Diagnosis and management of asthma: occupational health nurses'' awareness and use of national consensus practice guidelines

In 7 patients who received liver transplants, 12 plasma proteins were subjected to phenotype analysis in donor and recipient before and after transplantation. The plasma proteins analyzed were haptoglobin, transferrin, glycoprotein GC, alpha-1-antitrypsin, complement factor 3 (C3), orosomucoid 1, properdin factor B, complement factor 6, alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein (A2HS), plasminogen, factor B of coagulation factor XIII, and interalpha-trypsin-inhibitor (ITI). Classification was done with isoelectric focusing or agarose gel electrophoresis (C3). A change from recipient to donor type was observed for all systems with the exception of C3. This is the first time such data have been obtained for the A2HS and ITI systems. The time is indicated at which the recipient type disappeared and the donor type appeared. In addition to the expected phenotype changes from recipient to donor type, unexpected results were found in some systems. For instance, in 2 patients a mixed type was synthesized, or new phenotypes appeared. Possible explanations include blood transfusions, immunosuppressive therapy, extrahepatic sites of synthesis and disturbed transplant function. The usefulness of phenotype determination as a diagnostic criterion for transplant function is discussed.     

Measuring the yield stress of a particulate suspension under high electric fields

Certain classes of particulate suspensions, consisting of semi-conducting, solid particles dispersed in an insulating carrier liquid, show a dramatic increase in flow resistance when placed under an external electric field. These so-called “electro-rheological fluids” have potential application in engineering devices such as tunable vibration damping systems. Under the field, a yield stress is induced in the fluid, and the characterisation of this quantity is essential for the design of many engineering devices. A new method for determining the yield stress is presented, which involves subjecting the sample to a constant shear stress and monitoring its shear rate after a step change in the electric field. It is found that this step field method can reproducibly determine the field-induced yield stress of a suspension of silica particles in silicon oil.     

VISCOSITY-TIME-TEMPERATURE RELATIONS IN GLASS AT ANNEALING TEMPERATURES*

Viscosity data published by the author in 1931 are discussed with reference to their limitations. New experiments on fiber elongation in a redesigned apparatus are described in which one of the glasses previously used is tested. The results show that the viscosity of a newly drawn fiber increases with time of heat treatment according to a definite law which may be explained on the basis of a change in the state of aggregation in the glass. A finite equilibrium viscosity is indicated at each temperature, this limit being approachable from either side depending on previous heat treatment of the sample. This is taken to indicate an equilibrium average size of aggregate for any temperature, the groups starting to break up again if the temperature is increased after a long treatment. The expression of Sheppard and Houck is used for estimating effective molecular or aggregate weights in equilibrium at various temperatures, an example being 112,000 at about 500°C. The variation of viscosity with time is at least one reason why glasses fail to conform to Adams' and Williamson's annealing equation at low temperatures.     

Decision-making styles and problem-solving appraisal.

Administered measures of decision-making styles and problem-solving appraisal to 243 undergraduates and a canonical analysis was employed to examine the relationships between the 2 sets of variables. Three significant canonical roots suggest that (a) individuals who employ rational decision-making strategies are likely to approach (rather than avoid) problematic situations, (b) individuals who endorse dependent decisional strategies are likely to report that they approach problematic situations but do so without particular confidence in their problem-solving abilities, and (c) the endorsement of both rational and intuitive strategies for decision making is likely to be accompanied by appraisals of both greater confidence and diminished personal control. (27 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Changes in respiratory control during and after 48 h of isocapnic and poikilocapnic hypoxia in humans

Ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia is associated with an increase in ventilation under conditions of acute hyperoxia (VEhyperoxia) and an increase in acute hypoxic ventilatory response (AHVR). This study compares 48-h exposures to isocapnic hypoxia (protocol I) with 48-h exposures to poikilocapnic hypoxia (protocol P) in 10 subjects to assess the importance of hypocapnic alkalosis in generating the changes observed in ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia. During both hypoxic exposures, end-tidal PO2 was maintained at 60 Torr, with end-tidal PCO2 held at the subject's prehypoxic level (protocol I) or uncontrolled (protocol P). VEhyperoxia and AHVR were assessed regularly throughout the exposures. VEhyperoxia (P < 0.001, ANOVA) and AHVR (P < 0.001) increased during the hypoxic exposures, with no significant differences between protocols I and P. The increase in VEhyperoxia was associated with an increase in slope of the ventilation-end-tidal PCO2 response (P < 0.001) with no significant change in intercept. These results suggest that changes in respiratory control early in ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia result from the effects of hypoxia per se and not the alkalosis normally accompanying hypoxia.     

Regulation of the B cell response to T-dependent antigens by classical pathway complement

We observed that retinoic acid, which differentiates the human neuroblastoma SK-N-BE into mature neurons, induced an elevation in levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6). This effect was not induced by phorbol myristate acetate, another differentiating agent. We then explored the effects of retinoic acid on the formation of arachidonic acid and of docosahexaenoic acid from precursors and on the de novo lipid synthesis from acetate at various stages of differentiation, which was assessed by morphological (cell number and neurite outgrowth) and biochemical (protein content and thymidine incorporation) criteria. At 3 days of incubation with retinoic acid, in the n-6 series, total conversion of linoleic acid, especially to 20:3 n-6, was elevated, in association with preferential incorporation of acetate into phospholipids; in contrast, at 8 days, synthesis of 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids declined, in association with enhanced incorporation in triglycerides. In the n-3 series, eicosapentaenoic acid was converted to docosahexaenoic acid in SK-N-BE, but the conversion was not affected by retinoic acid. During the early stage of neuronal differentiation, therefore, enhanced production of 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids from their precursors occurred, and newly formed fatty acids were preferentially incorporated in phospholipids, possibly in association with membrane deposition. When differentiation was completed, arachidonic acid formation and incorporation of acetate in phospholipids and cholesterol declined with enhanced labeling of storage lipids.     

Consistency, specificity, and correlates of negative emotions.

Four studies with college student participants examined the consistency, specificity, and correlates of sadness, fear, and anger. Study 1 measured emotions with daily diaries, and Study 2 examined the relationship between trait emotions and state emotions. Studies 1 and 2 indicated that specific negative emotions are temporally stable, are positively correlated, and provide information above and beyond that provided by other negative emotions. Study 3 found that negative emotions are differentially associated with different facets of cognitive style, as measured by questionnaires that examined dysfunctional attitudes and attributions concerning negative events. Study 4 indicated that negative emotions are differentially associated with different facets of response style, as measured by the degree to which individuals described their thoughts, feelings, and actions in response to hypothetical events. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fibromyalgia and women's pursuit of personal goals: A daily process analysis.

For 30 days, 50 women with primary fibromyalgia syndrome reported daily progress and effort toward a health–fitness and a social–interpersonal goal and the extent to which their pain and fatigue hindered their accomplishment. They also carried palmtop computers to assess their sleep and their pain, fatigue, and positive and negative mood throughout the day. Analyses of the person–day data set showed than on days during which pain or fatigue increased from morning to evening, participants perceived their goal progress to be more attenuated by pain and fatigue. Unrestorative sleep the night before predicted the following day's effort and progress toward accomplishing health–fitness goals, but not social–interpersonal goals. Finally, participants who reported more progress toward social–interpersonal goals on a given day were more likely to evidence improvements in positive mood across the day, regardless of any changes in pain or fatigue that day. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)