Striatal volume abnormalities in treatment-naive patients diagnosed with pediatric major depressive disorder

Objective: The striatum, including the putamen and caudate, plays an important role in executive and emotional processing and may be involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Few studies have examined structural abnormalities of the striatum in pediatric major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. We report striatal volume abnormalities in medication-naive pediatric MDD compared to healthy comparison subjects. Method: Twenty seven medication-naive pediatric Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4(th) edition (DSM-IV) MDD and 26 healthy comparison subjects underwent volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The putamen and caudate volumes were traced manually by a blinded rater, and the patient and control groups were compared using analysis of covariance adjusting for age, sex, intelligence quotient, and total brain volumes. Results: MDD patients had significantly smaller right striatum (6.0% smaller) and right caudate volumes (7.4% smaller) compared to the healthy subjects. Left caudate volumes were inversely correlated with severity of depression in MDD subjects. Age was inversely correlated with left and right putamen volumes in MDD patients but not in the healthy subjects. Conclusions: These findings provide fresh evidence for abnormalities in the striatum of medication-naive pediatric MDD patients and suggest the possible involvement of the striatum in the pathophysiology of MDD.

Model Independent Tests of Skyrmions and Their Holographic Cousins

We describe a new exact relation for large N(c) QCD for the long-distance behavior of baryon form factors in the chiral limit. This model-independent relation is used to test the consistency of the structure of several baryon models. All 4D semiclassical chiral soliton models satisfy the relation, as does the Pomarol-Wulzer holographic model of baryons as 5D Skyrmions. However, remarkably, we find that the holographic model treating baryons as instantons in the Sakai-Sugimoto model does not satisfy the relation.

Phase transitions and regions of stability in Reissner-Nordstrom holographic superconductors

The phase transition of Reissner-Nordstrom AdS(4) interacting with a massive charged scalar field has been further revisited. We found exactly one stable and one unstable quasinormal mode region for the scalar field. The two of them are separated by the first marginally stable solution.

Holographic superconductors with various condensates in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity

We study holographic superconductors in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet gravity. We consider two particular backgrounds: a d-dimensional Gauss-Bonnet-AdS black hole and a Gauss-Bonnet-AdS soliton. We discuss in detail the effects that the mass of the scalar field, the Gauss-Bonnet coupling and the dimensionality of the AdS space have on the condensation formation and conductivity. We also study the ratio omega(g)/T(c) for various masses of the scalar field and Gauss-Bonnet couplings.

HORMONAL RESPONSES TO DIFFERENT RESISTANCE EXERCISE SCHEMES OF SIMILAR TOTAL VOLUME

Uchida, MC, Crewther, BT, Ugrinowitsch, C, Bacurau, RFP, Moriscot, AS, and Aoki, MS. J Strength Cond Res 23(7): 2003-2008, 2009-This study assessed the effect of different resistance exercise scheme (RES) designs of similar total of load lifted on the responses of testosterone, cortisol, and creatine kinase (CK). Twenty-seven healthy males performed 1 of 4 bench press workouts described by the 1 repetition maximum (1RM) load: 4 sets of maximum repetitions at 50%-1RM (50%-1RM RES), 5 sets of maximum repetitions at 75%-1RM (75%-1RM RES), 10 sets of maximum repetitions at 90%-1RM (90%1RM RES), or 8 sets of maximum repetitions at 110%-1RM (110%-1RM RES). Each RES was equated by the total volume of load lifted (repetitions x sets x load). Blood samples, collected pre-exercise (Pre) and post-exercise (Post) at 1 and 24 hours (24 h), were analyzed for total and free testosterone, total cortisol, and CK. In general, testosterone and cortisol showed little change within or between the different RES (p > 0.05), possibly because of the relatively low volume lifted and/ or the small muscle mass activated by the bench press exercise. Cortisol was elevated after the 75%-1RM RES at the Post sample, with this response also exceeding the other RES (p < 0.05). The 24 h CK response was also elevated after the 75%-1RM RES (p < 0.05), thereby suggesting greater training strain for the same volume of load. These results confirm previous recommendations regarding the prescription of resistance exercise and the importance of total volume as a stimulus for activating the endocrine system and achieving long-term adaptation.

A discussion on volume change in the plastic phase

This technical note discusses the possibility of using a more simplified scheme to estimate the plastic multiplier when some material shows volume changes, e.g. soil, balsa wood foam and other similar materials. Two procedures regarding volume changes during the plastic phase are discussed here. The first one is the classic procedure applied to non-associative plasticity, for which a Drucker-Prager-like surface is adopted to represent the plastic potential. For the second procedure, the plastic potential is not explicitly known, however, its orthogonal direction is chosen respecting a plastic volume change parameter similar to Poisson`s ratio. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

AnSBBR Applied to a Personal Care Industry Wastewater Treatment: Effects of Fill Time, Volume Treated Per Cycle, and Organic Load

A study was performed regarding the effect of the relation between fill time, volume treated per cycle, and influent concentration at different applied organic loadings on the stability and efficiency of an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor containing immobilized biomass on polyurethane foam with recirculation of the liquid phase (AnSBBR) applied to the treatment of wastewater from a personal care industry. Total cycle length of the reactor was 8 h (480 min). Fill times were 10 min in the batch operation, 4 h in the fed-batch operation, and a 10-min batch followed by a 4-h fed batch in the mixed operation. Settling time was not necessary since the biomass was immobilized and decant time was 10 min. Volume of liquid medium in the reactor was 2.5 L, whereas volume treated per cycle ranged from 0.88 to 2.5 L in accordance with fill time. Influent concentration varied from 300 to 1,425 mg COD/L, resulting in an applied volumetric organic load of 0.9 and 1.5 g COD/L.d. Recirculation flow rate was 20 L/h, and the reactor was maintained at 30 A degrees C. Values of organic matter removal efficiency of filtered effluent samples were below 71% in the batch operations and above 74% in the operations of fed batch followed by batch. Feeding wastewater during part of the operational cycle was beneficial to the system, as it resulted in indirect control over the conversion of substrate into intermediates that would negatively interfere with the biochemical reactions regarding the degradation of organic matter. As a result, the average substrate consumption increased, leading to higher organic removal efficiencies in the fed-batch operations.

Effect of specific feed volume on the performance of an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (AnSBBR) with circulation treating different wastewaters under different organic loads

The objective of this research was to study the behavior of two anaerobic sequencing batch reactors, containing immobilized biomass (AnSBBR), as a function of the ratio of the volume of treated medium in each cycle to the total volume of reaction medium. The reactors, in which mixing was accomplished by recirculation of the liquid phase, were maintained at 30 +/- 1 degrees C and treated different wastewaters in 8-h cycles. The operational conditions imposed had the objective to investigate whether maintenance of a residual volume in the reactor would affect, at the end of each cycle, process efficiency and stability, as well as to verify the intensity of the effect for different types of wastewaters and organic loading rates. The first reactor, with work volume of 2.5 L, treated reconstituted cheese whey at an organic loading rate of 12 g COD.L(-1).d(-1) and presented similar effluent quality for the four conditions under which it was operated: renewal of 100, 70, 50 and 25 % of its work volume at each cycle. Despite the fact that reduction in the renewed volume did not significantly affect effluent quality, in quantitative terms, this reduction resulted in an increase in the amount of organic matter removed by the first reactor. The second reactor, with work volume of 1.8 L, treated synthetic wastewater at organic loading rates of 3 and 5 g COD.L(-1).d(-1) and operated under two conditions for each loading: renewal of 100 and 50 % of its work volume. At the organic loading rate of 3 g COD.L(-1).d(-1), the results showed that both effluent quality and amount of organic matter removed by the second reactor were independent of the treated volume per cycle. At the organic loading rate of 5 g COD.L(-1).d(-1), although the reduction in the renewed volume did not affect the amount of organic matter removed by the reactor, effluent quality improved during reactor operation with total discharge of its volume. In general, results showed process stability under all conditions, evidencing reactor flexibility and the potential to apply this technology in the treatment of different types of wastewater.

Methods of Fourier optics in digital holographic microscopy

In this paper, processing methods of Fourier optics implemented in a digital holographic microscopy system are presented. The proposed methodology is based on the possibility of the digital holography in carrying out the whole reconstruction of the recorded wave front and consequently, the determination of the phase and intensity distribution in any arbitrary plane located between the object and the recording plane. In this way, in digital holographic microscopy the field produced by the objective lens can be reconstructed along its propagation, allowing the reconstruction of the back focal plane of the lens, so that the complex amplitudes of the Fraunhofer diffraction, or equivalently the Fourier transform, of the light distribution across the object can be known. The manipulation of Fourier transform plane makes possible the design of digital methods of optical processing and image analysis. The proposed method has a great practical utility and represents a powerful tool in image analysis and data processing. The theoretical aspects of the method are presented, and its validity has been demonstrated using computer generated holograms and images simulations of microscopic objects. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Denisiuk-type reflection holography display with sillenite crystals for imaging and interferometry of small objects

A novel setup for imaging and interferometry through reflection holography with Bi12TiPO20(BTO) sillenite photorefractive crystals is proposed. A variation of the lensless Denisiuk arrangement was developed resulting in a compact, robust and simple interferometer. A red He-Ne laser was used as light source and the holographic recording occurred by diffusion with the grating vector parallel to the crystal [0 0 1]-axis. In order to enhance the holographic image quality and reduce noise a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) was positioned at the BTO input and the crystal was tilted around the [0 0 1]-axis. This enabled the orthogonally polarized transmission and diffracted beams to be separated by the PBS, providing the holographic image only. The possibility of performing deformation and strain analysis as well as vibration measurement of small objects was demonstrated. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular Simulator Improvement: Pressure Versus Volume Loop Assessment

This article presents improvement on a physical cardiovascular simulator (PCS) system. Intraventricular pressure versus intraventricular volume (PxV) loop was obtained to evaluate performance of a pulsatile chamber mimicking the human left ventricle. PxV loop shows heart contractility and is normally used to evaluate heart performance. In many heart diseases, the stroke volume decreases because of low heart contractility. This pathological situation must be simulated by the PCS in order to evaluate the assistance provided by a ventricular assist device (VAD). The PCS system is automatically controlled by a computer and is an auxiliary tool for VAD control strategies development. This PCS system is according to a Windkessel model where lumped parameters are used for cardiovascular system analysis. Peripheral resistance, arteries compliance, and fluid inertance are simulated. The simulator has an actuator with a roller screw and brushless direct current motor, and the stroke volume is regulated by the actuator displacement. Internal pressure and volume measurements are monitored to obtain the PxV loop. Left chamber internal pressure is directly obtained by pressure transducer; however, internal volume has been obtained indirectly by using a linear variable differential transformer, which senses the diaphragm displacement. Correlations between the internal volume and diaphragm position are made. LabVIEW integrates these signals and shows the pressure versus internal volume loop. The results that have been obtained from the PCS system show PxV loops at different ventricle elastances, making possible the simulation of pathological situations. A preliminary test with a pulsatile VAD attached to PCS system was made.

Genetic variation for anatomic traits and volume shrinkage and their correlation with wood basic density in an Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn base population

Eucalyptus camaldulensis has great importance in Brazil because of their phenotypic plasticity for different environmental conditions, as soils, altitudes and rainfall. This study is an investigation of a base population of E. camaldulensis from Australia through a progeny test implanted in Selviria, MS. The trial was established in a randomized block design, with 25 families and 60 replications of single tree plots. Genetic parameters for anatomic traits and volume shrinkage were estimated, as well as their correlations with wood basic density. No significant differences among progenies were observed for the traits studied. The additive genetic variation coefficient at individual and among progeny levels ranged from low (0.26%) to high (16.98%). The narrow sense heritability at individual and family means levels also ranged from low (0.01) to high (0.87). This indicates that some traits are under strong genetic control and can be improved by selection. In the present situation, in order to attain the highest genetic gains, the sequential selection among and within progeny would be recommended.

Urine Volume in Acute Kidney Injury: How Much Is Enough?

Eight hundred and seventy-nine patients with acute kidney injury were retrospectively studied over year and eleven months for evaluation of urine volume as a risk factor for death. They were divided into five groups, according to the 24 h urine volume (UV): anuric (UV <= 50 mL/24 h, group 1), oliguric (UV > 50 mL/24 h and < 400 mL/24 h, group 2), and non-oliguric (UV >= 400 mL/24 h). Nonoliguric group was subdivided in three subgroups: UV > 400 mL/24 h and <= 1000 mL/24 h (group 3, reference group), UV > 1000 mL/24 h and <= 2000 mL/24 h (group 4), and UV > 2000 mL/24 h (group 5). Linear tendency test (Mantel extension) pointed out a significant increase in mortality with UV decrease (p < 0.001), confirmed by multivariate analysis. Anuric and oliguric patients had increased risk of respectively 95% and 76% times for death compared to controls (p < 0.05). Patients from groups 4 and 5 presented a reduced risk for death of 50% and 70%, respectively, p = 0.004 and p = 0.001. In conclusion, urine volume was a strong independent factor for mortality in this cohort of AKI patients.

Effectiveness of the CAGE questionnaire, gamma-glutamyltransferase and mean corpuscular volume of red blood cells as markers for alcohol-related problems in the workplace

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), as well as that of the CAGE questionnaire, in workplace screening for alcohol abuse/dependence. Methods: A total of 183 male employees were submitted to structured interviews (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV 2.0 and CAGE questionnaire). Blood samples were collected. Diagnostic accuracy and odds ratio were determined for the CAGE, GGT and MCV. Results: The CAGE questionnaire presented the best sensitivity for alcohol dependence (91%; specificity, 87.8%) and for alcohol abuse (87.5%, specificity, 80.9%), which increased when the questionnaire was used in combination with GGT (sensitivity, 100% and 87.5%, respectively; specificity, 68% and 61.5, respectively). CAGE positive results and/or alterations in GGT were less likely to occur among employees not presenting alcohol abuse/ dependence than among those presenting such abuse (OR for CAGE = 13, p < 0.05; OR for CAGE-GGT = 11, p < 0.05) or dependence (OR for CAGE = 76, p < 0.0 1; OR for GGT = 5, p < 0.0 1). Employees not presenting alcohol abuse/dependence were also several times more likely to present negative CAGE or GGT results. Conclusions: The use short, simple questionnaires, combined with that of low-cost biochemical markers, such as GGT, can serve as an initial screening for alcohol-related problems, especially for employees in hazardous occupations. The data provided can serve to corroborate clinical findings. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urodynamic evaluation of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms and small prostate volume

Introduction: The relevance of prostate size in the pathophysiology of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is controversial. We evaluated the urodynamic findings in patients with LUTS and small prostate volumes. Materials and Methods: 84 patients aged >= 50 years with LUTS and prostates < 40 ml were evaluated. All had an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) >= 8. Average age was 62.0 +/- 8.1 years. We evaluated the impact of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and detrusor overactivity (DO) on the voiding symptoms and urodynamic findings. Results: Mean prostate volume was 29.2 +/- 7.2 ml and mean IPSS was 13.5 +/- 4.6. BOO was the main finding, affecting 42 (50.0%) patients, followed by detrusor underactivity (DU) in 41 (48.8%) and DO in 28 (33.3%) patients. Patients without BOO were significantly older than the obstructed (64.0 +/- 8.8 and 60.1 +/- 6.9 years, respectively; p = 0.026) and had an increased prevalence of DU (76.2 and 21.4%, respectively; p < 0.001). Comparison of patients with and without DO showed reduced bladder capacity and compliance in the DO group (p < 0.001). No other comparisons were significant. Conclusion: Half of the patients with LUTS and small prostates are not obstructed and may have DO or decreased detrusor contractility as the basis for their voiding symptoms. Our results emphasize the value of urodynamics in this population, especially when invasive treatments are being considered. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.