Long-term effects of family-based treatment of childhood obesity.

This study was a 5-year follow-up of obese children who participated in a family-based behavioral weight-control program targeting and reinforcing children and parents for weight loss (Epstein, Wing, Koeske, Andrasik, & Ossip, 1981). Children in the parent-plus-child group showed significantly greater weight reductions after 5 years (–22.7% overweight) than did children in a child-alone target group or in a no-target control group (4.3% and 8.2% overweight, respectively). One third of children in the parent-plus-child group were within 20% of normal weight in comparison with 5% of the children in the no-target control group. Height percentile decreased from the 72nd to the 60th percentile; these changes were negatively related to weight change. These children remained taller than the average child after weight loss, and children of short and medium-height parents were still relatively taller than their parents after 5 years. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of parent weight on weight loss in obese children.

Assessed the effect of parent weight (obese/nonobese parent) and parent control vs child self-control on the weight loss of 41 obese 8–12 yr olds over a 3-yr period. Children of nonobese parents had significantly greater decrease in relative weight after 1 yr, but not after 3 yrs, than children of obese parents. Locus of control was not related to treatment outcome over the 3 yrs. Results suggest that parent weight was related to weight loss, but not weight maintenance, in obese children. (9 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

FA2BOUG—A FORTRAN 90 code to compute Bouguer gravity anomalies from gridded free-air anomalies: Application to the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition zone

In this paper we present a computer program written in FORTRAN 90 specifically designed to determine the Bouguer anomaly from publicly available global gridded free-air anomaly and elevation database sets. FA2BOUG computes the complete Bouguer correction (i.e. Bullard A, B and C corrections) for both land and sea points in several spatial domains according to the distance between the topography and the calculation point. In each zone a different algorithm is used. In a distant zone we consider the harmonic spherical expansion of the potential of each right rectangular prism representing an elevation grid point. In an intermediate zone we compute the gravitational attraction produced by each prism using the analytic formula. Finally, an inner zone contribution is divided into two parts: a flat-topped prism with a height equal to the elevation of the calculation point, and four quadrants of a conic prism sloping continuously from each square of the inner zone to the calculation point. The program has been applied to the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition zone to obtain a complete Bouguer anomaly map of the area, integrating available onshore Bouguer anomaly with satellite-derived free-air anomaly data. Positive Bouguer anomalies are found in the Atlantic oceanic domain (240–300 mGal), central and eastern Alboran Basin (40–160 mGal) and SW Iberian Peninsula (>40 mGal). Major negative Bouguer anomalies are located beneath the west Alboran Basin (<?40 mGal), the Rif, the Rharb Basin and the Atlas Mountains (<?120 mGal). An isostatic residual anomaly map of the study area has been computed and compared with the crustal and lithospheric structure inferred from previous work.     

Analogue OTA multiplier without input voltage swing restrictions, and temperature-compensated

An analogue multiplier with operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs) is presented. It overcomes the typical problems of previous OTA multipliers: limited input voltage swings and temperature dependence. It uses a minimum number of resistive components, and only two of them are critical in their performance. A simple temperature compensation scheme for the OTA multiplier is introduced.     

Processes underlying long-term repetition priming in digit data entry.

Two experiments examined long-term repetition priming in data entry. In each experiment, participants entered 4-digit numbers displayed as either words or numerals, and responded with digits (Experiment 1), or either digits or initial letters (Experiment 2). At test 1 week later, they entered old and new numbers, with the format changed for half of the old stimuli. Implicit memory was evidenced at test by faster entry of the old than the new numbers, regardless of whether the numbers were in the same or different format, suggesting that the abstract numerical meaning, not the surface form, contributes to repetition priming. Numbers presented as words in training had an advantage over numbers presented as numerals, regardless of response format, implying that type of processing also contributes to the effect and ruling out an explanation based on time spent processing numbers in word format. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mutagenesis of nitrite reductase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: tyrosine-10 in the c heme domain is not involved in catalysis

It has been proposed that some neonates infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), acquire their infections in utero as demonstrated by HBV seromarkers in venous blood samples at birth. In this study, paired blood samples from 13 HBsAg-positive, 19 HBsAg- and HBeAg-positive, 2 HBsAg-negative mothers and 34 of their neonates, were drawn 24-72 hours after birth and tested for HBV-DNA in their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The presence of HBV-DNA in PBMC was detected in 69.2% (9/13) of HBsAg-positive mothers, 94.7% (18/19) of HBsAg- and HBeAg-positive mothers, and in none of their neonates. The conclusion from these results is that the evidence for hepatitis B infections occurring in neonates of hepatitis B carrier mothers in utero is uncommon.     

Beyond the pages of a book: Interactive book reading and language development in preschool classrooms.

The effects of a book reading technique called interactive book reading on the language and literacy development of 4 yr olds from low-income families were evaluated. Teachers read books to children and reinforced the vocabulary in the books by presenting concrete objects that represented the words and by providing children with multiple opportunities to use the book-related words. The teachers also were trained to ask open-ended questions and to engage children in conversations about the book and activities. This provided children with opportunities to use language and learn vocabulary in a meaningful context. Children who were in the interactive book reading intervention group scored significantly better than children in the comparison group on Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test—III and other measures of receptive and expressive language. Book reading and related activities can promote the development of language and literacy skills in young children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Possible fatty acyl pheromone precursors in Spodoptera littoralis. Search for 11- and 12-hydroxytetradecanoic acids in the pheromone gland

Lipidic extracts of Spodoptera littoralis pheromone glands submitted to acid methanolysis using: (i) sulfuric acid/methanol/benzene (0.1∶4∶2, by vol) at 90°C for 1 h; (ii) 12 N HCl/methanol (1∶2; vol/vol) at 90°C for 1 h, or (iii) 14% BF₃-MeOH at 90°C for 1 h did not reveal the presence of either 11- or 12-hydroxytetradecanoic acid in the extracts, as concluded from the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses. Under the above methanolysis conditions, a synthetic sample of methyl (14, 14, 15-²H₃) 12-hydroxytetradecanoate remained unaltered. These results may indicate that formation of (E)-11-tetradecenoic acid from tetradecanoic acid does not occur in the pheromone gland by dehydration of an intermediate hydroxyacid. Acid methanolysis of a lipidic extract using BF₃-MeOH led to the formation of a mixture of methoxy fatty acid methyl esters, identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. These methoxy derivatives should arise from BF₃-catalyzed addition of methanol to the double bond of the natural monounsaturated fatty acyl derivatives present in the gland. Thus, under the same conditions, a synthetic sample of methyl (Z)-11-tetradecenoate was partially transformed into methyl 11-methoxytetradecanoate and methyl 12-methoxytetradecanoate. This reaction might be a useful alternative procedure to obtain methoxy derivatives of olefins, which are very helpful for the structural characterization of the parent alkenes.     

Effects of cathodic electrodeposition parameters of cerium oxide film on the corrosion resistance of the 2024 Al alloy

Cerium oxide thin films obtained by cathodic electrodeposition on 2024 aluminium alloy have been studied. The coatings, obtained with electrochemical deposition, offer an effective corrosion protection and require a lower deposition time when compared to chemical conversion coatings. The coatings were obtained at room temperature by deposition from CeCl₃/H₂O₂ aqueous solutions and the influence of several parameters (CeCl₃ concentration, H₂O₂ concentration, deposition time, current intensity) on the corrosion resistance was studied. The composition, morphology and microstructure of the films have been characterized by SEM, XPS and AFM. The corrosion resistance was investigated through potentiodynamic tests in 3% NaCl solution.