Using the question-behavior effect to promote disease prevention behaviors: Two randomized controlled trials.

Objective: To test the efficacy of interventions based on the question-behavior effect in promoting the adoption of disease prevention behaviors. Design: In Study 1, adults from the general public were randomly allocated to complete a questionnaire about health checks (question-behavior effect condition) or not (control) and later received an invitation to attend for screening. In Study 2, health care professionals were randomly allocated to complete a questionnaire about influenza vaccination or not and later had the opportunity to receive a vaccination. Main Outcome Measures: We objectively assessed health check attendance (Study 1) and influenza vaccination (Study 2). Results: In Study 1, intention-to-treat analyses indicated that health check attendance was significantly higher in the question-behavior effect condition (68.3%) compared with the control condition (53.5%). In Study 2, intention-to-treat analyses indicated that influenza vaccination was significantly higher among participants in the question-behavior effect condition (42.0%) compared with the control condition (36.3%), and this effect persisted after controlling for demographic variables. Explanatory analyses indicated that the effects in both studies were attributable to completing rather than merely receiving the questionnaire and were stronger for those with positive attitudes or intentions about the target behavior. Conclusion: The question-behavior effect represents a simple, cost-effective means to increase disease prevention behaviors among the general public and health professionals. Implications for promoting health behaviors are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Will the increasing prevalence of atopy have a favourable impact on rheumatoid arthritis?

A female patient, who was diagnosed with Leigh syndrome at 15 months of age, developed fulminating severe hypertension and died at 8 years of age. Hypertension has not been reported as an important clinical symptom in Leigh syndrome. Laboratory findings indicated that it was not associated with endocrinopathic diseases such as pheochromocytoma and aldosteronism, or renal diseases. Brain MRI scan showed symmetrical lesions in the basal ganglia and medulla oblongata including the nucleus tractus solitarius. This nucleus is known to play an important role in maintaining blood pressure. Since the medulla oblongata is a vulnerable site, potential development of hypertension should be taken into consideration when managing Leigh syndrome.     

Two Methods for Optimal MECG Elimination and FECG Detection from Skin Electrode Signals

Two signal processing techniques for the suppression of the maternal ECG and simultaneously optimal detection of fetal ECG with respect to noise are presented. Both techniques are based on the singular value decomposition of a measurement matrix. Criteria are given in order to evaluate, a priori, electrode locations and sampling schemes for both methods. A fundamental difference with other methods is that the number of linearly independent FECG signals is not constrained to one. One of the presented techniques is a typical offline method. It is well suited for a large number of electrodes and large number of samples, which results in a better signal to noise ratio. The second technique is a typical on-line method. It gives fetal ECG signals within about 1 s, and is adaptive to changes of the transfer (e.g., due to fetal movement). It can be applied with a small number of electrodes (e.g., eight). It is shown that if three of these signals are from thoracic electrodes, the MECG suppression is guaranteed.     

The integration of simulation and response surface methodology forthe optimization of IC processes

This paper describes a methodology that can be used for the optimization of semiconductor processes. This is achieved by integrating the design of experiments and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with process and device simulation tools. Software for automating multiple simulations has been implemented and interfaced to RS/1 to assist in the manual design and analysis of experiments and the subsequent optimization procedures. The procedure is illustrated through the optimization of part of an MOS process with multi-parameter optimization being performed by the introduction of composite responses and sensitivity analysis. These simulated results are also compared with experimental measurements     

The reactivity risk in fast reactors and the related international experimental programmes CABRI and SCARABEE

CABRI and SCARABEE are two experimental reactors, located at Cadarache, France. During the last twenty years, they were operated by IPSN, together with other French and foreign research institutes, in order to conduct several experimental programmes to study the problems raised by the reactivity risk in fast reactors. Transient over-power tests were realized in CABRI, whereas in SCARABEE bundles with up to 37 pins were brought to melting and even boiling.

The results led to code developments and general engineering expertise, and helped to give a better understanding and prediction capability of different hypothetical accident scenarios, like core disruptions and subassembly blockages.

A new programme is underway to complement some important issues, mainly linked to other scenarios, like an accidental control rod withdrawal and the risk of recriticality of a molten core.     

A high-efficiency collection device for quantifying sex pheromone volatilized from female glands and synthetic sources

A high-efficiency collection device for sex pheromones volatized from forcibly extruded female glands is described. Filtered nitrogen gas is the carrier and glass wool the adsorbent. Small quantities of distilled carbon disulfide are used to rinse the glass wool. Recovery efficiency of synthetic compounds was usually 90–100%, and a mean of 2.4 ± 0.65 SD ng/min of (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate was recovered in emissions from individualTrichoplusia ni (Hubner) glands.     

Function Prediction and Analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Hypothetical Proteins

High-throughput biology technologies have yielded complete genome sequences and functional genomics data for several organisms, including crucial microbial pathogens of humans, animals and plants. However, up to 50% of genes within a genome are often labeled "unknown", "uncharacterized" or "hypothetical", limiting our understanding of virulence and pathogenicity of these organisms. Even though biological functions of proteins encoded by these genes are not known, many of them have been predicted to be involved in key processes in these organisms. In particular, for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, some of these "hypothetical" proteins, for example those belonging to the Pro-Glu or Pro-Pro-Glu (PE/PPE) family, have been suspected to play a crucial role in the intracellular lifestyle of this pathogen, and may contribute to its survival in different environments. We have generated a functional interaction network for Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteins and used this to predict functions for many of its hypothetical proteins. Here we performed functional enrichment analysis of these proteins based on their predicted biological functions to identify annotations that are statistically relevant, and analysed and compared network properties of hypothetical proteins to the known proteins. From the statistically significant annotations and network information, we have tried to derive biologically meaningful annotations related to infection and disease. This quantitative analysis provides an overview of the functional contributions of Mycobacterium tuberculosis "hypothetical" proteins to many basic cellular functions, including its adaptability in the host system and its ability to evade the host immune response.     

Hyperspectral imaging for the investigation of quality deterioration in sliced mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) during storage

In this study, the potential application of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) for quality prediction of white mushroom slices during storage at 4 °C and 15 °C was investigated. Mushroom slice quality was measured in terms of moisture content, colour (CIE Lightness, L* and yellowness, b*) and texture (hardness, H and chewiness, Ch). Hyperspectral images were obtained using a pushbroom line-scanning HSI instrument, operating in the wavelength range of 400–1,000 nm with spectroscopic resolution of 5 nm. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and Principal Component Regression (PCR) models were developed to investigate the relationship between reflectance and the various quality parameters measured. 20 optimal wavelengths for quality prediction were selected after performing an exhaustive search for the best subsets of predictor variables on a calibration set of 84 samples. PCR applied to the set of optimal wavelengths gave the best performance as compared to MLR and PCR on the entire wavelength range. When applied to an independent validation set of samples, PCR models developed on the calibration set were capable of predicting moisture content with RMSEP of 0.74% w.b. and R ² of 0.75, L* with RMSEP of 0.47 and R ² of 0.95, b* with RMSEP of 0.66 and R ² of 0.75, H with RMSEP of 0.49 N and R ² of 0.77 and Ch with RMSEP of 0.27 N and R ² of 0.72. Virtual images showing the distribution of moisture content on the mushroom surface were generated from the estimated PCR model. Results from this study could be used for the development of a non-destructive monitoring system for prediction of sliced mushroom quality.