in both caged and feral fish, but were generally higher in tissue from the more polluted sites.

Linking swimming performance, cardiac pumping ability and cardiac anatomy in rainbow trout.

We exploited the inherent individual diversity in swimming performance of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to investigate the hypothesis that maximum cardiac performance is linked to active metabolic rate (AMR) and critical swimming speed (U crit). Six hundred juveniles (body mass approximately 150 g) were screened using a swimming challenge of 1.2 m s(-1) to identify 'poor swimmers' and 'good swimmers', i.

Gender differences in the administration of prophylaxis to prevent deep venous thrombosis.

We investigated gender differences in the prescription of prophylaxis against deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in 2,619 patients who developed acute DVT while being hospitalized for reasons other than DVT or were diagnosed with acute DVT as outpatients but who had been hospitalized within 30 days prior to DVT diagnosis. Men were 21% more likely than women to receive prophylaxis (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.

The cause of 50 million-year-old colour.

Multilayer reflectors cause structural, 'metallic' colours in a diversity of animals today, yet are unknown in extinct species. We identify a multilayer reflector, causing structural colour, in a 50-million-year-old beetle from Messel, Germany. It is proposed that the original material of this reflector has been preserved, although this is not a precondition for determining original colours from ancient multilayer reflectors.

Reflex inhibition of human inspiratory muscles in response to contralateral phrenic nerve stimulation.

In animals, high-intensity unilateral stimulation of the phrenic nerve results in short-latency inhibition of phrenic and intercostal nerve activity bilaterally. This study provides the first demonstration in human subjects of a short-latency inhibitory response in the contralateral scalene, parasternal intercostal and diaphragm muscles to single stimuli delivered at cervical level to the phrenic nerve. Electromyographic (EMG) responses were recorded with intramuscular and surface electrodes.

Effects of sterilizing gamma irradiation on bloodspot newborn screening tests and whole blood cyclosporine and tacrolimus measurements.

Sterilizing irradiation of the US mail has been proposed as a method to prevent delivery of viable anthrax spores. Because newborn screening samples (bloodspots) and cyclosporine and tacrolimus specimens (whole blood) are delivered routinely through the mail, we studied whether sterilizing gamma irradiation could affect these test results. Specimens were exposed to 18 kGy gamma irradiation (100 hours x 18,000 rad/h), a "kill dose" for Bacillus pumilus spore strips.